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Mattel's hoverboard keeps McFly planted on terra firma, away from water

Zachary Lutz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0500

There's no need to worry: your eyes aren't deceiving you, and the year most certainly isn't 2015. Still, that isn't stopping Mattel from teasing the iconic hoverboard at the New York Toy Fair. First made famous by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, the product became something of Hollywood lore when the movie's director, Robert Zemeckis, insisted the contraption was real. While the claim later proved to be a prank, the desire for a genuine hoverboard has lived on. Now, following in the footsteps of McFly's MAG shoes from Nike, Mattel suggests it'll begin accepting preorders for the hoverboard replica next month. While the toy doesn't actually fly (but rather glides), it's said to emit a whooshing sound so that riders can pretend they're surfing through the air. Should Mattel solicit enough interest, the product will ship by year's end -- otherwise the company will merely scrap the idea and return to churning out Barbies.

Filed under: Alt

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Battle Machines hands-on (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:22:00 -0500

When Jada invited us up to its private show room at Toy Fair to do "battle" we were a little concerned -- last we checked we'd done nothing to offend the company. Thankfully, it just wanted to challenge us to a duel with its Battle Machines line of RC toys. A couple of years back the company debuted the line with a pair of cars that drive around playing laser tag with each other. Then, last year, things got really interesting Air vs. Land -- an RC chopper and turret that duked it for IR-equipped superiority. This year the company is expanding the line with Battle Quads (laser-wielding ATVs complete with rider) and Battle Heli (essentially one half of the Air vs. Land package, but programmed to perform rotor-powered dog fights). Neither of the new products were quite ready for a test run yet, but we did give the turret and copter combo a try... just for the heck of it. The toys are complete with blaster noises and, when shot down, an internal IC takes over the helicopter and does a little aerial death dance. After about 15 minutes we finally started to get the hang of piloting the aircraft but, by then, the Jada rep had us plummeting from the sky. Both the Battle Heli and the Battle Quads should be hitting shelves in August for $30 and $60, respectively. Check out the video and PR after the break.

Gallery: Battle Machines

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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iCade 8-Bitty hands-on (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

It's still about two months out, but when the 8-bitty hits shelves it might just become our favorite member of the iCade family. At the moment the Bluetooth gamepad is little more than a hand-made prototype with some AA batteries taped to the underside and a sticker printed on the office InkJet slapped on the front. As a production quality controller, though, it should be the perfect handheld button mashers for those of you with a taste for the retro. The boxy, rectangular 8-bitty may be wireless and the final version will likely sport six buttons -- still, you can't help but be whisked back to your days spent blowing into dusty Contra cartridges and tapping out the Konami code. We gave the early prototype a quick try and the D-pad and red buttons feel just like their '80s inspiration. Unfortunately they're not quite as responsive yet, but we're figuring there's still some kinks to be worked out before it ships this Spring. The 8-bitty should be launching exclusively with ThinkGeek for between $25 and $30. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break.

Gallery: iCade 8-Bitty hands-on

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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Yo-Yo Factory brings Hyper Scanner yo-yo gaming to Toy Fair, we go hands-on

Terrence O'Brien — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:27:00 -0500

We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Hyper Scanner. The carnival style arcade game is apparently all the rage in Japan, though. Kids line up to battle it for king of the yo-yo hill. Yo-Yo Factory came out to Toy Fair to show off its customizable yo-yo system, designed for the serious aficionado. Everything from the weight, to the bearings, to the colors can be tailored to your taste and to greatly improve the performance for particular tasks. The Hyper Scanner measures how fast the toy spins in RPMs and rates your performance -- not unlike a high striker. Brand manager and member of the development team Ben McPhee demoed how much better his company's products are over a standard yo-yo by ratcheting it up to near 7,000RPM. This Engadget editor was also given a chance to prove his yo-yo mettle, but couldn't break the 3,000 mark. Of course, the game has plenty of blinking lights and loud noises to entice you to play -- including repeatedly shouting "hyper" at you in a thick Japanese accent. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

