There is something rather special about great audio gear. Whether it is a cherished pair of bookshelf speakers from the seventies or a hefty amplifier that once powered many late nights, older kit carries a charm that refuses to fade. The trouble is that modern streaming rarely considers this history. We juggle apps, fight with compatibility issues, and often end up restricted to one manufacturer’s ecosystem.
Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life
Atonemo, a young company based in Stockholm, has stepped in with a refreshingly simple answer. Their new device, the Streamplayer, aims to bring every speaker you own into the streaming age. It works with speakers of any brand, size, or era and gives older equipment a modern purpose again.
Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life
Listening to music used to be an uncomplicated affair. You pressed play, and the sound travelled through a cable without any fuss. Today, we navigate multiple services that do not always get along. Streamplayer strips away that complexity by giving you a single, universal way to stream music across your home.
Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life
The concept is brilliantly straightforward. Streamplayer is a compact wireless audio streamer that connects to any speaker or amplifier. Once it joins your Wi Fi network, you can play music through AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, or Tidal Connect. Your vintage hi fi becomes wireless. Your modern speakers can work side by side with your older favourites. You can even synchronise completely different speakers into one unified system.
Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life
For fans of classic audio equipment, this is especially exciting. Many older speakers sound superb but lack the streaming features that modern life expects. Atonemo’s mission is to bring them back into everyday use, turning beautiful old gear into fully capable modern systems.
Atonemo’s Approach
The company was founded by two childhood friends, one a mathematician and the other a designer. Their shared passion for music and frustration with over engineered audio systems inspired them to create products that feel human, simple, and purposeful. Their philosophy focuses on clear communication and design that does exactly what it needs to do without clutter.
Key Features
Streamplayer is small, but the specification is impressive:
24 bit 192 kHz audio
Gapless playback
AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect
Analogue line out and optical S PDIF out
Wi Fi 6 with WPA2 and WPA3 security
USB C power
Works with active speakers, amplifiers, hi fi systems, and vintage audio gear
Streamplayer: The Little Box That Brings Every Speaker Back to Life
Everything about it is built around compatibility and convenience. It arrives with a USB C power cable, an AUX cable, and a simple quick start guide, making setup as painless as possible.
A Simple Idea with Real Impact
The launch of Streamplayer feels like a moment for anyone who loves audio but dislikes unnecessary complication. It brings your favourite speakers back into daily use, unifies the systems you already have, and avoids locking you into any single brand.
For anyone with a cupboard full of forgotten gear or a cherished pair of speakers that deserve to be heard again, this little box might be one of the most appealing products of the season.
Every so often a product lands on my desk that pulls me straight back to the excitement of discovering music on a physical format. This week it is the WE-001 Duran Duran Special Edition from We Are Rewind, a modern portable cassette player created with the band’s full blessing and visual flair.
Duran Duran teams up with We Are Rewind for a gorgeous new cassette player
If you grew up with cassettes, you will remember the thrill of flipping an album over, hearing the clunk of the keys, and watching the spools spin. This special edition brings all of that back with a welcome dose of modern engineering. Even better, it arrives with a fresh cassette reissue of Pop Trash, complete with those familiar metallic and neon touches that have always followed Duran Duran through their career.
Duran Duran teams up with We Are Rewind for a gorgeous new cassette player
A cassette player built for the present day
The WE-001 looks and feels like something from the band’s own design board. The aluminium shell has a satisfyingly weighty feel, the buttons have a smooth mechanical action, and the audio side of things has been taken very seriously. A dedicated headphone amplifier gives the tapes far more presence and clarity than the portable players many of us owned the first time round.
It connects to wireless headphones and speakers thanks to Bluetooth and charges by USB C, giving around twelve hours of playback. It even records. Plug in a powered mic or use the line input and you can capture your own mixtapes in proper analogue fashion.
For anyone who wants the full nostalgic experience, a pencil is included in the box. You know exactly what that is for.
Duran Duran teams up with We Are Rewind for a gorgeous new cassette player
A collaboration with real heart
The band’s creative art director Andrew Day summed up the project perfectly. When Pop Trash came out, streaming barely existed. Two and a half decades later, celebrating the album with a beautifully designed cassette player feels surprisingly right. He described the finished product as “more Pop and less Trash”, which is a very neat way of putting it.
