If you’re bored with LEGO, how about checking out Playable Metal building sets. Playable Metal sets are made of an aluminum alloy and come in different colors and allow you to build 3 dimensional structures. The parts are connected together with special screws. YoYo.com offers a variety of sets that range in price from $34.95 – $74.95. YoYo offers a lot of different building toys that I’ve never heard of before. I tempted to pull out my credit card… How many of you still play with building toys?

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Construction, toys

LEGO too ho hum? How about Playable Metal? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 25, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Are you still a big fan of Rovio’s Angry Birds game? Show your enthusiasm with these super cute plush toys from ishareGifts. You can get a set of all 5 Angry Birds for $35.99 (free shipping), or just buy your favorites for $7.99 each. Each bird is about 10cm in diameter, which is about 4 inches us non-metric types. ishareGifts also sells pig plush toys too.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Angry Birds, toys

Angry But Cute Angry Birds Plush Toys originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2011 at 2:54 pm.

Yesterday, Jackie sent me a link to Photojojo and I’ve been browsing all their cool products like this super cute mini DSLR. It’s a 1/6 scale model that includes 3 lenses that can be attached to the camera. How neat is that? The whole set is $28. I’m really tempted to buy one for myself. It would be my first DSLR camera. Too bad it’s just a model and can’t take actual pix

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, News

Tagged: Camera, Spotlight Gadgets, toys

Tiny Camera Models originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2011 at 10:30 am.

Well, I did it. I went ahead and bought a set of the Tegu blocks “for my son”. If you will recall, these are wood blocks with magnets in them. This lets you create some unique structures with the box. The front of the box displays a rooster created out of the blocks. The options have changed a little since my post in August, so lets take a look at the options.

Sets

The blocks now come in new 8-piece set. So the three sets include:

• 8 Block Pocket Set (comes with pouch) $28.57
• 26 Block Discovery Set $55-$70
• 52 Block Original set $100-$125

Finishes

The blocks now come in three finishes, with an additional combo pack:

• Natural (the least expensive)
• Color Tints (mix of colors)
• Jungle (includes natural, mahogany and green-tinted blocks)
• Mahogany (the most expensive)

We purchased the Natural Discovery set. Unfortunately we purchased it before they started offering a free Travel Tote with purchase, but that’s what you get as an early adopter.

What’s in the Box

The Discovery Set consists of:

• 12 Cubes
• 4 Small Planks
• 10 Large Planks

The original set has 52 blocks, and contains some blocks that are thicker than the two planks and not quite as long as the large one.

I liked the packaging. It is simple, efficient, but looks nice. The blocks have a very nice finish and the edges are rounded. They are, however, a little smaller than I expected. If they had had the colored and Jungle sets when we ordered ours, I think I would have gone for the Jungle. The Green and Mahogany blocks would have made a nice combination with the natural blocks. However, I do like the natural finish.

I have not spent a lot of time with them. I did break them out before wrapping them up in the interest of science… uh… yeah, that’s why. They are fun to play with. The magnets make for an interesting effect. I built a wing-less rooster:

I placed one of my son’s blocks next to the rooster to give an idea of scale. The cubes are 1 inch square and feel small. The comb of the rooster as a little tricky, it wanted to rotate, but then again, it is fun to try to get it to hold the shape. Check out their web site to see a running video of using the blocks. As I am writing this post they are running the 12 days of Christmas with all the gifts built in Tegu blocks.

Unfortunately, they have also made that their home page, so I can’t see where to get to some of the other cool pages they had that displayed a number of creations, and more story of the blocks. You can get a lot of that information from a downloadable PDF off that page, but that is not as nice as being able to browse as before.

The Company

A big part of their story is how they make them. They are made in a factory in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where they are committed to paying a living wage to their workers, and harvesting wood responsibly. Again, go to their site to read more about them.

Construction

I SO want to take these apart to look inside, but they are too pretty (and too expensive) for me to do that. Here is a nice closeup:

It looks like the cut them down the middle, and insert the magnets. The seams match up remarkably well, and that block was the most visible in my set.

I really like these blocks. They are a little pricey, but I think they have a a quality and uniqueness that justifies the cost. It is a great twist on the classic block set, and feels like something that my son we be able to share with his son some day.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: blocks, magnets, toys

Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 15, 2010 at 11:00 am.

One of the great things about being a geek and a dad is the new justification for purchasing that being a parent gives you. Sure, my wife did not really buy that the Star Wars Bobble-Heads I bought on Woot were for the boy, but it helped me justify the purchase.

