Top 5 high-tech toys of the summer 2012

 

Need something to keep you entertained on the weekend? We thought we’d help out by picking out some of the best gadget toys around. From LEGO toys with robotics to fun underwater gizmos James Bond himself would be proud to own. Here’s a list of five high-tech toys we’d love to own.

Apart from the Parrot A.R. Drone (out next month) each of the gadgets are available to buy from stores right now. So what’re you waiting for, check ‘em out.

Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0

You’ll never have as much fun with a smartphone as you will with the Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0. It’s a quadricopter you can control using an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet over an online connection. Motion detecting sensors in your mobile device and the A.R. Drone 2.0 itself means you can steer simply by moving your hands. And it’s piloted its way right to the top of our most-wanted toys list. The Parrot A.R. Drone doesn’t reach the shops till June, but we got hands-on with it at The Gadget Show Live 2012. See what we thought of it at the link below. 



Personalised Superhero Action Figures

Ever wanted to become an action figure? Get yourself a Personalised Superhero Action Figure with your own face, dressed as Batman, Captain America, Ironman, Powergirl, Thor or Wondergirl by snapping two photos of your face and sending them off to be made in your own image. After a bit 3D printing wizardry your toy will be ready to despatch to you in superhero fashion (delivery van). One to impress your friends with. . 



LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 (8547)

As if regular LEGO wasn’t cool enough, this LEGO Mindstorms model, when put together becomes a robot with intelligent touch sensors and customisable motors. The LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit has everything you need to make a command-obeying toy cyborg in just 30 minutes..

Bladefish 5000

This underwater propulsion jet will give you eel-like underwater abilities, letting you glide effortlessly under the sea at depths of up to 35 metres, or your local swimming pool (sure to draw weird looks) without any effort. Just hold on, and the Bladefish 5000 does all the work. If it’s good enough for James Bond….

8MP Digital Underwater Camera Mask

And for something to go with your new underwater propulsion jet, this underwater camera mask will shoot video and take clear 8-megapixel images at depths of up to five metres. It’s great for scuba diving, and stores up to 32GB worth of still shots and video. .

Seen any amazing gadget toys you think should be on our list? Share them below.

www.tell-me-first.com

Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0: we explore the ultimate big boys toy!

 

We been racking our gadget-filled brains trying to think of our current favourite high-tech toy. In the Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0 we think we may have found it. The funky quadricopter (yes, that is a thing) is a flying machine you control using your iPhone, iPad or Android device using a Wi-Fi connection. It’s the most fun you can have with your phone. And we want one now! Here’s why.

Record and stream your flights in HD

The Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0 has a front camera that transmits what it sees through its beady eyes on the screen of the pilot’s device, recording it in fabulous high definition to share to YouTube and Facebook. It’s the ultimate show-off toy.

You won’t crash

As intimidating as it may look, the A.R. Drone 2.0 is dead easy to control. An assisted flying mode knows exactly how much it’s tilting regardless of which way it is facing. Tilt your device to the left and the A.R. Drone 2.0 will follow. Easy.

Perform daring stunts at the touch of a button

A new ‘Flip’ feature lets you double tap a button on the screen of your device to perform gadget-death defying loops of terror without the risk of getting your new toy snagged up a tree.

Use it to play games

The Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0 will be compatible with lots of augmented reality games so that your experience isn’t limited to filling your household pet with terror. Come June when the A.R. Drone hits the shops we’re hoping to see compatible games land on Apple’s App Store and Google Play for Android devices.

It works with both smartphones and tablets

You don’t have to won a specific device to fly the Drone. It’s iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones and tablet compatible with devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The Parrot A.R. Drone will fly into stores in June 2012, for £280 (inc. VAT). We’ve already started saving up.

Aurasma augmented reality app brings toys to life

 

Augmented reality specialist Aurasma has teamed up with toy manufacturer Bandai to bring toys sitting on shelves to life in full 3D, letting children play with them before a box is opened. Toy shopping will never be the same.

Such augmented reality wizardry is made possible via a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices that lets children and big-boys and girls-alike view a toy in action, and with sound as if they were real.

Augmented reality technology has been around before, but not quite like this, used on the back of toy boxes. The idea is to transform the shopping experience by bringing toys to life within seconds of pointing your compatible handset at the back of a box.

Pollyanna’s apps of the month
Seeing a toy come to life is sure to entertain children, bored of looking at static store shelves, and give parents a better idea of the toys they are buying for their kids. Unlike some augmented reality tech, Aurasma has no need to scan in QR codes, so potentially any object can be brought to life.
Should you wish to try it out, head to your nearest toy shop and point your Aurasma-enabled iOS or Android device at the boxes of Bandai toys including Lion-O from Thundercats, and then watch it swing its sword in full 3D as you tilt and bring it closer to your eyes for a better look.
We’ve given it a try for ourselves, and can confirm that the Aurasma app does work. Go on, give it a try, or see it in action here. The Aurasma app is available now for free on the Android Market and Apple’s App Store for iPad 2 and iPhone.

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