We Are Rewind founder Romain Boudruche added that Duran Duran’s long history with physical media made the project a natural fit. At a time when music discovery is often reduced to an endless scroll of digital tracks, it is refreshing to see an artist celebrate the value of something you can actually hold.
Interestingly, UK cassette sales rose by more than two hundred percent in the first quarter of this year, so the timing could not be better.
Duran Duran teams up with We Are Rewind for a gorgeous new cassette player
Price and availability
The WE-001 Duran Duran Special Edition is priced at £149 and is available directly from We Are Rewind. If you are a fan of the band, a lover of physical media, or simply someone who enjoys a beautifully built gadget, this is well worth a look.
The cassette tape’s resurgence has been one of the most joyful twists in personal audio. After years of streaming convenience running roughshod over the tactile pleasure of physical playback, along comes something that finally bridges the gap without losing the charm that made tapes brilliant in the first place.
The Curtis GB001 from We Are Rewind is a premium cassette boombox built for the modern era. Designed in France, it carries the unmistakable spirit of the classic ghetto blaster, but with a refined materials palette and contemporary engineering that make it feel purposeful, not kitsch.
We Are Rewind Curtis GB001: The Cassette Boombox Renaissance We’ve Been Waiting For
It has presence in the way only proper hardware can. A hefty aluminium frame meets real walnut panelling. There’s a solidity to the unit that suggests it belongs on a shelf, in a studio, or under a Christmas tree without ever feeling incongruous or overdesigned. This is a product that’s been considered, prototyped and built with genuine affection for the medium.
Big, Bold Sound from a Single Cassette Deck
Curtis is built around one high quality cassette deck. No double deck accoutrements or tape dubbing circus here, just a single drive that plays tapes with real fidelity. That’s not a compromise, it’s a statement: great sound comes from focus.
The playback is warm, dimensional and immersive, the sort of audio experience that makes you forget how sterile compressed streams can sound. Bluetooth 5.1 is onboard for those odd occasions you don’t have a tape handy, but the headline act is the tape mechanism itself, delivered through a stereo driver architecture that extracts every bit of depth your recordings have to give.
Controls are gloriously physical. Buttons push with reassuring resistance. Dials turn. The unit is rechargeable and portable, but it doesn’t lean on portability as its personality. The GB001 earns affection by being good at what it is.
In and Out Options for Every Listener
The input choices are refreshingly sensible and fully modern where they need to be: USB C for power delivery, RCA input for proper audio gear, and 3.5mm line in for plugging in almost anything with a headphone jack.
It’s a ghetto blaster that doesn’t discriminate on age or audio source. If you grew up making mixtapes, you’ll love it. If you’re new to tapes but want a boombox that looks as good as it sounds, you’ll love it. And if you just want a premium Bluetooth speaker that happens to play cassettes, you’ll love it too.
A Christmas Gift with Longevity
There are only a handful of tech gifts that genuinely transcend trends. The Curtis GB001 belongs in that rare group. It doesn’t chase a fashion cycle. It nods to an era and elevates it.
If 2025 is truly the year of the cassette boombox revival, this is one of the few units that feels ready to lead the charge. It’s distinctive, memorable, supremely listenable and built with an exacting eye for design and sound quality.
Final Thoughts
The Curtis GB001 from We Are Rewind is an honest, confident cassette boombox debut for 2025. One deck. Big sound. Proper materials. Bluetooth onboard. Inputs present and correct. And most importantly, it rekindles a love for a format that never should have been sidelined in the first place.
Premium? Yes. Unnecessarily so? Not a chance. This one has earned its space.
Discover gifts that break the mould, a curated collection of inspired finds that mix innovation, nostalgia and pure fun. From character-led collectables to next-gen tech and design-driven home essentials, each product brings something special to the table, making it easy to find a thoughtful, memorable gift for every personality on your list.
Arlo Penguin Bestie Water Bottle – £29.99 Available from Suck UK
Add character to your routine! This adorable, insulated 450ml water bottle features a removable, collectable silicone character head, making hydration fun and playful. With double-wall vacuum insulation to keep drinks cold for 24 hours, it’s the perfect companion for any adventure.
