Childsplay

The Virtual Air Guitar - all you need is a rock'n'roll attitude

By Mike Hanlon

December 1, 2005 As computers learn to enhance and augment every human endeavour, it was only a matter of time before talentless, uncoordinated individuals such as your humble writer could indulge their musical ambitions and produce sounds to match those of their dreams - and the Virtual Air Guitar project is well on the way to setting would-be musicians free, without the need for even an instrument. Playing the Virtual Air Guitar is simple. You pull on a pair of orange gloves (for the image tracking to recognise what your hands are doing), and strum a big chord and that's exactly what happens - you hear a power chord with punchy distortion. Now move your left hand along the imaginary neck and strum again - it's a different chord. You can't play any "wrong" chords here - they have been pre-selected for you. When you're ready, press the switch pedal to change from chord mode to solo mode and you suddenly have a pentatonic minor scale on the three top strings, with fret slides and vibrato. Play hard enough with feeling, and you start getting screaming distortions. It's easy enough that you can pick it up in ten seconds, but especially the solo mode has just enough freedom for every solo to be different. You don't really need to know anything about guitar solos, except for how rock guitarists perform on stage. And there's a virtual drum kit under development too. Read More

Highly-anticipated US$99 Pentop Computer finally hits the shelves

By Mike Hanlon

October 25, 2005 Sometimes we write about technologies well in advance of actually hands-on experiencing them. Such was the case with the PenTop computer and although we were enthusiastic based on the specifications, once we tried it, the gravity and sheer importance of the product really shone through. The Pentop is a new computer platform and it is a significant one. First announced in New York City last January, the new platform transforms pen and paper into an interactive computer. With many creative and engaging learning applications available, the FLY Pentop Computer is targeted primarily at technology-savvy tweens (ages 8 - 13) and their parents. This week the Fly Pentop Computer finally hits the shelves across America Read More

Toy of the Year: Knights' Empire Castle

By Mike Hanlon

October 5, 2005 Disney’s FamilyFun magazine announced the winners of Its 14th annual Toy of The Year Award at the Children's Museum of Manhattan yesterday. Unlike many Industry awards where the winners are chosen by the opinion of journalists, peers or popular vote, Family Fun actually puts the toys to the test with a massive undertaking of testing the most popular toys with large numbers of the real experts - the children themselves. This year 520 toys from 170 manufacturers were tested by 1,400 kids across the US In assembling the Top 10 Toys of 2005. That’s 30,000 hours of testing in total, so we think the results (63 kid-approved playthings organized by age and category) are worth looking at if you’re planning on buying toys soon. The Toy of the Year Award went to the Knights' Empire Castle (pictured) with the 3D Pool Table runner-up. Read More

US$3.5 million Skycar goes on sale

By Mike Hanlon

October 3, 2005 Neiman Marcus, the specialty retailer renowned for its unique luxurious offerings,

never fails to make available some delectable big toys for big boys and girls when it unveils its annual Christmas Catalogue. In recent years we’ve seen the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book offer a Custom Designed Mermaid Suit, a Dodge 500hp Tomahawk motorcycle and even the first commercially-available Deep Flight Aviator, but the 79th Annual Christmas catalogue has exceeded all previous efforts by putting the M400 Moller Skycar Prototype on sale – it’ll set you back just US$3.5 million but what the heck! Other fantasy gifts for the person who dares to dream big included in the 2005 book include a His & Hers Photo Booth, an NM Edition Lexus GS 450h (in 2003, the limited edition BMW 645Ci sold out in seven minutes), a Dreamboat levitating sculpture with "no visible means of support," a Grand Empire Railroad, and a replica of the 2005 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winning car with flat-screen monitor, IndyCar Series 2005 video game and all related electronics. Read More

BMW Hydrogen Car Ready for Racing around the House

By Mike Hanlon

August 16, 2005 A BMW powered by hydrogen small enough to race around a lounge room has been built by technology students in Germany. The revved up racer is an authentic replica of the hydrogen-powered BMW that set nine speed records last year, including exceeding speeds of 300 km/h. The full size racer used a modified V12 6.0-litre engine borrowed from the $335,600 BMW 760Li. It was powered solely by hydrogen, just like the 1/8th scale model built by students at the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences. The scale model makes do with a slightly smaller engine of just 11.5 cc. Like the BMW H2R V12 racer, the scale model emits only water vapour from its tailpipe, making it entirely suitable for racing around the house. It has a top speed of 80 km/h. Read More

