Toys

TosPom Ball-Camera Catches You Catching It, Confuses Us

Take a ball, pop some digital cameras in it and you’ve more or less got TosPom. It’s a ball-camera gizmo that automatically snaps a picture of you the instant you catch it. Or, if you’re like me, a picture of you looking on in dismay as your hand misses, and it hits the dirt. You…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

Bald Kung Fu Baby Kicks Ass

Kung Fu Kidz, he’s really not very tall. Kung Fu Kidz, bald like a billiard ball. He’s got pants, some black pants, and the looks of baby Spock. When the going gets tough, he’s really rough, with a Hong Kong Phooey chop (Hi-Ya!) Kung Fu Kidz, he’s really not very tall. Kung Fu Kidz, bald…

Tech News Jesus Diaz

HPI’s G-Dog Robot Kit Ain’t No Aibo, Big Dog

Yo, suckers! You want this robot dog to guard your home? You’re a nut! Mr. T only likes Big Dogs or hot dogs! HPI’s little G-Dog thing is way too small, like Murdoch’s stupid dog Billy. And it’s some kind of kit, so you got to be putting all those fiddly parts like plastic pieces,…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

Plastic Cup Gramophone Kit: Edison’s Invention Reproduced

Those of you amused by the Edison recording outrage will love this: a toy gramophone kit that lets you record and play back your voice from a plastic cup. Made by Gekken, a Japanese company that produces educational toys, it uses exactly the same principle as Edison’s, with the neat use of a plastic cup…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

Finger Piano the Freddie Kruger Glove for First-Graders

Although not the most tuneful of instruments, this plastic finger piano was a freebie with a kids’ magazine in Japan. I reckon it sounds like that high-pitched "weee" sound you get just before a bomb goes off in the movies. And until we can fit a baby grand into our apartment, this shinky-shonky toy will…

Gadgets AddyDugdale

Cute Robot Soldier Toys Are Plotting “Big Reset”

This cute little wooden robot is handmade, two inches tall, and just $5. Also, it’s part of an army of fierce environmentalist soldiers. Makes perfect sense. Here’s what creator Alexander Shen has to say about Woodbots: The Little Woodbot is Mother Nature’s robot soldier and they are currently surveying your world right now! You may…

io9 LISA KATAYAMA

Z-Flyer Hand Command Robot Lets You Play With Your Hand, Negates Guilt

Here’s an interesting take on RC flying bots; the Z-Flyer Hand Command Robot hovers right above the palm of your hand, wherever that maybe, you dirty devil. The astronaut shuns a conventional remote control, instead relying on your very own hand; how well it will work is questionable, but it is certainly a cool idea.…

Space & Spaceflight Haroon Malik

Condiment Pistol Blazes Burgers With Deliciousness

This oversized cartoon-esque pistol can be filled with your favorite condiments and fired at your food for the ultimate in BBQ fun. Naturally, the temptation to misuse this device will be overwhelming, but at least you can take solace in the fact that you will have the upper hand in any food fight you instigate.…

Tech News Sean Fallon

Pocket Shock-It: Russian Roulette/Mexican Standoff for Chickens

Pocket Shock-It is a portable pub-sized version of one of our old favorites. It emits a “juddering jolt of pure electrical power,” with games inspired by the deadliest of cinematic contrivances, but without all them bullets. https://gizmodo.com/shock-roulette-zap-your-friends-and-neighbors-173492 In “Lightning Reaction,” four people grab hold as the thing powers up. Everyone watches each other like they…

Tech News Wilson Rothman

Rubber Duck With Remote Control: Bathtime Gets More Fun

Playing rubber duck battleships in the bath (you do that, don’t you?) will be more sophisticated now you can remote control your duck. This one has twin propellers, so you can steer him around, backwards and forwards from the waterproof remote. Ok, so it’s not quite so much fun as some bath ducks for adults,…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

HULK LIKE OPERATION GAME!

Remember “Operation,” that buzzing fishing-for-organs game we played with as kids? Well, Hulk fans will soon be able to dig around inside their hero with a pair of electrified tweezers too, when Hasbro brings out their Hulk-themed version. Clumsy surgical action will make his eyes glow green and he’ll howl apparently. What do you think…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

Snelflight Jump Jet, a Fast R/C Micro-Aircraft That Hovers Too

You know, remote control micro-aircraft are cool, whether they hover like ‘copters, fly like birds, or do both: like the new Jump Jet from Snelflight. It’s a kind of mashup toy, with four rotors to keep it aloft in the hover, or tilted to propel it forward, vectored-thrust style. From the demo video of a…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

USB Neon Signs Add That Greasy Spoon Café Look To Your Desktop

That little USB socket gets put to some weird and whacky uses in the name of decorating your desk, and now here’s yet another: USB neon signs. If you’re a terminal cubicle customizer, you might be able to brighten things up a bit with these $20 gizmos, available in @, 🙂 and “bar” designs. Just…

Gadgets Kit Eaton

Etch-A-Sketch Clock Automatically Draws the Time

The Arduino platform has been the basis of some awesome projects in the past, but I have yet to see an application of the technology that is more fun than this Etch-a-Sketch clock. At the beginning of every minute, the device draws out the time in a matter of seconds and then erases it to…

