I’m not a gun person, but I can’t help but be impressed by Jack Streat’s LEGO Heavy Weapons book from No Starch Press. First of all, he’s only 17 years old! Secondly, he offers plans for replicas of 4 guns: a Desert Eagle handgun, AKS-74U assault rifle, Lee Enfield sniper rifle and a SPAS combat shotgun. The plans don’t just show you how to build a 1:1-scale model that “looks” like a gun, it shows you how to make a model that actually shoots stuff! The book will be available soon through O’Reilly press for $24.95 (can get 30% off the book by using the discount code “ARMORY” on this page –  http://nostarch.com/legoheavyweapons). If you’re interested, be sure to check Jack’s YouTube video where he demonstrates the models.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Book, LEGO

LEGO Model Building Gets SERIOUS originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 9, 2012 at 5:45 pm.

The RC Toy Robot is a concept toy from designer Jaehong Eric Han.  The robot can be controlled from smart devices or across the internet, and multiple robots will be able to interact with each other. Amongst other capabilities are the ability to be used as a baby monitor, to give you alerts from your social networks, and display pictures on its small screen. Looks pretty cool either for kids or those that are still young at heart

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: RC Toy, Robot

RC Robot Could Be Your Robotic Pal originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 7, 2012 at 10:00 am.

I’ve carried Swiss Army knives for years – I have two in my purse right now.  My daughter has been fascinated by those little knives, especially the one with the translucent green covers on my keychain.  She’s been asking for her own knife since she could talk, but she had to wait until her middle school “graduation” to get one.  If you have a toddler that’s fascinated with your pocket knife, you can give her one of her own that you know is safe.  ThinkGeek has the Kids Swiss Army Knife.  This is an official Victorinox toy with 6 plastic tools.  There’s a spoon and fork (big enough to eat with), a saw blade and knife blade, a screwdriver/can opener that can pry apart plastic building blocks, a plastic magnifying glass, and there’s a small carabiner.  The Kids Swiss Army Knife is $7.99.  For ages 3-7.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Kids, Swiss Army knife

A Safe Swiss Army Knife Just for Kids originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 30, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

A couple weeks ago, The Gadgeteer had a news post about Brick Brites, clear plastic LEGO-like building blocks.  They’re different from regular LEGO blocks because they have motion-activated blinking lights built-in to add some excitement to your LEGO constructions.  How do you improve upon the LEGO brick?  I had to see what this was all about.  

Brick Brites come in three different colors:  White/Red, White/Green, and White/Blue.  They come in packs of two.

They’re exactly the size of two stacked 2×3 LEGO bricks.  I thought this was a bit of an unusual size, but they had to put the batteries somewhere. I suppose if they used smaller batteries, it just wouldn’t last long.  Brick Brites says the batteries are good for about 100 hours of flashing.

Each Brick Brite is the the size of two 2x3 Lego bricks.

Closeup of the ends. Each brick has two LEDs: One white, one colored. It's interesting that the cardboard package shows three LEDs.

Top and bottom views. Note the 2x3 pattern.

The spring acts as the vibration sensor. When contact is made, the LEDs blink for 13 seconds. The two green bricks I received had bent springs (see right) which made it hard to activate.

To start the flashing, simply tap a brick.  I wouldn’t say shake; it requires a light “jolt”.  Some bricks came alive with a simple finger tap.  The two green ones must have been from a bad batch.  They wouldn’t turn on unless I really whacked ‘em.  Turns out both springs were bent somewhat.

And in case you’re wondering, I already tried to open it up.  It’s definitely adult-proof.  The two halves seemed glued together really well.  Once the batteries are flat, that’s it.

Ooooo...

I gave a handful of these to my 6 year old son and we set off making some crazy vehicles.  Here’s what we produced before bedtime, on location at his City of LEGOs.

"Police car with supply trailer". My son said the trailer carries the extra lights.

A baker in some kind of... car. Yes, he's holding a loaf of bread.

Frankenstein's drag racer lights up the night. (Daddy made this one)

The Brick Brites are a lot of fun and add a new creative element building with LEGOs.  No, you can’t replace the batteries.  The plastic feels a little different than the familiar feel of Lego bricks.  And, if you’re one of those engineering types who is SERIOUS about model building, keep in mind that the tolerances of the Brick Brites are a little off vs. the precise nature of LEGOs:  I found that if you stack a few together, you really notice they’re a little “off” by a fraction of a hair, which I suppose could add up if you’re going to build a half-size replica of the Death Star.

Otherwise, Frankenstein really likes his new ride.

Off to pick up Wolfman and The Mummy.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: LEGO

Brick Brites Blinking LED Plastic Building Brick Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Call me old fashioned, but my daughter didn’t have a Facebook account until she was 15.  Kids as young as 13 are allowed on Facebook, and there used to be (probably still are) some websites designed specifically for even younger kids.  Carnegie Mellon University and Web Wise Kids have worked together to create the BeSeen game that can help kids ages 8-12 learn how to use social media responsibly – so they’ll know what’s safe and unsafe when they are ready for an account.  The BeSeen game “begins with creating a profile as a student at North Central High School and then adding friends and interacting with them.”  Play emphasizes “securing personal, protecting your reputation, and defending friends.”  Go to the website linked above to find links to the Apple iOS and the Google Play version of BeSeen.  Both versions are free.

While you’re there, you can also download materials to structure lessons for your kids about social media, including a detailed lesson guide, worksheets and a video.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Online safety, Personal Safety, Social Media

Teach Your Kids How to Safely Use Social Sites originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Is this the ultimate high tech baby capsule?  The Carkoon is a child restraint seat made of Kevlar to protect from side impact.  In the case of an accident, a Kevlar airbag deploys to protect the child from any flying debris.  It also protects from smoke should there be a fire, and it has enough air for 20 minutes. An emergency beacon transmitter  is also activated to advise authorities of the incident.

