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.

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.

Sure, there are LEGO bricks that light up, but do they blink in different colors?  Brick Brites are motion activated pieces that work “with major toy brick brands” and blink when tapped, which helps conserve battery life.  That’s good, because I don’t see a way to change the batteries.  Comes in White/Red, White/Green and White/Blue for $9.99 from ThinkGeek.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: LEGO

Brick Brites Light Up Your LEGOs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2012 at 9:00 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.

I know lots of us Gadgeteers love stuff like creating and building things with LEGO.  Well Nathan Sawaya is a New York based artist who’s taken things to another level. He builds with LEGO for a career

As a full-time freelance artist Nathan accepts commissions to design and build custom creations. His work has graced photoshoots, conferences , corporate events and  is currently touring museums around North America. Nathan has a collection of  LEGOs that would make any LEGO-fanatic weak at the knees; over 1.5 million blocks grace his New York Studio.

Check out his work at Brick Artist and see if he’s touring a museum near you.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Art, LEGO

Nathan Sawaya – LEGO Brick Artist originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 25, 2012 at 9:57 am.

These LEGO-like building blocks are made from “a composite of the bark of the cedar tree, compressed dust from sawn cedar logs, and coffee beans as well as other recycled materials.”  The Earth Toy Earth Blocks are 1.25″ long x 0.6″ wide x 0.6″ high.  A set of 50 blocks is $30 at the Guggenheim Store.  I think this might be taking “green” too far, because half of the fun of LEGOs is mixing and matching the colors.  I think buying a used set of LEGO blocks at a yard sale or consignment shop would be just as green and a lot more fun.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Green, LEGO, toys

Eco-Friendly Earth Blocks Building Blocks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Even though I’m a big fan of eBooks, I still love browsing through honest to goodness physical books. I find that there are some types of books that I prefer to be of the dead tree variety. One of these types is the large format, picture rich, coffee table book. I have a great example of a coffee table book that a large percentage of you that read The Gadgeteer will probably love to flip through. It’s The Cult of LEGO by John Baichtal and Joe Meno, from No Starch Press. If you love LEGO, you’ll really enjoy this book.

The Cult of LEGO isn’t like most of the other LEGO books that I own, that only show pages and pages of model examples. This book isn’t going to show you how to build a race car, but it does have tons of content about LEGO brick history, as well as AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) and their creations.

The book is full color, hardcover, with 304 pages. There are 12 chapters that cover topics such as: The History of LEGO, Minifig Mania and LEGO Art.

I love some of the tidbits included in the text, such as the fact that there are over 200,000 LEGO videos on YouTube! Wow, who knew? Now I want to go waste hours watching them Or what about the over 1 million photos that are tagged with LEGO on Flickr?

The Cult of LEGO has interesting stories about people like us, who still enjoy playing with these colorful bricks even when we’re in our 40′s and beyond. There are also stories about people who have taken LEGO building to another level. You’ll definitely be inspired to go looking for your collection of bricks stored somewhere in your house, or to your local Walmart to buy a bucket if you don’t have any.

This book is fun and a great addition to any geek’s library.

The Cult of LEGO is current available for Pre-Order, but will be available in November. It’s priced at $39.95 through No Starch, but you can get it for less through Amazon.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Book, LEGO

Cult of LEGO Book Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 24, 2011 at 5:00 pm.

LEGO Life of George takes iOS gaming into a new direction where games aren’t 100% virtual anymore. This game comes with 144 bricks and a Playmat. The idea is that the iPhone / iPod Touch app shows you a model and it’s your task to build it as quickly and as accurate as you can. Once you’ve completed your model, you place it on the Playmat, which acts as a green screen for the iPhone/Touch camera to capture the built model and determine whether it has been constructed correctly. This is done with the app’s built-in brick recognition technology/software (developed by EyeCue).

The game has been designed for builders ages 14 and up and has 12 levels with 10 models per level. LEGO Life of George is priced at $29.99 and will be available beginning October 1st, 2011 at shop.lego.com and select LEGO brand retail stores. Full press release after the jump.

