Ed Barclay investigates the worst ever Bond gadgets, including a fountain pen that squirts acid and a spring-activated cheese grater. From the University of Birmingham’s Redbrick:

Bond films are renowned for their gadgets and some of them are not only incredibly cool but also useful. There’s plenty of others however that are completely ridiculous and probably more harmful than helpful to the user. Here’s a countdown of the top five most useless Bond gadgets:

5. Hovercraft Gondola (Moonraker, 1979)

So you’re meandering through the canals of Venice in your gondola, as you do, but you feel it’s lacking in speed. You could upgrade to a motorboat, like the locals, or with just the flick of a switch you could activate a high speed propeller. To improve it further, another switch converts it into a hovercraft to go across the tiny bits of dry land in the city. So, not incognito in the slightest and only useful(ish) in one of the most specialised cities in the world. Genius.

4. Magnetic Watch (Live And Let Die, 1973)

Watches form a cornerstone of Bond gadgets, with some of the best concealing guns or communication devices in the pre-mobile phone days, but in at number four is one that has a powerful electro-magnet inside. Great for when you want every magnetic object in the vicinity flying at you at dangerously high speeds; it also makes your choice of accessories crucial as nobody wants their piercings torn out or their belt being unceremoniously ripped from their waist. Those with pacemakers may need to watch out too.

Full story here.