The real trouble with handheld devices isn’t their limited battery life, or how fragile they can be, it’s the physical exertion required to hold them in your hands for hours on end. Thanko realises we’re not all bodybuilders or gym rats, and so the Japanese company has come up with what might be the least portable way to comfortably enjoy all your portable gadgets.
Called the Turn A Cushion because it looks like a giant plush version of the letter A, users ‘wear’ it around their waist so that it provides additional support underneath their arms and elbows reducing exhaustion from holding a mobile device such as a smartphone or a handheld console for prolonged periods. It’s even got raised plush stoppers so that a user’s arms or elbows won’t accidentally slide off the bottom when a round of gaming—or furious replying to Tweets—gets especially intense.
The feature list doesn’t stop there, however. On the bottom of the Turn A Cushion is a pair of legs adding even more support depending on the angle it’s used, and pockets on either side can be used to hold accessories like charging cables, or snacks and drinks because this thing looks comfortable enough to use for hours at a time. For even more comfort and convenience, a smartphone holder is included that uses an articulated arm to perch your mobile device at the perfect angle, freeing your hands so they can poke and swipe away at the screen.
If you’re still not convinced the Turn A Cushion will make your life better, its $90 price tag probably isn’t going to help sway your opinion. As pillows go it isn’t cheap, and a bag full of dirty laundry plopped on your lap could potentially provide similar functionality. The rest of us, however, know a brilliant idea when we see it, and will be happily spending the rest of our lives mobile gaming in comfort. At least until friends or family visit, at which point we’ll bury this deep in a closet and will never admit to actually owning one.
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