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Force Flyer accelerometer-controlled RC helicopter, we go gloves-on (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:24:00 -0500

Being able to wave your hand through the air and control a physical object -- as if by magic -- is everyone's dream. And if you say it's not yours, then you sir or ma'am are a liar. That's why we had to stop at the Regal Elite booth on the floor at Toy Fair. The company was showing off the Force Flyer, an RC helicopter you pilot with an accelerometer-equipped glove. The patented tech, called Glove Force Technology, adds a level of physical interactivity that's more Wii than RC. A small joystick you hold in your palm controls thrust, while tilting and moving your hand through the air gets the chopper to perform acrobatic maneuvers -- or plummet to the ground if you're an Engadget editor. The Regal Elite staff seemed to have pretty good control of the Force Flyer, which gives us hope that our difficulty in keeping the toy airborne was due more to our lack of familiarity and not with the quality of the device. The glove controller on hand was still a prototype (as is much of what's on the floor at Toy Fair), hence the New Balance logo, but the actual internals are around 80 percent complete according to a rep. The smaller, indoor Force Flyer should be hitting the market in late April for $49.95, followed by a larger outdoor version. Check out the gallery below and video after the break for more.

Gallery: Force Flyer accelerometer-controlled RC helicopter

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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zAPPed board games hands-on

Terrence O'Brien — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:21:00 -0500

Alright, zAPPed is no GameChanger but, where Hasbro's line of iOS-integrated board games falls short in the pun department, it shines in cleverness. The Game of Life launched just a couple of days ago with a special edition designed to be used with an iPad app, while other classics Battleship and Monopoly are scheduled to follow later in the year. All make your iDevice an integral part of the gaming experience and leverage an ingeniously simple solution to boosting the interactivity. Underneath the game pieces are uniquely arranged capacitive plastic pads that allow the apps to identify what you're holding. Different boats in Battleship have slightly different arrangements of pads underneath that allow the app to tell whether your carrier or destroyer has been sunk.

Monopoly uses the same trick to differentiate player debit cards. When it comes time to make a transaction, you swipe the card across the screen of your iPhone and funds are automatically added or subtracted from your account. Monopoly also adds a few more play options, including a mini game for escaping jail. The Game of Life, of course, lets you spin a virtual wheel, but also customize virtual pegs -- adding hair and accessories where once you were stuck with plain pink or blue ones. Game of Life zAPPed Edition is out now for $25, while Monopoly will land in June, followed by Battleship in September. Check out the gallery below and the PR after the break.

Gallery: zAPPed board games hands-on

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Filed under: Mobile

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NERF Lazer Tag hands-on

Terrence O'Brien — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:27:00 -0500

We just came from Hasbro's off-site Toy Fair show room and, needless to say, we made them take us straight to the NERF Lazer Tag installation. The guns are still clearly in the early prototype stages and hand made -- with plenty of hot glue and header pins serving as evidence. Still, they felt solid and the app appears to be coming along nicely. We weren't allowed to take photos or video of the HUD, which is a shame since that's what sets Hasbro's product apart from similar toys, but we can tell you about some of the features.

In the top left of the screen is your life meter, which decreases every time you're shot. You'll know when you've been hit because the display will flash red. The app also beeps letting you know when an opponent has been detected -- alerting you to an opportunity to strike or of approaching danger. In the bottom right hand corner is you weapon selection and ammo remaining. You can reload by pressing in the lever on the front of the weapon. Holding it down opens the weapon selection, which you'll be able to upgrade through achievements and in-app purchases. There's also a pair of triggers in the well. The front engages your shield, which prevents you from being hit, but also stop you from firing on opponents, while the primary trigger fires blasts (complete with laser beam animation and explosions) at your opponents. Check out the gallery below for a few more impressions.

