The Weird Uncle of Invention
April 11, 2008 1:12 PM Subscribe
Gizmo (wiki) is a placeholder name for any small technological item. Other similar names are gadget, widget, thingamajig, blobject, etc.. In general, a Gizmo is completely useless in practical terms.
GIZMO! is a documentary about odd inventions that may or may not have been useful, but make up for their dubious utility in entertainment value.
This post was deleted for the following reason: When you get Gizmo wet, he multiplies. -- cortex
See also the Japanese art of chindogu (wiki)
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 1:32 PM on April 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 1:32 PM on April 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
A gewgaw is useless, but I've never thought of a gizmo or gadget as being necessarily usless. For instance, one could refer to a cell phone as a gizmo or gadget (if one wanted to seem old), and not imply useleness so much as technical vagueness, no?
posted by ornate insect at 1:49 PM on April 11, 2008
posted by ornate insect at 1:49 PM on April 11, 2008
Completely useless in practical terms? That explains why Gizmo Project is now Gizmo5.
posted by Adamchik at 2:01 PM on April 11, 2008
posted by Adamchik at 2:01 PM on April 11, 2008
This was a great video. It reminds me of the time I jumped off my treehouse with an umbrella, thinking I would float gently to the ground. If you're wondering, I didn't float gently down. It turned inside out and I hit the ground like a dart. The second result was the same thing. The third time... what was I saying?
posted by dmo2008 at 2:34 PM on April 11, 2008
posted by dmo2008 at 2:34 PM on April 11, 2008
a Gizmo is completely useless in practical terms
No no no. A gizmo performs a vital, but incidental, function. The door part of a door is central. The latch is a gizmo.
posted by DU at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2008
No no no. A gizmo performs a vital, but incidental, function. The door part of a door is central. The latch is a gizmo.
posted by DU at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2008
Professor Gizmo was a character in the Ruff & Reddy cartoons (the first cartoons for TV done by Hanna & Barbera), a scientist/inventor who wore a top hat and tuxedo.
In my Boy Scout days, I had a scoutmaster who has a Germanic surname that started with G and had a Z in it, so he preferred to be called Mr. Gizmo. He opened a store called "Gizmo's" selling overpriced camping supplies, a clear conflict of interest. He also wrote and illustrated a children's book about a plucky little kid of confused Arab/Indian/West Asian ethnicity named "Ali Meri Khan" (say it fast and GROAN).
I do not wish to be exposed to Gizmos.
posted by wendell at 4:58 PM on April 11, 2008
In my Boy Scout days, I had a scoutmaster who has a Germanic surname that started with G and had a Z in it, so he preferred to be called Mr. Gizmo. He opened a store called "Gizmo's" selling overpriced camping supplies, a clear conflict of interest. He also wrote and illustrated a children's book about a plucky little kid of confused Arab/Indian/West Asian ethnicity named "Ali Meri Khan" (say it fast and GROAN).
I do not wish to be exposed to Gizmos.
posted by wendell at 4:58 PM on April 11, 2008
Love the video. (sorry)
posted by madamjujujive at 2:43 PM on April 11 [+] [!]
Aw, nertz. It didn't come up in my search.
The definition is from Wikipedia. I would not dream of dismissing gizmos themselves as useless. I love gizmos, and have a wide variety that perform all sorts of assorted functions. I mean, how would I do the thing with the doohickey if I didn't have the proper gizmo?
posted by louche mustachio at 5:15 PM on April 11, 2008
That firefighter's suit was soooo bad ass.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 5:30 PM on April 11, 2008
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 5:30 PM on April 11, 2008
At this moment, on my desk, beside my computer sits a chrome plated solid brass device manufactured by Akron Brass stamped "Gizmo". It's one of my favorite mementos from a job that I did many years ago. Google let me down - I couldn't find an image or a reference to this specific gizmo...
posted by X4ster at 7:06 PM on April 11, 2008
posted by X4ster at 7:06 PM on April 11, 2008
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posted by ardgedee at 1:15 PM on April 11, 2008