According to Ars Technica, the newest toy from JAKKS Pacific has many improvements over the previous generation, mainly that you can finally use both eyes to see what's going on instead of suffering through the odd monovision of the original model. Other improvements include the ability to fine tune vision by adjusting the interpupillary distance and a drop in price.

The EyeClops goggles still use infra-red sensing technology rather than true night vision, but with a low price of $59.99, they're difficult to resist. [Ars Technica]

The Price: $100, cheap!

The Verdict: At age 27, I may be a successful gadget writer with a decent BS filter. But apparently, I still get suckered by the flashy promises of a new children's toy. It's in the DNA, I guess.

I went into this review with very low expectations. If the $100 toy could produce an image of even nominal quality, I'd be gushing over it. Unfortunately, it's just not capable enough to ever become fun.

Daytime viewing is simply not happening—not a complete surprise, given that brightness is the number one downfall of any projector. But the EyeClops' LEDs can't cut through even the slightest inklings of stray light...except at a throw distance of about a foot away when the screen is tiny.
At night, the screen may be brighter, but it's still not something you'd want your kids watching. At a size of about 46 inches, it was impossible to find any sort of critical focus. And the picture below makes the image look a lot more contrasty than it actually was.
The surprise? The EyeClops speaker is loud and very clear. At max volume, you can hear the thing in the next room. So theoretically, the projector could replace a TV without the need for some extra speaker solution. Theoretically.

Products like the EyeClops Bionic Eye and Night Vision Goggles are both highly regarded tech toys for children—and both are quite a bit cheaper than this projector. Go with one of those choices and wait for mini projection technology in general to catch up.

Can operate on four D batteries with larger base...no lithium ion?

Poor quality in the daytime

Only slightly better quality at night

The Price: $80, but going for $60 just about everywhere.

The Verdict: Good goggles for the price. While they aren't exactly battlefield quality, the goggles work well enough to light up your path in the dark. The close-up setting is okay if you only care about what's right in front of you, but you won't be able to check up on your former lover from a tree without turning on the long-distance setting which will give up your position with a bunch of bright red lights.

Friends who've tried on the goggles complain that the night vision is only displayed in one eye (the other is covered with a piece of plastic), but I think that cameras in both eyes could get more confusing than necessary. The only problem I have is that it takes 6 AA batteries, which is too many to hold on your head comfortably if you're going to be wearing them for a long time. But again, they are way cheaper than the next level of night-vision gear, so if you want to feel and look like you are from the future without spending future prices, these goggles are the way to go.

You just plug the $50 EyeClops into a composite video input on any TV, point its bleary eye at your object of interest, and suddenly everything is in living color, up in your face in a super close-up on the TV screen.

If you go to your doctor's office or to a scientific laboratory and they are using one of these, head directly to the nearest exit. But for just plain ogling your boogers, scars or household insects, it might be good for a laugh or two. [Toys R Us ]