LEGO Group Unveils First Fully Integrated Digital-to-Physical

Gaming Experience

- Combining physical building with a digital gaming application, LEGO® Life of George invites builders to test building skills in a race against time-

BILLUND, Denmark, September 29, 2011 – The LEGO Group today announced LEGO® Life of George, its first product to combine digital and physical play for a hands-on LEGO gaming experience. Featuring patent-pending brick recognition software, powered by EyeCue, the game challenges players to build models, and place them on a play mat that acts as a “green screen” to capture the image and receive a score based on accuracy and speed. Beginning October 1, 2011, players can purchase the LEGO Life of George set for $29.99 from LEGO Stores and shop.lego.com and download the free Apple iOS compatible gaming application.

LEGO Life of George is a 12-level game that can be played in novice or expert mode. Each level showcases an adventure from George, around whom the game revolves, and is comprised of models of varying difficulty based on the number of bricks needed and the building techniques required to replicate them. Builders are challenged to physically recreate the virtual models from George’s photo album using the LEGO bricks included with the game; once they have successfully completed all 10 models the next level will be unlocked.

In addition to Game Mode which can be played alone or against one competitor in a pass-and-play format, a Creation Mode called “My Life” enables users to design and capture their own models in the app’s virtual scrapbook.

“We understand consumers’ powerful connection to casual gaming, and we have seen how successfully the LEGO brand can translate to a virtual experience, so we pursued development of a fun way to combine both physical and virtual play into one product,” says Paal Smith-Meyer, head of new business at LEGO Group.  “Life of George is a result of our desire to provide an innovative way for existing and new fans to play with LEGO bricks and interact with the brand.”

Who is George?

George is a software engineer by day and adventurer by night. His main hobbies are travel, photography and numbers, and has a fun storyline for players to follow and engage with via his Facebook page, I Am George. Fans can expect to see updates and photography from George on his travels as well as hints to new game levels and app updates through his posts.

###

About The LEGO Group

The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children.  The company is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities through its products, which can be purchased in more than 130 countries.  Visit www.LEGO.com

LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of The LEGO Group.  ©2011 The LEGO Group.

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

Tagged: iPad, LEGO

LEGO Life of George – Virtual meets physical originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 29, 2011 at 8:00 am.

I know, I know – you can get USB flash drives with much more storage for less, but they won’t be as cute as the LEGO minifig USB flash drive from ThinkGeek.  Pull the pants off the little minifig to use the 2GB USB drive.  It will work with Windows or Mac computers, and it comes with a keyring.  It would be a cute flash drive for kids to use in computer lab, or for the LEGO fan of any age.  The LEGO minifig USB Flash Drive is $24.99 from ThinkGeek.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: LEGO, USB flash drive

LEGO Minifig USB Flash Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

I originally saw this over on CNET.com and thought it newsworthy. LEGO just announce that it will be releasing a limited edition Star Wars model: Darth Vader’s personal flagship, the Super Star Destroyer EXECUTOR. This 3,152 brick model will be the longest Star Wars Lego model ever, measuring 50 inches in length. This behemoth will go on sale Sept 1 for $400.

The main reason I want this new LEGO set, is that last Holiday season I found/bought a used, original Star Destroyer. And much to my wife’s chagrin, used our dining room table (for several weeks) to assemble the nearly 4000 piece monstrosity. The part that made it so fun was that nearly every person that stepped into our home those weeks took the time to add pieces/time/effort to the project. Who knows, might even evolve into a annual tradition .

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: LEGO, Star Wars

This is SO going to be on my (pre-)Christmas List!!! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 22, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

StickerYou allows you to create an 8.5″X11″ page of stickers and labels using their images or your own images.  The stickers are printed on thick, high quality vinyl and are sturdy enough to use as bumper stickers.  StickerYou has a line of licensed images from your favorite comics and products, and they are pleased to announce they’ve just added licensed LEGO images.  You design a page, and within a couple of days StickerYou will ship your die-cut stickers to you – world-wide.  Prices depend on how many copies you have printed, and prices start at $8.99 for a single page to as low as $3.49/page for 50-100 pages ordered.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: LEGO, stickers

StickerYou Announces Licensed Deal for LEGO(R) Custom Stickers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 20, 2011 at 7:30 am.