Personally having been through 3 kids, I’m not all that convinced about this product.  I mean what happens if the accident isn’t that bad and the shield and beacon deploys, and what happens if poor old bubs in inside for longer than 20 minutes?

The prototype is still undergoing testing in Britain’s Transport Research Laboratory before it’s ready to ship, though they’re claiming it may ship as early  2013 for £499 (approx $800US).

Filed in categories: Car Gear, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: car seat, Safety

Keep Baby Safe with Carkoon originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 20, 2012 at 8:00 am.

To prevent getting taken by one of their April Fool’s jokes again this year, I’ve stayed away from ThinkGeek for several days.  (Dang it, I wanted light saber popsicles!)  I was checking them out yesterday, and I found a product that they swear is a real product.  The Star Trek Inflatable Captain’s Chair is an officially licensed Star Trek collectible.  It’s designed for kids, starting at age 3, or for smaller adults up to 120 pounds – though the guy in their product video seems to be heavier than that.  The chair’s arm has lights and printed buttons for red alert, yellow alert, and jettison the pod commands.  Inflated, it’s 27.75″ high x 29.25″ wide x 18″ deep.  It’s in stock at ThinkGeek for $24.99.  (It actually lets me put it in my cart, unlike their joke Star Wars Admiral Ackbar Singing Bass, which only gives me a “gotcha” message.)

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Kid's gear, Star Trek collectible

Your Own Star Trek Captain’s Chair originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 6, 2012 at 10:00 am.

You build with LEGOs and you build with Tinkertoys, but you can’t build with LEGOs and Tinkertoys – until now!  F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab have created a set of 80 universal connectors that “enable complete interoperability between ten popular children’s construction toys.”  (See the F.A.T. Lab site for a complete list.) You can’t buy the Free Universal Connection Kit anywhere, but you can download the free designs as a set of 3D models in .STL format.  If you have your own 3D printer, you can print out the connectors you want, or you can have them printed at various commercial 3D printers.  What are you waiting for?  That plastic block/stick/log figure is waiting for you to build it!

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: LEGO, toys

Free Universal Construction Kit originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 26, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Julie asked the Gadgeteer Kid and me if we would like to do a joint review of the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming system. As many of you may know, the 3DS is Nintendo‘s latest and greatest handheld gaming device. Not being a video game player at all, I agreed with a bit of hesitation hoping the GK would bring a younger person’s perspective to the review. I will be bringing the (boring) older non-gamer, parental point of view.

My commentary will be in normal black text and the Gadgeteer Kid’s will be blue italicized.

For the kids out there, I will do my best to bring the 10 year old gamer (who loves video games) point of view.

The Nintendo 3DS has been available for nearly a year now, released into the US market in late March of 2011. It’s very similar in size and shape to its predecessor, the DSi and DS Lite (which I find to be a positive fact, as the XL is too big). Nintendo engineered some major upgrades into the 3DS (from the DSi): gray ‘joystick’ on the left, better main screen, motion sensor, gyro sensor and integrated glasses-free 3D game experience.

The 3DS measures 0.83″ high x 5.3″ wide x 2.9″ deep and weighs approximately 8 ounces, which is nearly identical to the DS Lite’s physical specifications. The lower screen is approximately the same size as the Lite’s as well, with both being about 3 inches. The 3DS’ top screen is wider than the DS Lite’s. It is a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 800×240 pixels (400 pixels are allocated to each eye to enable 3D viewing).

Package Contents:

• Nintendo 3DS portable games system
• Charging cradle
• AC adapter
• 3DS stylus
• SD Memory Card (2GB)
• AR Card(s) (view the cards using the outer cameras to play supported AR games)
• Quick-Start Guide
• Operations Manual (including warranty)

Features:

• 3D screen: enabling 3D view without the need for special glasses and the ability to adjust or turn off 3D effect with the 3D Depth Slider
• Stereo cameras: that enable users to take 3D photos that can be viewed instantly on the 3D screen
• New input interfaces including the Circle Pad, motion sensor, gyro sensor
• SpotPass, a feature that lets Nintendo 3DS detect wireless hotspots or wireless LAN access points and obtain information, game data, free software, videos and so on for players even when the system is in sleep mode
• StreetPass, a feature that lets Nintendo 3DS exchange data automatically with other Nintendo 3DS systems within range, even in sleep mode once this feature is activated by the user. Data for multiple games can be exchanged simultaneously
• Convenient features that users can access without stopping game play such as the HOME menu, Internet browser, Notifications, etc
• Built-in/Included software such as the Nintendo 3DS Camera, Nintendo 3DS Sound, Mii Maker, StreetPass, Mii Plaza, AR Games, Activity Log, Face Raiders, etc
• Nintendo eShop where users can view trailers, software rankings and purchase software
• System Transfer which enable users to transfer already purchased software from one Nintendo 3DS system to another. DSiWare purchased for the Nintendo DSi or the Nintendo DSi XL can also be transferred into a Nintendo 3DS system
• Compatibility functions where both new software designed for Nintendo 3DS and most software for the Nintendo DS family of systems can be played
• Parental Controls which enable parents to restrict game content by ratings as well as use of specific wireless connectivity, 3D functionality, etc

Specifications:

• Size (when closed): 2.9 inches high, 5.3 inches long, 0.8 inches deep
• Weight: Approximately 8 ounces (including battery pack, stylus, SD memory card)
• Upper Screen: Wide-screen LCD display, enabling 3D view without the need for special glasses. Capable of displaying approximately 16.77 million colors. 3.53 inches display (3.02 inches wide, 1.81 inches high) with 800 x 240 pixel resolution. 400 pixels are allocated to each eye to enable 3D viewing
• Lower Screen: LCD with a touch screen capable of displaying 16.77 million colors. 3.02 inches (2.42 inches wide, 1.81 inches high) with 320 x 240 pixel resolution
• Cameras: One inner camera and two outer cameras. Resolutions are 640 x 480 for each camera. Lens are single focus and uses the CMOS capture element. The active pixel count is approximately 300,000 pixels
• Wireless Communication: 2.4 GHz. Enabling local wireless communication among multiple Nintendo 3DS systems for game play and StreetPass. Enabling access to the Internet through wireless LAN access points (supports IEEE802.11 b/g with the WPA™/WPA2™ security feature). Recommended distance of wireless communication is within 98.4 feet. This can be shorter depending on the environmental situation. WPA and WPA2 are marks of the Wi-Fi Alliance
• Input Controls:
  1. A/B/X/Y Button, +Control Pad, L/R Button, START/SELECT
  2. Circle Pad (enabling 360-degree analog input)
  3. Touch screen
  4. Embedded microphone
  5. Camera
  6. Motion sensor
  7. Gyro sensor
• Other Input Controls:
  1. 3D Depth Slider (enabling smooth adjustment of the 3D level effect)
  2. HOME (HOME button brings up the HOME menu)
  3. Wireless switch (can disable wireless functionality even during game play)
  4. POWER button
• Connectors:
  1. Game Card slot
  2. SD Card slot
  3. Cradle connector
  4. AC adapter connector
  5. Audio jack (stereo output)
• Sound: Stereo speakers positioned to the left and right of the top screen (supports virtual surround sound)
• Stylus: Telescoping stylus (approximately 3.94 inches when fully extended)
• Electric Power: AC adapter (WAP-002 [USA]). Nintendo 3DS Battery Pack (lithium ion battery) [CTR-003]
• Charge Time: About 3.5 hours
• Battery Duration: When playing Nintendo 3DS software about 3-5 hours. When playing Nintendo DS software about 5-8 hours. Battery duration differs depending on the brightness setting of the screen. The information regarding battery duration is a rough standard. It can be shorter depending on what functions of the Nintendo 3DS system are used.
• Game Card: Nintendo 3DS Game Card. The size is approximately the same as Nintendo DS Game Card

As described above, the Nintendo 3DS has the classic dual screen configuration that many of the recent generation of DS owners know and love. The touch screen input, A/B/X/Y Buttons, + Control Pad, L/R top-Buttons, and START/SELECT buttons are more or less the same as on the DSi/Lite. Regarding game control, Nintendo has added the ability to input movements with motion sensor, gyro sensor, and the ‘Circle Pad’ which enables 360-degree analog input. As a non-gamer, I find the Circle Pad much easier to use than the + Control Pad.

One disadvantage to native DS players is they’ll have to get used to the ‘Circle Pad’ because Nintendo moved the regular +Control Pad down making it more difficult and less comfortable to use. But a positive change is that Nintendo moved the Select and Start buttons. They are easier to get to and they added a Home button so you don’t have turn it off then back on again.

The back of the 3DS is not very notable, other than the serial number sticker.

The top of the 3DS has the game card slot, power plug port, IR transmitter, and stylus slot…plus the left and right forefinger control/trigger buttons.

The base of the device has the power and charging indicator lights and earplug port.

The right side has the volume control and SD card slot which already has an included 2GB SD card within. These side pictures nicely illustrate the blue tri-color scheme.

The left side has the wireless switch, indicator light and 3D slider control. These pictures also show how chunky and thick the 3DS is.

The 3DS comes with a relatively nice charging cradle to keep your gaming device from getting banged around on your kid’s desk, dresser, or playroom.

The front facing dual, 3D cameras located on the lid are adequate for a gaming device but definitely do not take the quality of picture that many of us have become accustomed to on the latest smartphones.

Here are a few pictures I took with the 3DS to show the image quality. The 3D effect is pretty good/cool when looking at them on the actual device.

You can click on the above thumbnails to see the actual picture from the 3DS. The image resolution is 640 x 480, picture quality is fair, and it had issue with low light.

Like previous DS’s, there is a player-facing camera and small, but adequate, pair of stereo speakers built into the lid of the device.

(3D) Game Play:

Operationally, the 3DS can use all the old game cartridges that the DS Lite and DSi can. In addition to those, the 3DS has its own line of cartridges that are engineered/designed to use the new 3D technology built into the device. The 3D depth slider control enables the user to tweak just how extreme they want their 3D experience. So, even though you might be using a 3D game, you can just turn off the 3D effect if you so choose.

The GK and I splurged and picked up Mario Kart 7 to truly see how well we like the 3D experience. I have to admit its pretty cool. Although, I did have to hold the device/screen at just the right distance and angle to really see the holistic depth of the 3D effect. A piece that I found disturbing is Nintendo gives the warning that no one under 7 should use the device in 3D mode specifically or that it should not be used more than an hour.

I usually play in 2D because it really annoys me sometimes when you have to put the 3DS right in front of you horizontally for 3D or else it gets blurry.  Also, it makes your eyes hurt to play too long in 3D. Another con of the 3DS is that you can’t use 3D while multi-player.

Nintendo and other gaming designers are developing more and more 3D games for the 3DS. There is a relatively large selection of 3D games, ranging from Mario Kart 7 to Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic and everything in between.

As stated above, the 3DS can use old games but the reverse is not true. There is a notch on the 3DS cartridges that the new handheld can accommodate but the older ones can not.

Built In Software (add-ons I thought worthy enough to mention):

Mii Maker: Very similar to the Wii’s console Mii interface, the Mii Maker enables you to create avatars (Miis) for use with various software and games. Miis can be made from scratch or with the help of a photograph.

Even I thought this was a great feature Nintendo migrated from the Wii and integrated into the 3DS system.

Mii Plaza: The StreetPass feature allows users to “invite” other Miis residing on other nearby 3DS consoles onto their handheld devices. Miis will automatically transfer over and “live” in the Mii Plaza.

