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This remote-controlled car moves on land, sea and air
We probably have drones to thank. They've helped the price of flying vehicles plummet from the days of gasoline-powered helicopters, but what about water? Or racing on land? For those, you might want to consider Takara Tomy's newest radio-controlled vehicle, the Earth Rider RC (or the 陸海空RC, "Land Sea Air RC"). At the Tokyo Toy show, we got to see it fly down roughly six feet to neatly land on the water, where its tires keep the car afloat -- and those important electronics out of harm. The same propellers that can put it into the air can then glide the RC across the water, like like a pond skater, except for, well, the propellers, wheels and things...
High-speed maglev toys are coming in 2015
Takara Tomy promised us that maglev technology would make its way to playsets next year, when we spoke at this year's Tokyo Toy Show. It had two very different toys on hand, one a train that the company claims can reach up to 600 KPH (relative to its scale, at least). To our untrained eyes, all we can say is it seemed pretty damn fast. The train contains its own magnet that levitates it off the plastic track, which is itself laced with magnets. The resulting air cushion reduces one of the biggest buzzkills in all of physics: friction. Since the magnetic field produces both an upward and forward thrust, there's no need for a set of Hot Wheels-style accelerators that manually hurl your car around the track.
Takara Tomy's Auto Mee S robot scrubs mobile devices, saves seconds of effort
We can't say that we've ever been so exhausted or pressed for time that we couldn't wipe down our mobile device screens. There must be someone out there for whom that's one scrub too far, however, as Takara Tomy has just rolled out its Auto Mee S robot to do the job. Plunk the tiny cleaner down and it should bring a shine to a typical smartphone within four minutes, and a tablet within eight. It's smart enough to detect the device's edge while needing only a single AA battery to work for three hours. Yes, the Auto Mee S is really more of a toy than a serious substitute for a lint-free cloth, although the mix of novelty and utility may still justify a purchase of the ¥1,575 ($17) gadget if you're in Japan after the March 28th release -- just think of it as Junior's First Roomba.
Tomy BattroBorg 20 throws motion-controlled punches, rocks 'em and socks 'em Wii-style (video)
The last time we saw someone move the game on for Rock'em Sock'em Robots, it was a motion-controlled experiment that was unlikely to see the light of day. Tomy must have been frustrated enough waiting for the practical reality to take matters into its own hands, as it's just unveiled the BattroBorg 20, a fighting robot that... lets you take matters into your own hands. The toy uses a Wii-style nunchuk motion controller that translates the player's own thrusts into the plastic robot's punches. Each robot can tell if it's been decked, although it takes just five punches to win by TKO -- these aren't exactly Queensbury rules. At an estimated $50 for each robot and matching controller on the July 14th release date, the BattroBorg isn't the cheapest way to relive the glory days of pint-sized fisticuffs, but it's certainly the most involving.
i-SODOG robot unveiled, dares you to resist its LED-puppy dog eyes
Takara Tomy's i-SODOG might not be as intimidating as other robotic quadrupeds, but it sure is a charmer. Freshly unveiled at the Tokyo International Toy Show, the puppy comes laden with touch sensors, 15 custom servos and a microphone, letting its master command it with up to 50 unique voice cues. The mechanical mutt's mind packs some basic artificial intelligence as well, allowing it to learn and modify its behavior based on the user's commands. If the pup flunks out of digital dog training, however, its owner can always assume control directly with the i-SODOG iOS / Android app or from a dedicated controller. Fido's chasing a Spring 2013 release for 31,500 yen ($400), but there's no word on a release outside of Japan. In the meantime, a video of the plastic pooch in action awaits you after the break.
Twimal the Twitter reader reads your tweets, looks adorable while doing so (video)
If you fancy using Twitter as much as we do, you'll probably scream like a pre-teen when you lay your eyeballs on what toy maker Takara Tomy has conjured up in Japan. Dubbed Twimal, this loveable Pokemon-esque desk companion plugs into your Windows machine via USB and has one reason for its existence -- to read your tweets. Available in blue or white (male or female voice, respectively), these little bots are able to read all sorts of tweets (replies, lists, user-specific, etc.), in what appears to be Japanese only. If you're interested in getting your 140-character messages read in the cutest way possible, look for these toys on digital shelves in Japan on March 31 for ¥2,480 (around 30 bucks). And do yourself a favor; watch the video after the break. You'll thank us later.
