What was this toy wand from the 80s?

December 23, 2004 1:01 AM

Help me remember and/or locate a semi-obscure toy from the 1980s! [I'm nosier, Ed]

OK: no one, not even owners of "retro" toy stores, seems to remember this thing but me, and I'd like confirmation that I'm not insane. I know neither the name nor the manufacturer of this toy, but I have a very vivid recollection of it from the commercials, which aired on American TV c. 1983.

This device was a wand-type thing, made of hard, dark gray (maybe black?) plastic. It was perhaps 18"-24" long, 4"-5" wide, and 1-2" thick. At one end was a green LED readout, maybe 4"x6", in perhaps a 10x20 matrix. At the other end was an alphanumeric keypad.

You would type a message into the keypad, and then, holding the device by the handle at the bottom, wave it back and forth in the air so that the LED end would make an arc in the air. The letters would flash quickly across the LED readout, and the movement of the wand made it appear that the entire message was spelled out, in full, in an arc in the air. (I suppose there must have been a limit on the number of characters you could type.) It was pretty nifty, or so it seemed on the commerical - I never had one of these things.

I dimly remember the TV ad, which showed two groups of kids, hiding behind rocks and trees and suchlike, using these thingies to send secret messages to each other.

I swear I've seen alarm clocks in the SkyMall airline catalog that use some version of this technology, but I checked online and couldn't find 'em.

Does anyone know what the hell I'm talking about? What was this thing called? Did anyone have one? Was it cool? Do you know where I can find one?
This question has plagued me for, no kidding, years.

posted by Dr. Wu to grab bag (14 comments total)

I've seen similar clocks and gadgets. The trick behind them is persistence of vision. Here's a clock for sale and here's the latest and greatest in the evolution of the wand - "The Skyliner"
posted by slightlybewildered at 1:30 AM on December 23, 2004

Nokia also have a cover for one of their phones that does the same.
posted by deaddodo at 1:59 AM on December 23, 2004

Is this it?
posted by (alice) at 2:14 AM on December 23, 2004

They sell a toy similar this at Disneyland. It's on a rotating handle so you spin it around and you can then see the message.

My husband programmed it to read "Code V!" which is supposedly what DL Cast Members say on their walkie-talkies when there is a vomit incident on one of the rides.
posted by litlnemo at 4:16 AM on December 23, 2004

similar to this.

Dammit, why do I not see the errors until after I click "Post"?
posted by litlnemo at 4:17 AM on December 23, 2004

There's one on ebay right now.
posted by evoo at 6:38 AM on December 23, 2004

Oh my lands. (alice) and evoo - thank you so much! That's it! A years-long dilemma solved within hours!

I am extremely glad to know that I am not insane, and that this thing actually exists. O frabjous day!

So, then, to follow up: is this thing even halfway interesting enough for me to bid $13 for it? Or will I be as disappointed now as I would've been then?

Thank you, everybody!
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:04 AM on December 23, 2004

Get it. You know you want it. There's an incredible rush when that long lost toy you had as a kid arrives at the door after winning it on ebay. (Or so I've heard.)
posted by evoo at 7:12 AM on December 23, 2004

I had one, exactly like the one on ebay. I haven't used it (or seen it actually) since I was 12 or 13, but I remember it was clumsily big to get moving quick enough in a big enough arc to be totally legible, especially with longer messages. I have seen some gadgets that do similar things lately and their lights seem brighter and they are considerably smaller; after examining one of them at Sam's, I came to the conclusion that technology has much improved.
posted by spartacusroosevelt at 7:43 AM on December 23, 2004

A friend of mine bought a similar smaller device at a joke-toy store for around 10 or 15 bucks 4 years ago. It's kind of fun at parties, but the novelty does wear off. But still it's only 15 bucks.
posted by raedyn at 9:31 AM on December 23, 2004

Yeah, it totally looks like the thrill would wear off after 20 minutes. Anyway, I don't have a group of kids to whom I could send secret messages ... Maybe I could keep it in the car, and use it to tell tailgaters to, as Onyx put it, BACDAFUCUP.

Forgot to thank you, slightlybewildered, for directing me to the modern version of this gimmicky toy. Very interesting how slightly-interesting-but-generally-mediocre ideas never really die.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:16 AM on December 23, 2004

Actually the latest and greatest in led persistence of vision gadgets would have to be hokey spokes. The i-top is also pretty cool.
posted by roboto at 12:27 PM on December 23, 2004

Anyone a fan of the cartoon series "Invader Zim?" When Zim was abducted by the Really Stupid Aliens, one of the many quick little gags was the Mind Control Device they used on him. It was a skywriter. They waved it in front of his face for a fraction of a second, then went on to other things. The skywriter said "SUBMIT"

I laughed really hard.
posted by billb at 1:00 PM on December 23, 2004

Today at the toy store I saw the Light Show Fan. There are also programmable LED frisbees!
posted by roboto at 8:12 PM on December 23, 2004