droolicious : geek toys

Darth Vader Bust Bank: Ominous Theme Music Not Included

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

There's no dark side to saving money -- well, okay, when you're plugging your loose change into a Darth Vader bust bank, maybe there is. Featuring a detachable lightsaber blade, the 10.75" high Sith lord is ready to be your personal savings & loan representative. Just pull the plug on the bank's underside when you want to make a withdrawal, but proceed with caution, young Jedi: Vader doesn't take kindly to frivolous spending.

$15 from ThinkGeek.

Chem C3000: The Ultimate Chemistry Set?

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Offering 387 different experiment in 32 different categories, Thames & Cosmos' Chem C3000 might be the most formidable-looking chemistry set for kids (ages 12 and up, that is) I've ever seen. It sure beats the cheapo lab-in-a-box I got when I was a kid -- although there's something to be said for making a discovery (in my case, that Star Wars figures are no match for alcohol-burning lamps) with limited tools.

$194.82 (regularly $240) from Amazon. [The Awesomer]

Turn Your Wii Remote Into a Crossbow (Without Killing Anyone)

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

As shooting games go, Link's Crossbow Training is as tame as they come -- essentially a 21st-century version of the old Duck Hunt so many of us used to geek out on as kids, with a Legend of Zelda theme thrown in for added nostalgia value. Anyway, the game already comes bundled with the Wii Zapper controller, but spend a few minutes with this crossbow-replica laser zapper, and you may be ready to make an upgrade.

Compatible with Link's Crossbow Training (which, again, is OK for kids) and other shooting games (which often aren't), the crossbow features an open slot for your Wii remote: Just plug it in, point and shoot -- and be the envy of every geek within firing distance.

$24.99 from SourcingMap.

You Call That a Bank? THIS is a Bank!

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:02:00 GMT

Screw old-fashioned piggybanks: When even the Backyardigans are embracing 007-style tech, it's time to get modern about teaching kids to safeguard their money. Recommended for ages 3 and up (and good luck getting a 3-year-old to figure it out), this personal safe ($20 from Target) makes you navigate motion-sensing lasers, a secret code and a thumbprint recognizer (which, truth be told, works with anyone's thumb; no biometrics here) to open it. Mess up any of the above, and an alarm goes off. Great stress reducer, yes?

DaysAgo Fridge Timer Lets You Spoil the Food, Spare the Child

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:03:00 GMT

Sure, you have a digital thermometer to measure baby's core temperature and a heat-sensitive rubber duckie to ensure the bath never gets too warm, but how do you know that homemade baby food you just whipped up is still fresh enough to eat? With the DaysAgo Refrigerator Timer ($10 for a two-pack), just slap one of these gizmos on the outside of your food container, stick it in the fridge, and you've got a real-time countdown till the food's expiration date. Unfortunately, it can't tell you if the food's actually gone bad, so you're still on your own as far as safe handling goes.

Give Kids the Concept of Clean Energy with Discovery's Hydrocar Kit

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:03:00 GMT

Forget crystal radios: If our generation had had access to science kits like the Hydrocar ($79.95 from the Discovery Channel Store), who knows how much less clean-energy work our kids would be inheriting. Just add water, and the polymer-electrolyte-membrane (don't worry; I had to Google it, too) fuel cell converts it into gas as the twin hydrogen and oxygen tanks fill before your eyes. A terrific holiday gift for eco-minded and intellectually curious kids alike, it's recommended for ages 12 and up (mostly due to the small parts and higher-level concepts). Although if younger kids can get a handle on it now, that's probably all the sooner auto makers can scale it into mass production tomorrow.

Pick Up a Talking Microscope for the Littlest Microbiologist on Your List

Aaron Burgess — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:03:00 GMT

The Spark Talking Bug Identifier is ideal for the warmer season when creepy-crawlies abound, but when your bug-hunting kindergartener has research in mind for the cold months, Spark's Talking Microscope ($29.95) makes a great holiday gift. While its three "C" batteries are sold separately, the set includes everything you see here: a 5x-magnifying microscope that narrates what you're viewing and tests your smarts via true-or-false quizzes; seven illustrated cards that diagram the microscope and activities; a "Lab Assistant" booklet so Mom and Dad can follow along; and of course, 12 premade specimen slides that give kids a close-up view of critters ranging from brine shrimp to scorpions. Recommended for ages 5 and up.

