brando posts(Subscribe to this feed)

7-in-1 USB charging cable is for the bold and thrifty

by Griffin McElroy { Jan 4th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Are you tired of dealing with the tumbleweed of cords responsible for siphoning power into your GBA SP, DS Phat, DS Lite, DSi, and your three different PSP models? Do you only have seven bucks with which to remedy said problem? Are you brave enough to trust a third-party company whose promotional materials feature glaring typos (we trust you can find it in the above image) with moving electricity from one of your expensive electronic devices into another? Can we turn your attention to Brando's 7-in-1 USB Charging Cable, the perfect gift for those who meet the criteria listed above? Can we write this whole post only using interrogative sentences? Yes, we can. Aw, crap.

7-in-1 charging cable is the solution to all of life's problems

by JC Fletcher { Jan 3rd 2009 at 1:00PM }

... Provided that your problems are entirely limited to ownership of many recent handheld gaming devices, and inability to manage the large number of wall chargers required for such a collection. But if you find yourself burdened by too many wall warts, this item from Brando will change your life.

Basically, it's USB on one end (for your "USB solts"), and ... Game Boy Advance SP, DS, DS Lite, DSi, and PSP on the other. This single, compact, $7 item charges any of those handhelds through your computer's USB port (or your Wii's, for that matter).

Now for the standard disclaimer: there's a certain element of fear when dealing with a company like Brando for something like guiding electricity into your expensive devices. We've used some Dragon USB charging cable for the DS Lite for months with nothing to report but convenience, but your mileage may vary! As far as off-brand accessories go, a cable seems pretty okay, but we don't feel comfortable being the authority on that.

Brando reveals a wireless nunchuk

by David Hinkle { May 21st 2008 at 10:15AM }

Much like Nyko's wireless adapter, Brando is offering up their own version, for the same price ($20). Unlike the Nyko Kama, this is merely an adapter, which houses the original, wired nunchuk and allows you to wrap up the wires, as pictured. We're not sure how comfortable Brando's option is, but if it's anything like the Nyko adapter, it's a really good option for those that hate wires.

Anybody interested in a wireless adapter for their nunchuk? Does the wire bother you that much or are you fine with having the wire there?

[Via Engadget]

The first (somewhat) decent Wii Wheel clone

by Eric Caoili { Apr 17th 2008 at 9:00PM }

Third-party accessory manufacturers have been putting out steering wheel attachments for the Wii remote long before Nintendo pulled the curtain on its Wii Wheel, but, like the Wii Wheel, they're simple models, plastic molded into circular shapes with an open slot for the controller.

Brando's Wii Multi-Axis Racing System has a more traditional design with an attachable steering column and suction cups at the bottom to keep it in place. It really looks more expensive than the $18 Brando is asking for it, but you'll have to remember that there are no actual electronic or complex parts.

Mounting the wheel to the column should keep the Wii remote angled correctly while you race around Mario Kart's tracks, but, then again, that might also make it tough to pull off waggle stunts. Drift past the post break for more photos of the Wii Multi-Axis Racing System.

Continued →

2-in-1 Light Gun brings more ruckus, more convenience

by Eric Caoili { Sep 13th 2007 at 8:30PM }

Brando's latest accessory beats Nintendo to the punch, copying the official Zapper's submachine-gun design and allowing users to detach the nunchuck handle from its pistol shell. The 2-in-1 Combined Light Gun is a bit expensive at $18.00, and it doesn't come bundled with anything like Link's Crossbow Training, but it's still a pretty slick idea. Bring your complaints about gun-shaped controllers past the post break for more watermarked photos of the plastic pistol.

Continued →

Mushroom LED lamp appeals to gamers for some reason

by JC Fletcher { Sep 6th 2007 at 11:15AM }

You may see similarities to a certain famous item in a well-known video game series when you look at these LED touch lamps, but those similarities are coincidence only. Brando, a company that sells video game accessories, among other gadgets, is stocking these lamps only because they enjoy the whimsical design and the convenient method of operation (you just push on the top.) Not because they perceive any relation to video game iconography, no sir.

We felt compelled to post these lamps on Wii Fanboy because we enjoy their aesthetic, and we get the feeling that others who take part in our hobby may have similar tastes. We're sorry to post content that in no way relates to video games. Perhaps you can get one of these lamps and pretend that you're playing Wii in some kind of magical forest or something.

