With the world collapsing in on itself ecologically, there may not be many animals out there left to shoot at for sport soon, so I'm glad to see that the Duck Hunt infrared experience has been tailor made for the niche.
File this one under 'awesome'. It's a Lego Mindstorms robot which can solve a Rubik's Cube on its own in just six minutes, with an average of 60 faceturns. It uses a colour sensor to work out what's where, then takes a moment to work out a plan, then executes it with blinding efficiency. Check it out at double speed in the video above.
Tilted Twister (via @Rodreegez)
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There are many families who have to cope with the pain of separation - if Daddy has to fly away on business trips a lot, for example. Well, now Daddy (or Mummy, we're a politically correct organisation here) can read a bedtime story to his (or her) little sprog over Windows Live Messenger, wherever they are.
The website - timeforastory.com - is currently populated with three Noddy stories. 'Rocket Ship', 'Rainbow Chaser', and the intriguingly titled 'Bounce Alert!' The stories are interactive - as Mummy or Daddy reads, their kid can click on images to trigger animations.
All you need to get it going is a PC, a copy of Windows Live Messenger on each PC, a microphone and a webcam. Modern laptops generally have all those things inbuilt. So if you're in Japan, thousands of miles away from your poor son or daughter, and it's their bedtime, then stop reading Tech Digest and go read them a bedtime story.
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Occasionally we actually get to see some sunlight here at Tech Digest. The video above chronicles the results - we all get a bit giddy and descend to the intellectual level of 8-year-olds. Lucky Swinxs was around to save the day.
This is Swinxs, and it's sort-of like a games console, but not really. I suppose it's the logical extension of the Wii's "getting people active" push. It's a brightly coloured box, with armbands containing RFID chips, that lets you play a bunch of traditional party games, but with actually-quite-awesome technological extras.
If you're reading Tech Digest, then you probably like things that do far more than you actually need them to do. Swinxs has that in spades. Sure, you could just play regular tag, but how about equipping each person with microchips, so you know they can't cheat? It even changes the rules for you mid-game, just like Eric - remember him? - who couldn't stand losing and started crying if he did.
Jurassic Park was a good idea. Not the 'meddling with genetics', 'playing God', and 'being eaten alive bit' - but the bit where the Dinosaurs come back to Earth to be used for our amusement. That is a really really good idea.
Which is why i really like this fantastic toy by Hasbro.
Called 'Kota the Triceratops Dinosaur' this terrible lizard is part of the Playskool range aimed at kiddies up to 3-4 years old. Now, up until seeing this, I thought Playskool made simple toys like Sticklebricks and bath-time toys like that turtle with the worried look upon it's face.. Well, I guess simple toys just aren't good enough for 'Playskool'ers anymore, because Kota the Triceratops is anything but simple.
This is a robotic life-sized baby dinosaur. It walks, it squawks, it carries you around on it's back. Talk to Kota and the thing responds by roaring, stomping it's feet, or wiggling it's tail. It has independent head, eye, mouth and horn movements. In fact, this animatronic dino wouldn't have looked out of place on the set of Jurassic Park. Okay, it would. It really would, but you get the idea. This is one highly advanced toddler toy.
Not that many robotic fish come our way at Tech Digest, but this one's pretty awesome. It's a kit which simulates the experience of sitting for hours on end by a river getting cold and hungry, all in the comfort of your own home.
The kit consists of a fish, a rod and a lure. You chuck the 22.5cm-long fish (which looks vaguely like a bass, if bass were made of plastic) in your bathtub and it swims around happily - even avoiding you if you start floundering around too much. The fish apparently even moves its lips just like a real fish. It's not really my plaice to say whether that's true or not - I've never studied a fish's lips too closely.
Alright lads, listen up, yeah? Next time yah dahn the boozer, check aht the poker machine what's ready to swallah all ya nuggets, yeah.. Cos, it's diamond, innit.
Right. Enough of talking like I'm in a film by Guy Ritchie. It hurts my head. What i'm trying to say is: If you happen to find yourself having a drink in your local public house, then you should probably look out for the new machine by CosmicVideo Games - the 'Heads-Up Challenge' poker table.
That is, of course, if you like that sort of thing.
You know how much we love LEGO here at Tech Digest, so when we heard about a new world record involving the lovely plasticky bobbly blocks, we had to let you know.
Built in Toronto, and overseen by "official LEGO builders from Denmark", the tower stands 29.3 metres tall and uses 465,000 bricks, and required a crane to finish the job. It took nearly a month to complete.
No word on what's going to happen to it now, but wouldn't you just love to push it over?
