What's This Item?

looks like a travel alarm clock. or calculator.

Powder compact? Cigarette case/rolling machine? Snuff/pill box/dispenser? If I make enough suggestions, I may eventually get it right!

BTW - surprised anyone's got time to respond to new threads - everyone's off in Giorgia-land!

Pocket compass (Electronic via GPS)

I agree with you. A portable GPS-compass.

clock or calculator. if you count abacus as the start of the 'basic category'..??

Looks like a roll your own cigarette dispenser, put in the paper fill with loose tobacco, and close the lid, the cigarette would then be where the little lid is in the photo, remove and close lid?

Regards JD

Can't tell how big it is. Credit card or A size paper?

Wireless printer?

Travelling electronic digital sundial ?

Cigarette lighter

It is a nuclear powered hydrogen generator.

uh-huh... great great granpappy's great great granpappy had one centuries ago...!

i think it is a travel alarm clock

only clocks are that old

bread cocker.toaster?

"The most basic category this item fits into has been around for many centuries."

is that a clue? I've been around for less than a 1/4 of a century....it looks like a scanner to me

I am wondering if a hammer and chisel on a stone tablet counts as a ancient printer.

As for old scanners

In about 1965 we had a land line scanner.

The photo to be transmitted were fixed to a revolving drum 3 to 4" diam. The light sensitive sensor (we even had that in the 60's) was moved slowly along the axes and the analogue signal was transfered.

On the receiving end a pencil was attached to a spring loaded voice coil. and the picture or document was reproduced on a clean paper attatched to the drum.

I would go for a portable navigation computer since clocks have been around since the beginning of recorded time in one form or another. Navigation systems are slightly younger I would guess. Plus it looks very expensive

scales?

Its an electric torch, I have several, presented by restaurant after meals.

A portable battery-run electric razor.

Thermometer

Looks like a scale that coke dealers use.

When I post "what is it" stuff, I like to put in something to give scale, as a ruler or ballpoint pen. It's only fair.

What kind of fish would have scales like that?

Sushi anyone?

What sauce do you have available?

Blind mullet

Heart pacemaker not currently installed in a chest cavity.

We can't determine the size very easily.

It can range from laptop to cell phone.

Both have had some variation around for sentries. Such as abicus to semiphor.

Looks like some kind of fancified lektrical razor

Cell phone.....

obviosly a shapeshifting device from the planet Vog since it shrinks in x and grows in z between pic2 and 3

It is a portable hard disk drive holder working with Blue Skin.

The flip up lid is to change the memory manually.

Ok, for those grousing about scale, the white round shape on the item in picture #3 is an inspection sticker. I didn't give any kind of indication of scale earlier because I didn't want to make it too easy. This is supposed to be a challenge, after all.

I'll probably post the answer in a day or two, but first I have to take another photo of the front view as the item is in use.

A Japanese toilet seat? You would not believe what they get up/on to. Not that I have sat on this one but I have experienced some weird contraptions when it comes to poo disposal. Just a pick in the dark matter, Ky.

I think it's a kind of buckle to some belt (safety..., whatever). :)

Phaser (I have to ask Captain Kirk) but Spock tried to use something like this on me before he vapourised (or phasorised) along with his phaser.

3DOUG

The item looks to be a cigar lighter.A possible adaptation for mobilephone today.Is it correct?

S.Udhayamarthandan

Magnifier with built in light?

Magnifier without light?

Clip on reading light?

Wait a minute, I know what it is. You stole that from the holodeck didn't you!

Just a tease. This is the back view.

I just took the picture of the front view, and need to do some editing on it before posting it.


A little more about scale: My desk has an adjustable drop-down platform for the computer keyboard. The black area in the pic is the gap between the platform and the top of the desk.

Ah that's better Doug, now we know for sure it is a 32" Widescreen Plasma Television

I still say it looks like a travel alarm.

I agree with you. I think it's a cordless alarm clock.

clock

I thought it was a convertible.........

A convertible what though?

Looks like something sb would use!!!

Hand held weather station.

Perhaps it is an electronic thumb!? Are calling the Vogons for a lift?

One last tease:

BTW, it's not a thistlewick.

I will post the answer later tonight. Right now it's 1741 CST.

Didn't want to look through all the answers but could it be a cordless camcorder? The ones you put on top of the computer and tell granny the kids are OK.

I must say many responses were very amusing. Thanks for the laffs.

Well, not so smart is smart enough! I didn't think anyone would figure it out so quickly, but I decided to wait and see what others said. I'm glad I waited.

It is a battery powered travel alarm clock. I bought it because I was tired of power glitches messing up my clock radio. I seldom used the radio, so I was looking to replace it with something battery powered. I actually bought this a backup, so if overnight storms knocked out power, then I wouldn't miss waking up on time.

I like this one because it displays 24-hour time. If I ever have to travel somewhere as a ham radio operator to help provide communications in a disaster area, this will be a good addition to my go-kit.

I also like that it has a built-in thermometer.

the grill on the back near the inspection sticker was what made it easy. an audible alarm. i like that it displays the temp. pretty cool.

I don't understand what is so great abot NSS figuring out .

" vini, vidi, dormivi" I came, I saw, I took a nap

the grill on the back near the inspection sticker was what made it easy. an audible alarm. i like that .

I think it is not necessary to explain further.

You sure it is a clock? with a name like protoge, it sounds like a travel tazer with a timer, always sure to wake you up (or put you down)

Piggy bank.