Nostalgic for beloved gadgets from your childhood? One easy and uncommon way to celebrate these gizmos is to frame them up on your wall. Grid Studios has been deconstructing old-school gadgets for 5 years now, and to celebrate its anniversary, the company is offering a 20 percent off sitewide discount with code GRID5, though the sale event ends September 17.
I’ve linked to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance version, the 2001 handheld that was my first portable gaming console. But Grid has all sorts of products you can choose from, including the first-ever iPhone 2G, the Google Pixel, the Samsung Galaxy S, and even the first Android phone. It extends past phones, too, with the iPod, MacBook, Apple chips, and other game consoles.
Grid says the products deconstructed in the art frame are original parts, and some of them may even show some wear and tear; however, the company uses fake batteries to prevent any hazards. Its studio is located in China, and it has warehouses in China, the US, and the Czech Republic. The frames come in two sizes, rectangular (11.7 x 16.4 inches) and square (13 x 13 inches).
The gadget is neatly laid out on the back of the frame, and there are labels pointing to and explaining what the parts are. On the Game Boy Advance, it highlights all of the buttons and internal parts, from the speaker and CPU to the L button and battery cover. At the top, you’ll also find the year of the product’s release (it’s been 24 years since the Game Boy Advance launched!). Some of the pieces have extra text on them—the iPhones come with quotes from Steve Jobs.
These make great gifts, or a fun way to decorate a room or home office. There are preinstalled D-rings on the back of the frame, so hanging the piece up is an easy affair. You just have to peel off the plastic cover over the plexiglass. The danger is that once you buy one, you’ll probably be ready to purchase another. Beats having these go to the landfill!