In an effort to both serve our readers and help support The A.V. Club, we are going to post daily links to deals and interesting items that we find over on Amazon. If you use these links to click through and buy something—not just the thing you clicked—on Amazon, we will see a portion of that income. You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to, but if you do, know that we appreciate it.
It’s summer, right? And even though it’s only Monday, we—at least—could use a drink. But we don’t want a warm drink, because warm alcohol is gross. And we’re not millionaires, so chances are whatever we’re going to drink is going to be cheap, and we’re going to have to drink it quickly. Thus, allow us to introduce you to the Chambong, a device we can’t actually endorse, never having experienced it, but that we would try in a second, should one show up at our door. Available on Amazon for a mere $37.50 for two, Chambongs promise to aid in “rapid champagne consumption,” should that be a problem you struggle with. They’re made of borosilicate glass and are dishwasher-safe, and, if the accompanying text is to be believed, are essential in helping you “crush karaoke” and will “make your parents proud.” There’s probably no better way to choke down that half-empty $3.99 bottle of André you have from making mimosas yesterday.
On that same tip, what about a miniature beer pong set that “is ready to go wherever you do”? Featuring a tethered ball and tiny shot-glass-sized cups, Mini Pong is a great way to teach your tweens the value of competitive drinking. Sure, it might be best to start then with Coke or milk or something, but if they can get their Pong technique down now, then they’ll be the hit of whatever college they go to down the road.
For those more interested in slamming lockers than slamming beers, there’s this DVD set of every single Saved By The Bell episode. Spanning all five seasons and 86 episodes, this 13-disc set doesn’t include the Miss Bliss episodes, but it does include dozens if not hundreds of semi-witty Zack Morris-isms, and that’s enough for most SBTB fans.
While you’re on your Bell-induced nostalgia trip, you can always plop down on the rug and set up your very own Domino Rally using this sturdy set of racing dominoes. While they’re billed as a great way to teach kids math, science, spatial, and tactile skills, everyone knows that unlabeled dominos are really just for setting up and knocking down. Bonus points if you pick up this $5 set of 300 DC Comics Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice stickers and add some pizzazz yourself.
Star Wars has never shied away from marketing opportunities, and these two on-sale items are no exception. With the R2-D2 Hot Air Popcorn maker, Wars heads can make a healthy snack before they settle in for a movie. Who knew one of R2’s many talents was the ability to satisfy hungry bellies?
On that same tip, there’s this white-on-black blueprint-style drawing of the Millennium Falcon. At 18×24, it’s perfect for framing, and should help class up any nerd-focused home theater, office, or boudoir. As Chewbacca would say, “rawr.”
The more literary-minded should check out Amazon’s introductory deal on The New Yorker. For just $5, subscribers get both print editions and digital access to the magazine for three months, which should be just enough time to figure out all the cartoons. As a bonus, those who opt for this introductory deal will have their subscription renew automatically via Amazon’s Magazine Subscription Manager, though it’s easy enough to opt out of that should you want to go another direction.
By now, everyone has heard that virtual reality is the wave of the future, with everyone from Nintendo to McDonald’s pushing VR experiences on their fans and customers. But without a Samsung headset or whatever an Oculus Rift is, how can the layman check out VR without making a huge investment? Enter View-Master’s Virtual Reality Starter Pack, which is essentially a cool-looking big plastic apparatus for holding your phone. It’s kid-friendly, but it will also appeal to the most nostalgic adults, especially once you tap into View-Master’s 360-friendly “experience packs” and apps. You won’t have to stick to their material, though, and can check in on everything from the New York Times’ 360s to a new series The A.V. Club should drop in a few months. In other words, this thing is $13 well spent.
