Chances are that your child won’t rip this MP3 player up anytime soon. This is Bandy the teddy bear, from a European company called Mogoon. Bandy is can play MP3s and WMAs that are stored on an SD card that you insert into a slot in his back.

For the protective set, we have these details: Bandy is dust-proof and splash-proof (although we question those claims based on the photo, which seems to show that the little guy is made of material that would seem to attract dust and liquids). He is also said to be able to survive falls of up to 2 meters - his would be the music player, of course. Bandy himself could probably survive a fall off a skyscraper or a trip down a raging river.

Look for Bandy exclusively in Europe this fall and then elsewhere shortly thereafter, for just $88 USD.

Read More | http://www.konstant.de/index.php?id=638

Gallery: Bandy The Music Player Bear

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WowWee demonstrated for us their new Roboreptile, a “quicker, more cunning” version of their Roboraptor. We must have missed the memo explaining that “quicker” and “more cunning” were now euphemisms for “spastic” and “utterly stupid.” Suffice to say, this interview was a brilliant exercise in professional courtesy, as we had to try our best not to break down and laugh as the pathetic, over-priced, and bizarre robotic toy (which we wouldn’t pay $20 for at Radio Shack) nearly flailed itself right off the table in a fit of white, melodramatic, plasticy rage.

This all makes for a very stark contrast to the Ugobe Pleo, a dinosaur-based artificial life form that features three times the sensors, intelligence to keep it from walking off a table, and the ability to communicate with other Pleo’s, along with a ton of other innovative features.

When asked about a successor to the sorry, largely pointless Roboreptile, we receive a “no, not really anything planned” which made the interview all the more special.

We can’t quite grasp what would encourage someone to throw away $120 at a crappy plastic dinosaur that doesn’t really do much but seize and fall over, but perhaps there’s a market in people who don’t really know any better. Stay away from this novelty at all costs.

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Gallery: Bleeding Edge Byte 008: WowWee Roboreptile Interview

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What to get for your budding engineer offspring?  How about a hydrogen fuel cell toy car?  Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has patented a toy car with its own hydrogen fuel cell and requisite hydrogen fueling station.  The fueling station uses solar energy to power the process of producing hydrogen from water via electrolysis and is complete with flashing blue LEDs (to excite the young scientist of course).  From there the hydrogen can be transfered to the car’s fuel cell for powering its electric motor.  Since the amount of hydrogen used is rather small, the process is quite safe and is an interesting look at where the future of automotive power may lay.

Not currently available, the toy car is rumored to be priced at $80 when released.  One thing that’s interesting to note is that per Horizon’s brochure, the fueling station is listed as being sold seperately.  That seems a bit odd for something fairly pivotal to the whole concept.

Read More | Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies via Gizmag

Gallery: Hydrogen Powered Toy Car

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Possibly invested with the same technology built into annoying children, the Zero Gravity Wall Climber may not be able to make you climb walls, but it sure can.  Simply drive towards an unoffending wall and as the front wheels start to pull the vehicle up the vertical surface and past 45 degrees, fans in the vehicle’s base will come on allowing it to suction itself right onto the wall.  A flexible skirt around the bottom helps the Zero Gravity to maintain a positive seal, and a full function remote control enable it to zip around in any direction.  Wall mouldings are obviously a bit bothersome to the Zero Gravity as it requires a smooth surface, but a slight incline will help mitigate the offending bumpy parts and easily solve the problem.  Before you get started though, you should consider removing any important paintings/pictures from the wall before you go tearing across it.

Available for $60 USD just about everywhere.

Read More | Air Hogs via Random Good Stuff

Gallery: Zero Gravity Wall Climber

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First spud guns, and now the Toilet Paper Cannon.  Essentially a glorified spud gun, the homemade contraption launches rolls of toilet paper gracefully through the air.  Unlike potatoes, rolls of toilet paper have this rather inconvenient hole (well, inconvenient for use as a projectile anyway) right through their centers.  This necessitates the use of wadding to ensure successful launches, but should not in any way impede your participation in TP’ing your neighbors house.  Not that we would condone such a thoughtless act.  Nope, not us . . . uh-uh, no way . . . well . . . just don’t get caught okay?