Cable Guys Five Nights At Freddy’s, Freddy Controller Holder & Phone Stand £29.99
Welcome Freddy Fazbear into your world with this chillingly cool Cable Guy. Straight from the dark and thrilling world of Five Nights at Freddy’s, Freddy is here to guard your devices in true villainous style. With incredible detail and a mischievous vibe, this Cable Guy adds a touch of frightful fun to any space. Freddy holds remote controls, smartphones and gaming controllers,
Mello waterproof A5 notebook & incense. Put pencil to paper and let your thoughts and ideas flow in the steamy comfort of your own bathtub. Includes a 100% waterproof A5 notebook (no crinkled pages or slippery fingered accidents here!) and scented incense sticks and holder to get you in the perfect headspace
The Plant With Willow Starter Pack gives your houseplants a voice, quite literally. A discreet soil sensor tracks moisture, light, temperature and nutrients, sending real-time updates to your phone via a beautifully intuitive app. You’ll know when to water, when to feed, and when your monstera simply needs a moment in the sun.
Photo Creator Video Projector Camera – £69.99 from Smyths
With the 3-in-1 Video Projector Camera from Photo Creator, you can snap photos, shoot crisp HD video, project your creations in colour, and connect to cast your favourite content onto any surface! This exciting all-in-one device projects photos and videos from up to 4 metres, creating a big screen projection display up to 200 x 112cm, with adjustable focus to capture the perfect picture. Take 48MP photos and films crisp HD video on the 2.4 screen, with 27 fun effects, including digital frames and filters to personalise your work! With simple projection in bright, bold colour, this video projector camera offers endless creative fun, with a 16GB MicroSD card that lets you capture, save and share with friends and family. Connect devices wirelessly to cast your favourite content onto any surface for an even bigger viewing experience and home-projector fun
The Care Bears Digital Pet brings a nostalgic twist for kidults who grew up loving the bears. Relive the magic of the ‘80s with a pocket-sized digital companion. it’s a retro revival with a modern digital edge.
Krafted Couch Wireless Charger – £39.99 available from Kraftedtech.com
Meet the home essential you never knew you needed. Draping elegantly over the arm of your sofa, the Krafted Couch Charger brings effortless power to your favourite spot. Its sleek silicone finish grips gently in place while your phone recharges. A rare piece of tech that feels as good as it looks, and every bit as considered as a well-placed throw.
From Wallace & Gromit, Warmies Gromitis a fully heatable soft toy that can be heated in a microwave to provide hours of soothing warmth and comfort. This luxuriously soft plush design is gently scented with relaxing lavender and can be reheated time and time again. Warmies® are weighted, warming, scented and super cuddly, making it an ideal gift for all ages!
Star Wars Cable Guys Darth Vader Controller Holder & Phone Stand £29.99 from EXGPro.com
Welcome the Dark Side into your home with our Darth Vader A New Hope Cable Guy Based on one of the evilest and most beloved characters from the Star Wars franchise, our Darth Vader: A New Hope Cable Guy is armed with his lightsabre and ready to attack anyone from the Rebel Alliance who may want to get their hands on your most treasured items – from your phone to your controller, and even your lightsabre. Just remember not to “underestimate the power of the Force”.
If tangled cables and missing adaptors are your personal nemesis, meet your new best friend. The Krafted Connex hub tidily houses multiple connectors for phones, tablets, watches and beyond – offering fast charging, data transfer, and peace of mind in one compact design. Sleek, simple, and ideal for anyone who travels, works remotely, or just hates rummaging in drawers.
Pad Creator Instant Print Tablet – £129.99 Available from SmythsToys.com
For the next generation of digital dreamers, the Pad Creator is part tablet, part instant printer, and entirely brilliant. With six creative modes, kids can shoot photos, film mini movies, sketch, add filters and print their masterpieces instantly from the 8-inch touchscreen. There’s even a child-friendly browser for inspiration hunting – making it as safe as it is inspiring. The kind of gift that turns rainy afternoons into studio time.