Takara Tomy's Ningen Gakki musical toy lets you smack your friends to the beat (video)
If you want to get your conductive body orchestra going, you no longer need 15 bikini models and a bunch of conductive paint. You just need a Ningen Gakki, coming this summer from Takara Tomy. It has four conductive patches on the limbs of its vaguely anthropomorphized shape. If two people each touch one of the patches and then touch each other a circuit is created and a note is played. Up to four people can play songs or drums by clapping hands or, as you can see in the video below, generally slapping each other about. The notes don't appear to get louder the harder the hit, but perhaps that's for the best.
Takara Tomy's toy camera shoots in 3D, costs as much as a grownup 2D camera
Sure, we can't all afford the $500 Fujifilm is charging for the Finepix Real 3D W3, but that's no reason to make a "toy" version of the thing and charge $70. Regardless, that's what Takaira Tomy has done, creating a tiny pink (or white) version that does the same basic thing but in a very basic way. Instead of dual 10 megapixel CCDs capable of shooting 720p video you get dual 0.3 megapixel sensors that can't shoot video with any p's at all. Pictures are recorded to SD and must be printed out before being spied through a fold-up viewer. Sure, playing with this could be fun for a little while, but for that price we'd rather just stick with two dimensions and get a basic but full-function compact instead.
Takara Tomy Neckphones: wraparound pillow speaker, coming soon to a Skymall near you
It may not have the same charm as the Flying Pasties, but Takara Tomy's Neckphones definitely have the "it" factor. Perfect for lounging in a nearby water hole (or watering hole, we suppose), this blow-up neck pillow has a pair of stereo speakers strategically placed near your ear canals, and there's even a pouch that we'd never, ever trust to keep your PMP safe from the liquids below. We suppose you could also take this on a plane, but don't bring your grumbles over here when the gals in 16A and 18B take issue with you blasting Now That's What I Call Music! Volume 11 for the entire coach cabin to hear. We're guessing you'd need to contact an importer to pick one of these up outside of Japan, but you'll have to let go of at least ¥1,800 ($21). We're surmising the hit in respect will be far more detrimental than the MSRP, though.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars
We're happy to introduce The Week in Green, a new item from our friends at Inhabitat. Each week they'll recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us. Welcome! Sure, the iPad happened this week, but we also caught sight of several hot green gadgets and clean tech innovations this week that stand to shape the future of green consumer technology. First off, design star Philippe Starck brought haute design to clean tech with two novel designs for home wind turbines. Starck's high-profile products have made him a household name, so we're interested to see if his latest creations kick off a trend towards "designer" wind power. We were also impressed by researchers at Princeton University who recently found a way to integrate piezoelectric chips into flexible, durable rubber-based circuits. We've seen piezo power sources before, but applications for the new chips are sure to put bounce in your step: energy generating shoes, movement-powered microsurgical devices, and self-charging pacemakers are right around the corner. Interest in green transportation is building as Florida rides high on the government's recently announced grants for high speed rail -- the sunshine state is set to blaze a trail with $1.25 billion in funding. And for those with a soda habit, Takara Tomy's cola-powered RC car is one sweet ride. The biobattery-powered car can convert any sugary liquid to energy, so pour in some Jolt and you're good to go. Finally, love it or hate it -- the launch of Apple's iPad has dominated the newswires all week. While we appreciate the device's toxin-free, recyclable construction and impressive battery life, we have to ask: is it really green?
i-SOBOT goes haywire with stash of weapons, instills fear in mere mortals
We've seen these miniature robots dance and wrestle aplenty, so it's only a matter of time before they pick up weapons and murder us all for crafting their bulky looks and squeaky servos. Fortunately for now, this Takara Tomy i-SOBOT seems to be content enough with demolishing just balloons and polystyrene foam blocks, courtesy of its owner who blessed the bot with a range of "handmade" firearms and edged weapons. Don't be so quick to laugh, though -- that mini mini Gatling gun may be pointed squarely at your face one day. Until then, keep smiling and enjoy the video after the break.