My latest interest is a new product (at least to me) from Tegu. They look to be simple wooden blocks, but they add a wonderful little secret underneath… magnets. This provides opportunities for some very interesting constructions.

The blocks are available in two sets and two finishes. The Original Set includes 52 blocks in four shapes. It runs $100 in natural finish, or $125 in Mahogany.

They also have a less expensive Discovery Set that contains 26 blocks in three shapes. It runs $55 in natural finish or $70 in Mahogany.

Here is a picture from their site that shows a plane using the natural and mahogany blocks together:

I have a feeling this will make it on my Son’s Amazon wishlist for Christmas. They recommend the kit for Ages 3+, as it does contain small magnets. (via Dadlabs)

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets

Tagged: blocks, magnets, toys

Tegu Blocks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2010 at 11:57 am.

The Fushigi Ball appeals to many aspects of my personality- mediocre magician, out of practice juggler, gadget freak, fidgeter extraordinaire, and someone just fascinated by spheres. Basically, this is just a steel ball in an acrylic shell but it lets you do some pretty cool things.Watching the video is amazing, and although I know how to do some of those tricks with a plain juggling ball (in a form called ‘contact juggling’), the design and appearance of the Fushigi takes it to a new level.

I have not tried one yet, but I would not count on the tricks being as easy as they look (remember the guys in the malls tossing those big foam planes around, and when you tried it, it crashed and broke. Or was that just me?) However, I can see where the design of the Fushigi would make some effects easier to do and others more visually fascinating.

Don’t juggle? The ball also looks like an interesting fidget toy- interesting and soothing to roll around, and it would probably just be fascinating to just manipulate and watch it, rather like a crystal ball. Not a bad deal for $19.95, not including shipping. As mentioned, many of the effects can be done with any type of ball, and you can get nice acrylic spheres at Amazon, etc. but the 3″ Fushigi is actually cheaper than many of those options.

(By the way, if you want to learn to juggle, the Internet, Amazon, etc. are filled with books and videos, but the easiest way is from someone who already knows how.)

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Spotlight Gadgets, toys

Fushigi Magic Gravity Ball originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 17, 2010 at 9:38 am.

Back in the stone age when I was a kid, we had classic toys like Etch-a-Sketch, Spirograph and Lite-Brite. I had the first two, but never had the pleasure of having a Lite-Brite. This was a simple toy that encouraged creativity and imagination. It allowed you to make pictures with little colored plastic pegs that would light up. Now that I’m an adult, I am lucky enough to be able to play with all types of cool tech toys. But imagine my delight when the people at Convenient Gadgets & Gifts offered me the Hi-Tec Sketch Art to review; a modern day version of the Lite-Brite with LEDs and glowing wires.

Package Contents

Sketch Art board
AC Power Adapter 7. 5V
DC Power Adapter 12V
USB Power Adapter 7. 5V
Instructions
6 Background Designs
100 3mm LEDs of 8 Assorted Colors
1 2ft Art wire
50 Art wire Clips
Art wire Clip Insertion Tool
LED Insertion Tool
LED Extraction Tool
Sketch Storage Case

The Sketch Art pad has a 5.5 x 4.0 inch sized Black rubber mat “drawing area”. Above it is two buttons that will toggle power to the LEDs and the art wire.

The LEDs come in several colors…

The art wire in my kit was Orange. One end of the art wire plugs into a power socket on the sketch board.

Special tools are included to make it easier to insert the LEDs and the art wire clips in to the sketch board. You don’t have to use the tools, but they do make it much easier considering how small the parts are.

Here we see the LED tool.

And here is my masterpiece! Let’s see it lit up…

Oh funky Pressing the power buttons on the drawing pad will toggle between steady and flashing for both the LEDs and art wire. You can have either one flash while the other remains steady.

One thing to note is that when using battery power (2 AA batteries), it will not light up all the LEDs if you have a large picture. It’s no problem when you use AC power or the USB cable though.

The Hi-Tec Sketch Art kit is fun, easy to use and would make a great gift any gadget loving kid ages 8 and up.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: LED, toys

Hi-Tec Sketch Art Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2010 at 6:03 pm.

The Lego Architecture Series models caught my eye when I was in a bookstore yesterday.  These Lego models use what appears to be standard Lego blocks (for the most part) in non-standard colors.  For example, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater uses 811 clear, green, and tan blocks to create a 10″ wide replica of the historic home.  There are also models of other important buildings, from the Sears Tower (69 pieces) to the Seattle Space Needle (57 pieces) to the Taj Mahal (5922 pieces).   The models are built on a gray base that displays the name of the structure on a label.   All models come with a booklet with historical information about the structure.  Prices range from $19.99 for the smaller models to $249.99 for the Taj Mahal.  Fallingwater is $99.99.  If you can’t find the models locally, they can be ordered directly from Lego.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Architectural models, toys

Lego Architecture Series originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 12, 2010 at 8:37 am.