Majority Pulse 1 Bluetooth Party Speaker – £99.99 Available from Currys
The Majority Pulse 1 is made for parties and spontaneous kitchen discos. The 80W speaker packs a punch with crisp highs and bass that means business, complete with a synchronised light show that pulses to the beat. It even comes with a wireless mic for karaoke mode, because someone’s always going to want to sing. Portable, powerful and fun.
If you grew up in the 1980s, you’ll remember that unmistakable feeling of loading a game on your ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, or BBC Micro. The hypnotic screech of the cassette loading, the colour bars flickering on screen, and that eternal moment of suspense — would it load this time, or had the tape stretched just enough to doom you to a R Tape Loading Error?
Loading the KLF Adventure
Fast forward to the 2020s and, somewhere between my love of retro computing, The KLF’s music, and an itch to make something creative, I decided: I’m going to write a text adventure game. Not just any text adventure, but one dripping with late-night 80s energy, pop culture references, and a healthy dose of KLF mythology.
The KLF Adventure Begins
It started innocently enough — I wanted to relive the magic of the Scott Adams-style adventures I played as a kid. Those games weren’t about graphics; they were about imagination. Every location, every object, every strange instruction was something you had to picture in your head. And if you were a bit obsessive (guilty), you’d spend hours mapping every room on graph paper.
Finding the Right Ingredients
The KLF have always been masters of mystery — their story threads through pop hits, art projects, strange performances, and burning a million pounds on a remote Scottish island. That mix of chaos, humour, and myth-making was perfect for a game world.
I started building a map: fictional places merged with real ones from KLF history. Bold Street in Liverpool. The Cavern Club in the 1960s. A boathouse with a roaring fire. And, naturally, Trancentral — the spiritual HQ of The KLF. I even included surreal locations like the “Little Fluffy Cloud Factory” and “Maze of Caves” for that dreamlike adventure feel.
Travel Back in Time to The Cavern Club in 1961
The NPCs? Oh, they had to be special. Sigmund Freud gives cryptic instructions. Ivan Pavlov demands you “Lie Down” before telling you to “Keep Calm”. Even Denzil the Baker makes an appearance, along with other nods that KLF fans will appreciate.
Building It Like It’s 1984 — With a 2025 Twist
I didn’t just want to write about the 80s — I wanted it to feel like the 80s. So I coded the game in a modern environment but kept the old-school constraints: short descriptions, tight vocabulary, and a parser that understands commands like GO NORTH, GET TICKET, or SAY CHILLOUT.
Don’t get stuck in the record industry execs meeting!!!
But here’s the twist — I didn’t do it alone. My coding partners were Gemini CLI and OpenAI Codex, coding with me directly in my command line. The imagery was created using ChatGPT, with animations by Midjourney. The music came courtesy of Suno, while the sound effects were crafted by ElevenLabs. Together, these AI tools became my team of coders, designers, composers, and consultants, enabling me to bring this game to life in a way that would have been impossible on my own.
And because I couldn’t resist going full retro, I’ve also been experimenting with encoding the game into audio so it can be loaded into a ZX Spectrum emulator straight from a physical cassette tape. Because why not?
Timeslips abound in Bold Street with alternate timelines showing Mick Hucknall driving the Ice Kream Van!
The Result
What emerged is The KLF Adventure — part game, part interactive art piece, and part love letter to the days when imagination did the heavy lifting. It’s an 80s-inspired world you can explore, puzzle over, and get gloriously lost in. It rewards curiosity, nods knowingly to KLF lore, and might just make you say “What Time Is Love?” at least once.
For me, this wasn’t just a coding project. It was a way of reconnecting with that kid who sat cross-legged in front of a rubber-keyed Spectrum, waiting for the next adventure to begin. Only now, I’m the one writing the adventure — with a 21st-century team of AIs by my side.
You can even find me in the game… But where?
If you fancy diving in, the game is live at klfgame.co.uk. Just remember: keep your wits about you, don’t trust every whisper, and above all… CHILLOUT. Twice.
Once upon a time, a phone was just a phone. The exact when of that once-upon-a-time depends on how far back you travel between now and Alexander Graham Bell. For some, it’s when phones were chunks of Bakelite with rotary dials, while for others the cut-off point is when phones started to offer more than calls, text, and playing “snake”. Today, that’s what we’d call a basic phone. And it’s making a comeback.