Also in Mii Plaza you’ll find there are ‘play’, ‘accomplishments’, ‘settings’, your Mii’s name and ‘Go to Plaza Gate!’ features.  In ‘play’ there is ‘Puzzle Swap’ & ‘Find Mii’. In ‘Find Mii’ your Mii is king/queen and is captured! You have to use cat creatures, using two Street pass tokens hire them, to save him/her in this Pokemon-like game. In ‘Puzzle Swap’ you use two Street Pass tokens to get puzzle pieces to finish the jigsaw puzzle. In ‘accomplishments,’ you get to see all of your achievements. Settings is where you change how much other people see when they come into your StreetPass. ‘Go to Plaza Gate!’ is where you get to see if anyone has ‘played’ in your Mii Plaza.

Activity Log: The 3DS records various statistics such as how many, which, and long games were played.  This is a great feature for parents. You should have seen the GK’s face when I showed him how long and what he had been previously playing.

Nintendo eShop: Nintendo has created an AppStore-like place to download games and applications.

Also they include some games like Face Raiders or AR Games. In AR games you can do many activities like graffiti, fishing, AR shoot etc. using the card. With the five character cards you can do Star Pics which enables you to take pics of Link, Mario, Kirby, Metroid  &  the yellow, blue and red Pikmin in various positions. But before unlocking those mini games, you have to do the archery game. In AR Games what annoys me is that you have to be perfectly still for it to calibrate to the distance you’re at (unless you’re in the 12”-16” area, then it’s a lot better). Face Raiders lets you take a pic of someone and well, their face gets stolen and gets turned into a boss.

 Build Quality:

While the Nintendo 3DS is made of plastic, its construction is surprisingly good. I say this from not only holding and playing with the device but seeing countless kids use, drop, and manhandle their individual DSs. The GK takes good care of his tech but many of his friends beat the cr@p out of theirs and they keep on working. That said, from a bigger picture point of view….I see fewer and fewer kids the GK’s age playing with their DS’s. What I do see is them playing on their iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone, Android smartphone … devices more and more. If you take gaming out of the equation, the 3DS can do most of what these other devices do but not nearly well or as easily/seamlessly.

The 3DS is available in black, red, blue, and just recently released pink. While originally debuting for $250, the Nintendo 3DS currently costs $169.

Performance:

The 3DS is a responsive and zippy device with good graphics (definitely not iPhone or iPad great though) depending on the game. Some games take a few seconds to load, but we’ve yet to experience any massive delays. Compared to previous DS handhelds, the 3DS battery life is lack-luster. The GK and I found Nintendo’s spec of 3 to 5 hours (depending on screen brightness) to be right on the money. I find this surprising…..as with all tech, the battery life should improve as the device evolves.

It takes the 3DS roughly 3.5 hours to fully charge.

Comparative Size:

Pictured on the right is the GK’s well-taken-care-of, but definitely used, DSi XL. Thankfully there is a screen protector on all four screens you see (believe it or not, that picture was taken AFTER I had cleaned the XL’s screen). I HIGHLY recommend screen protectors, especially on a surface that your child is tapping on with a stylus tip countless times. While the extra screen real estate is nice on the DSi XL, it is a much bigger device and not nearly as pocketable.

The 3DS  screen is smaller than the DSi XL but is better looking. As I was getting used to the 3DS I realized that the bottom is  thicker than the DSi XL base which is a definite downside.

From a dollars and cents, tech-parental standpoint, I have to say Nintendo needs to change its consumer market plan. With an increasing number of kids and young adults carrying sleek, powerful smartphones or tablets with HD display and all-the-time connectivity, the 3DS seems like it will soon go the way of the BlackBerry or dinosaurs. When anyone with an iOS or Android device can download the latest HD game for under $10, or better yet $0.99, I do not see how a device of this size, capabilities, and cost to play will be able to survive. Seems like Nintendo needs to just see the writing on the wall and begin offering their games for other more popular devices.

I agree with Dad because I’ve already seen DS games like ScribbleNauts and Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing in the AppStore for $0.99, so if this keeps happening, the Nintendo 3DS might not survive.

Filed in categories: Gaming Gear, Kid Gadgets, Portable and Console Gaming, Reviews

Tagged: Nintendo, Video Games

Nintendo 3DS Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Children always want to have things like their parents have, and I’ll admit that my daughter had her first (hand-me-down) PDA when she was five.  Before that age, I wouldn’t have been comfortable even letting her play with my devices because very young children can have trouble understanding the need for being very careful with some things and even more trouble remembering to be careful.   Archos is introducing a new tablet just for children.  The Child Pad is a 7″ compact tablet running Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”, and it’s powered by a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.  It will have some big-tablet features, like “colored icons, home screen folders with direct access to games, learning, and puzzles, and the top 28 kids’ apps pre-loaded, including Angry Birds, Pig Rush, and Flight Frenzy.”  You can add new apps from the Kids App Store, powered by AppsLib, which is filtered down to kid-friendly games, entertainment, communication, books, multimedia, and more.  The Child Pad was designed to comply with CIPA and COPPA regulations to provide a safe environment for kids, and parental controls will let you tailor your child’s experience.  The Child Pad will sell for $129 and it will be available at the end of March, 2012.

Filed in categories: Android related, Kid Gadgets, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Android tablet, Kid's gear

Archos Announces the Child Pad 7” ICS Kid-Friendly Tablet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2012 at 10:12 am.

Released at the American International Toy Fair, Oregon Scientific displayed the MEEP! Android Tablet.  Aimed at children aged 6 years and over, the tablet will be available with a number of optional accessories, such as musical instruments, to amuse and educate the children.

Ruggedised to take the knocks of everyday play, the tablet has a 7″ screen, WiFi and and SD card slot. Parents will be able to monitor and control content using web-based remote parental controls.

