The router, it is evolving. What was once a maligned, terribly ugly but critical piece of home networking infrastructure is getting faster, more efficient, more attractive. This past summer Google launched the $200 OnHub router in partnership with hardware makers TP-LINK and Asus; a light was seen at the end of the wireless tunnel.

The sleek, tubular OnHub looked cool to begin with, but now a new set of designs is taking that to a whole new level. Google has just announced OnHub Makers, a community of artists who have created some seriously funky shells for the router.

I could go on, but GIFs are better:

There are more on the Makers site, too. Prices will be set by the artists, and sold through individual websites, with links to the items in Google's own online store. Google is also putting out pattern and design guidelines for others to make their own shells. Might I suggest a giant coffee mug? A cat? Oscar the Grouch in a garbage pail?

Oh, and Google is selling a few new covers specifically for the TP-LINK OnHub router. There's a white-and-gold cover, a black-and-silver one, and a bamboo one, ranging in price from $29 to $39. They look nice, too.

But really. Just give me my Slinky router.