Rethinking How Smart We Want Our Phones To Be
Dumbing down
Pretty much every mobile phone available today falls into one of three categories: basic, feature and smart.
A basic phone is designed primarily for calling and texting, with very limited or no internet access and minimal extra functions. It usually has a small screen, physical keypad, and lacks apps or an advanced interface.
A feature phone falls between a basic and a smartphone; it often includes some multimedia functions like a basic camera, FM radio, Bluetooth, and sometimes limited internet access. While it may support some apps, it runs on a lightweight operating system and isn’t built for the kind of multitasking or app ecosystems that smartphones offer.
A smartphone can be your office, your library, your entertainment centre and your link to family and friends. It runs on advanced operating systems like Android or iOS and supports full internet access, multitasking, high-resolution touchscreens, downloadable apps from app stores, GPS, and a wide range of sensors and connectivity options. It essentially functions like a handheld computer and is central to modern digital life.
And a pushback against that modern digital life is partly behind a boost in basic sales.
While “dumb” phones represent a small slice of the overall handset market (around 2%), it is a trend mobile phone manufacturers have taken notice of and are responding to; minimalist or feature-free versions of many phones are being developed and promoted to younger generations, especially Gen Z adults (those born between 1997 and 2012).
Interestingly, older members of Gen Z were on the cusp of the transition from basic phones to smartphones, giving them a unique perspective on both types of devices.
And nostalgia does play a role.
The re-release of classic models like the Nokia 3210 in 2024 has tapped into a sense of longing for the past. These updated versions maintain iconic designs while incorporating modern features such as 4G connectivity and USB-C charging, appealing to both those who remember the originals and younger users drawn to retro aesthetics.
Health and safety
Many seek to reduce their screen time and disconnect from the constant smartphone barrage of notifications and social media updates. There is a growing body of research linking increased levels of anxiety, stress and depression to excessive smartphone use; many feel a “hypervigilance” is forced on them because of constant connectivity.
Social media apps have been associated with increased anxiety and depression – social comparison, fear of missing out (FOMO), and cyberbullying all play their part in pushing people away from a digital lifestyle. And parents are increasingly opting for basic phones for their children to limit exposure to social media and online content.
In addition to mental health concerns, mobile phone users are becoming increasing alarmed by potential security risks associated with smartphones. A 2022 Deloitte survey revealed that nearly 60% of respondents worry about their devices being vulnerable to security breaches and organisations tracking them through their devices. This distrust is further fuelled by the lack of transparency regarding data collection practices and the increasing complexity of mobile operating systems.
Impact on Mobile Entertainment Services
The return to basic phones inevitably limits access to mobile entertainment services a trade-off that sits at the heart of this trend.
Without app stores or constant connectivity, users are stepping away from on-demand video, social media feeds, and mobile gaming. For many, this is a deliberate move a way to disconnect from digital noise and regain focus.
But beyond the digital detox narrative, this shift could also reignite interest in the early formats of mobile entertainment. Just as the return to physical media (like vinyl records or Polaroid cameras) has found a nostalgic and passionate following, the revival of feature phones could mark the rise of a “vintage mobile entertainment” movement.
In this light, basic phone users may come to represent a new niche of digital consumers almost like the purists of mobile culture. People who value minimalism, intentional usage, and a stripped-back experience. This creates an interesting opportunity for content creators and service providers to revisit simpler formats: downloadable tones, static graphics, or even text-based games entertainment designed for accessibility, light data usage, and offline consumption.
Could this be the next micro-market in mobile a new segment of business shaped by nostalgia, simplicity, and purposeful tech use?
Impact on advertisers
The resurgence of basic phones could significantly reshape how advertisers operate, particularly by shifting the expectations and mechanics of engagement. The main challenge is the loss of data-rich environments that smartphones provide. With fewer users engaging via apps or the web, there’s reduced access to behavioural tracking, precise geolocation, and interactive ad formats like video or programmatic banners. This could erode the effectiveness of digital advertising campaigns. However, it also revives older formats such as SMS marketing. Brands might turn to simpler, more direct communication, which can feel more personal or urgent, especially in markets where basic phone usage is growing rapidly. These campaigns could see higher engagement due to their lower saturation and novelty in a world now dominated by digital noise.