“The MEEP! tablet is an affordable fix for a tech–hungry generation of kids, featuring a tough design and an enhanced rubber silicon sleeve for added protection. Geared for children age 6 and up, the MEEP! tablet is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing access to a sea of web content that can be downloaded to its internal memory or SD card and viewed from any angle courtesy of the tablet’s internal G-Sensor.”

It may not be the first tablet aimed at children but the quality and playability of the accessories will make or break this product.

Pricing and availability are yet to be released.

Filed in categories: Android related, Kid Gadgets, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Android tablet, Kids' gadgets

Oregon Scientific MEEP! Tablet – Meep Meep! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 16, 2012 at 10:00 am.

The Sharper Image says “aspiring knights will learn plenty about ‘The Force’ as they build their own Lightsaber Room Light“.  (Though not as much as Dave Rees and the Gadgeteer Kid learned building their sabers. )  This lightsaber runs on 5 AAA batteries (not included) and comes with a remote control.  You can choose from eight colors for the light, or select the auto-cycle option, and the lightsaber has authentic sound effects.  The easy-to-assemble kit comes with a wall mounting plate.  For ages 6 and up.  The Lightsaber Room Light is $32.99 – a small price to pay to protect your young Jedi from the Dark Side as he sleeps. (Click the image to see a larger picture.)

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Light Saber, Star Wars

The Lightsaber Room Light is Your Nightlight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 11, 2012 at 10:00 am.

We’ve told you before about Kidz Gear volume-limiting headphones designed for kids, and now we have the Kidz Gear Volume Limit Headphones for Apple Products to tell you about.  These headphones are designed to fit children’s smaller heads, and they have the KidZControl Volume Limiting Technology that keeps sound pressure levels between 80dB – 90dB to protect hearing.  These over-the-ear headphones reproduce 20-20,000Hz, and they have in-line playback controls.  They also have a microphone incorporated into the contoller, so you or your child can make or take calls from an Apple device.  Okay, most small children aren’t going to have an iPhone, but they can use it when they talk on your iPhone or when they FaceTime with the grandparents.  They have a 3.5mm audio plug, so they’ll work with any audio device with a 3.5mm audio port – while they’re waiting to get that Apple iPhone.  They are $29.95 in the Apple Store.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Headphones, Kids' gadgets

Kidz Gear Volume Limit Headphones for Apple Devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 2, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

One of the hardest things about taking your young child with you when you do errands is dealing with the stroller.  The Origami Stroller from 4Moms opens and folds itself at the touch of a button, so you don’t have to fight with it yourself.  One of the wheels has a generator inside to keep the battery charged up; one short walk is enough to keep the battery charged, or you can charge it with AC power.  (You can also fold it manually).  It has safety features: seat sensor so it won’t fold when a child is in the seat, a 2-step fold process so you don’t start it accidentally, daytime “running lights” so other people see you, and pathway lights so you can see your way in dim lighting.  The generator even produces enough power to charge your cellphone (requires an optional accessory).  An LCD display shows you the status of the battery and even shows how far you’ve walked.  The Origami Stroller is $849.99, and optional color seats are $99.99 each; both are available now.  You can pre-order the cellphone carry bag and charger for $39.99 or the Graco car set adapter for $59.99.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Baby Stroller, Charger

Charge Your Phone with Your Baby Stroller originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 31, 2012 at 8:00 am.

With a traditional baby monitor, you have a camera for the child’s room and a monitor that you carry around with you so you can see what’s happening with the baby.  You’ll need a power source for the monitor, and that means finding an outlet in the room you’re in or keeping the monitor supplied with batteries.  With the BabyPing monitoring system (from a newly-created division of Y-cam Solutions Ltd), you won’t have to worry about lugging around a separate monitor.  Place the BabyPing camera in the baby’s room, connect it to your home WiFi network, and use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch as your monitor.  The free app “offers a wealth of security and safety features which include double-layer security and alerts to inform the user if the baby cries, if the Wi-Fi connection has been broken or if the monitoring iOS device is out of range.  Using specially developed technology, the Smart Filter™  cuts out the background noise and static normally associated with baby monitors, while Constant-Connect™ acts as a permanent tether between the app and monitor, instantly notifying the user when the baby is upset or if the connection is broken at any point, ensuring parents can put their trust in this new technology.”  The BabyPing will be available in the UK starting in February for £149.99 (about $230).  You can sign up at the BabyPing website to be notified of availability.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: baby monitor, Security

Use BabyPing and Your iOS Device to Monitor Your Child originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 18, 2012 at 10:00 am.

How do you add a little flash to brushing your teeth?  Why, with a Firefly Toothbrush, that’s how!

Getting kids to brush for the dentist-recommended two minutes has always been a challenge.  The Firefly Toothbrush lights up and blinks for one minute, making teeth brushing fun so kids will do it longer.

The premise is simple:  The Firefly Toothbrush contains a blinking LED in the handle that turns on once you squeeze the bottom.  What’s more fun than things that light up?

The toothbrushes come in a wide variety of age ranges (4-24 mos, 2-4 years, 5-7 years, 8+ years) including character brushes, such as Hello Kitty, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Spider-Man.  You can actually test out the toothbrush blinking from the opening on the bottom of the package.

The clever packaging lets you try out the blinking bit by squeezing the bottom tip

I was sent a small, non-character based assortment to try out.  Since I have a 5 year-old son, I thought I’d try out the smaller kid version, which measures just under 6 inches long.

Squeeze the soft, rubbery tip to turn on the flashing LED

Once you turn it on, the LED starts flashing for one minute (or two, depending on model).  Because it’s on a timer, kids can’t “cheat” and turn it off again.  It also doesn’t seem to reset the timer, either.  It just goes for one minute and turns off.  Did you start on your top teeth?  When the blinking stops, you work on the bottom row.

All smiles

The toothbrush is designed for 200 uses, or 3 months, according to Firefly.  Just as well – the batteries in the handle are not replaceable.  I tried pulling the end cap off, but it seems if I did, I probably wouldn’t be able to put it back together without damaging it.  Besides, if the batteries run out, it’s probably time to replace your toothbrush anyway.

