No idea on why you would want to carry around a portable microscope, but should the need ever arise, do remember the name Vitiny as the company recently unleashed its ‘Microscope Fun’ at the recent IFA 2007 at Berlin. I suppose this works great if you’re trying to see whether your friend’s hair has lice or not on the spot, but other than that it will most probably be a niche product that won’t fly off store shelves during the upcoming holiday season.

Source: AVing

It used to be that every kid wanted to be either a cowboy, the President of the United States or an Astronaut. But since the advent of video cameras and personal computers, most kids now want to be Stephen Spielberg when they grow up. And with the YouTube Revolution giving budding filmmakers a distribution channel to showcase their films, you don’t even need Hollywood anymore.

But what you do need are tools. This is where a company called Rip Roar Media comes in handy with a very affordable solution called the Creation Station that allows kids to capture, edit and create fun videos, but they use special effects as well. Imagine seeing him or her walking on the moon, or hanging precariously from the landing gear of a fast moving helicopter. Sounds dangerous, doesn’t it? But not when they can use the roomy green screen that comes with the integrated software. Now your young hyphenate (writer, producer and director) can use to put himself in the action.

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I have this absolute hate and fear of cockroaches, so it is with trepidation that I approach this Bandai-sourced robot which was modeled after real cockroaches. It comes with half a dozen legs and a touch sensor that tells the robot to change its directions whenever it bumps into a wall. A micro monitor embedded within enables it to vibrate just like a cellphone, while a microphone will detect loud noises, making it scurry away like the scum it is. If a cockroach is not your cup of tea, there is always another house-friendly model such as the ladybug. Known as the Hex Bug, this cockroach-inspired creation from Bandai will retail for approximately $15 a pop and will be released sometime in the middle of September.

Press Release (Japanese) via Tokyo Mango

Fancy giving the ladies in the house a fright? The RC Tarantula comes in handy, and although we covered a somewhat similar tarantula in the past (nearly two years back to be exact), this one uses less batteries (just a couple of AA for the remote and another pair of AAA batteries for the tarantula itself) compared to its “predecessor”, so to speak. The remote itself resembles a spider egg and looks more aesthetically pleasing when compared against the older model. Features include light up eyes, spider-like movement, independent leg movement, and the ability to move in any direction. Too bad it doesn’t stick to walls like a real spider nor jump across great lengths.

Product Page

Just when you thought shooting water at your friends was rather daft, the Silly String Rifle comes along and throws all sorts of common sense out of the window. You had better not try to play this around your home if mom is around as there would be hell to pay when it comes to cleaning up. No idea on how much it retails for, but other than the monetary cost you would have to forgo your dignity and pride playing with one of these.

Source: Nerd Approved

Crayola has been diversifying for quite some time now. The Crayon maker initially branched out into other art supplies like Activity poster kits, glue and even modeling clay. But now, Crayola is looking beyond the simple joyeous world of coloring and into HiTech tools and toys for kids.

Their “Total Tools” line features an Audio ruler, which measures in 1/4″ increments and then recites the distance audibly; a staple free stapler, which punches a student’s paper (up to 5 pages) with a small cut tab into the page that is then folded into the slot; erasable highlighters, and even a replacement for scissors which uses a protected blade to slice in a wide variety curves and angles. You can even run with it.

But that’s not all. Read the rest of this entry »

Tamiya and Loopwing have collaborated with each other to bring this DIY wind power generator set, allowing you to create your very own clean energy at home for the low, low price of $30. Assembling it takes a mere half hour, where you cobble together a couple of gears, a capacitor, and the steering among others on the little car. Just attach the car to the windmill charging station and let nature get to work. Apparently, 5 minutes of exposure to 5mi/sec winds will be able to generate enough juice to power the car for 3.5 hours. Batteries? What’s that?

Source: Tokyo Mango

If brand name and a high social standing isn’t on your list of wants, chances are you’ll be able to get along just fine with NHC’s Ecolong DAP (1GB) that has an impressive battery life of up to 85 hours on a single AAA battery. That’s continuous playback time we’re talking about here. Supported formats include the all pervasive MP3 and non-DRM WMA. The standard issue model retails for approximately $43 while the camouflaged model depicted here is going for $51. At least it won’t break your heart if you accidentally lose this.

Source: Engadget