Tech News Sean Fallon

Pleo Gets More Funtastic With Update 1.0.2

We loved the Pleo when we reviewed it a little while back, and now the smallest dinosaur in town has just been updated for more fun times. The 1.0.2 update will allow Pleo to interact with its surroundings more convincingly, wake from rest if a noise is detected and support a new grouped singing function,…

Tech News Haroon Malik

Controlling an Etch-a-Sketch with a Mouse Might Make it Actually Fun

Here’s a confession: I’ve always kind of hated the Etch-a-Sketch. Those knobs are pretty much impossible to draw with, so it always felt like the “fun” of using it was just making a simple task needlessly harder. But I guess I’m in the minority there, because it’s hugely popular. But this mod for the “toy”…

Gadgets Adam Frucci

Brazilian Booping Robots Will Have You Doing the Twitchy Dance

This little wind-up bot from Brazilian toymaker and environmental activist Chico Bicalho does a spastic jitter when you let it go. In fact, all Bicalho’s creations are goofy, jumpy critters that are pretty much the opposite of what you’d expect from a robot. They shoot sparks, wobble lopsidedly on their wheels, and hurl themselves upsidown…

io9 Annalee Newitz

‘Alien’ Figures Have More Details Than Actual Humans

Hot Toys is a Hong Kong based production house, and they put out large-scale figures that are extremely detailed down to the smallest level. They not only put out 13″ figures based on Marlon Brando’s Jor-El from Superman, and Brandon Routh’s Clark Kent from Superman Returns, but they’re releasing 1/6th scale figures of Kane and…

io9 Kevin Kelly

Vintage View-Master Clock: A Reminder That You Are Getting Old

View-Masters were a part of just about everyone’s childhood. For those trying to relive those days, Minnesota artist Debra Dressler has come up with these handmade clocks made with genuine vintage View-Masters. As you might suspect, “handmade” and “vintage” are usually codewords for “expensive,” and at $145, that is pretty much the case here. However,…

Tech News Sean Fallon

Glitter Gun – For The Times When You Want to Get Whored Up Really, Really Fast

Much like Homer’s makeup gun, this Glitter Gun allows you to apply sparkly bits to your woman in record time, allowing long waits on the couch while she’s getting ready to become a thing of the past. The gun is a bit tricky, however, seeing as one glitter shot is not quite enough, and two…

Tech News Jason Chen

TosPom Ball-Camera Catches You Catching It, Confuses Us

Bald Kung Fu Baby Kicks Ass

HPI’s G-Dog Robot Kit Ain’t No Aibo, Big Dog

Plastic Cup Gramophone Kit: Edison’s Invention Reproduced

Finger Piano the Freddie Kruger Glove for First-Graders

Cute Robot Soldier Toys Are Plotting “Big Reset”

Z-Flyer Hand Command Robot Lets You Play With Your Hand, Negates Guilt

Condiment Pistol Blazes Burgers With Deliciousness

Pocket Shock-It: Russian Roulette/Mexican Standoff for Chickens

Rubber Duck With Remote Control: Bathtime Gets More Fun

HULK LIKE OPERATION GAME!

Snelflight Jump Jet, a Fast R/C Micro-Aircraft That Hovers Too

USB Neon Signs Add That Greasy Spoon Café Look To Your Desktop

Etch-A-Sketch Clock Automatically Draws the Time

Pleo Gets More Funtastic With Update 1.0.2

Controlling an Etch-a-Sketch with a Mouse Might Make it Actually Fun

Brazilian Booping Robots Will Have You Doing the Twitchy Dance

‘Alien’ Figures Have More Details Than Actual Humans

Vintage View-Master Clock: A Reminder That You Are Getting Old

Glitter Gun – For The Times When You Want to Get Whored Up Really, Really Fast

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Toys

TosPom Ball-Camera Catches You Catching It, Confuses Us

Bald Kung Fu Baby Kicks Ass

HPI’s G-Dog Robot Kit Ain’t No Aibo, Big Dog

Plastic Cup Gramophone Kit: Edison’s Invention Reproduced

Finger Piano the Freddie Kruger Glove for First-Graders

Cute Robot Soldier Toys Are Plotting “Big Reset”

Z-Flyer Hand Command Robot Lets You Play With Your Hand, Negates Guilt

Condiment Pistol Blazes Burgers With Deliciousness

Pocket Shock-It: Russian Roulette/Mexican Standoff for Chickens

Rubber Duck With Remote Control: Bathtime Gets More Fun

HULK LIKE OPERATION GAME!

Snelflight Jump Jet, a Fast R/C Micro-Aircraft That Hovers Too

USB Neon Signs Add That Greasy Spoon Café Look To Your Desktop

Etch-A-Sketch Clock Automatically Draws the Time

Pleo Gets More Funtastic With Update 1.0.2

Controlling an Etch-a-Sketch with a Mouse Might Make it Actually Fun

Brazilian Booping Robots Will Have You Doing the Twitchy Dance

‘Alien’ Figures Have More Details Than Actual Humans

Vintage View-Master Clock: A Reminder That You Are Getting Old

Glitter Gun – For The Times When You Want to Get Whored Up Really, Really Fast

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor *And* an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!