Filed in categories: Health Related Gadgets, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Kids, toothbrush

Firefly Toothbrush Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 6, 2012 at 11:00 am.

The PowerUp Electric Powered Paper Airplane Conversion Kit from TailorToys will turn a homemade folded paper airplane into an electric powered propeller driven plane. It comes with one propeller module and a charger module which runs on 3 AA batteries. You will need to supply your own paper to fold your plane. Once folded, clip the propeller module in place and charge it. 20 seconds of charge time will fly your plane for around 30 seconds or so. This looks like it could be a lot of fun for less than $20. You can get yours at Amazon.com

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Toy

Convert a Paper Airplane into an Electric Plane originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2011 at 10:00 am.

Sakar and Disney have introduced the Sakar Disney iPad Camera.  This 7MP camera is designed with children in mind, but adults might like it, too.  This simple camera takes still photos only; it has a 1.5″ preview screen and a 4X digital zoom.  There’s no internal memory, but it comes with a 32GB microSD card.  With the built-in rechargeable battery, you’ll be able to roam around taking pictures.  There’s also a built-in 30-pin Apple connector, so you can connect the camera to your iPad and transfer over your pictures. You can also use it while connected to the iPad – so it’s a way to add a camera to the original iPad and perhaps replace the iPad 2′s cameras with something better.  There’s even a free photo-editing app in the iTune’s store.  The Disney iPad Camera is available with a Mickey, Minnie Mouse, Disney Princess, Tinkerbell, or Phineas and Ferb design at  B&H Photo and Video for $59.95

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Digital Camera, iPad accessory

Sakar Disney iPad Camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 19, 2011 at 8:21 am.

If you passed your old iPad down to your kids or if you let them play with your iPad, you may remember that we told you about an upcoming Crayola app and stylus from Griffin that allow your kids to color and draw.  The free Crayola ColorStudio HD app has been available for some time.  The touchscreen-safe iMarker is available now, and it opens up new features in the ColorStudio app.  The app can distinguish between your child’s fingers and the iMarker without requiring your child manually switch modes.  The child will have access to coloring pages (frequent updates are promised), and they can draw and animate their own pages.  Parent’s will be able to share their child’s artwork through print, email, or uploads to Facebook.  The iMarker is $29.99 at Griffin – perfect for Christmas gifting.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Crayola coloring app

Crayola iMarker Plus Crayola ColorStudio HD = Hours of Fun for Your Kids originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

The MudWatt kit from KeegoTech is an educational DIY kit that can teach kids about soil chemistry, microbiology and electricity. By combining ordinary dirt from your yard, along with scraps from your refrigerator, kids can create a fuel cell that will light up an LED. The MudWatt set is priced at $44.95 and can be expanded with other accessories such as a hacker boards for even more learning fun.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Learning

MudWatt Generates Power from Mud and Garbage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2011 at 11:30 am.

I am guessing pretty almost every parent has had a moment where your little one has decided to wake just at the sight of sunlight in the morning, ready to take on the day hours before you would like him or her up.  Zazoo Kids has created the Zazoo Photo Clock to help alleviate some of these moments.  The Zazoo Photo Clock has recently received 2011 awards from The National Parenting Center and the Parent Tested Parent Approved organizations.

The Zazoo Photo Clock is for toddlers on up.   As the child becomes older, the Zazoo Kids Photo Clock can function as a digital picture frame and highlight personal photos.  You can also play videos, songs, and audio books with this device.

The photo clock has images to help recognize when it is time to get up or stay in bed.  There is also an optional nap time feature.  It features a USB port and SD memory card slot so you can personalize it with your own photos.  These photos can be associated with alarm times and be made into visual cues.  You can also use the two sets of awake and asleep images that are pre-loaded.  The Zazoo Photo Clock also comes with some pre-loaded songs, but a “ring” or “beep” are only allowed as the alarm tones.  The music setting for the audible alarm is functional if you download a music file from your computer and select to use the downloaded file for alarm music.

I placed the Zazoo Photo Clock in the bedroom for my two daughters, ages 3 and 5.  It’s a small room, so it was a little difficult to set up with needing to be plugged into an outlet and having a stable location that they could see and not yet disturb it.  I wish this clock had the option to be powered by batteries.  With going through daylight savings time a few weeks ago, my kids think 6:30 or 6:45 a.m. is their now normal wake up time.  I set the photo clock for 7:30 a.m., but so far they haven’t caught on to staying in bed with using the photo clock for the duration we have used it, which is less than a week.

The set-up options are fairly simple.  With the remote, it would sometimes scroll by my choice too quickly and I would have to go back and try again.  I was a little bummed to find that the pre-loaded MP3s could not be used to set the alarm and that they were only present to listen to as songs.  Otherwise, it’s attractive in design and has nice pre-loaded images.  I’m not sure if it is enough to get a child to stay in bed though, due to my personal experience with it so far.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, Reviews, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Alarm Clock, Kid's gear

Zazoo Photo Clock Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2011 at 2:15 pm.

The FishEyes Rod and Reel reminds me of the Ronco Pocket Fisherman from days gone by (I was surprised to learn that they are actually still available!). It’s a fishing “pole” with a high tech twist. Attached to the end of the line is a camera that you can use to watch fish in the water through the built in color LCD. Kids will enjoy it, real fishermen, not so much…

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

Package Contents

FishEyes Rod and Reel
Bait box, weights and extra clips
User Manual

The FishEyes is a fishing rod and reel constructed entirely of plastic with a small color LCD built into the handle.

The 2.5 inch color LCD has two buttons: Power and Fishlight (flashlight).

A weighted sealed camera is attached to the end of the fishing line. You can attach the included bait box to this camera so that you can watch fish as they are attracted to the food.

