…and this is a 
Tell me this is a joke
Category: Weirdness
Posted on: June 28, 2007 9:38 PM, by PZ Myers
I'm speechless. I thought most case-modders were interested in cooling their machines, but here's the PC EZ-Bake Oven.
Now the computer savvy among us can relive the fun of having your very own personal mini-oven with the PC Ez-Bake oven! It fits in a 5 1/4" drive bay and plugs right into your power supply with the included Molex connector. Also included is "PC Ez-Cook", the open-source oven controller software with hundreds of easy and creative recipes for your PC Ez-Bake oven, and even a fuzzy-logic cooking control system to precisely measure the doneness of your cake, cookie, or cheese souffle. The PC Ez-Bake oven can even be used to cook your Pop Tarts, Bagel Bites, or any tiny or flat food. YUM!
If they have Linux drivers, I could so see Greg getting into this, using it to bake fillets at the lake cabin.
(via Tikistitch)
Comments
Click on "Add to Cart."
Posted by: Epistaxis | June 28, 2007 10:00 PM
I would assume that the ThinkGeek people are hard at work making this a reality - it's so in line with the rest of what they sell. And hey, the concept seems to be reasonable.
In similar "cooking with odd implements" news, I heard on the radio today that if the outside temperature is at least 95 degrees (F) when you get to work in the morning, you can bake cookies on the dashboard. Takes from about 10:00 to 3:00, in full sun, keeping the windows all rolled up.
Posted by: Carlie | June 28, 2007 10:05 PM
That's a few months too late, isn't it?
Posted by: DrBadger | June 28, 2007 10:05 PM
Damn! Someone "showed me up" from the eggs and sausage bits I'd fry on the county office steps in dead heat of summer. (my science teacher thought I was creative) to when discussing "Stuff I did on summer vacation" to keep myself sane.
Posted by: LeeLeeOne | June 28, 2007 10:36 PM
This is a joke.
And you're a taxi.
And don't call me Shirley.
Posted by: Christian Burnham | June 28, 2007 10:57 PM
Hey, before I even got to the bottom of your post, I put in an order for one.... It may be easier than wrestling with the damn Weber all the time.
Posted by: Greg Laden | June 28, 2007 11:12 PM
Oh, and I downloaded the on-line PDF of the users manual. It makes Smores.
Posted by: Greg Laden | June 28, 2007 11:13 PM
Yeah, it's a joke; one that they've tried before at that:
George Foreman USB iGrill
Posted by: Xyz | June 28, 2007 11:31 PM
The George Forman USB iGrill is a joke? Damn.
Do you think I can get my money back????
Posted by: Greg Laden | June 28, 2007 11:38 PM
I can come up with a much easier method. All you need is some extra metal in the right place, some paper in the right place... you can be roasting marshmallows in no time!
In all seriousness, I bet it could be done. Even though this is a gag, I bet you could do it. Cooling would be a bitch, but not impossible.
Posted by: The Anonymous Atheist | June 29, 2007 12:03 AM
Anyone have PZ's address? Shall we send him a few? How many spare drive bays does he have?
Posted by: Jim | June 29, 2007 2:46 AM
As others have said, it's a joke. Specifically, an April Fools joke from several years ago.
Posted by: Jen | June 29, 2007 5:22 AM
C'mon, nobody's said it yet?
Let's mod the hardware so the actual device resembles a Cephalapod and call it a "PZ Bake Oven"!
Posted by: Freelancer | June 29, 2007 5:25 AM
Good to have something handy to cook all that Spam in.
Posted by: Peter McGrath | June 29, 2007 6:10 AM
Another impressive product is their "Celebrity DNA":
I don't want to imagine how big a chunk of Bill Gates would actually be needed to extract 42 grams of DNA...
Posted by: windy | June 29, 2007 6:29 AM
I work in the high-performance computing field and you should see the kind of heat those supercomputers put out. I have always thought that they should harness that heat to cook pizzas. Then you could have a pizza parlor/supercomputing center. I think it would be a very popular place for computer scientists to congregate.
Posted by: Rebecca | June 29, 2007 7:42 AM
Hmm... With a few modifications I think I can turn this toy into a software-controlled Urey-Miller reactor!
Posted by: HPLC_Sean | June 29, 2007 8:27 AM
I've heard you can download your culinary creations onto your iPod for on-the-go snacking.
Posted by: Mike Nilsen | June 29, 2007 8:31 AM
I'm still waiting on my damn USB toaster.
Posted by: Rey Fox | June 29, 2007 10:34 AM
I do have a USB cup warmer. I found them in a clearance bin at Xmas time and bought them for my coworkers (only $3 ea.).
It gets quite hot, but the downside is it is too small for most standard mugs.
Posted by: Sonja | June 29, 2007 11:02 AM
Oh sure, this is fine if you enjoy baking, but personally, I prefer to fry eggs, bacon, etc. and there is no better place to put your wok than directly on your your processor core. It doesn't even require new hardware, in fact it only requires the removal of the heatsink and fan. The best thing about that is no software conflicts from installing drivers, and because you use existing components, it's free!
PS I have found that video encoding/editing as well as generating fractals produces the quickest cooking times for a stir fry Szechuan beef
Posted by: mikmik | June 29, 2007 11:56 AM
I'm building this box solar cooker: http://solarcooking.org/plans/minimum.htm
But in the meantime I'm going to try that cookies-on-dashboard trick!
Posted by: lydia | June 29, 2007 11:58 AM
Yeah, let me be the first to say, "April Fool, PZ!".
I am the first to say it, right?
Posted by: MikeM | June 29, 2007 12:59 PM
Not a joke, though, is Sonoma Mountain Village's plan to use their data center as the primary heating source for the community (a couple thousand homes, with offices and retail). Make that waste heat work for ya...
Posted by: David | June 29, 2007 3:18 PM
The strangest device I've seen advertised is a USB toothbrush ... don't remember where it was though.
Posted by: Keith Douglas | June 30, 2007 11:21 AM