Parent-Controlled Educational Cell Phone for Kids Ages Six and Older

By Mike Hanlon

August 9, 2005 It was only a matter of time before someone would build a purpose built mobile phone for children. Learning product developer LeapFrog has announced that it has entered into an agreement to provide its LeapFrog-branded educational game content to Enfora, a global leader in wireless solutions, for use in its new TicTalk parent-controlled educational cell phone for children. The license agreement and product collaboration between the two companies includes the integration of five popular LeapFrog learning games into the TicTalk cell phone, covering more than 400 school skills in first through sixth grade core subject areas -- spelling, math, science and social studies. Read More

Robotics toys get very intelligent.

By Mike Hanlon

July 26, 2005 As computer chips get more powerful and cheaper at an exponential rate, we’re going to see toys, cars, shoes, hats and even door knobs becoming surprisingly intelligent. How intelligent? Meet Amazing Amanda. Amanda is a 21” interactive doll that utilises voice recognition, sensory technology and articulated animatronics, so she can play the role of a baby girl more authentically than you’d have thought possible. Like a real toddler, Amanda can show the whole gamut of human emotions including laughing and crying and after an initial five minute bonding session (AKA voice recognition induction session) she even recognises her own ‘mother’s’ voice and responds differently to mum compared with strangers! Amanda can talk, respond to questions and loves to play games and sing songs! She interacts with her food, potty and hair accessories, knows when she is being fed, having her hair brushed and can be programmed to wake at the same time every morning to act as a pseudo alarm clock. She remembers mothers day, birthdays and through realistic animatronics, shows her feelings in her facial movements and voice responses. Does this sound like science fiction? Amazing Amanda hits the shelves in the US, UK and Australia next month with a retail price in the vicinity of US$100. Read More

NailJet Pro inkjets any image onto fingernails

By Mike Hanlon

July 11, 2005 Like the Magic Carpet, ImagiNail is yet another example of the wonders of digital imaging technology being able to put any image on any thing. The ImagiNail NailJet Pro inkjets artwork directly onto the fingernail in high resolution at very low cost. Lasting as long as normal nail varnish, the NailJet Pro can print photographs or any other high resolution design and it can print a different design on every fingernail. The Imaginail system consists of the NailJet Pro , a full line of nail coatings designed especially for the NailJet Pro process, and an ever-growing library of nail art. In addition to the nail art library, it’s possible to input your own designs or photographs to match that special outfit or make your own fashion statement! Read More

EasyChild behavior modification software system

By Mike Hanlon

May 21, 2005 Planning, monitoring and assessing outcomes is the key to improving any system. In business we set and monitor KPTs (Key Performance Targets) and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and everyone is clear on the desired outcomes and their rewards. It makes sense to do the same thing with children, to set patterns and reward the best behaviours but few families ever get beyond the most rudimentary systems because there’s no yardstick. Until now that is – EasyChild is a behaviour modification software system designed to encourage children to succeed in life. This behavioural software system is designed to help raise children with consistent rewards for their achievements. Read More

Schwinn Sting-Ray has Gone Electric

By Mike Hanlon

May 21, 2005 One of the aspects of convergence we didn’t see coming was the convergence of childrens bicycles and adult commuters. That’s what seems to be happening as the wildly popular Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle is being upgraded with an electric motor. The new Sting-Ray Electric shares the original design characteristics of the Street Series Sting-Ray, but adds an electric motor and a battery pack in the form of a motorcycle engine casing so it looks even more like the chopper it originally emulated when it took the world by storm way back in the early sixties. The new Sting-Ray Electric will reach 14 mph and the battery will last up to two hours for a price of US$399. Those specs are distinctly commuter machine territory. Read More

