The Gadget: Riff Rocker, an even smaller miniature USB guitar that's made to work with Frets on Fire, the open source PC knockoff of Guitar Hero. The guitar's got the normal amount of fret buttons, but instead of a strummer, you get a two-way rocker button that's meant to be played with two fingers.
The Price: $19.95
The Verdict: It works, but it'll cramp your hand into an unrecognizable mess in under three minutes. The strummer button works, despite being awkward for a grown man to play with his two grown man fingers. The strummer is where the problem lies. If you thought those normal Guitar Hero buttons cramped your hand into awkward positions, imagine putting your hand down on a barstool and having a fat guy sit on it.
For $20, it's not expensive by any means, but unless they actually lengthen the fret a bit so adults can play this without getting carpal tunnel, it's only going to be useful for a quick break at the office. The Frets on Fire game it's meant to work with is a decent game, seeing as it's been around for a few years, and if you don't mind semi-legally downloading fan-made album packs, it gives you a good number of songs not found in Guitar Hero or Rock Band. Also, I'm not sure why "No clubs to join" is a selling point. I don't think I've seen that phrase in use since 1992.
p.s. Boing Boing Gadgets didn't like it either, but don't click that link unless you want to see Joel make a face that's previously only been reserved for his lovers. [Drum Bum]