Scalextric Velodrome Racing Set for Slot Car Bikes

I would imagine that a lot of you remember slot car racing. Normally, it is done with hot tricked-out race cars, but this is done with bicycles.

All of this is a marketing promotion for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It is known as a Scalextric Velodrome for cyclists dressed in Great Britain colors.

As you can see from the picture, there are the traditional trigger controls. There are also turns and various lane changing action to make the racing exciting. Absent from the track are loops and other obstacles in the race car tracks, but you have to be realistic about what bikes can do on tracks. This isn’t Speed Racer, after all.

I’m not certain why in the world no one made a slot car game out of bicycles before. I think someone made a slot car race out of Harry Potter’s Quidditch before. Maybe someone should have made a Lance Armstrong racing slot set. It is designed so that he wins the Tour de France several years in a row.

This should be available for about $120 sometime in the summer. I have to admit that I am glad this is being put out a year before the Olympics, even though no one might buy it until Summer of 2012.

SieMatic Grid S2 is a multimedia cabinet for the kitchen

This is the SieMatic Grid S2, and it is a multimedia cabinet designed to give us what we all want: to bring the living room entertainment center to the kitchen.

I suppose that this is to alleviate the problem that we all have of trying to cook while watching TV or a DVD. I once burnt up a meal because I was distracted by a really good scene on TV.

I can’t tell if this is a cabinet because this touchscreen is some door of an actual cabinet or if “cabinet” is some figure of speech. Either way, you can play a TV, DVD, or even dock your iPod and watch a video that way. Not only can you watch a video while you’re cooking, but it will give you warnings of when your dish is done with on-screen progress reports.

The Grid S2 also has a pullout drawer behind the monitor for all sorts of accessories like a remote control, wireless keyboard, and DVDs. As I have said before, everyone wants TV in the kitchen, but the one thing that prevents that is how sauces and other kitchen messes get on the screen. What I don’t know is how this one needs to be cleaned. It had better be as easy as Windex and a paper towel.

So far, there is no word on when this will be available, but I am sure there will be eventually, and this will be for very expensive homes.

The Tama-Robo follows the light

This is the Tamo-Robo, and it is one of those toy pets made for those kids who live in a place that doesn’t allow pets and have parents who hate Zhu-Zhu pets.

Of course, we all know that these toy pets are never as life-like as their organic counterparts, but this guy can do something most artificial pets can’t, it can follow a light.

You know how your cat loves to play with a laser pointer? The Tama-Robo is designed to follow the brightest source of light, like the flashlight that you see in the picture here.

Of course, there is some assembly required, and it is “customizable” by adjusting the weights inside the body for changing the way that it can move. I’m not certain what that means, but that’s just what my Source tells me.

I don’t know how long this particular toy has been on the market, but if it has just been released, then it certainly is a victim of bad timing. This would have made a great toy gift for Christmas, and would be better than the aforementioned Zhu-Zhu pet.

Still, if you want this, you should be able to get the Tama-Robo for about $70.

The Magic Carp-pet – Please don’t feed the fish

We’ve been so bombarded with all these 3D images and special effects, that sometimes I find myself waiting for even newer and more complex technology. My daughter doesn’t even want to go see a move anymore if it isn’t in 3D and I wonder to myself, whats next?

Let me share with you John Leung’s “Magic Carp-pet,” made in collaboration with Australian architectural and design firm, ClarkeHopkinsClark, which uses what looks like a slatted coffee table and a black and white carp print rug to produce an effect that allows anyone moving around the table to see a school of swimming carp gracefully animating. Decidedly low tech, but the idea, the design, still wonderfully innovative, as you shall see after the break.

I guess sometimes, we get so tied up in the marvel of high tech things, that we can easily forget to enjoy something seemingly simple, something old, thats made new again, like this non-electronic but equally captivating, optical illusion.