Advertisers will need to rethink not only their platforms but their assumptions about user attention, availability, and intent. Those who adapt to offer meaningful engagement in low-tech contexts—rather than trying to recreate the smartphone experience—stand the best chance of staying relevant.
Summary
The resurgence of basic phones represents a significant trend in the mobile phone market, driven by a complex interplay of factors. This movement highlights a growing awareness of the need for a more balanced and intentional relationship with technology. As consumers seek greater control over their digital lives, basic phones offer a viable alternative, promoting mental well-being, privacy, and a more focused lifestyle.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicholas Rossman is a Programme Director at The Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), a global trade body established in 2000 and headquartered in the UK with members across the world. As the voice of the mobile ecosystem, it focuses on cross-industry best practices, anti-fraud and monetisation. The Forum, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, provides its members with global and cross-sector platforms for networking, collaboration and advancing industry solutions.
It’s official – Disney’s most lovable alien is back! With Lilo & Stitch returning to cinemas on May 23rd, fans old and new are buzzing with excitement. And to mark the occasion, the clever folks at EXG Pro are unleashing a brand-new wave of officially licensed Lilo & Stitch tech accessories that bring all of Stitch’s mischief, madness, and heart right to your desk.
EXG Pro Celebrates Lilo & Stitch’s Return to the Big Screen with a Chaos-Filled Collection of Tech Accessories
From earbuds hugged by Stitch’s tiny blue paws to phone holders that could double as miniature sculptures, this range is as functional as it is collectible. Whether you’re working from home or gaming into the night, Stitch is here to make sure your setup looks cool and stays tidy.
Meet the Line-Up: Functional Meets FUNctional
Stitch Buds Pro – £49.99
Stitch Buds Pro – £49.99
Bluetooth 5.3 earbuds in a custom Stitch case? Yes, please. The Stitch Buds Pro don’t just look adorable – they sound great too. Cradled in Stitch’s arms, this is equal parts pop culture tribute and high-performance audio kit. Available now at EXGPro.com.
Stitch Cable Guys: The Ultimate Desk Companions – £29.99 Each
Hula Stitch
Dressed in a grass skirt and ready to party, Hula Stitch is the perfect tropical tech stand. Whether you need to hold your phone, gaming controller or remote, he’s got your back with island vibes to spare.
Hula Stitch
Smiley Stitch
All grins and good energy, this joyful version of Stitch is a desk cheerleader that just so happens to be brilliant at holding your devices.
Smiley Stitch
Classic Stitch
This is Experiment 626 in his most iconic form – attitude, ears and all. He’s got the stability of a serious tech stand with the flair of a fan-favourite character.
Classic Stitch
Stitch Holdems: Pocket-Sized Personality – £19.99 Each
Loved Up Stitch
Puckered up and packed with love, Loved Up Stitch is a sweet spot for your earbuds or phone. A romantic little helper for anyone who’s soft on Stitch.
Loved Up Stitch
Badness Level Stitch
Wearing chaos like a badge of honour, Badness Level Stitch keeps things fun and functional. The ultimate choice for fans who love their Stitch with a little extra bite.
Badness Level Stitch
Sunset Stitch
Golden hour in a gadget stand. Sunset Stitch glows with tropical vibes and calm energy – ideal for mellowing out your workspace.
Sunset Stitch
Underpants Hero Stitch
Because why wouldn’t Stitch wear underpants over his fur? This hero-themed holder adds a dollop of humour and a whole lot of charm to your setup.
Underpants Hero Stitch
Gadget Man’s Take
This collection is pure joy in accessory form. It’s the kind of licensed merch that gets it right – quirky, useful, and collectible. Whether you’re a Disney devotee, a pop culture junkie, or just someone who wants their earbuds stored by an alien in a grass skirt, EXG Pro’s Lilo & Stitch range is a total win.
As the film makes its big-screen return, there’s never been a better time to invite Stitch into your home – not on the sofa, but on your desk, cradling your tech with chaos and love.
Available now at ExgPro.com – grab yours before Stitch eats them.
As Minecraft: The Movie prepares to blast into cinemas on April 4th, there’s never been a better time to bring a bit of blocky brilliance into your own world – and EXG Pro has just the thing.
Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a redstone rookie, these official Minecraft-themed Cable Guys and Holdems are the perfect way to celebrate your love for all things pixel-perfect – while keeping your gear tidy and your setup looking sharp.
🎮 What Are Cable Guys and Holdems?
If you’re new to the world of EXG Pro, here’s the lowdown: Cable Guys and Holdems are collectible device holders that double up as awesome display pieces. They’re designed to hold controllers, phones, earbuds, and more, making them the ideal mix of practicality and fandom.
Let’s take a look at the Minecraft lineup…
🧱 The Full Roster of Blocky Legends:
Steve Cable Guy R.E.S.T – £29.99
The original icon. Classic Steve is here to hold your controller, phone or even your snacks (we won’t judge). A must-have for any Minecraft purist.
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectibles
Creeper Cable Guy R.E.S.T – £29.99
Sssssstylish and strangely charming, this explosive little number brings the game’s most infamous mob to your desk – without the damage.
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectibles
Steve in Diamond Armour R.E.S.T – £29.99
Decked out in shimmering diamond gear, this version of Steve is the premium pick for those who’ve fought their way to the top – in-game and IRL.
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectibles
Enderman Cable Guy – £29.99
Tall, dark and mysterious, the Enderman adds some height and intrigue to your gaming space. Just, uh… try not to make eye contact.
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectibles
🟩 Mini Marvels: Minecraft Holdems – £17.99 each
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectibles
Perfect for phones, earbuds or just to look good on your desk, these compact versions of the big hitters are ideal for tighter setups.
Steve Holdems – A pixel-perfect pal in miniature form.
Enderman Holdems – Small, spooky and stylish.
Piglin Holdems – Straight out of the Nether and full of flair.
Zombie Holdems – Shuffly, snappy, and surprisingly useful.
🎥 Get Ready for the Big Screen Adventure
With the Minecraft movie just around the corner, there’s no better time to upgrade your setup with a themed holder that screams style and loyalty to the block-built world. Whether you’re bingeing on survival mode, watching YouTube Let’s Plays, or getting ready for the cinematic debut, these figures make the perfect companions.
Plus, they make brilliant gifts for Minecraft fans of all ages (8+, officially) – especially with Easter and birthdays on the horizon.
🛒 Where to Buy
All of these EXG Pro collectibles are available now from Smyths Toys and other retailers. Prices start from just £17.99 – so whether you want one for your desk, your car, or every room in the house (hey, no judgement), there’s something for everyone.
🧡 Final Thoughts
Minecraft has always been about building your world your way – and with these brilliant EXG Pro Cable Guys and Holdems, you can carry that spirit into your real-world setup. Fun, functional and seriously cool, they’re the perfect celebration of Minecraft’s leap to the silver screen.
Until next time – keep mining, keep crafting, and keep your gadgets held in style.
— Matt, The Gadget Man
Gear Up for Minecraft: The Movie with These Brilliant EXG Pro Collectible
Do you love gaming but now find yourself wishing that it could be more fun? You are not alone. It is a situation that many people find themselves in. This is despite the fact that graphics and tech capabilities are greater than ever.
So, how can you restore the fun factor to your gaming activities? Here’s all you need to know.
Win Money
If you play modern titles, you’ll be familiar with in-game purchases. Players often spend more money on them than they do on the game itself. However, you can nowgrab free spins on registration at casino and bingo sites. Rather than paying out more money to play a game you’ve already paid for, you could win money.
The financial rewards are great. In truth, though, the thrill of winning gives you a dopamine hit that most video games no longer do. Another way to earn money from gaming is to enter tournaments or play eSports.
Play Retro Games
When playing today’s games, it feels like all features are aimed at microtransactions and long-term investments. Back in the day, games had a “pick up and play” quality. Retro games ranging from Pac-Man topopular platformers of the 80s and 90s are far simpler. You can play for an hour and then not worry about them.
You don’t need to dedicate half of your life to the game. You simply have some fun for the duration of play before doing something else. This more balanced approach to gaming will enhance your life in and out of those activities.
