Clockwork Remote Control Bringing Steampunk To Mainstream

A few months back the Guardian ran a piece on the burgeoning steampunk scene. It's a niche Science Fiction movement that fetishises the look of Victoriana and age-old technology such as steampower and imagines how more modern tech might have appeared had it been invented at this time in history. Take for example this natty looking PC which has been modded for Steampunk effect:



What a beauty, no? But strictly science fantasy, surely? Hmmm...yes and no. Earlier this week, for instance, everyone from Gizmodo to the Sun ran pieces on a remote control from ethicalsuperstore.com that does away with batteries in favour of a wind-up, clockwork mechanism. And while its none-more-grey styling is, in truth, pretty unlovely compared with some of the elegant wonders that Steampunk modders have come up with, the incorporation of archaic tech suggests that some of the movement's ideas have gone mainstream. You can see it below:



In the light of the acres of press coverage this has received it seems like huge sales for the remote are something of a given. Especially since it chimes perfectly with growing eco awareness. Similarly the device will also resonate with the new mood of econodriving that the credit crunch has induced. Going back to the future for now at least seems to be the way forward.