If you are fishing in murky waters, there is a built in flashlight aka fishlight.

Before you can use this gadget, you’ll need to feed it some batteries. 4 AA’s to be exact – and not included in the package. The battery compartment is located in the handle and is accessed by removing 2 screws.

Once the batteries are installed, you’re ready to go fishin…

In order to test the FishEyes Rod and Reel, I decided to see if I could ‘catch’ the very rare Orange Striped Shower Wall Sucker.

The lake I fished in, was a Walmart special bucket.

Look at that! She’s a beauty!

The camera is pretty grainy and if the water is muddy or very dim at all, you’ll not be able to see much. The fishlight doesn’t help either.

The most annoying thing about the FishEye though is the horrible ratcheting sound that is made when you reel in the line. It’s loud and annoying and would probably scare away fish!

I tried to cast the line like I would with a true fishing rod out in my yard without much luck. Even though the line is pretty long (I pulled out at least 20 feet and there was still more to go…), the weight of the camera causes the line to cast out a few feet before dropping like a… well… lead weight. It would work fine off a dock or boat though.

For $60, this might be a fun toy for kids ages 8 and up to get them introduced to fishing. Just remember, this is a toy though and not a real fishing pole.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Fishing

FishEyes Rod and Reel Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2011 at 12:45 pm.

Sivlerlit did well when they named this toy the 3D Twister because my play (err…I mean precise testing methodology) mostly involved watching the car skitter around our home and later our concrete driveway literally flipping, spinning, hopping and jumping around. At full throttle the car looks more like a frenetic animal than a toy car, so much so that a squirrel actually charged it a couple of times while we were playing (err testing).

A note to parents while this car seemed relatively safe for children five and older you’re going to have to help them get it out of the packaging and up and running. Manufacturers needs to rethink their packaging because holidays and birthdays are no fun when a parent is required to bring a toolbox and spend more time opening their child’s gifts than they do playing with them. The 3D Twister is not the worst example of problem packaging, but it does require an adult to cut many pieces of tape, then cut through two plastic wire ties (scissors, knife or snips are necessary) and finally either undo or cut two more twist ties to free the car. Then it’s time to get out your small screwdriver and find four AA batteries because they’re not included.

What's in the box...

Once I got the box open I found the car, remote, two spare tires, an instruction sheet, small “pairing” addendum, two sheets of paper-backed tape and a piece of cardboard. The car is about six inches long and weighs just under two ounces (50g). I’ve owned several small RC cars in the past and the build-quality of this one seemed a level or two better (in other words I wasn’t afraid it was going to fall apart in my hands). This proved to be true as during the crash-test stage the 3D Twister exhibited no signs of physical damage despite many hard crashes and the aforementioned squirrel attack.

However, out of the box my 3D Twister had a couple of problems. The front end of the car that controlled the steering was defective as it did not have enough tension to keep the wheels pointing straight. One side was good the other allowed the wheels to flop in that direction. The trim adjustment had no effect on this problem. It was possible to drive the car straight by correcting the wheels back in place with the remote steering, but this car moves very, very fast and that’s pretty hard to do. I saw no sign of damage to the car, but I believe a spring or tension device was either missing or defective on one side.

The front wheels just didn't want to stay straight.

The other problem involved the car’s crash feedback system. For those of you who are familiar with video game consoles that send vibrations back to their controllers this was supposed to be a similar mechanism. When the car crashes it would send a signal back to the transmitter causing it to vibrate. I felt the feedback twice in all the time we tested it and it was seemingly a random event. I believe the technology works; I just think the unit I received was defective.

What wasn’t defective was the little electric motor or the flip sensor. Flip sensor? Yes, the car actually has two tops, one red and one blue. It doesn’t matter which side is up as the car will send a signal to the controller and the controls adjust automatically. So turning the wheel to the right always makes the car go right, forward is forward and so on. This is a much-needed feature for this car as the power delivered to the rear wheels has the front end off the ground quite often. Have I mentioned that this little car is fast? The 3D Twister travels at about 21 feet per second (14.5 MPH). That means it will move across most rooms in under two seconds. Parents don’t despair while the 3D Twister moves quickly and will collide quite often with…everything…it’s so light that I didn’t see any damage or marks to our walls or furniture.

The 3D Twister is almost always a blur...

I was disappointed in the Bump & Run Stunt Ramp that was included with the car. The pictures on the box show the 3D Twister flipping and driving down a plastic road/ramp. What you get is a rectangular piece of cardboard with some cuts that allows you to use the included tape (if you can get it off the back which I couldn’t) to build a small, four-sided ramp. Of course, it’s possible to build your own ramps out of some cardboard.

After running the car over the ramp  a couple of times my fellow researcher (six-year-old son) reported that the most fun to be had was putting the car on the floor…holding the accelerator all the way down and watching it zip around, bounce off walls, furniture, and cabinets, in a blurred display of hopping, flipping and, top-like, spinning.

Unfortunately, like most RC toys in this class the battery lasts under 10 minutes and then requires a cool-down period of 15 minutes and a recharge time of roughly 20 minutes before play can begin again. The battery is not replaceable so you can’t keep another charged pack ready as is normally done with the larger RC toys. After about two play/cool/charge cycles my co-researcher declared the 3D Twister to be boring and left to pursue his work on forcing cold fission between grape jelly molecules and the surface of several DVDs.

Refueling (charging) the 3D Twister is done by connecting a cable from the remote to the car.

For the sake of science I carried on with the research and took the car and transmitter outside to our concrete driveway to see if a large, relatively flat and clear area would allow me to see just how fast the car was when not hitting all of those bothersome things that we tend to keep inside our homes. The car is so fast, and so light though that even the slightest imperfection in the surfaces causes the 3D Twister to hop or flip. So, while dreams of a mini-Bonneville Salt Flats were dashed the larger open space allowed for some more fun and the interesting encounter with a squirrel.

