About the new Bliptronic 5000 LED synthesizer ($49.99 MSRP), ThinkGeek notes that, "If HAL 9000 mated with R2-D2 and their electronic offspring was tutored by Kraftwerk, it would probably end up something like the Bliptronic 5000."

ThinkGeek, the mastermind behind this 8-bit style electro soundmaker, borrowed ideas from other products, combining the lighted button grid interface of a Yamaha Tenori-on with the lo-fi sounds of a retro Casiotone.

The Bliptronic 5000 allows you to create looping patterns and change them dynamically while playing, as well as chain multiple units together and create more complex melodies. It has a one-octave range and eight notes can be played simultaneously; eight different old-school synth-sounding instruments to choose from; and sounds created using FM waveform synthesis. You can set the tempo from 60 to 180 BPM in 20 BPM increments.

The brushed aluminum unit has a built-in speaker with headphone jack and line-out jack, and comes with a manual and two link cables for connecting additional Bliptronic units. Four AA batteries are required but not included.