MapleStory iTCG Bridges Trading-Card Geeks' Digital Divide

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:32:00 GMT

Your kids (or you, for that matter) may already be familiar with the massively multiplayer online game MapleStory, but if not, imagine Yu-Gi-Oh! with anime-style cuteness to match its deadly force, and you're halfway there.

Now, with the rollout of its MapleStory iTrading Card Game, Wizards of the Coast has introduced a line of Internet-linked trading cards to supplement the MapleStory universe -- and if you're thinking to yourself this is just way too much geekdom for one person to handle, your kids probably disagree. Integrating the game's online world with a new, offline one, MapleStory iTCG offers codes that players can redeem for online rewards and virtual game experiences (from new quests to virtual pets), as well as an expanded gaming experience. If that's too unwieldy for their age range, kids can also use the cards to play turn-based games much as they would with Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh! -- or, if they're like my brood, they can just collect 'em with no concept of either the offline or offline gaming complements.

The MapleStory iTCG Starter Set is available for $9.99 basically anywhere your kids can lure you away from the checkout counter, including Wal-Mart, Target and Meijer Foods, while booster packs are available for an additional $3.99 each.

5 Other Things to Do With an Optimus Prime Voice Changer Helmet

Aaron Burgess — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 20:02:00 GMT

If you've been scanning the "hot holiday toy" lists this season, you've no doubt seen many shots of Hasbro's Optimus Prime Voice Changer ($29.99), a big plastic helmet that lets your kids play as the Transformers hero and Autobots leader, complete with digitized robot voice. Of course, kids aren't the only ones who've taken to Optimus -- see these YouTube videos (some of the least unfunny, at least) of grown people geeking out over the thing.

This one's made the rounds (and is still the best):

Go, Malaysia!

Optimus doesn't need to show ID:

Optimus will pwn you:

I would've let him in free:

WowWee's Roboquad Packs Cold, Deadly Stealthiness (and Sweet Dance Moves)

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:32:00 GMT

From the dino-riffic Pleo to Erector's upcoming Spykee, robotic toys are claiming a nice chunk of the holiday action this year, and with Roboquad, which has already snagged four international toy awards, WowWee adds yet another winner to its formidable droid army.

Roboquad's arthropod shape and guard-dog features -- it feels its way around environments via infrared sensors and reacts aggressively to negative stimuli -- don't exactly make it cuddly (see Robopanda for that), but its agility, speed and responsiveness give it serious geek appeal as a Star Wars-style personal companion.

While the autonomous features are fun, if a little creepy, Roboquad takes on added depth when you use its remote control (above): You can program up to 40 moves, control head movements and walking style (crab, stomp, rotation), and even use it to spy by strapping on your own personal mini-camera (not included). And, should you need to lighten the mood between stealth missions, just trigger Roboquad's funky flashing lights and throw it into dance mode.

Roboquad is available at Amazon.com and at offline retailers in the $89.95 deluxe version (link above); the scaled-down, $12.99 miniature version includes only a few of the aforementioned features.

The Force is Strong With This One: Star Wars Chubbies

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:32:00 GMT

These Star Wars Chubbies may look great on your desk, but given how well George Lucas' universe crosses generations, they won't stay out of your kids' hands for long. Similar to Russian nesting dolls, the six sets of PVC figures open to reveal the evolution of their characters; so, for example, you get three generations of Wookiees, Obi-Wan Kenobi then to now, and, as shown here, a Darth Vader who opens to reveal two episodes' worth of Anakin Skywalker. $12.95 per set at Firebox.com.

Droolworthy: Magnetix iCoaster

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:32:00 GMT

While there have been some awesome Magnetix spinoffs (I’m looking at you, Magna-Man) since the magnetized building-toy line debuted in 2003, the new iCoaster ($89.99 from Amazon.com) is the granddaddy of them all.

Gadget geeks have been cracking up over this thing for its Rube Goldberg-style design, and it’s true: once you start experimenting with configurations, there’s no limit to how ridiculous a track you can build. Stick to the 10 suggested designs, however, and the iCoaster feels like the cool, hyper-animated physics teacher you always wanted.

Assembling the tracks is as easy as getting two magnets to stick together, and with the addition of sensors, you can use the included 10mm ball to trigger a mix of music and sound effects as it flies around the track. (You can also plug in an MP3 player to trigger your own tunes.)

