Blipblox is a colourful plastic synth that wants to turn your whole family into Kraftwerk

Plenty of kids have toy instruments, but Blipblox ($139) flips things around, being a full-fledged synth masquerading as a colourful hunk of plastic. Its luridly coloured controls are perfect for tiny hands, enabling younglings to plot a future course to superstardom by way of smackable buttons and twisty knobs. But when your kid goes to bed, Blipblox provides scope for adult entertainment, too (no, not that kind), with MIDI in, audio out, an integrated drum machine, LFO modes, and multiple oscillator schemes. Just think how you’ll stand out on stage when shoving that big red lever to ramp up tempo, rather than listlessly tapping at a key on your notebook. And if it turns out you suck, Blipblox’s durable splash-resistant plastic case means while you’ll get soaked by beers lobbed by angry patrons, the synth will keep on blipping and blooping.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.