Yuruppy virtual pet ready to make you feel guilty for not taking good enough care of it
Takara Tomy's taking the virtual pet territory most famously inhabited by Bandai's Tamgotchis to the next level with Yuruppy. Yuruppy's just like any other fake pet -- you need to slave away to keep it alive for seemingly little reward other than the knowledge that it will "live" to "see" another day. This one's got a touchscreen however, so that you can actually pet your needy little buddy, on top of training and feeding. Fun! Sure, it seems insane to pile fake responsibilities on top of all the actual ones we humans have to deal with... insanely awesome. Regardless, the Yuruppy also comes in kitten and chicken varieties (yeah, we don't know), and it'll be $21 when it's available in Asia, and a deluxe version with a larger screen will run $38. [Via CNET]
Takara Tomy's remote control robo-Q robot is tiny, incredibly cute
Takara Tomy never fails to impress, and with its latest robot, it's done an excellent job at eliciting "awws." You see, the February-bound robo-Q bipedal robot is about the size of a human thumb, yet its heart and mind are big enough to understand commands via remote control. There's even obstacle recognition software built-in to keep it from toppling over gigantic foreign objects (you know, like toothpicks and push pins), which is awesome enough in and of itself to warrant the ¥3,675 ($42) price tag.[Via TokyoMango]%Gallery-43103%
Takara Tomy Xiao printer-camera excretes prints
We never knew that cameras could be constipated, nor that excrement could be framed, but apparently Takara Tomy knows better than us.
Takara Tomy's wall-climbing AeroSpider RC car ships this month
We came for the car, we stayed for the promoter. Takara Tomy's previously announced AeroSpider RC car, which mystically scales walls and cruises upside-down, is finally shipping this month in Japan. Cool though that may be, the real news here is the overgrown 4-year old used to show off just how amazing this minuscule vehicle truly is. Head on past the break to see what we mean -- trust us, we wouldn't lead you on like this for nothing.[Thanks, Clyde]
Jinsei Game of Life pedometer makes you exercise to play
Directly rewarding efforts with results, now that's the way to get someone moving. As we've seen time and time again, providing a clear, undiluted motivator is a perfect way to make fitness a top priority in life, and that's exactly what Takara Tomy is hoping to achieve with its pocket-friendly Jinsei Game of Life pedometer. Essentially, this device is a portable version of the famed Game of Life board game, but users are purportedly not allowed to take a turn unless they take 300 steps first. Additionally, two players can take on one another via the "communication mode," but there's a good chance the most chiseled among you will take home the gold regardless of luck. Out this month in Japan for ¥3,675 ($34).[Via CScout Japan]
Takara Tomy's RPG Piggy Bank: level up by saving up
Now here's a novel concept. Takara Tomy's BankQuest is half piggy bank, half old school RPG. Essentially, gamers / penny pinchers can purchase items to help them fend off pixelated ogres and the like by saving more money. The more coinage that gets deposited, the better the journey becomes. So, do you get some kind of prize when you cash it all out to buy your mum something nice, or what?
Pictures galore from ROBO-ONE 13 competition in Japan
The always jam-packed ROBO-ONE competition in Japan was more heated than ever this year, with bi-ped robots tackling others and ripping them limb from limb. Okay, so maybe that's somewhat of a stretch, but you can rest assured some serious throw downs, um, went down. Interestingly enough, we heard that an i-SOBOT competition was also included (infighting, anyone?), and that the Maru family's King Kizer took home the gold. That's all well, fine and good, but we know what you're after -- take a (long) look at the hundreds of photos waiting in the read link below.[Via MAKE]
Baby Climo air purifier is adorable, possibly deadly
If you're not totally swayed by the evidence that certain air purifiers cause harmful levels of ozone emissions, why not put your money where your mouth is and stick one by your infant? These Baby Climo units from Takara Tomy filter out bacteria, mold, and odors, all while using just a tiny amount of power -- and looking like tiny little ozone-spewing aliens. Japan-only, but it looks like importers have 'em for the brave at $229. [Via Popgadget]
Hands-on with battling i-SOBOTs
While browsing the monstrosity that is CES 2008, we happened upon a pair of i-SOBOTs attempting to utterly demolish each other. Was there really any other choice but to stop and snap a gallery's worth of pics to prove it? %Gallery-13108%
