Our very own Ben Fowler yesterday witnessed - and played on - the world’s largest videogame controller. 30 times the size of a NES joypad, it features in the new Guinness World Records 2012 Gamer’s Edition. You would need to be 51m tall if you wanted to use it like a standard handheld joypad. It weighs 18 stone. You get the picture - it’s the big daddy of joypads.

Such is the gigantic size of the controller, it required two gamers to press (or jump on) the buttons as you can see in the picture. Ben is the trendy hatted one on the right and Super Mario Bros was his obvious game of choice. Avid gamer, Ben was doing so well they had to kick him off after a while.

“The idea was formed over a drink down the pub” say the creators. All the best ideas are, aren’t they?

This is for real. A Storm Trooper Cake. Seen – and eaten – at Arisia 2012, America’s science fiction and fantasy convention. The famed phrase, “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?” certainly doesn’t apply here; this fella is (or was) 6ft 4in. [Via Ubergizmo].

We revamped our standard Friday ‘Rum O’ Clock’ last week into a product testing session where we sophisticatedly sampled and judged a number of potential new Firebox drink products. Wines, vodkas, gins, champers, liqueurs - you name it, we drank it - whilst heroically listening to the smooth sounds of muzak-lite weak wine bar jazz interpretations.  

The best responses to our highly investigative tasting questionnaires (both by the same slightly inebriated person):

Q: ‘How much would you pay for this drink? A: I Like Ginger

Q: ‘How much should Firebox sell this drink for?’ A: Yes

“Some things you come across in life are faultless, and on my experience with Firebox this seems to be one of those moments.”

A. Wilson - Dec ‘11

So some lucky people among us have been in Las Vegas this week. Why? It’s the annual geek fest - The CES or The Consumer Electronics Show of course.
It’s kind of a big deal which is why we send a small gang out every year. No one has ever grumbled about going. I mean, would you grumble if you were sent by work? Come on, its Las Vegas for crying out loud.

We loved this infographic. A friend of a friend of Mark Irving (our esteemed online marketing dude) shared it on Facebook. We tracked down the full infographic here for your viewing pleasure.

Ben Redhead, our Sports and Outdoors specialist is a handy fella on the football pitch, a proven midfield general at the regular Firebox five-(sometimes four)-a-side matches. Bone crunching tackles, stinging shots, Ben embodies the passion of a true Southampton football supporter – we all want Ben on our team. And he is super fit too. Right Ben?

“Just a note to say thank you so much for the quick delivery. I ordered these glasses at 11.30am yesterday, my shipping email came at 2.30pm and they were delivered at 8.30am this morning. Really excellent glasses and service thanks also for the fizzy cola bottles too! I will definitely be using Firebox again.”

S. McConville - Dec ‘11