There Are Some Crazy Novelty USB Accessories Out There!

Flash drives. LED lights. Mini-fans. The USB lamp. With every passing month, the variety of novelty USB accessories increases. If you’re not paying attention, an entire USB fad can explode into existence, flicker wildly for a few weeks, and vanish without a trace. But some unusual ideas have made their way mainstream for anyone to acquire and adore.

The USB Air Purifier — just like your normal air purifier, only smaller, significantly cuter, and powered by your computer. The USB air purifier is no Ionic Breeze™, but it’s a noticeable improvement over stale office air – even if it’s a home office. By combining both ionic and ozone oriented purification, you can get a sphere of breathable goodness out of a surprisingly small package.

The USB 2-Fan Laptop Cooling Station — for laptops that overheat, this useful little device clicks onto the bottom of a laptop and provides it with a pair of fans to suck the heat away. Powered by the laptop itself, they can drain the battery if it’s not plugged in, but they’re perfect for taking the term “laptop” literally.

The USB Illuminating Webcam — Ever tried to use a webcam in the dark? If you’re trying to hide the fact that your room is messy from your Skyping grandmother or you’re just trying to put on a spooky show, the USB Illuminating Webcam is your answer. Four bright LEDs shine out from around the lens of the camera, brightly illuminating the subject while leaving the background to the imagination.

The USB Silicon Keyboard — For those people who are prone to slipping on last Monday’s pizza box as they carry their 3-liter bottle of Root Beer and this Monday’s pizza box over to the computer for a few hours of Elements: The Game. You can type, play, and generally be around your computer no matter how sticky your hands or spilly your glass, because when you’re done, you can dip your computer into the kitchen sink and wash it clean.

There are plenty of USB fads that have come and gone, but some things – even in the world of zany USB accessories – have proven to stand the test of time.