Better yet is that the “Sound FX Music Studio” that drives the soundtrack is the only piece of the iCoaster that needs batteries (4 “C,” not included):

The track, complete with jumps, loops (see below), drops, gaps and working elevator, is completely powered by magnetism, and it can be as quiet or as loud as your imagination will allow.

Build Your Own Silly Sipper with DIY Drinking Strawz

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:32:00 GMT

ThinkGeek's description of these next-level straws may be a little NSFK, but older kids -- especially those with an inclination for building toys -- will flip out over DIY Drinking Strawz. Priced at $12.99, the kit includes 36 dishwasher-safe pieces -- 20 flexible rubber connectors and 16 translucent straw pieces -- and gravity is about the only limitation for how kooky a sipper kids can build.

You can even bridge different sets of straws and sip from multiple cups at once. DIY cran-apple juice, choco-berry milk... The possibilities are endless -- and, kids being kids, inevitably disgusting!

U.B. Funkeys: One Geek Toy to Rule Them All

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:32:00 GMT

Despite the kid-friendly allure of vinyl figures, older collectors tend to dominate the toys' audience. Radica's new U.B. Funkeys, however, introduce a world where little ones can get their vinyl-toy fix without worrying about shelf appeal or future market value -- although, with some of the 40-plus figures more limited than others, there's also plenty of room for serious collectors to get onboard.

The best part: Once the figure is out of the box, you're only halfway to enjoying it. Install the included software, plug your U.B. Funkey into a computer's USB port ("fun key" -- get it?), and you've got access to Terrapinia, the online world where Funkey owners come together to play games, explore different zones, earn credit toward in-game prizes, and customize and show off their Funkeys' virtual cribs.

Priced at $19.99, the U.B. Funkeys Starter Kit includes a hub, two figures and PC software; additional characters can be purchased separately for $4.99 each.

Check out the clip below for a glimpse at the addictive little buggers in action, and camp out at the premier Funkeys fansite for more videos, as well as forums, images, tips and tricks, once you've gotten started.

Penguin USB Mouse for Your Future Linux Geek

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:35:00 GMT

Of course, you don't need to be running Linux to enjoy these penguin-shaped USB optical mice ($15 from USBGeek.com), but extra geek points if you are. Available in pink, blue and black, they conform nicely to small hands (and imaginations) despite being less than ergonomically comfy for adults, and they also make a nice second mouse for those of us who'd prefer our junior programmers didn't get jelly and Goldfish crumbs in the cracks of our work gadgets.

Now Pay Attention, 007: Spy Gear's New Additions

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:22:00 GMT

A veritable Q Branch for kids, Spy Gear's 2007 line will empower your junior 007 while driving you batty, but that's the point: Kids love playing secret agent, and these toys' literal bells and whistles (and beware, the alarms are LOUD) give them the feeling they're pulling one over on Mom and Dad. Our 7-year-old had fun rigging the house with the Tri-Link Alarm System ($39.95, pictured), whose motion sensors trigger alarms and launch plastic darts (ouch) at enemy spies. His brother, 4, went for the Agent Action Briefcase ($26.95), mainly because it also launches darts (again, ouch) from a hidden compartment. The case also includes a motion alarm, spy scope and flashlight, but as you might expect when handing off such items to a 4-year-old, these quickly ended up scattered about the house. (Note to the more responsible among you: Spy Gear has a 6-and-up age recommendation.) I'm personally digging the Mobile Spy Ear ($19.95), which allows for crystal-clear eavesdropping from up to 50 feet away and thankfully doesn't have an alarm. You should hear what the neighbors are saying...

Available from Wild Planet and offline at Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s, Toys 'R Us and other retailers.

Geeky Toys: A Better Ant Farm

Kelly Mills — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:06:00 GMT

I have a serious aversion to bugs, but I have tried to hide it from my kid, in the hopes that she will not be swayed from a bright future as an entomologist if she is so inclined. So this ant farm ($29.99) has been a great way to combine technology and nature in one gel-filled plastic case. Kids and grownups of any age will tweak out on this space-age-looking habitat. The gel was perfected by NASA, and it is both the nutrition and the environment for the ants, as they tunnel around bathed in a cool LED glow. A word of warning: you have to catch your own ants for this baby, but hey, if I can swallow my fear and pick up insects and creepy crawlies with a forced smile for my kid, so can you.