When my daughter was younger, she owned Gameboys and Nintendo DS, but it was always difficult to find an age-appropriate game that appealed to her.  She did have a Dora the Explorer computer game she liked, but it was very repetitive and quickly grew boring for her.  I wish they had the Dora Links Doll from Mattel when she was younger.  The Dora Links Doll is part of the Dora Explorer Girls collection.  The dolls connect with the computer while the girl plays in the online world of games and activities at www.DoraLinks.com.  Adding accessories to your child’s collection will open up new play areas on the web site, and changes you make to your doll’s appearance online changes the appearance of your doll – for example, the length of Dora’s hair can change.  Online play involves solving mysteries and becoming involved in community improvement activities.  The dolls will alert your daughter to new activities on the web site.  Dora’s friends are well-rounded girls – a math/science whiz, an athlete, a voracious reader, and a musician.  The Dora Links Doll is about $40 at Amazon.  Accessories and other dolls seem to range in price, from about $8 to about $30.

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: Gadgets for girls, Interactive online games, toys

Dora Links Doll – A Gadget for Girls originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 9, 2010 at 8:55 am.

Marcus Wright sent me an email this morning telling me that his son is going ‘mental’ over the Star Wars Force Brain Trainer game. The game will allow you to move a Jedi Training Remote ball up and down the Training Tower…with the power of your mind!  The innovative wireless headset can actually read and interpret your brainwaves. Concentration generates Beta brainwaves that are translated by the headset into a digital signal.  This signal is sent wirelessly to the Training Tower, making the Jedi Training Remote ball rise and fall. If only this type of toy would allow me to learn to wash the dishes, vacuum the carpet and mow the grass with just my mind. Apparently it won’t be available until September, but FindMeAGift.com has it for pre-sale. Hefty price tag for a kid’s toy though at $214.65.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys

Tagged: Brain, Spotlight Gadgets, toys

Be a Jedi with the Star Wars Force Trainer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 23, 2009 at 12:37 pm.

Review of the Tomy i-Sobot

According to the Tomy i-Sobot website, this is the world’s smallest humanoid robot in production, as per Guiness World Records.  With 17 servos and only 6-1/2″ high, it could be.

And I should be one to talk about the “smallest”.  In 2001 I participated in TLC’s “Robotica” (Wikipedia link), a robot combat show, in Season 3. (That’s me on the right with the dumb grin on my face).  The robot we built, “Nemo’s Nemesis” weighed in at a hefty 200 lbs or more, and four feet across.  We maxed out the size restrictions, thinking it would give us an edge.  (It did not.)

So let’s look at something much, much smaller!

The i-Sobot stands a mere 6-1/2 inches tall.  The articulated joints give the i-Sobot an incredible range of motion.  And, it’s fun to pose.

The i-Sobot requires 3xAAA batteries, and Tomy has included rechargeable NiMH Sanyo Eneloop batteries.  The remote takes AA batteries (not included).  Tomy says it should run for 60 minutes under normal use.

When you power it on, the i-Sobot stands upright.  A green “eye” lights up.  A blue side-light on the side of the head can be turned on and off separately.

There are two switches on the back.  One is for power, the other is a channel selector.  The remote control is infrared, and the IR sensor is on the robot’s shoulder.

The remote itself is smallish.  Quite suitable for the recommended ages 10+ range.  There are two joysticks, a bunch of buttons, and an LCD display in the center.

I thought the i-Sobot would be a lot more fun to play with, but I quickly hit a very steep learning curve.  Tomy included a large cheat-sheet, double-sided, with the pre-programmed commands for impatient kids like me.  The number of combinations are bewildering.  I didn’t even bother trying to learn how to program.

Now let’s take a look at the i-Sobot in action!

Movie: i-Sobot startup sequence (MOV)

Movie: i-Sobot basic moves

Movie: i-Sobot exercise

Movie: i-Sobot air guitar

Movie: i-Sobot voice control

The i-Sobot is fun… but I quickly got bored with it after a few minutes, mostly because I got tired of look at the reference card, poking in commands, and being frustrated I couldn’t pick anything up with the fingers- which I did not realize are not remote controllable.  I did have a hoot posing the i-Sobot going on a rampage, however!

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Kid Gadgets

Tagged: Robots, toys

Tomy i-Sobot: Attack of the 6-1/2″ Robot originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 7, 2009 at 10:30 am.