This giant LEGO block is made of translucent plastic and has four bright LED lights inside.  The bricks are 3″X3″X1.25″ and use 3 AAA batteries for power.  You just stick the LEGO brick on the wall of your closet or inside a cabinet for a little extra light where you need it.  The LEGO Brick Light is available in transparent red, blue, green, or yellow for $17.99 each from ThinkGeek.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Battery-operated light, LEGO

LEGO Brick Light originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Skins, cases and covers for the iPhone 4 are a dime a dozen. If you want to protect your phone but don’t want to settle for a drab and boring Black leather case, the SmallWorks BrickCase might be a consideration. It’s a hard ABS plastic shell that snaps on the back of the phone and just happens to be compatible with every one’s favorite LEGO building bricks.

Note: Most of the images in this review can be clicked to view a larger size.

The BrickCase is available in Clear, Black and White. As you can obviously see, I was sent the clear version. Although this is a one-peice molded hard plastic case, it does have a bit of flex to it, which is helpful for snapping on and removing it from the iPhone.

The first time I tried to snap my iPhone 4 into the BrickCase, I couldn’t figure out why the corners weren’t seating properly. I was almost ready to complain to SmallWorks that they had sent me a ‘bad’ case. That’s when I remembered that the back of my iPhone still had a BodyGuardz Dry Apply protector on it. Once I peeled it off, the BrickCase fit like a glove.

There are cutouts for the power button and earphone jack.

There is also a large cutout on the bottom for the docking / charging connector and the speakers.

The mute button and volume buttons can also be accessed while your iPhone is in this case with a tiny bit of extra effort depending on the size of your thumbtip.

The main feature of the BrickCase is the fact that there are LEGO compatible posts on the back (and along the top edge between the power button and earphone jack).

I haven’t played with my LEGO bricks in quite a while, so I had to dig around in my unheated garage when it was only 6 degrees outside to find a few tubs. Yes, frost bite is the true measure of gadget dedication my friends! With numb fingers and bricks in hand, I was able to prove that yes indeed, the SmallWorks BrickCase for the iPhone 4 can accommodate LEGO bricks. This means that you have the abililty to customise this case to your little heart’s desire. And even if you don’t want to do that, this case will protect the back and sides of your iPhone from everyday wear and tear.

I was a bit worried that the posts on the back of the case would feel uncomfortable when holding the phone, but that wasn’t the case. It actually provides additional grip.

If you’re a LEGO fan and an iPhone 4 fan, what are you waiting for? Go get this case.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Case, iPhone 4, LEGO

SmallWorks BrickCase for iPhone 4 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2011 at 3:58 pm.

I saw in one of Julie’s recent posts that she’s looking for an EDC flashlight.  I’m sure this little flashlight from Perpetual Kid isn’t what she’s looking for, but I think it might make a cute little stocking stuffer.  This LEGO Block Key Light measures 2.2″ long x 1.2″ wide x .8″ tall, and it has one white LED light.  It comes with a keychain, so you can always keep it handy.  You can take your choice of red, green, blue, and yellow for $9.99 each.  If you buy all four, you can even stack them like the normal LEGO blocks.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain flashlight, LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets

LEGO Block Key Light originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 2, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

This Nintendo Wii remote from LEGO has all the features you expect in a Wii remote:  internal accelerometers, an internal speaker, rumble effects and larger buttons for enhanced control during game play.  It’s compatible with Wii MotionPlus, and it will work with most Wii accessories and chargers, including the standard battery cover.  The LEGO remote comes with 31 Mini LEGO tiles to decorate the remote and a Tile Separator.  You can use your own LEGO tiles to build a custom display stand for your LEGO remote to connect with the Buildable Battery Cover.  In addition to the Mini tiles, the remote comes with a wrist strap and two battery covers.  The LEGO Play and Build Remote for Nintendo Wii is available from your local Toys’r'Us store for $39.99.  The online Toys’r'Us store is currently out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified when stock returns.

Filed in categories: Gaming Gear, News

Tagged: LEGO, Nintendo Wii remote

LEGO Play and Build Remote for Nintendo Wii originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2010 at 1:38 pm.

Ok, this is too cool… Giant LEGO bricks that double as storage boxes. Officially licensed by LEGO, these bricks come in three different sizes (they also sell a LEGO head storage container) and several colors. You can even stack them just like the real bricks. I would love a set of these, but unfortunately, they are currently only available in the UK via the Store. Prices range from £17.00 to £26.00

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets, Storage

Store your Stuff in LEGO Brick Storage Boxes originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 17, 2010 at 2:21 pm.