[Via Siliconera]

More Wiimote junk: 'Wii Cooking Mother Kit'

by Christopher Grant { Jun 29th 2007 at 4:00AM }

We've got a drawer set aside at Joystiq HQ for all the Wiimote doodads that accessory makers want us to buy. Admittedly, we haven't bought anything to put in there yet but, then again, the accessory makers haven't yet made that grappling hook accessory we've been dreaming of.

That said, this "Cooking Mother" kit, custom made for all the Cooking Mamas out there, is just impractical enough to tie this Zelda junk for most useless Wiimote accessory ever. Impressive to be sure, but it's still not going into our drawer.

[Via Engadget]

Brando's WeDock: A $19 box

by Eric Caoili { May 15th 2007 at 7:15PM }

If you've ever considered yourself a person of class, a member of the gaming bourgeoisie if you will, you'd turn your nose up at the idea of keeping your controllers in a plastic bin or wicker basket. That's the sort of practice you'd rather leave to those of lesser fortune and breeding, right?

No, your discriminating tastes demand more sophisticated storage solutions. You require something like Brando's WeDock, a product that does very little for its $19 price tag, but does it quite stylishly. The small locker's clean, white design matches your Nintendo Wii along with any Apple sensibilities you might have. Its one-touch, "springboard" slots fit up to two remotes and nunchucks.

When guests ask if the WeDock recharges your remotes' batteries, you'll laugh in their faces until they bow their heads in shame. Of course it doesn't. Jump past the post break for more product shots.

Continued →

Brando stars in A Wii Stand Named Desire

by Eric Caoili { May 14th 2007 at 2:45PM }

Though not as psychedelically colorful as PEGA's Wii stand and remote charger, Brando's Crystal Cooler isn't without its own glitz. The USB-powered base has a built-in "high-velocity" fan to keep your console's temperature low and an LED glow that'll color your living room walls an electric blue. If you squint and straddle one of your couch's arms like a bike, it'll almost feel like you're riding through Tron on a lightcycle.

We're still not convinced that the Wii needs a cooling fan, but some gamers will look for any excuse to light up their hardware. Priced at nineteen dollars though, the product doesn't even automatically turn on after detecting high temperatures. Instead, users have to manually hit an unmarked switch behind the stand. That's some ol' malarkey right there. Speed through the post break for more glamour shots of the Crystal Cooler.

Continued →

Wii Fanboy Contest: Sports Pack also-rans

by Alisha Karabinus { Feb 18th 2007 at 10:45PM }

What better way to wrap up the weekend than with those efforts that stood out in our recent contest? While these entries didn't snag their creators the Wii Sports Pack from Brando, they did make us giggle ... even though some of them didn't quite fit the contest criteria. Check out these selected entries after the jump.

Continued →

And the Brando Wii Sports Pack goes to ....

by Alisha Karabinus { Feb 15th 2007 at 6:55PM }

Considering the nature of the Brando Wii Sports Pack contest, we couldn't help but choose this image as a fitting trophy for the winner. Congratulations -- you've demotivated us, and we don't want these attachments any longer. We bestow them onto the following pair (yes, pair) of posters from a reader with the interesting interweb moniker FlamingSquirrelofDeath.

The winning entries are presented after the jump. Check back later and we'll put up some of the near winners. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Continued →

Wii Fanboy Contest: Win the Wii Sports Pack

by Alisha Karabinus { Feb 6th 2007 at 4:15PM }

Now that you've seen them in action, we want to give one reader their very own Wii Sports Pack! Conduct your own playtests. Sneak up on friends with the bat for a little nefarious fun. Break them out during parties and take bets on who shatters the ceiling fan lights. The fun never stops!

It's not gonna be as easy as just waltzing in here and asking for them, however. You're going to need to inspire us into letting go of the goods. We're not feeling too motivated here, so what we need is for you to make a (de)motivational poster inspired by Brando's Wii Sports Pack. The tools you need are tucked away after the jump.

Continued →

Wii Fanboy Review: Brando Wii Sports Pack

by Alisha Karabinus { Jan 29th 2007 at 5:30PM }

When we first learned of Brando's Wii Sports accessories, we knew it was our civic duty to get our hands on a set in the name of you, the readers. Because we're here for you. We're BFF.

And, well ... they just looked like fun. So we pleaded and cried, and Brando hooked us up. The Sports Pack arrived quickly, more quickly than we expected, in fact. They were then put through a rigorous testing process, and now that we're the world's foremost experts* on these new accessories, we're gonna let you in on everything we learned. Check out the full review, along with loads of pictures, after the jump.

*This is a shameless lie.

Continued →