Sega's iDog musicbot and iPod speaker/companion

By Mike Hanlon

Sega Toys has released the iDog, a companion speaker/pet for the Apple iPod that will also work with any audio player, though it is unashamedly aimed at the Apple iPod user with packaging, look and feel all, well, sorta iPoddy. The iDog’s reason for being is basically as a companion in that it takes headphone music from an MP3 player and plays it out loud, and at the same time as dancing and seeking playful interaction – the ideal companion for children, and geeks who spend too much time living in the space between their ears with music as their only companion. The companion robot will play a major role in society’s future and at US$89, this is quite possibly the cheapest companion robot available on the market at this time, narrowly pipping the Robosapien at US99. Read More

The 2nd Annual SUPERSOAKERSpring Break Survival Challenge

By Mike Hanlon

March 12, 2005 The water pistol has come a long way in recent times. Once a fragile, relatively harmless device capable of shooting a stream of water no more than a metre or two, that all changed when Aerospace Engineer Dr Lonnie Johnson extrapolated some work he was doing in an entirely unrelated field and thought about what a great water gun it would make. The SuperSoaker was born in 1991 and became an everyday term for children the world over. Now the SuperSoaker is being organized into massive contests, with water soluble body targets and big prizemoney, as can be seen from this mammoth contest held earlier this week during the infamopus spring break celebrations in Florida. Read More

PlasmaCar for tots uses innovative steering for propulsion

By Mike Hanlon

March 14, 2005 Canadian PlaSmart distributes a very clever ride-on toy for tots that uses a unique propulsion system. There are no batteries, gears or electrical parts: the energy comes from turning the steering wheel continuously from left to right, harnessing the natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, gravity and friction. This of course, makes it an ideal toy for energetic children in that it promotes healthy exercise (and tires them out). Read More

PING Moxie Junior Set Features Titanium Driver

By Mike Hanlon

February 20, 2005 It wasn't that long ago that golf clubs were made from hickory and a 250 metre drive was considered "outta sight." When we heard about the new Moxie junior set being announced this week, complete with a Titanium driver, we couldn't help but reflect how far this game has come in a few short decades. The new Moxie Junior set offers young golfers the benefits of proven technology in a package engineered to match their size, strength and ability. Read More

World Yo Yo record broken

By Mike Hanlon

February 20, 2005 Hans "Yohans" Van Dan Elzen yesterday broke his own Guinness World Record of 51 yo-yo tricks in one minute when he performed 54 tricks in a minute. The world record was the kick-off event for a national US tour introducing Hasbro's new F.A.S.T. 201 Yoyo - the yoyo Van Dan Elzen used in his record. The F.A.S.T. 201 All Stars Tour is a national tour featuring yo-yo pros who will travel around the country teaching kids of all ages how to master yo-yo tricks. Read More

Firewheel - the rubber band machinegun

By Mike Hanlon

January 21, 2005 The Firewheel is a rubber band machine gun designed to give children a projectile-firing toy gun that can be used without risk of injury. We took two Firewheels, two healthy boys (aged 11 and 13) and watched what developed. The result was several weeks of continuous use (ongoing at publication date), no physical injuries, universal envy from the childrens' friends and the inescapable feeling that the Firewheel represents extraordinary value at US$22. Read More

The Pentop Computer – interactive pen that talks to you as you write

By Mike Hanlon

NEW YORK, January 12, 2005 - Educational technology developer LeapFrog has released details of a new pentop computer. Dubbed the FLY, the pentop computer is designed to bring interactivity to the most prolific and user-friendly interface of all (pen and paper) and offers real-time audio feedback to users as they write and draw on special FLY paper. Read More

The Flybar - think of a pogo stick on steroids

By Mike Hanlon

The pogo stick was invented in 1918 and hasn't changed much since- until now. The Flybar 1200 is like a pogo Stick on steroids, and was built to support the weight, strength, and demands of a world-class athlete. Fit co-ordinated humans can jump higher than five feet and people have been known to get nearly 8 feet of air using the aircraft-grade aluminium Flybar. Manufactured by the same company that invented the pogo stick, the "mobile exercise and stunt bar" uses an elastomeric spring system (12 big rubber bands to you) to capture and release energy and the springing feels similar to a trampoline in operation. As the elastomeric system is adjustable, the Flybar 1200 can be adjusted to accommodate riders of varying ages, weight and skill levels. Read More

FunSlides Carpet Skates enter the loungeroom

By Gizmag Team

October 29, 2004 Roller and In-line skating have morphed into an indoor sport thanks to FunSlides Carpet Skates, which reinvent the popular pastime with this novel product from Simtec Co.