If you thought the LEGO Stop Animation Digital Video Camera that Janet posted about earlier today was interesting, you might want to check out the 3 volume series of LEGO Technic Idea Books from O’Reilly. These books offer 100′s of ideas through photographs with little to no text. Volume 1 is The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines. This volume focuses on gears and power transmission. Volume 2 is The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Wheeled Wonders and its main focus is on vehicles that can drive, turn, move things, and go backwards. Volume 3 is The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Fantastic Contraptions and it offers ideas for combining LEGO Technic propellers, motors, weights, magnets, and other parts to make creations that walk. Each book is $19.95 and is currently available for pre-order with availability sometime in October.

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

Tagged: Book, LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets

LEGO Technic Idea Books will Inspire Enthusiasts to Design, Invent, and Build originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 9, 2010 at 5:28 pm.

ThinkGeek has a cute little digital video camera from LEGO that can be used to create stop-motion video or used as a normal video camera. The LEGO camera is bright and colorful and even has some LEGO block accents.  The camera is 3.6 x 1.6 x 2.6 inches, weighs about 14 ounces, and has a 1.5″ rotating display screen.   It has a macro lens that will let you do closeups.  The kit includes the camera, adjustable tripod,  LEGO Stop Animation Studio Software CD, and two LEGO mini figurines.   It’s for kids age 7 and up.  The LEGO Stop Animation Digital Video Camera is $79.99.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Digital Video Camera, LEGO, stop-motion camera

LEGO Stop Animation Digital Video Camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 9, 2010 at 7:56 am.

ThinkGeek has a LEGO Darth Vader watch, because a “Sith Lord is never late!”  The watch has a black face with a picture of Darth Vader and the words “you don’t know the power of the dark side.”  The band is made of red and black links that you can combine into any pattern you like and change as often as you like.  The battery is included, and the watch is packaged in a collectible LEGO Star Wars watch case.  The watch is water resistant to 165 feet.  The LEGO Darth Vader watch is $28.99 at ThinkGeek.

Filed in categories: News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: LEGO, Star Wars

LEGO Darth Vader Watch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 5, 2010 at 4:26 pm.

The Official LEGO LED Flashlight from Brando would make a fun (and useful) addition to any LEGO fan’s collection. Just wind his arm to charge the internal battery. LEDs are located in the figure’s feet. The only thing I see missing is a hat or hair This product is available from Brando for $32.90. Brando is offering giant LEGO brick lights too.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Flashlight, LED, LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets

Crank It Up with the Giant LEGO Figure LED Flashlight originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2010 at 7:37 am.

This clock radio is a must have for LEGO collectors. It is ten times the size of an original LEGO brick with LEGO branded knobs that control volume and tuning. It is powered by AC or alkaline batteries and is available at Walmart for $29.97.

via Unplugged

Filed in categories: Watches and Clocks

Tagged: LEGO, Spotlight Gadgets, Watches and Clocks

A clock radio for LEGO fans originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2009 at 3:07 pm.

Are you a teacher that loves LEGO? Then share them with your kids by getting them involved in the LEGO Smart Creativity Contest. Now through August 2009, LEGO Education is hosting an activity challenge for educators of all grades and subject areas. Fill out a form to receive a free LEGO Smart kit.

If any of you do this, please let us know all about the kit and what your students end up doing with it.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Gear Diary, LEGO

Free LEGO for teachers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 24, 2009 at 10:20 pm.

The Gadgeteer Kid and I visit our local Lego Store (Bellevue, Washington) pretty regularly. Typically right before we hit the Apple Store around the corner . Very little changes in the Lego Store; new stuff comes in every now & then but the place is definitely not the Apple Store. This past weekend, I promised him that we could kill sometime there and lo and behold we found a new, very cool high-tech gadget.

Imagine a magic mirror that when you hold a lego box in front of it, a three dimensional hologram of the lego model appears sitting virtually on top of the box….very cool. You can rotate the box and the virtual lego model rotates with it. So you can see the lego model from every angle before you buy it.

The camera above the mirror identifies the box and then adds the image of the lego object on top of the box. Then is able to sense the box’s movement, aspect, and angle and rotates the virtual model accordingly. It was so cool, there was a line behind me waiting for a turn.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys

Tagged: Hologram, LEGO

Our Lego Store Goes High-Tech originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2009 at 11:20 pm.