I loved playing with Nanodots when I reviewed them a few years ago. They were a great fidget toy when you are concentrating on something at work. Their new magnetic Gyro Duo product is another example of a great desktop fidget toy; they are also not as easy to lose, since they are much bigger than Nanodots.
Nanodots were one of my most favorite toys to keep around my desk. I had fun toying around with the dots while I took a mental break from my daily grind. Unfortunately, they aren’t available in the US at this time. However, Nanodots new Gyro Duo product is now available here in the US, and I was sent one set that now has a permanent home in my home office. While you can still build things with Nanodots Gyro, there’s more fun to be had with the Gyro version of Nanodots.
In the package, there are two Nanodots Gyro balls, two magnetic proxies and a stand. The stand gives your Nanodots a good place to sit when you are not playing with them; when the balls are all attached, they sit nicely and don’t roll around the desk.
Magnetic Nanodots Gyros
There are two Nanodots Gyro balls in the kit. Each ball has what is essentially one magnet, but if you look closely, it’s actually two magnets with their north and south poles aligned in one axis and mounted on a set of gimbals that allow the magnets themselves to freely move about the ball. This allows them to move if you take one of the proxies and move it near the Gyro.
Magnetic Proxies
The magnetic proxies are the grey balls in the kit. When you pick one up, you immediately feel the magnetic ball inside the proxy. The proxies help you build different shapes and do different things with the Gyro dots themselves. My favorite thing to do with the proxies is to make the Nanodot Gyro Duo magnets spin.
Nanodots Gyro Duo are fun to play with. It’s fun to grab them and make the magnets spin and to build different shapes with the balls. My only criticism of them is that the set itself doesn’t really have enough balls in it to actually build much. Still, it’s a great toy to just fiddle with while you’re thinking about the next step in a process or when you just need a five minute break. They are available to order now direct from Nanodots.
MSRP: $39.95
What I liked: Almost as much fun as the original Nanodots
What I didn’t care for: Doesn’t include enough balls to actually build anything