I was running the car around trying to see what the maximum range is on the transmitter’s radio (about 30 feet) when a squirrel approached and started watching intently as the 3D Twister hopped and flipped around my driveway. When moving at full speed the car is very erratic and really does look like something that could be alive (albeit in a mad frenzy). So either out of lust, hunger or anger the squirrel actually charged the car but backed off when it hit a small pebble and went into a spin. The squirrel then ran at the 3D Twister again…this time though our furry friend got too close and was hit by one of the rear wheels and scampered away. Some rough calculations that required me to actually use Pi (rather than eat it) lead me to believe that the rear tires are spinning at close to 5,000 RPM at full speed…placing them above the maximum safe squirrel facial friction levels.

So, after about three hours of use/cooling/charging my testing of Silverlit’s 3D Twister RC Racer is complete and here are the results:

Be prepared to cut wire and twist ties to free your toy.

1. Packaging: Not great – Requires tools to snip through plastic wire ties and twist ties. Expect safe removal of the toy to take 10 – 15 minutes unless you have everything at the ready. Remember to have four AA batteries and a small screwdriver with you as batteries are not included.
2. Quality – There were two defects in the unit I received (front wheels and crash feedback). If I had purchased this unit I would have returned it for another. I didn’t find any reports of widespread problems with this toy on the internet, so I’ll assume it was just a manufacturing fluke.The transmitter feels and looks like cheap plastic, however it worked well during our testing. I don’t believe it would survive extended use or any kind of drop. Somehow though, I don’t think many of these small RC cars ever get used more than a few times.The 3D Twister car was better built than I expected. After several hours of running into, through and over everything in sight there were no physical signs of damage on the car’s body. The foam tires were beginning to show a little wear, but that was probably from use on the driveway and the kit comes with a spare set.
3. Fun Factor – I have owned a couple of RC cars and boats in the past, but tired of them after a few runs. My son loves cars and trucks, he has watched every episode of Top Gear, owns hundreds of Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars and the complete set of Chevron vehicles. He will pontificate on the advantages that the Aston Martin has over BMW and loves to go to our local race track (Palm Beach International Raceway). He was excited to play with the car, with dad, and on his own. He became pretty adept at using the remote. However, the short battery life followed with the cool down/charge cycle killed his interest pretty quickly. I would expect an older child (around 10 perhaps) might get more use/fun out of this toy.
4. Value – The 3D Twister lists at $49.99. While there is some pretty impressive technology in this toy like the 2.4GHz radio, flip sensor and crash detection and the car, itself, appears to be quite sturdy I don’t believe either me or my son would get $50 worth of fun out of it. However, someone that really likes RC cars may feel otherwise and find this to be a great gift. I should note that it appears the package I received may not be the full kit that is sold for $49.99. If you go to https://get3dtwister.com/ to make your purchase you should receive what appears to be three or four plastic ramps rather than the cardboard model I described.
5. Additional Information – Since I am not an RC car expert I took a spin around the internet and found someone who is and here’s his video review of the 3D Twister. Best of all it doesn’t appear any squirrels were harmed during the production.

Update: 12/23/2011: The people at Silverlit and JS2 (squared) Communications sent me a second 3D Twister this time with the full ramp set. The wheel problem was mostly fixed. The front wheels were still a bit off, but this was easily adjusted to “true” with the trim adjustment. The crash feedback was working very well on this model. The additional ramps are sturdier and allow for some different configurations that my son enjoyed greatly.  After several additional hours of “testing” the 3D Twister has earned the label of “really fun” from my oldest boy (six), it has also not been broken yet which is quite an accomplishment.

I’ve received a couple of comments about the squirrel attack. That same squirrel (there are only a couple in the neighborhood) came up to our front porch and attacked/killed an avocado tree seedling we had recently moved outside.

No animals were harmed in the creation of this review – yet.

Update 4/15/2012: I realized today that my oldest son (7) still is playing with an enjoying this toy. That says a lot as every other RC car he has received (and there have been a bunch) either broke or has been ignored. It’s not often a toy like this stays interesting to a young child…but the 3D Twister has managed to do just that. I’m going to buy another so we can race.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: enj, RC Toy

Silverlit’s 3D Twister 2.4 GHz RC Racer Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2011 at 11:15 am.

I saw a news report recently that said kids as young as 6 were requesting electronic devices for Christmas.  When they’re still tiny, you can distract your kid with the pretend device that let’s them hear the kitty say “meow”, but eventually, they’re going to want a real device.  Some MP3 players have built-in volume-limiting methods, but not all players do.  These MyPhones headphones from Griffin are sized to fit kids, but they were designed by music lovers to sound great at any level.  The MyPhones have “30 mm drivers in a custom designed shell for great sound” and a “built-in, always-on sound-control circuit to cap peak volume levels at 85 decibels”.  (That’s the maximum level recommended by auditory health organizations.)  MyPhones are white with swappable inserts for a custom look: blue robot with circuit board design, pink panda with bamboo, or stars on an orange background.  The normal price is $39.99, but Griffin is selling them for $29.99 right now.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Headphones and earbuds, Kids

Griffin Headphones Help You Protect Your Child’s Hearing originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 22, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Want to introduce your kids to the tablet world but you’re not quite willing to hand them your expensive iPad?  Check out the Nabi Kids Tablet, a Toys “R” Us exclusive.  This 7 inch capacitive multi-touch tablet runs on Android OS (not sure which version) and sports a Duo Core 1.1GHz processor.  The Nabi is pre-loaded with lots of apps, games, learning materials and ebooks that are geared to kids.  There’s also a “Mommy Mode”, which will let mom’s enjoy the full-featured Android tablet.  It’s priced at $199.99 direct from Toys “R” Us.

Filed in categories: Android related, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Android, Tablet

Nabi Tablet – A tablet for your kids originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 15, 2011 at 9:00 am.