WowWee Group, Ltd, rolled out Rovio, a Wi-Fi–enabled Webcam on wheels that can be used anywhere you have an Internet connection. It looks like a stylized Mars rover and features an indoor GPS system (to navigate), a two-way radio, a three-wheel mobile base, adjustable neck (for the camera mount), and a docking station where Rovio recharges itself....[More]
WowWee Rovio:
WowWee Group, Ltd, rolled out Rovio, a Wi-Fi–enabled Webcam on wheels that can be used anywhere you have an Internet connection. It looks like a stylized Mars rover and features an indoor GPS system (to navigate), a two-way radio, a three-wheel mobile base, adjustable neck (for the camera mount), and a docking station where Rovio recharges itself. You can use it as a Webcam when talking to your Skype buddies, or you can operate Rovio remotely from your office computer (even your BlackBerry) to see if you locked the front door before leaving home.
Price tag: $300
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IMAGE COURTESY OF WOWWEE
WowWee Joebot:
Take WowWee's chatty Tribot , make his personality less annoying, then increase his vocabulary to 200 words, add voice commands, extra modes, legs (instead of wheels), more complex games, and an itch to dance, and you've got Joebot....[More]
WowWee Joebot:
Take WowWee's chatty Tribot, make his personality less annoying, then increase his vocabulary to 200 words, add voice commands, extra modes, legs (instead of wheels), more complex games, and an itch to dance, and you've got Joebot. Joebot responds to 17 voice commands, has infrared sensors that enable him to avoid obstacles, and has a beat-box function for the rhythmically inclined. When placed in "battle" mode, Joebot walks around zapping things with the LEDs in his hands. You can defend humanity using your TV remote control. Available in August.
Price tag: $100
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IMAGE COURTESY OF WOWWEE
Uncle Milton Industries Jedi Force Trainer:
By wearing a headset that detects electroencephalography ( EEG ) signals, users can control a floating ball using the Force—force of mind, that is....[More]
Uncle Milton Industries Jedi Force Trainer:
By wearing a headset that detects electroencephalography (EEG) signals, users can control a floating ball using the Force—force of mind, that is. By concentrating as hard as you can, you can get the ball to rise higher; concentrate less and the ball sinks. The wireless EEG headgear sends signals to a device that controls the speed of a fan, which in turn lifts or lowers the ball to various levels. This item rivals Mattel, Inc.'s new $80-$100 Mindflex, which uses similar technology to keep a ball aloft. Available in August.
Price tag: $130
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IMAGE COURTESY OF UNCLE MILTON INDUSTRIES
Hovercraft:
WowWee's Hoverpod is a five inch- (12.7-centimeter-) long, remote-controlled foam boat that glides over smooth surfaces on a cushion of air, similar to Spin Master's $30 Micro Hovercraft the latter of which has a bumper that inflates while the craft is moving....[More]
Hovercraft:
WowWee's Hoverpod is a five inch- (12.7-centimeter-) long, remote-controlled foam boat that glides over smooth surfaces on a cushion of air, similar to Spin Master's $30 Micro Hovercraft the latter of which has a bumper that inflates while the craft is moving. Neat ideas, but both are tricky to control and neither can go in reverse. Both boats are smaller than their remote controls, making one wonder why the remotes need to be so big.
Price tag: $20
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IMAGE COURTESY OF PIPPA WYSON
Scholastic Inc.'s Bristlebots:
Snap the handle off of a toothbrush, attach a motor to the head—and voilà—you get a Bristlebot. The motor causes the bristles to vibrate, which propels the bot to scurry on smooth surfaces reminiscent of a frenzied cockroach....[More]
Scholastic Inc.'s Bristlebots:
Snap the handle off of a toothbrush, attach a motor to the head—and voilà—you get a Bristlebot. The motor causes the bristles to vibrate, which propels the bot to scurry on smooth surfaces reminiscent of a frenzied cockroach. An accompanying 40-page activity and instruction book in the Klutz product line offers users many fun and silly ideas for harnessing these bots. Ideas include creating mazes for them, dressing them, racing them, or even removing the motor and attaching it to other things. This book comes with two bots. Available March 2009.
