# Anyone got a Powerball? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290 "2004-10-08T23:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/1 "2004-10-08T23:39:05Z")
[Powerball](http://iwantoneofthose.com/NEOPOW.htm) I’ve had mine a couple of days and have broke the 10,000 rpm barrier. I haven’t used it much, because you look kind of odd using it, and my hands tend to get too sweaty to keep the grip. There is a definite element of addictiveness there though. I do get recurring urges to use it. And a short period of use certainly has an effect on the wrist. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/2 "2004-10-08T23:56:36Z")
To give this thread more than a snowball’s chance in hell of attracting at least one reply not by me, let’s make it about [www.iwantoneofthose.com](http://www.iwantoneofthose.com). The site is full of useless stuff that we must have. I think it beats e-bay and amazon for it’s ability to consume your wages. I bought those magnetic link things, and when I got them, the packaging was deeply embarrasing. The website doesn’t show this, but the packaging made it seem like a toy for young children! I know I am a young child at heart but it isn’t pleasant when your relatives see you’ve bought something that says, in big letters “six and over” ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/3 "2004-10-09T00:00:36Z")
How does the powerball work as far as exercising? I’ve seen it advertised in various MA magazines as the lazy man’s way to build their grip strength. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/4 "2004-10-09T00:09:31Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > How does the powerball work as far as exercising? I’ve seen it advertised in various MA magazines as the lazy man’s way to build their grip strength. There’s a gyroscope in it, with heavy weights. You get it spinning using a string. Then, using wrist movement (like stirring a pot of beans) you speed up the gyroscope’s spin. If you can get it going fast it becomes pretty hard work to maintain the spin. I suppose the reason they call it the lazy man’s way to build grip is it’s addiction value. It makes an increasingly (with speed) interesting sound. It has neon lights that look cooler the faster it’s spinning. It records rpm which introduces the competition value (to keep beating your original score). I am the definitive lazy man, and _I_ find it rather addictive. I use it whenever the chance occurs (whenever I’m on my own) ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/5 "2004-10-09T00:34:15Z")
Damn, man. $50 for one of those. I want one… ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/6 "2004-10-09T01:44:56Z")
huh??? From the site: > [@](#): > > Its dead clever, needs no batteries And it includes (you guessed it): > [@](#): > > Batteries included So can you use it without the lights? > [@](#): > > \*There are two batteries in the speedometer. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/7 "2004-10-09T17:46:37Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > huh??? > From the site: > > And it includes (you guessed it): > > So can you use it without the lights? The batteries power the digital display, and should last 12 (I think) years. The lights are powered by some sort of generator inside the gyro. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/8 "2004-10-09T18:00:01Z")
Do not taunt [Happy Fun Ball!](http://www.happyfunball.com/hfb.html) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/9 "2004-10-09T22:10:27Z")
No, but I have a **Screwball.** It’s not the Swiss-Tech Screwball (a keychain multi-screwdriver. Nope, mine is a ratcheting screwdriver with a spherical handle, magnetized bits, and a built-in caddy for 3 spare bits. It’s made by SAV Tools. I got it at Sears. I tried in vain to find a website. No dice. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/10 "2004-10-09T22:25:51Z")
I got two of 'em, but your mom could have told you that. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/11 "2004-10-10T01:10:11Z")
You can go with the [no frills](http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=90325) version for just $12.97. It is addictive. My co-worker already got one for himself after he tried mine. I think it does increase grip strength, and I’ve heard it’s good for staving off carpel tunnel. But it’s kinda noisy. Even if I shut my office door they can tell I’m doing it. And considering I’m a computer geek, I can’t do it too much, considering it requires I type one handed. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-got-a-powerball/268290/12 "2004-10-10T03:36:30Z")
**NurseCarmen** I find it gives me an excuse to get up and away from the computer. But if you have work to do.