whatchamacallits - where can I get one?

March 16, 2005 2:02 PM

I had one when I was a kid, and I want one again. What do you call the tablet/thingy where you write or draw on a piece of plastic which is atop a waxy piece of cardboard, and when you don't what you've drawn or written anymore, you can peel the plastic up and make the thing you wrote/drew disappear? It came with a plastic writing implement. Does anyone make a smallish version that I can use at my desk?
posted by iconomy to Grab Bag (26 answers total)

We just got one of these for my son a couple days ago at Harvey's as the treat toy. It is the size and shape of a PDA, with pen storage.
posted by Mahogne at 2:05 PM on March 16, 2005

Response by poster: Really? What's Harvey's? What's this thing called?
posted by iconomy at 2:07 PM on March 16, 2005

is it called etch a sketch?
posted by selton at 2:07 PM on March 16, 2005

Mystic Writing Pad.
posted by Galvatron at 2:08 PM on March 16, 2005

I got a kids meal at Harveys on Saturday and didn't get any toy treat at all. I thought they didn't give toys. Now I'm annoyed.

iconmy: It's a fast food chain with terrible service, but good burgers.
posted by duck at 2:11 PM on March 16, 2005

Harvey's is a fast-food hamburger chain here in Canada (I didn't realize that it is a Canadian chain)
posted by Mahogne at 2:11 PM on March 16, 2005

You can still get them at 99-cent stores all over. Magic Pad is one name for them.
posted by amberglow at 2:16 PM on March 16, 2005

Here's a (bad) scan of the one we got a Harvey's.
posted by Mahogne at 2:20 PM on March 16, 2005

Best answer: I think it's called a Magic Slate.
posted by Doohickie at 2:20 PM on March 16, 2005

Harvey's has outlets in Home Depot (at least in western Canada). I don't know if those mini-Harvey's give away the toys, though.
posted by raedyn at 2:23 PM on March 16, 2005

Magic Slates have been rendered obsolete, in my opinion, by the Magna Doodle. Just as simple to use, with the added benefit that the image will remain until you choose to erase it. With Magic Slates, the first half of whatever you write will often spontaneously erase as you complete the second half.
posted by Zair TL at 2:31 PM on March 16, 2005 [1 favorite]

Woo! I was just trying to think of the name of this the other day, so I could get a couple for my nephews. Thanks, AskMe!
posted by scody at 2:41 PM on March 16, 2005

For the record, Galvatron and Doohickie are both correct. Freud has an essay that talks about the "mystic writing pad" and I remeber being very confused when I read it before figuring out he was talking about an actual children's toy. It's interesting that it's been around so long, because I tend to think of the Magic Slate as being a product of plastics in plastic times.
posted by nobody at 3:14 PM on March 16, 2005

I often see magic slates in dollar stores.
posted by brownpau at 3:22 PM on March 16, 2005

The magnet-based version is available on-line!
posted by Aknaton at 4:11 PM on March 16, 2005

Magic Slate for sure.
posted by nj_subgenius at 5:34 PM on March 16, 2005

It is the size and shape of a PDA, with pen storage.

I actually saw one made to look like a PDA! I was still working at a PC store in those days. I bought ones for all my co-workers and we'd pretend to take notes on them and then pull the "screen," back. It was a cool icebreaker.

They were also filled with candy.
posted by jonmc at 5:51 PM on March 16, 2005

In the Southern US you can find them near the cash register at any Cracker Barrel restaurant.
posted by wsg at 1:19 AM on March 17, 2005

Response by poster: Aknaton, that's very cool too, but not what we're talking about. I remember Wooly Willy, or something like that - the bald guy with 1000s of hairstyles, that was kind of like the thing you linked to. Mahogne, thanks for the fake PDA shout-out! I shall treasure it always :)

So now I know what they used to be called, and where to find regular-sized ones, but does anyone know where I can find a desk-sized one (maybe one that stands upright) online? And what would I call it if I went to an office supply store and asked the clerk for one? I don't live near any of theplaces that have been mentioned so far.

As always, AskMe rocks, y'all! Thanks for the help!
posted by iconomy at 4:58 AM on March 17, 2005

instead of a whiteboard? great idea!

(i've never seen one larger than 8 1/2 x 11 ish tho.)

There has to be a way to make them yourself.
posted by amberglow at 6:16 AM on March 17, 2005

you know what? a roll of acetate, a big blunt stylus and then....a gray painted board underneath (thickly painted)?
posted by amberglow at 6:17 AM on March 17, 2005

this may help
posted by amberglow at 6:19 AM on March 17, 2005

Response by poster: Oh how cool! Your googling technique is unstoppable, amberglow. Now can you make one and send it to me? I'm a crappy crafter :)
posted by iconomy at 6:45 AM on March 17, 2005

lol! thanks, but sorry. i think it'd be incredibly cool for meetings tho. : >
posted by amberglow at 7:50 AM on March 17, 2005

maybe we should start a business?
posted by amberglow at 7:50 AM on March 17, 2005

They were also filled with candy.

That is, quite possibly, the best thing ever created, anywhere. I think I'm going to have to order a few of those before agreeing to sit in on any more long, pointless meetings...
posted by Vervain at 2:32 PM on March 17, 2005