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Crapgadget: BFF Gemz dilute the notion of a best friend (video)
If you want a charm that hangs 'round your neck and glows whenever your friend Missy tells you she loves Justin Bieber, then eMotion Inc has the gadget for you. The BFF Gemz sends pre-written coded messages to pals up to 450 feet away, which they can access the next time they're at a computer. You can add up to eight best friends (the BFF currency devalued to Weimar proportions) and four more if you buy some GPA: Girl Power Average points. It's not entirely private: Mom and Pop will get a weekly email, listing who you're messaging, so if you swap notes with that gal from the wrong end of town you'd better stick to paper airplanes. Those curious to see what the kids might be clamoring for instead of a new cellphone, check out the video after the break.
Bury the Shovelware: Bratz Ponyz 2
After a few controversial picks, I've decided to take the edge off and pick on an easy target. After all, doesn't picking on the weak make us all feel a little better? So don't worry about today: we've got not one but TWO S's replaced with Z's! Pedigree Instead of talking about the developer and publisher, let's just take a long look at the title. It's in three parts. First: "Bratz," a franchise which has been criticized locally for allegedly attempting to sell sex to children. Abroad, things are even worse: "On December 21, 2006, the National Labor Committee announced that the factory workers in China, who make Bratz dolls, labor for 94.5 hours a week, while the factory pays only $0.515 an hour, $4.13 a day. The per doll amount is $0.17, much less than the Bratz dolls actually cost (from $20 to $40)." (Wikipedia). And most important of all, let's not forget the last letter of the first word, a disgusting trait also shared with the second word: "Ponyz." When did the letter "S" become uncool? Did he totally say ohmigod and she was all like "right?" Or did Z suddenly become incredibly popular? Did Z come skateboarding through space while wearing sunglasses and playing a hot pink electric guitar? That's still cool, right? Finally, we have the number 2 ... as if there were so many unanswered questions at the end of Bratz Ponyz 1.
Samsung intros colorful Tobi S3030, unashamedly markets it to tweens
No one can get on Samsung's case for being bashful with its marketing, as the Tobi S3030 is being aimed squarely at "pre-teens, young adults, and anyone who desires to experience fun and safety features from their mobile phones." In other words, the Tobi won't do anything spectacular, but it is offered up in a variety (six, to be exact) of lovable hues and includes a gaggle of safety features including SOS Call, SOS Message and Fake Call (saywha?). Furthermore, you'll be thrilled to know that it's built with recyclable and biodegradable plastic so the environment won't suffer when you chunk this thing in a few weeks. Oh, and if you're looking for specs, try this: 1.9-inch display, 1.3-megapixel camera, tri-band GSM connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, 15MB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. Look for this one in the UK / Italy this month with other European nations / China to follow suit shortly.[Via Engadget Poland]
Nickelodeon and friends unveil more Npower gizmos
We've never been big fans of giving your tween some Nickelodeon-ized gizmo when you can simply hand down your current gear and use it for an excuse to upgrade, but apparently not everyone sees it that way. Nickelodeon, Viacom and Imation have jointly announced the latest line of kid-friendly Npower gizmos, which includes a digital voice recorder, a digicam and a webcam based on the "breakout hit" iCarly. Additionally, the outfit is churning out SpongeBob SquarePants-themed speakers, boomboxes, MP3 players and digiframes, and there's even a few Dora the Explorer toys thrown in for good measure. All the (inflated) prices and shipping details are down there in the read link -- we won't bore the uninterested any longer by fleshing it out here.[Via Electronista]
Massively interview: KingsIsle on Wizard101
We recently had the chance to check up on KingsIsle and talk to them about their three-year conjuration, Wizard101. We sat down with the studio's director, Todd Coleman, to discuss what's in store for the tween-centric wizard school MMO. We also got some extra hands-on time with the game, so be sure to look out for something written about that soon. Read on after the break for the full article.%Gallery-23433%
Hannah Montana makes a 3D first on Blu-ray
Concerned you might not be able to experience the Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour properly in your home theater? Worry no more, the biggest 3D movie ever is making a HD first, when it hits Blu-ray August 19 it will include 2D and 3D viewing options. If 1080p 3D video isn't enough, the live concert flick also features uncompressed 7.1 PCM audio, a tour documentary and two bonus tracks. No word if it will come with requisite glasses or anything else necessary to get that extra D With a movie that did unprecedented numbers at the box office, this is sure to be one of the year's biggest releases and with never-before-seen options, might be a good reason to share the home theater with your favorite 'tween.
Nickelodeon and Imation unleash a slew of kid-centric technology
Want to get the kiddies indoctrinated into the fast-paced, high-pressure world of early-adopterism, but you're not quite sure how to do it? Let Nickelodeon (and partner Imation) help you out. The kids' network has just announced a line of new electro-toys aimed at your tots and tweeners, sure to elicit cries of excitement accompanied by the sound of money sliding out of your wallet. Here's a rundown of the extensive list of digital products the two companies will be bringing your way: Flash Jr. digital camera (available in both Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! models), $59.99 SpongeBob Squarepants Flash Micro Digital Camera, with USB connectivity, $21.99 SpongeBob Squarepants VGA digital camera, auto-flash, 1.1-inch color LCD, 8MB, $31.99 SpongeBob Squarepants 1.3-megapixel digital camera, auto-flash, 1.1-inch color LCD, 32MB, $49.99 SpongeBob Squarepants Flash Mega 3.0-megapixel digital camera, auto-flash, 1.5-inch color LCD, 32MB, $79.99 Invision 7-inch Digital Photo Frame (Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! models available), $99.99 SpongeBob SquarePants Digital Music Player, stores up to 500 MP3s and WMAs, 10 hours of playback on a charge, $39.99 Fission Digital Music Player, $49.99 Fission Digital Media Player, does video, audio, and photos, plus has on-board games, $99.99 SpongeBob Squarepants 15-inch, LCD TV, remote, $299.99 SpongeBob Squarepants progressive scan DVD player, MP3 decoder, remote, $59.99 There you have it folks, the next pile of money you'll be blowing on junky electronics your children will outgrow or break in a few weeks. Life is good, ain't it?