Plans are available for approximately $10 USD.

Read More | Xinventions via The Red Ferret

Gallery: Toilet Paper Cannon

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While never having experienced the phenomenon myself, I hear that dogs like to get a hold of miscellaneous items with the intent to chew them to shreds. Of course, this would be particularly bad if Fido grabbed hold of an expensive gadget.  Now, replace your iPod with an iPaw, and the internal squeaky toy keeps your dog at bay for hours on end (we would imagine.) The “device” features a tiny dog print where the click-wheel might be, and a gray (silver) back with a larger paw print. The iPaw is about 5-inches tall, and retails for $10.50.

Read More | Pug Cafe via popgadget

Gallery: iPaw Plush iPod For Dogs

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Battleship - the classic game that has been re-rolled into countless variations, and spawned way too many imitators to count.  Another version has now arrived to satisfy the inner cravings of the legions of Star Wars fans…Star Wars Battleship (how do they come up with these truly inspired names?).  It follows the same vein of thought as previous versions of electronic Battleship in that it allows for 1 or 2 players, has different game modes, and of course, it talks.  No longer will the screams of “You sank my battleship!” be heard throughout the house.  No, should you take the plunge, the new battle cry will become “You sank my Mon Calamari Cruiser!”. The pleasure will cost you $60 USD.

Read More | Hammacher

Gallery: Star Wars Battleship

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GPX, maker of electronic items that are cheap, disposable, and usually not worth their weight in peanuts

of fine quality, has been contracted by Crayola (yes, the crayon people) to produce a series of audio/video products carrying the Crayola brand.  The product line includes a 13” TV/DVD combo, an MP3 player, CD boombox with Illustration Station, a pocket radio, calculator, and a clock radio with a color-changing night light to soothe your inner beast (plus a voice-recordable alarm).  Although crayons are the first thing that comes to mind when the name Crayola pops up, a representative for Crayola is quoted as saying that “Today(s) customers equate the brand with color, fun, quality and self-expression”.  The new products certainly are colorful, and given that they will coincide with the back-to-school period later this year, they’re sure to be popular with their target audience.

Read More | Audioholics

Gallery: Crayola Audio And Video Products

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There are times I wish I was a Japanese brain just so I can see how I would come up with these types of ideas.  The title of this entry says it all - a yo-yo, tamagotchi-type pet, and a music player rolled into one.

Not only does it grow by listening to your music, but it memorizes phrases and composes tunes that you can listen to.

It’s even compatible with other Otoizms.  When connected they dance with each other.  Otoizm was displayed at Toy Forum 2006 in Tokyo and will retail for about $29.

Read More | Gizmodo

Gallery: Otoizm: Yo-Yo, Pet and Music Player

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We really thought we’d seen just about everything - we were wrong.  We came across iAttire, a company devoted to outfitting…your iPod.  Their selection ranges from the feminine to the masculine, from the cute to the absurd, and there’s a costume to fit any iPod - even the Shuffle and Nano.  These aren’t the silicone wetsuits you’re used to - these are actual, honest-to-goodness costumes for the iPod, including a whole line of “Valentines Day” themed outfits like a chiffon negligee, boxer shorts, or even a corset. 

The rest of the line covers just about every fashion you’d think to, er, dress your iPod in, from Pop Diva to Fairy Princess.  And for the boys (is your iPod a boy or a girl?) there are a variety of manly disguises, like the Pirate, Cowboy and even Santa Claus - and here we were, thinking the iPod madness couldn’t get any crazier.  We’ll give points for creativity and good fit, however, who’d have thought to make iPod costumes?!

The best part?  They’re planning on releasing a series of iPod Portraits painted on velvet.  Oh, the cheese of it! While my iPod is perfectly happy lounging about naked (that perverted iPod!), we’ve got to admit, iAttire has a great idea - it sure brought a smile to our faces.

Read More | iAttire

Gallery: Just When You Thought You’d Seen It All - iAttire iPod Costumes

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