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Batman, Robin, Joker and Catwoman shrunken down to USB collectables
Do you like Batman? Robin? What about USB sticks? Well, thanks to Mimoco, you can have both in one awesome package. We spotted these newly released jump-drives at the International Toy Fair and we gotta say -- they're actually quite detailed in design. The flash drives will cost you a pretty penny if you want more storage -- a 2GB dongle is $20 while the 16GB version is $60. If you're a DC Comics junkie and think that the company has sold out, ask yourself this: why so serious?%Gallery-116955%
Desk Pets TankBot hands-on (video)
Although we've only gotten a glimpse of a TankBot as a render, we were more than interested to see this robot toy doing its thing in the real world. We spotted these tiny desk pals at the International Toy Fair and got to take a look at some working prototypes. As we reported earlier, the TankBots have three functioning modes -- autonomous, maze solving and iOS controlled. The bots feature LED eyes and two infrared transmitters -- that's how it solves the mazes. Charging is done by plugging in the USB dongle found on the rear of the tank and you'll get 15 minutes of battery life after a 30 minute charge. And if you're wondering how your iOS device will play with the TankBots, a free app will be available to download and each toy will come bundled with an infrared dongle. You can grab TankBots from stores for 20 bucks come June. Head past the break to see some cute, yet impressive maze-solving in action. %Gallery-116612%
Jakks Pacific unveils EyeClops mini projector for the little ones
We see a ton of tiny little projectors these days around here. This one, by toymaker Jakks Pacific, is still pretty eye-catching, anyway. Expected to be on hand next week at the Toy Industry Association's annual International Toy Fair in New York, the EyeClops is obviously designed with children in mind, with a build similar to adult picos. We don't have full specs on this one yet, but it's capable of projecting a 70-inch images via its LED, and can be hooked up to all your child's favorite gadgets -- DVD players, digital cameras, and gaming consoles. The real kicker here is that the EyeClops is expected to sell for under $100 -- much less than most projectors for oldies. [Via About Projectors]
Peapod DAP can handle vicious babies, but Apple legal?
You'd think that Apple's, um, loving oversight of its trademarks and trademark applications would scare potential DAP manufacturers away from using any combination of the letters p, o, and d in their product name, so we assume that Calgary-based Peapod Toys hasn't been following the American legal scene all that closely. In any event, the small company has just announced its self-titled, baby-targeted MP3 player at the International Toy Fair, which allows the one-and-under crowd to rock out to up to two hours of their favorite Raffi tunes. But infants and electronics go together like elephants and antique shops, you say? Not to worry: the Peapod is wrapped in a soft rubber shell that promises to protect it from mushed carrots, multiple collisions with the wall, and even the occasional teething session. It also sports a built in speaker (babies + headphone wires = potential disaster), a claimed 40 hours of battery life from a single AA, and support for select educational content available on the Peapod website. No word so far on price or release, but we'll go out on a limb and assume that we're looking at "cheap" and "soon," respectively.[Via Gadget Lab]
Bandai at the International Toy Fair
While Mattel and VTech are doing their best to keep kids imaginative, or at least assimilate them into the gadget-filled world, Bandai's new creation lets kids "live the Tamagotchi life 24/7." Forget "edutainment" and prepare your child for life as a WoW gold farmer, heavy raider or professional ganker. The new Tamagotchi Connection V4 lets your child enjoy his or her virtual pet through every stage of virtual life, including going to school and choosing one of 15 careers -- and hopefully a few solid years in a retirement home telling anyone who will listen how when it was young, pixels were this high. The V4 will be followed by the V4.5 in the middle of the year, and both versions will let you take your pet online for more games to play and items to win, while offline you can communicate with your friends' Tamagotchis via IR.
VTech at the International Toy Fair
While Mattel might've been liberal with the digital sprinklings across its 2007 lineup, VTech is most decidedly going for those tech-toy dollars with every fiber of its being at the 2007 International Toy Fair. Lucky for the kids, VTech is stepping a bit outside its normal educational role with some more entertainment-oriented gadgetry. Most notable is the $100 VTech Gadget, a phone-like device which includes a digital camera, movie maker, MP3 player, FM radio, games and a TV plug. The big seller is voice and text messaging up to two miles away, and VTech was kind enough to include 256MB of memory to store all that media you child will be messing around with. VTech's other media unit is the $60 Kidizoom Camera (pictured above), which cops that two-eye design from Fisher-Price and can shoot digital photos and videos, with computer and TV hookups for playback and editing. But if you're set on your kids actually learning stuff, VTech still has you covered with its Whiz Kid Learning System, which purveys interactive reading and learning via its portable "Whiz Pad" and touch-sensitive stylus. VTech is also upgrading its V.Smile edutainment system, which includes a sing-along microphone and writing joystick for an odd sort of educational video game platform. What a freaking brilliant time to be a kid.
Mattel at the International Toy Fair
Have no fear, worried parent, Mattel knows what's best for your kid. Riding high after a holiday season with T.M.X. Elmo and Barbie at the top of the most wanted list, Mattel is unveiling an incredible amount of toys at the American International Toy Fair 2007 in New York. Quite a few of those happen to be technology infused, which is only natural as your children attempt to keep up with the lil' Joneses. Notables include the Chat Divas Barbie Doll, which can plug into your iPod, bob to the music and talk on her fake cellphone; Pixel Chix Roomies, a sort of MTV's "The Real World" interactive game for dolls; Hot Wheels Maniacs vehicles with "a hilarious animated driver" stuck in an LCD windshield; Funkeys collectibles which unlock portions of a computer game which allows you earn coins and decorate your "crib" for friends to see; Easy Link Internet Launchpad, which plugs into your PC for internet and provides a safe and simple browsing experience for the kiddies; T.M.X. friends, with Ernie and Cookie Monster versions to keep Elmo company in the asylum; I Can Play Guitar System, a Guitar Hero-ish system designed to teach kids the guitar, not just make them think they can melt faces; and a Digital Arts & Crafts Studio which includes stylus for drawing on the computer. Other creations by Mattel include some Wii-esque one-off games designed to get your kids moving: Play TV MLB Baseball, Play TV Football 2, and the Smart Cycle stationary bike that lets pedal and steer through video games while burning those carbs.
Wii & "Wario Wear" win International Toy Fair award
Nintendo has been bestowed the proud honor of a Spielwarenmesse award, selected as the 'Trend + Lifestyle' winner of this year's annual Nuremberg International Toy Fair. Judges chose the Wii console along with "Wario Wear" for the duo's ability to "encourage playing PC games in groups instead of alone." Judges also found that "the product not only appeals to player types with an affinity to PCs, but also to new age groups." Hmmm, we weren't aware that Wii had become popular in the yoga scene... Maybe Nintendo should start bundling the system with a set of crystals. Winners of a 'ToyAward' are permitted to print the 'ToyInnovation quality label' on retail boxes of winning products. Something tells us Nintendo's gonna pass. [Via Nintendo-Revolution]