Focus On The Fun
Whether playing retro games or modern titles, the focus should be on fun. There’s no need to worry about completing a game to 100% of doing things a certain way. It’s meant to be a recreational activity. So, don’t be afraid to embracecheats or skip sections that you don’t want to do. The aim is to have fun.
Similarly, there should be no pressure to keep playing a game beyond the point you want. If you’ve completed the main story and want to try another title, go for it. This has to be a smarter move than boring yourself just to keep up with other gamers.
Invite Friends Over
When you think about all the fun you had playing games in yesteryear, it’s not just about the great titles. In truth, the company you shared those moments with was an equally key factor. While jumping in a Call of Duty online lobby is great, there’s nothing like being in the same room as friends. Do not ignore it.
It’s not something you’ll do as often as you did in your youth. Still, inviting pals over to play games and havesome snacks is great fun. And it’s certainly cheaper than a night out on the town. Embrace it.
Combine Gaming With Another Love
The one thing that we do love about modern gaming is that it opens the door to doing things your way. Therefore, you may find that streaming or content creation is the perfect way to rediscover your love of gaming. Not least because it encourages you to join the community and find people with similar interests.
Or your love of gaming could be combined with creative writing, films, or other entertainment. The options are endless. And if you can alter your approach to rediscover a love of gaming, it has to be worthwhile.
From the moment I first laid eyes on Pac-Man as a kid, weaving that little yellow guy through a maze of ghosts, I was hooked. Video games have been a constant presence in my life, evolving alongside me from the pixelated sprites of the ‘80s to the photorealistic worlds we now explore. So when I stumbled upon Secret Level on Amazon Prime, it immediately captured my imagination. A series dedicated to telling cinematic, thought-provoking stories within the universes of video games? That’s exactly the kind of thing that speaks to someone like me—someone who has journeyed through countless digital worlds, from Pac-Man to Cyberpunk 2077, from Doom to New World.
This anthology series, created by Deadpool director Tim Miller, taps into the rich lore of some of the biggest gaming franchises, giving us fresh, compelling narratives that go beyond button-mashing and high scores. It’s the kind of storytelling that validates gaming as an art form, weaving together action, philosophy, and imagination into something truly special. And no episode encapsulates this better than New World: The Once and Future King—a breathtaking tale of ambition, power, and the price of eternity.
New World: The Once and Future King – A Warrior’s Struggle Against Time Itself
This episode takes us into the world of New World, Amazon’s MMO set on the mysterious island of Aeternum. In this tale, we follow King Aelstrom—voiced by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger—who washes up on Aeternum’s shores after a brutal storm annihilates his fleet. Aelstrom is a man who has spent his entire life conquering and expanding his empire, but now, in a land where no one can truly die, he’s faced with a paradox. How do you conquer a kingdom where war has no end and death is meaningless?
Image: MGM Amazon
Opposing him is King Zimah (Gabriel Luna), a ruler who has long since embraced the island’s eternal nature. Unlike Aelstrom, Zimah has come to understand the futility of endless war. Time after time, Aelstrom charges into battle, only to fall and rise again, unable to escape the cycle he himself created. Through his encounters with Zimah, he’s forced to confront the true nature of his ambition—was it ever about ruling, or was it simply about the fight itself?
Image: MGM Amazon
The episode is visually stunning, capturing the ethereal beauty and haunting isolation of Aeternum. But more than that, it’s a masterclass in storytelling, using the lore of New World to explore deeper themes of purpose, pride, and the search for meaning beyond power.
Why You Should Watch Secret Level on Amazon Prime
If you’ve ever lost yourself in the worlds of video games, Secret Level is something you need to check out. Each episode is a deep dive into a beloved gaming universe, but you don’t need to have played the games to appreciate the stories. These aren’t just rehashed plots or cutscene compilations—they’re thoughtful, beautifully crafted narratives that stand on their own.
For me, New World: The Once and Future King was a standout, blending action, philosophy, and a touch of mythic grandeur. But the whole series is a love letter to gaming history, from retro classics to modern epics. If, like me, you grew up watching video games evolve from simple dots on a screen to fully realized worlds, this show will hit that sweet spot between nostalgia and discovery.
So grab your controller—or in this case, your remote—and dive into Secret Level, streaming now on Amazon Prime. You won’t regret it!