Price tag: $20
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IMAGE COURTESY OF SCHOLASTIC
Innovation First, Inc.'s Hexbug Inchworm:
Inchworm is the latest in the remote-controlled Hexbug mini robot series. This leggy bug doesn't do fancy tricks, but promises to be popular because of its portability and diminutive size....[More]
Innovation First, Inc.'s Hexbug Inchworm:
Inchworm is the latest in the remote-controlled Hexbug mini robot series. This leggy bug doesn't do fancy tricks, but promises to be popular because of its portability and diminutive size. Inchworm can travel back and forth—or in a circle. The remote controller is small enough to fit snugly in the palm of your hand. There are two channels so you can have multiple Hexbugs do battle. Or what the heck, set them all to A-channel and you're in command of a synchronized robot army.
Price tag: $10
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IMAGE COURTESY OF PIPPA WYSONG
Spin Master's Air Hogs Wind Chaser:
This is a basic delta-shaped stunt kite with a string, reel, and—oh, yeah—a remote-controlled steering servo. The servo is attached to a cross-string on the kite's underside....[More]
Spin Master's Air Hogs Wind Chaser:
This is a basic delta-shaped stunt kite with a string, reel, and—oh, yeah—a remote-controlled steering servo. The servo is attached to a cross-string on the kite's underside. The remote control, which is built into the reel, causes the weighted servo to slide to the right or left, prompting the kite to dip accordingly. The idea is to be able to control the kite more precisely. All you need to use this is a steady, stiff breeze and a lot of open air space. Spin Master will be demonstrating this at the American International Toy Fair February 15–18 in New York City.
Price tag: $30
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IMAGE COURTESY OF SPIN MASTER
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It looks like these toy makers are into "extreme ugly and couch potato". None of those toys will improve the child's imagination. I reckon before you can improve an imagination, you must first have one.
mostly pretty lame, especially the toothbrush one the webcam-bot thing and the force trainer are mildly interesting but the webcam does not have much use to it unless you are too lazy to get up and look into the other room your self and ,like the article said, check to see if your door is locked when at work. the force thing could lead to some cooler toys and is t5he first product, as far as i am aware, to use "brain waves" outside of computers for disabled people
I must agree with Krabcat on the fact that everything is mostly pretty lame except for a little bit of updating on what kids will be able to do with their brain waves. I'm not sure why, but it just appears to me that the companies are trying to hard to make the littler kids feel like they are so cool because they can voice command a robot around their house and have it shoot infrared lasers at one another. <Total hippy moment here> This just tells them that fighting is alright and that they should do it. </hippy> Also, there were already little hover boats. Why do they think that we need newer "smaller" ones??? They'll just get stepped on by the parents when they don't see them and then they have to go out and buy the kid a new one to shut them up!!! Seriously, these things just aren't all that great.
The only toys that will keep kids occupied are the ones that they can use their imagination to create or design things with. See Leggo, Maccano and any construction toys, even simple building blocks. Make them more colorfull and fancy and they will hit the jackpot.
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6 Comments
Add CommentGee. Not impressed with any of these.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt looks like these toy makers are into "extreme ugly and couch potato". None of those toys will improve the child's imagination. I reckon before you can improve an imagination, you must first have one.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thismostly pretty lame, especially the toothbrush one
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthe webcam-bot thing and the force trainer are mildly interesting but the webcam does not have much use to it unless you are too lazy to get up and look into the other room your self and ,like the article said, check to see if your door is locked when at work. the force thing could lead to some cooler toys and is t5he first product, as far as i am aware, to use "brain waves" outside of computers for disabled people
I must agree with Krabcat on the fact that everything is mostly pretty lame except for a little bit of updating on what kids will be able to do with their brain waves. I'm not sure why, but it just appears to me that the companies are trying to hard to make the littler kids feel like they are so cool because they can voice command a robot around their house and have it shoot infrared lasers at one another. <Total hippy moment here> This just tells them that fighting is alright and that they should do it. </hippy> Also, there were already little hover boats. Why do they think that we need newer "smaller" ones??? They'll just get stepped on by the parents when they don't see them and then they have to go out and buy the kid a new one to shut them up!!! Seriously, these things just aren't all that great.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLoved the tooth brush toy. Thought that the most silly one was the new improved kite.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe only toys that will keep kids occupied are the ones that they can use their imagination to create or design things with. See Leggo, Maccano and any construction toys, even simple building blocks. Make them more colorfull and fancy and they will hit the jackpot.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this