Gallery: NERF Lazer Tag hands-on

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Filed under: Mobile

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Mattel Apptivity hands-on (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:10:00 -0500

Mattel thinks it has the secret to succeeding where so many others have failed in bridging that divide between the virtual and the physical -- and it might be right. While plenty of other toy companies have tried pairing hunks of plastic with apps in the past, Mattel has gone the extra mile, incorporating its recognizable brands and partnering with top tier developers. Later this year the company will launch Apptivity, a line of toys made from conductive plastic that interact with iPad games -- some which you're already quite familiar with, like Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja and, of course, Angry Birds. The games will get an update when the toys hit the market with new features and play modes specifically designed to utilize the physical pieces. Other brands, including WWE, Batman and Hot Wheels will also be part of the first batch of toys designed to be played with on your iPad screen.

None of the apps or the toys themselves were quite ready for prime time yet, but Hot Wheels, WWE, Fruit Ninja and Cut the Rope were all at least playable. The Apptivity mode in Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja are pretty intuitive, but it took a bit of practice to get the hang of Hot Wheels. We had trouble finding the sweet spot on the screen that kept our car speeding along while leaving room to see upcoming obstacles. The line of toys will launch exclusively in Apple Stores in May with Hot Wheels (which will cost $20), followed by the rest in July. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break for a few more impressions.

Gallery: Mattel Apptivity hands-on

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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Barbie gets a camera implant to snap photos in style, we go hands-on

Edgar Alvarez — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:28:00 -0500

Speechless? We can't blame you and, although this fashionable shooter might not be up your alley, we're willing to bet your kids -- or any other young member of the fam -- would snatch her up in a heartbeat. Dubbed Barbie Photo Fashion, she might not be too computer savvy or a filmmaker, but this stylish doll's got traits of her own to flaunt. Photo Barbie's carrying a 5-megapixel camera between her shoulder blades and a thumb-size LCD in her synthetic guts. She's got 15 built-in effects to give your pics a little sweet spice too. Speaking of, the $50 Barbie holds up to 100 shots and is powered by a rechargeable battery that should give you enough juice to get through a few sessions. When it's time to charge up or unload your images, just jack into her tramp stamp mini USB port. Barbie was kind enough to join our photoshoot, so hit up the gallery below to check out the rest of the shots.

Gallery: Barbie gets a camera implant to snap photos in style, we go hands-on

Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report.

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Master Moves Mickey hands-on: challenges Bieber and TOSY to dance-off (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:59:00 -0500

Beethoven's Fifth or Michelangelo's Pietà it's not but, while Master Moves Mickey can't stand as a cornerstone of civilization, it can certainly throw down on the dance floor. The b-boy bot has a speaker hidden under its garb that kicks out the jams while this mechanical mouse break dances its little Disney trademarked heart out. He's got 15 different signature moves, carefully choreographed to eight different built-in tunes and loads of personality thanks to a collection of self-depreciating one-liners ready in case he loses his balance. And all this legendary performer needs to keep earning his urban cred is a six AA batteries, oh, and your money -- $70 of it to be specific. Master Moves Mickey should be hitting shelves in August. Check out the video after the break.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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Hasbro reinvents Lazer Tag for the smartphone generation, lets you live out your Doom-fueled fantasies

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0500

Xappr and appBlaster are fine weaponizers for your smartphone, provided you don't care to share your violent tendencies with your friends. Thankfully, Hasbro is bridging the gap between new-school AR shooter and that teenage classic -- laser tag. The NERF Lazer Tag system is getting an update for 2012 that lets you pair your blaster with an iPhone or iPod touch. The top of the plastic guns now sport a slot for your iDevice which, when loaded with the Lazer Tag app, provides you with an augmented HUD view. While you can play against purely virtual opponents, the real fun is in using to track your battles with fleshy foes. The app will display your gear and power level, and update your progress on a global Lazer Tag leaderboard. As you play, new attacks and gear will be unlocked for you to enhance your gaming experience. The app will even actually show your blasts' trajectory, letting you see exactly where you shot your former friend. The 2012 edition of Lazer Tag will hit shelves on August 1st with individual blasters costing $40 and sets of two $70. Check out the PR and a screen shot of the app after the break.

Filed under: Mobile

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