I must say I am amazed at all the new and surprising things I come across, some of it is important, some of it incredible, and some if it is, well, just darn fun. I can’t help but smile thinking about my next cocktail party, serving wine and cheese around a table like this… it would certainly make for an interesting evening.

ion’s StealthPredator – Stylish protection for your iPhone

I love my iPhone, in fact I have no idea what any of us did before we had these things. If I forget to bring my phone with me, the day is shot. I can’t get anything done, and I worry all day that someone needs to get in touch and can’t. I mean, no one knows my house phone number, or work… I just wish these devices had more personality. I wish they had more style, and I don’t mean covered with red silicon, hard plastic, or stick on gems.

How about ion’s mirrored gold StealthPredator, made exclusively for the iPhone 4? Made from carbon fiber, the same components found on the world’s most exclusive cars, this case is super stylish protection for your iPhone 4. Chromic anodized Polycarbonate chassis for the trim. It is ultra slim, uber protective and simply gorgeous. The StealthPredator will make your phone stand out from the crowd and keep it safe as well.

Available in four different colors: mirror gold, metallic red, gunmetal and silver chrome. The StealthPredator will make your iPhone 4 look like a million bucks, and it will actually only set you back about $59.99.

Check out ion’s new Carbon Jacket as well, featuring carbon fiber and premium grade sheep leather, very nice.

Core 3000 chassis for DIY enthusiasts

There is nothing quite like the feeling of building your own computer from scratch – of course, we aren’t referring to you churning up everything from its components to the nitty gritty, but getting all the essential parts from a reputable store and piecing everything else together in your garage (or room, whichever you’re more comfortable with).

Yes, the type of processor, memory, storage space solution are all extremely important, but do remember that piecing all of those into a suitable casing/chassis is also equally important. This is where the Core 3000 comes in, as this puppy will be able to offer a whole bunch of cooling options to make sure everything inside runs fine and dandy even when you crank it up.

Boasting up to 7 fans of various sizes which can be installed, you might be surprised to find the inside run relatively cool compared to other similar configurations in a different chassis. The front panel itself is easily removable and will come pre-fitted with fan filters, making sure your interior is dust free. As for its sleek black interior, it is matched and contrasted with white expansion slots and hard drive trays.

Just like its Define Series, all the hard drive trays will be fitted with anti-vibration silicon grommets, while the upper hard drive cage is both removable and rotatable, making sure it will play nice with even the longest graphic cards.

For a full list of features and specifications, they’re listed below.

• Simple yet elegant front panel with mesh and filter
• Optimized for performance with multiple cooling options
• A total of 7(!) fan slots (1x 120mm + 1x 140mm in front, 2x 120/140mm in top, 1x 120mm in bottom, 1x 120mm in rear, 1x 120/140mm in side panel)
• Three fans included (1x 140mm in front, 1x 120mm in rear and 1x 140mm in top)
• 6x white painted HDD trays, with silicone mounting grommets
• Upper HDD cage is removable and rotatable
• Easily removable front panel with clip on fan slots
• 6x 3.5 inch HDD trays, compatible with SSD!
• 2x 5.25 inch bays, with 1x 5,25>3,5 inch converter included
• 4x USB 2.0 and Audio I/O – mounted on top of front panel
• Removable filter below PSU (PSU not included)
• M/B compatibility: Mini ITX, Micro ATX and ATX
• 7 expansion slots with sleek white painted brackets
• Supports graphic card lengths up to 270mm when removable HDD-Bay is in place
• Supports graphic card lengths up to 420mm without removable HDD-Bay
• Supports CPU coolers with height of 160mm
• Supports PSU’s with a depth of maximum circa 160mm, when using bottom 120mm fan location.
• When not using the bottom 120mm fan location, the case supports also longer PSU’s, typically 250mm
• Case size (WxHxD): 200x430x480mm with front and top bezel in place
• Net weight: 7.1kg

Not too sure how much this will cost though as at press time.

iPad case goes bling

The Joy Factory – ah, that name itself should evoke a smile on your face, after all, who would want to turn down some bling? Well, the company knows that you treasure your iPad a whole lot (although that affection will most probably be transferred over to the iPad 2 when that arrives later this spring), and has just unveiled a Swarovski Crystal-studded, special edition Arc-PurpleRomance iPad case and stand.

This is part of a product suite of lifestyle-driven digital companion accessories that will target smartphone and tablet users, where the versatile Arc boasts of a deep violet hue and will most certainly complement the lifestyle of the stylish, sassy woman.

