[img width=285 height=201]http://imgur.com/FR2nN.jpg[/img]
Recently while doing a bit of research I came across what is possibly the strangest Game Boy Color accessories out there: the Singer IZEK bundle. To be frank, I've seen a lot of odd Game Boy accessories out there, but this one was so unusual and expensive that I felt I had to share it with you all.
For $399 you get the IZEK sewing machine, a special GBC link cable, and a GBC cart that "contains stitch pattern designs. The Game Boy's on-screen menu will guide you through all the functions you need to make sewing fun and easy."
[img width=100 height=165]http://imgur.com/OCYmC.jpg[/img] [img width=103 height=149]http://imgur.com/ksI3g.jpg[/img]
Here's the features as listed on the website found at
http://sewandserge.com/se...s&brand=Singer&model=IZEK:
* LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEED!
* Select stitches have length, width and mirror image adjustment capabilities
* Five buttonhole styles
* Letters (block, script or outline format), numbers and symbols
* Combine up to three stitches for combination patterns
* Create your own custom stitches
* Favorite patterns, letters and custom designs can be saved in memory
* Menu displays information in English, French or Spanish
* 84 actual stitch patterns
* 25 Year Manufacturers Warranty
* FREE Shipping
As a collector, there's a tiny part of me that would love to have the cartridge just to say I have it. But you have to draw the line somewhere. I am however extremely interested to know if anybody out there has ever seen one of these in person, and can maybe explain how the Game Boy Color connectivity is even useful.
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I remember reading about this years ago. In fact.....*digs* ah here is the September 2000 issue of Tips & Tricks magazine that featured an article on it. Here's what they said, word for word.
"Sewing with the Gameboy? It's unbelievable but true! A new company called Jaguar (not to be confused with the Atari Jaguar) created a special sewing machine that allows you to control stitching patterns with your Gameboy Color! The sewing machine, called nu-yell, comes with a Gameboy cartridge called Raku Raku Mishin, or Easy Easy (Sewing) Machine. You can choose out of the 302 pre-set sewing patterns and create any design you want! The pre-set pattenrs can be combined on the Gameboy screen, then the information is fed into the sewing machine and voila! Error free sewing! The cost of nu-yell is a whopping 40,000 yen - almost four hundred dollars. Ouch! A new machine called "Nuotto" is also in the works, which will allow you to create whole character designs like Mario."
It's hard to know, but I don't think the concept was very successful in Japan. At that price, it's no wonder really...but it is one of those curious devices in a long line of odd peripherals from the barcode scanner to the Gameboy printer to the E-reader.
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I actually own one of these lol. haven't ever tried it, but it sits in my game room.
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Wonder if it is in the database...
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@bombatomba: it is. That's actually how I discovered it.
http://www.rfgeneration.com/cgi-bin/getinfo.pl?ID=U-069-S-04510-A
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I have seen that before. Some crazy stuff out there.
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I think that we could possibly crown the GB/GBC king of the strange peripherals for handheld machines.
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One is on ebay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Singer-IZEK-Model-1500-Sewing-Machine-W-Gameboy-More-/180551813735?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a09ba0a67#ht_2107wt_1137
They typically go for more than double that, but they dont pop up often.
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@bombatomba: I think the Game Boy that administered sleeping gas to kids in doctors' offices is the king of strange. 
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Just in case people think noiseredux is kidding http://www.pedisedate.com/Home.html
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There is a sonar/depth reader for fishing and some other GB periph that was usefull for drag racing. I can't remember what the racing one did. I think it just told you things you could already have found out by looking at your dash.
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That is super cool!
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Just when I thought I've seen everything.
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Sew are you going to get one?
You should post a thread about this in the forums.
(ok, I'm done - interesting post!)
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@dsheinem: I've been hemming and hawing about getting one. I'll probably get one if I find it cheap or get the right backing. Um... um... PANTS!
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I own this machine, its functioning fine. Bought it at Big Lots when it was called Odd Lots, its all there, came with machine, cable, gameboy, cartridge.
Pretty cool!
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This is just...unreal, yet it really exists. What'll they come up with next?
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I HAVE OWNED ONE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND NOW IT BROKE DOWN I AM DEVASTATED .IT SEEMS THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE ANY PARTS FOR IT AND ONLY MADE IT FOR ONE YEAR ,MY HUSBAND BOUGHT iT FOR OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF PARTING IT OUT AND HOPING TO FIND ANOTHER THAT I CAN AFFORD. THE GAME BOY HAS A CARTRIDGE THAT CREATE DESIGNS AND YOU CAN ALSO CREATE YOUR OWN ,AND THE GRAND KIDS COULD PLAY THEIR GAMES WHEN THEY WERE OVER . I LOVE IT MAYBE NOT SENSIBLE BUT I MISS MINE AND HAVE NOT SEWN SINCE
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I remember reading about this a long time ago, I never did know how much it cost. Yikes! That's a lot of muns.
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I love seeing stuff like this, because it shows that the proliferation of video game hardware is so vast and ubiquitous that people begin to envision alternative uses to it, besides playing games. It reminds me of an early example of game hardware being used for other purposes, like the Game.Com having many PDA capabilities, or the later implementation of the "Folding At Home" program with PlayStation 3 systems. It is proof that while gaming might still be looked at as a child's pastime, the hardware is often powerful enough (or prevalent enough) that it can be used for more than just its original intended purpose.
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I recall this, probably from an old Nintendo Power. Sounded cool.
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@donnamae:Hi donnamae, I have one of these machines never used that I plan on selling. I was doing some research for info and I came across your post. I am planning on posting on eBay for $325. If you have any interest let me know. I bought it years ago and just never used it. If this type post isn't allowed I apologize.
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