30 July 2012

Nyanko Type Earphone Jack Covers

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Earphone jack covers have recently become a popular phone accessory to protect the dust clogging up the earphone jacks when they are not in use. Recently NicoNico Shopping has released Nyanko Type Earphone Jack Cover, which are cat shape earphone plugs inspired from sketches drawn by a twitter user.

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The concept was first drawn by @nekomura_otako, who posted it on twitter via twitpic wishing someone would materialise it. It attracted a lot of people's attention and interest, and not long later a trader approached the user and offer to merchandise it, which later became available as pre-order only on NicoNico Shopping.

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Editors from Gigazine got all seven of them (6 + 1 bonus). Let's see what they look like :o

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A ginger cat sitting on the phone

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A grey cat clinging on the phone

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A lazy bicolour cat lying face down

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Another lazy lying (and sleeping) face up

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A calico cat posing like a maneki-neko

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A pair of kitties

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And finally the bonus cat that only is available when pre-ordering the full set of 6 as seen above, which is a re-coloured version of the grey cat clinging on the edge but with black coat and yellow eyes.

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Do you have a favourite out of the seven? It's hard for me to pick one as they're all pretty cute, but I think I like the ginger one the most ^^


Too bad these covers had to be acquired via pre-order, and it's no longer available at the online shop (and for Japanese residents only). They were sold for 500 Yen each, with the full set (+ bonus cat) for 3000 Yen.

However, just like many popular things, I have a feeling that replicas of them may soon spawn here and there. What I find interesting though is how more and more things on the Internet, no matter how small it may seem at first, grows into something much bigger, much like Hatsune Miku and Black★Rock Shooter. The power of Internet surely isn't something to be underestimated these days! :o


Images are from Gigazine via NicoNico Shopping:
  • http://gigazine.net/news/20120730-earphone-jack-cover-cats/
  • http://gigazine.net/news/20120601-nyanko-twitter/
  • 9 comments:

    1. These earphone jack covers are becoming popular huh? I kinda like the sleeping one and the one hanging about... I saw a really nice one from WonFes... It's Mami's head and there's a sticker for the phone to put on near the earphone jack :D

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      1. I notice that earphone jack covers are starting to appear in small shops in Hong Kong in the recent months, and it's about the same time when the Nyanko Types are announced to be available for pre-order. I quite like the one hanging on the phone too; though they will look a bit odd on my phone as my earphone jack is at the bottom ^^;

        LOL Mami head for the phone. That will be quite a nice accessory to go with the USB drive like the one you have XD

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    2. Was I mistaken, but did some of those kitty's have boy parts???

      I think it is a cool idea, but not sure it would be a hit in the us - maybe should be advertised in Cat Fancy magazine?

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      1. It does look like so o_O;

        Cute things tend to work better in Japan and perhaps neighbouring regions. It may work in more specified areas outside Asia though as you've suggested.

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    3. Those look so cute, but I'd be too worried about losing them. They look like they might get caught on something in my pocket and become loosened and fall off.

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      1. I tried a few earphone jack covers in various shops before, and they plug in quite firmly; you hear a "click" when you push the cover thoroughly in, and they don't fall off as easily as ordinary earphone plugs. Though I didn't get one as I haven't found the necessity for it, and that I haven't found one suited for my phone yet :P

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    4. Lol I didn't even know dusty earphone jacks were an issue. Can't ever imagine a time when I would use them, but they're cute so I'd keep one around.

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      1. I really am not sure how much of an issue dust can be on earphone jacks, but it just happens to be popular in the recent months. Nevertheless, they won't hurt to have as decorative accessory :o

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    5. Isn't there an American who can recreate? Personally I would like a Golden Retriever.

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