Gaming handhelds are making quite the trend in the video game industry these days, from small DIY gadgets the size of key fobs to hulking computers crammed in a questionably portable form factor. But with the exception of the more expensive handheld PCs, the vast majority of these handheld consoles are made of plastic, at least for their bodies. Plastic, after all, is durable, lightweight, resilient, and, more importantly, cheap, and the products made with it sometimes come out feeling that way too. Once in a while, however, someone gets the idea to turn a geeky device into a glamorous product, like this aluminum-clad version of the Pocket Analogue that makes it one of the most stylish, let alone distinctive, gaming handhelds to grace the market today.

Designer: Analogue

It has been years since Analogue pulled off what can probably be considered a miracle in this industry. It launched what looks like a homage to the Game Boy, one that can actually play original Game Boy cartridges, that hasn’t hit any legal roadblocks considering how popular it is. Over the years, it has launched various limited editions of the Analogue Pocket, but this Aluminum Edition is its most ambitious one yet.

Precision CNC’d from solid billet 6061 aluminum, the limited edition Analogue Pocket Aluminum looks and feels more like a designer product than a functional gaming device, one that’s just meant to honor the original and be put on display but not used. That wouldn’t be much fun, of course, and thankfully this is not the kind of product that Analogue is putting out. It’s the same gaming experience offered by any Analogue Pocket, except now in a chassis that’s designed to really outlast those games.

If Analogue had left the Aluminum edition unfinished, it would have resulted in a striking and unique industrial aesthetic. But for those who still prefer a pinch of style and class, the limited-run gaming handheld is being offered in four anodized colors. Natural is as closest as you’ll get to that raw aluminum look, while Noir (Dark Gray) and Black both offer subdued hues. Bluish Indigo, on the other hand, stands out the most and is probably reminiscent of the transparent Atomic Purple case of the Game Boy Color.

Given its name, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Analogue Pocket Aluminum Limited Edition will be, well, limited. There’s no word on how many units will be made, but the $499.99 price tag and difficulty of machining a block of aluminum suggest there won’t be much. Judging by how fast previous limited editions disappeared, this will probably be gone before you know it.

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Gudetama is one of my favorite Sanrio characters as I find that I relate a lot to it even though it’s an anthropomorphic egg yolk. I’ve watched its “Eggcelent Adventures” on Netflix and I also collect various stationary stuff featuring this lazy ennui-filled cute egg. I’m not alone in this obsession as the character has 852,000 followers on Instagram and has probably sold a lot of Sanrio merch as well.

Designer: Retrospekt for Sanrio

Another Gen Z thing that has been trending lately is a throwback to 35mm digital cameras. And no one does retro tech products better than Retrospekt. Their latest collaboration with Sanrio is the limited edition Gudetama Restrospekt FC-11 35mm Film Camera which has the egg yolk character on center stage, or rather, center camera. The camera has a silicone lens cap and the body has faux leather artwork with the different Gudetama versions.

It is a pretty simple point-and-shoot camera with a 1m fixed-focus lens and built-in optional flash. All you have to do is look through the viewfinder, line up your shot, press the shutter button, and then get your 35mm film developed in your favorite film developing shop. It’s just like any other 35mm film camera except you have the Gudetama butt staring at you when you look into the viewfinder.

The camera has a 200-400 ISO with a 31mm f/9 lens and 1/120 second shutter speed. It’s pretty light as it only weighs 122g and may even be lighter than your smartphone. It’s pretty cute that kids these days are enjoying taking analog photos and having cute cameras like this one adds to the appeal.

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