"Convergence" Lava Lite? Just Add Kitschy Telephone

Growing up I always wanted a Lava Lite. I don't recall when I saw my first one in person, but it's been a long time love affair. Seeing them dot the village in The Prisoner was all I needed to go nuts for them. The problem was that Lava Lites used to be difficult to find and a bit expensive. Fortunately in the 90's I guess there was some breakthrough in Lava Lite technology, and they became standard issue again for dorm rooms everywhere.

Lava has expanded their brand to Lava Lites of different sizes, themed bases, even a Tiffany style lamp, and then there was this - The Lava Lite phone. I guess this could fall under our "convergence" series as it is both phone and Lava Lite in one. The phone is designed to mimic the sort of groovy shapes of an idealized 60's... like what Austin Power's or Disney's idea of the past would have been. There is no astonishing tech at work here... rather plain Nick-at-Nite styled phone with lava blob-like buttons, generic chirpy ringtone, and the somewhat unusual white "lava" coalescing away while you dial your Baby Boomer friends long distance.

What's odd is that this is a late 90's item, and already there is barely any reference to it anywhere on the internet. How quickly we forget our kitsch. It was a bit of cash as I recall - I saw these for sale at Radio Shack, but I imagine they had to be available elsewhere as well. Too bad an LED inside the lamp doesn't flutter when the phone rings, or offer some other interaction between lava and phone. As with so many other convergence items, it looks like if you want your own Lava phone at home, all you need is a Lava Lite, a cheap phone, and a bit of hot glue.

related:

Tiffany Lava Lite - A Classy Take On A Groovy Classic
Orbitz - the Soft Drink, not the Travel Service
Psychedelic Lava Lamp Offspring