Best known for their EZ Moves Furniture Slides which allow one person to move large, heavy furniture with ease, Simtec "slid" into the toy market when they found out the friction-resistant slides were being also used for fun by adults and children, offering a "soft skating" alternative for beginning skaters.

Like socks on a hardwood floor, Funslides give you that same "fun-powered glide" on carpet. They have a friction resistant plastic base and a foam foot grip with an adjustable hook and loop closure. Just strap them onto your sneakers and you're ready to go! Read More

VIDEONOW JR colour video just for preschoolers

By Gizmag Team

October 25, 2004 Preschool has just gone hi-tech! Following in the footsteps of the enormously successful VIDEONOW player for tweens which sold over 12 million copies , Hasbro's PLAYSKOOL division has launched the VIDEONOW JR as a portable, full-color personal video player designed specifically for preschoolers aged 3 to 6 and featuring early learning programming from some of the biggest names in kids' television. Easy to use with colorful, chunky buttons that are perfect for little hands, the VIDEONOW JR. player is designed for the active child. The player features a colorful housing that is built tough enough to withstand the bumps of daily preschool use. Read More

Brainpop makes science FUN!

By Mike Hanlon

The BrainPOP Science Almanac is a comprehensive resource for the classroom and the home, bringing BrainPOP's award winning content to the printed page. It's a fun, colourful book for kids and parents with thousands of topics and more than 600 photos and illustrations to make science FUN. Help stretch young minds and introduce them to a broad range of scientific concepts, from the Human Body, Earth Matters, Weather and the Environment, Computers and Communications, Space and much more. The Science Almanac was created by Brainpop.com, a leading producer of standards based, animated educational movies. They also have a subscription based website where 3 million students watch movies and take interactive quizzes each day! Over 15% of U.S. school

districts subscribe to BrainPOP and integrate it into their daily curriculum. Click on the link below to take a virtual preview through the BrainPOP book: https://www.brainpop.com/book/ Read More

20Q handheld offers hours of fun for $25

By Mike Hanlon

Okay, this is kinda cheesy but rates as fun and has a knack for keeping intelligent children amused for extended periods of time with healthy thought-provoking interaction. The 20Q is a handheld game based on the popular website 20Q.net - a version of the classic 20 questions guessing game that uses artificial intelligence to guess what you are thinking based on the answers you provide. The site has been around for a while (since 1995) and they've learned a lot along the way and you can play the game on-line to see what to expect from the handheld, or test their V6 beta version which is even better. Read More

Discovery DNA Explorer Kit

By Mike Hanlon

The world of scientifically-based toys has come a long way since the first chemistry sets joined mechano sets as the toys of the well-heeled next generation scientists some 50 years ago. As scientific knowledge has advanced, so too has the sophistication of the toys available, and we were recently surprised to find something as advanced as the Discovery DNA Explorer Kit on the market. The Discovery Kids DNA Explorer has propelled the traditional chemistry set into the 21st century by offering kids a provocative and fun way to experience today's most cutting-edge science: DNA mapping. This first-of-its- kind lab gives kids the real-world tools and know-how to extract, view and map real DNA, and get a taste of the excitement of science and discovery. Read More

Robosapien toy brings humanoids into living rooms

By Mike Hanlon

Taking a major step forward in the evolution of robotics, Wow Wee Toys has teamed up with robotics physicist, Dr. Mark W. Tilden to develop the first affordable intelligent entertainment humanoid - Robosapien which will go on sale mid-year in America.

At 14 inches high, Robosapien is a rambunctious, realistic, recreational robot who is easily programmed and mastered with a remote control. Robosapien is the first robot based on the science of applied biomorphic robotics, which enables him to act more like a human. Tilden, who developed applied biomorphic robotics, has worked for NASA, DARPA, JPL at Los Alamos and other government research agencies developing advanced robotic technologies. Read More

Fuel cell toy

By Mike Hanlon

There's plenty to recommend this fuel cell kit from British company Thames & Kosmos. There are many hours of fun and learning for yourself and your children as you assemble and experiment with a reversible fuel cell - the kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century and enables you to build a model car that runs on WATER! Read More