An unlikely video on YouTube recently became an Internet sensation, logging more than 2.1 million hits and counting. Type “USB Humping Dog” into the search function and up comes a video of a small plastic toy dog whose hips, when plugged into the USB port on a computer, begin gyrating, humping the computer to his little heart’s content.
Word of this new gadget spread rapidly over YouTube and message boards as e-mail forwards flew across the Internet.
“It has a cult following,” said Ron Lewis, one of the toy’s U.S. distributors. “I’ve shipped it to over 30 countries and to many military bases around the world.” Lewis imports the toys from a business partner in China and sells it on his Web site, usbgaggifts.com. In November and December 2007, Lewis sold more than 2,000 of the dogs.
The humping dog is part of a new wave of USB gadgets and toys now sold online. The gadgets include functional devices such as heated gloves, coffee warmers, Coke coolers, ashtrays and, of course, memory drives. There also are the outright goofy ones like a hamster wheel, leaping frog or foam rocket launcher. And don’t forget the erotic options, like a lingerie-clad pole dancer or male stripper.Companies around the world are producing cheap toys that are powered solely by a computer’s USB drive.
Demand remains in step with innovation. The gadgets help consumers stand out in the sea of black, gray and white of most corporate cubes and provide a break from the monotony of the workday.
“Gadgets like the humping dog are definitely a way for people to express themselves in their workplace,” said Heather Dale, 26, associate editor of geekchic.com. “They become conversation starters, and you can totally pimp your workplace with so many different USB gadgets. It is definitely an expression of style.”
“Lately, people have been using the USB as a power supply,” said John Frazier of thinkgeek.com, an online store of geek-related paraphernalia, including USB products.
“USB provides just enough power to power little things,” Frazier said. And that can have a psychological benefit.
“Giving someone a laugh is totally necessary to break out the total monotony of what you’re doing,” said Joey Skaggs, a satirist and performance artist who has hoaxed the likes of Geraldo Rivera. Skaggs currently edits pranks.com. Psychologists who study stress agree. The two major causes of stress in the workplace are overload and boredom, said Dr. Peter Bullard, a psychologist from Portland, Ore.
“For people that are bored, toys like the humping dog introduce a novelty,” Bullard said. “That wakes up the brain and introduces serotonin, a chemical that elevates mood and helps you think better.”
For the overworked, the toys can provide a distraction or a “mental health break,” Bullard said. “It’s a way to refocus from the seriousness of the day and onto something frivolous, which is important.”
– – –
History of the USB
November 1995
The Universal Serial Bus port was introduced, according to IBM’s site.
1996
More than 300 companies, including Microsoft, Philips, US Robotics and IBM, formed the Universal Serial Bus International Forum and launched USB 1.0 into the mainstream. The port was designed to rid personal computers of the forest of different ports for the cables of various printers, scanners, copiers and other external components required.
May 1998
Apple Computers introduced its first iMac personal computer, which used USB ports to connect to the mouse and the keyboard. But there still were problems with the port. Only certain USB devices worked with specific operating systems, keeping the USB from becoming truly universal.
2002
The same group of manufacturers introduced USB 2.0, which increased the popularity of the USB port tremendously. The new version allowed for faster data transfer, encouraging manufacturers to produce more and more products for the USB port. [ cns ]