(Via Design Boom)
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You! You're bored, right? Do you want to make some silly noises so that the annoyance of others mildly alleviates your own tedium? Of course you do. Here's an idea then - how about a plastic, credit card sized turntable that you can scratch and, errr, scratch some more. You can probably even freestyle rap over the top of it. Then you'll be down, yo.
The Plastinkus is soon to be found flooding shelves at Clinton Cards or some other purveyor of gimmicky tat, right next to the hilarious keyrings with an incorrect spelling of your name on them.
Rather like a Kinder Egg but a shoe, a robot and a surprise (no chocolate), are these most wonderfully ridiculous Transformer trainers. Quite when the design guy thought "You know what, I wish I could turn my shoes into robots," is utterly beyond me but my nostalgia hormones refuse to let me say that having a life form from Cybertron protecting your feet is a bad idea.
Harbour secret dreams of being a racing car driver? If that dream isn't coming true soon enough, get as close to the experience as you can with this VTS (vision tracking system) enabled remote control car.
Don the goggles, and view the world from the point of view of your RC racing car. The camera even responds to your head movements. You may feel like Thumbelina as you zip around at ground level, but you'll be a Thumbelina who's burning rubber.
Video goodness after the jump!
We've all turned our cutlery into catapults, but how often has inferior metal cost you that golden shot? Well, arm yourself with this spring-loaded spoon and be the champion in every food fight.
Nevermore will you suffer the indignity of snapping your spoon in half, or having your fork bend backwards and your mushy peas missile slide desultorily onto your shoe. Get your WOMD for $9.95 and watch your siblings cower before your wrath.
Product link (via Coolest Gadgets)
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In 1974, an earnest professor by the name of Erno Rubik came up with a 3X3X3 cube to explain 3D geometry. Today with 300 million units sold that humble cube is now the best selling toy in history.
And the madness doesn't stop there. Books on solving the Rubik's cube have become best sellers. There are edible cubes, MP3 player cubes, and even people who go around dressed as cubes. Numerous spin offs have also been spawned, Rubik's Revenge (4X4X4) being the most famous. Some aren't even cube shaped. And of course, there's now a 25th anniversary edition.
The incredible awesomeness of this toy has left me speechless. Not only can it tote beer around, its hardy wheels flip up transformer-like when it takes a dive (no room for your beer then though).
And for that extra manly edge, it defends your beers against all-comers with a BB air-gun. Although I doubt it'll fend off your drunken-pals, it's probably good for terrorising your neighbour's pug. Check out the video of this baby in action after the jump!
The Sound Chaser lies somewhere between the bizarre, the genius and the utterly useless yet still manages to make you want it.
What you're looking at is basically a train set with audio functions, only the track is strips of ripped up and reconnected old vinyl and the train, a mini speaker trailing a needle. Getting the picture?
Slaving in their own Clone factory, 60 Lego UK employees laboured all day to assemble 35,510 Stormtroopers - setting the new (and coolest) record for largest assembly of Star Wars figurines.
The troopers were from the new Star Wars: The Clone Wars range released in anticipation of the upcoming CG animated movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. All proceeds from the event are to be donated to the National Autistic Society (NAS).
Written by Emily Tan:
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Imagine the fun. Imagine the danger. Imagine the horrendous impact it would have on your electricity bill and the environment. Actually, no, don't imagine the last one. Just imagine fun and excitement.
Because that's what those male models are experiencing in this fantastic photograph, and it's all thanks to the Eight Lane Scalextric - a monster, custom-made car-racing set that's available for hire right now, should you have a room large enough to accommodate its motorway-sized dimensions.
The thing's computer controlled, so you get lap times, accurate positioning and all the sorts of team-building, morale-raising, "Well, done, Mike! 12th is brilliant!" features normally found at go-kart racing tracks. Only here, no one smashes their knee on a steering column and has to be taken off site in an ambulance.
(Via Born Rich)
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Now, we've seen motorised skateboards before but the Altered Skates Pro Module 600 wireless board is the hot rod amongst old bangers.
Yes, this little baby will do 0-19mph in just four seconds and with any luck you'll still be on it 40ft later when it's hit top speed. If not, you can always use the wireless controller to stop it from running away.
Yes, yes, and yes again. Is there anyone out there who doesn't love the idea of shooting Big Brother off the screen with the Channel Changer Ray Gun? Anyone? No, just looking towards the back? No? Didn't think so.
Not only do you get to feel properly lazy and blissfully childish with this awesome toy but it also happens to be the ultimate in Barbarella style space kit, perfect for fancy dress parties whether you're male or female, although the effect will differ. Best of all it's just a great gadget for the coffee table.
From: The 101 best iPhone apps in the world today