Unlimited breadsticks, in your pocket
Here’s a question almost nobody is asking: how do you get to the Times Square Olive Garden? Well, some enthusiastic individuals are answering it by creating the Times Square Olive Garden compass. They’re making a device that points you solely in the direction of the Times Square Olive Garden.
At first glance, I assumed this was an April Fools’ joke on TikTok. After speaking with creators Jason Goldberg and Steve Nasopoulos, who collaborated with Glub Glub Labs, it turns out it’s not that kind of joke.
Disclaimer: I’m not endorsing buying this gadget, using it, or visiting Times Square. Be ready to navigate around sketchy Elmos and scantily clad cowboys if you decide to go.
Okay, obviously, why? And why not a compass pointing to Times Square Margaritaville?
Why? We were tired of guessing the way to the Times Square Olive Garden. Sure, phones could help, but in a world dominated by screens, a more analog approach was appealing.
Olive Garden was chosen because they offer lasagna as a side. Let’s see the M&M store do that!
Our readers love specs. How does it work? What technology makes a compass point to the Olive Garden in Times Square, Manhattan?
We enlisted Glub Glub Labs for the tech: An Arduino Nano manages the compass inputs and outputs. Connected to it is a SAM-M10Q GPS, typically for drone navigation, a gyro sensor for rotation tracking once the direction is north, a stepper motor for dial movement, and two salvaged batteries from disposable vapes power it.
Because the Times Square Olive Garden remains stationary, it works offline using hard-coded and user GPS coordinates, with onboard trigonometry.
We value terms of service deeply at The Verge. Yours are humorous and specific (e.g., “don’t walk off a cliff or into the ocean”). How did you come up with them?
Without prior experience crafting terms and conditions, we aimed to anticipate scenarios we wouldn’t want liability for (active volcano walking was omitted, for now).
Limited supply. Waiting list. How many are you making? Insights on price and release?
We’re finalizing production numbers, with over 2,000 on the waitlist—well beyond expectations. To maintain quality, production will likely stay limited, around fifty per batch. Unless Olive Garden wants to make it global…
Release date soon! Join the waitlist for the latest updates.
Anything else about a compass directing to Times Square Olive Garden? Here’s your chance to add.
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