According to Sampson Yang, president of The Joy Factory and consumer electronics veteran, “This chic release suits the tech savvy woman on-the-go. Swarovski—known for their precision-cut luxury crystal—adds the perfect accent to the already stylish Arc. This slim, light-weight and durable Arc case and adjustable stand sports a sleek style and redefines effortless technology use in today’s fast-paced world.”

Boasting an innovative design that lets you type directly on the iPad thanks to the built-in screen protector. With a slip-resistant coating, it will also make sure you will never have to fumble around with your iPad ever again thanks to trouble-free gripping, while a quartet of easily adjustable viewing angles will provide comfort anytime, in any setting—office, plane, car or around the house.

Individual Arc-PurpleRomance purchases will also come with a washable microfiber dust bag that is suitable for screen cleaning and scratch-protection. Not only that, the Joy Factory’s Joytracer program actually delivers a unique identification system, offering peace of mind for the product to be returned directly to the owner upon recovery.

Expect to fork out $109.95 for this limited edition Arc-PurpleRomance iPad case and stand if you’re interested to bling up your favorite tablet. Go on, you know you want it.

Telephone Consultation Recorder

Do you tend to forget what has been spoken to you over the phone, especially when it involves capturing medical instructions, legal processes, and financial advice? Then the Telephone Consultation Recorder might just be your cup of tea. After all, this recording device will make sure every spoken word between professional services and a client (that’s you) is captured for posterity.

The recorder will issue a clearly audible beep to make sure both parties are aware that their conversation is being recorded. It must be plugged into your phone via the included splitter cable before it can kick into action, while its sensitive internal microphone will capture every detail of a consultation.

With dual automatic gain control and adjustable recording levels, you will get superior sound quality. All consultations will be saved in the MP3 file format onto any SD memory card (up to 32GB in capacity), and to get an idea on how long that is, a 4GB SD memory card can already hold up to 40 hours of conversation. Fancy spending $159.95 on this?

GeoPalz – Finally, Tech That Gets Kids Off the Couch

I have an eight year old that wants nothing more than to run around outside all day. She has known her way around a computer since she was two, but outside is where she wants to be. To hear it be told, I guess I’m one of the lucky ones. Parents are sick of seeing their kids on the couch.

Welcome GeoPalz, In the original version GeoPalz is basically a pedometer that tracks the users steps throughout the day. The steps are then logged onto the GeoPalz website under their profile. I guess in order to wean kids even further off the computer, newer versions will include activity trackers that will not require manual logins. At the end of each day your kid logs their steps into the GeoPalz website and the steps are counted as miles/points that can be redeemed for all sorts of real prizes that will be shipped to your house and award certificates that can be printed and hung on a wall.

Eventually, the website will be able to send parents updates on their kids progress, by letting them know how far the kid walked, it will include graphs and charts letting you know if it was more or less than average. Also in the future the company looks to offer location based prizes from merchants in your families local area.

Like I said, I’m one of the lucky ones, although we should probably still get one that I could wear, and the reports can get sent to my kid… I’m pretty darn fond of our couch. Available for around $20.00 from  www.amazon.com

  

Rap Battles Game

You know those movies where rappers and dancers get together, and they hold “battles”? Now I am not that musically inclined, and I definitely do not have any idea on how the judging on points come about, but I guess that there is always a time and place to start, what with the £19.99 Rap Battles Game.

Yup, imagine yourself to be the next Ice T or Eminem (or Vanilla Ice if you’re a 1980s kid), waiting to unleash your skills of a lyrical poet or master MC. Challenge your mates as well as drive your family nuts with this, as you earn hip hop dollars (the game’s denomination of choice) as you wax lyrical in your living room.

To win the game, just be the first player (or should we say, rapper?) to earn $1,000. Each purchase will come with a Boom box, 40 Rap cards, 40 Star cards, Dice, and the relevant Rap dollars. To play, there must be a Rap manager who is in charge of paying each player $100 if they successfully complete a rap. Each player will take turns to pick up a Rap card and Star card, rolling the dice and letting the number decide which track the rap will be performed to.

Best to dress up for the part, no?