You can find tiny RC versions of Mario, Luigi and Yoshi in the toy aisles pretty much anywhere these days, but there’s a reason you’ll want to hold off and order these new Tomy versions from Amazon Japan instead. You see these versions feature LED lights and infrared sensors, and just like in the Mario Kart video games, you’ll periodically get power-ups or weapons, like the green shells, invincibility and bananas, which are indicated on the remote control.
The killer red shell and pain-in-the-ass blue shell are notably absent, but the other items provide speed bursts, or thanks to the infrared sensors, allow you to shoot and slow or hinder an opponent. The remote even has a built-in speaker and hopefully plays that awesome ‘invincibility’ tune (that’s now hard-wired into my brain) whenever you use a star. They’ll be available in Japan from June 19th for about $30 (¥2,730) each.
At 29-inches in length, this scale model of the Batmobile from the original Tim Burton BATMAN film certainly dwarfs even the 1:18 scale versions currently on the market, but when it comes to details, there’s really no comparison. It was created using the molds from the original 1989 movie models (what? you think all those stunts were done with a full-sized car?) and the interior details were scaled down from the original full-size cockpit props.
It’s got working LED headlights and taillights, a simulated fire effect at the back of its jet engine and it weighs a whopping 38lbs which equates to a price tag of about $53 a pound, which might be easier to swallow for some people. You can pre-order one now from Sideshow Collectibles even though the 500 piece limited run won’t be available until the 3rd quarter, but you’ll need to cough up a $400 non-refundable deposit in order to secure one.
It’s not uncommon to see the logos of America’s big three automakers, or their brands, slapped on everything from beverage cozies to floor mats, but you don’t often see European carmakers like Audi merchandising themselves the same way. Which is why I find this Audi branded foosball table a bit odd. Now it was created by Audi Concept Design Munich starting about 2 years ago, and the final design pictured here features flowing curves, a handcrafted wooden core, aluminum and high-strength plastic fittings and is actually endorsed for official tournament play by the Chairman of the Bavarian Table Soccer Association. But if you want one you’re probably already out of luck since just 20 are being produced, and even though they’ll cost about $16,000 a piece (€12,900) I’m sure they’re all already spoken for.
The year 2015 is slowly creeping up on us, which means there isn’t a lot of time for certain promises to be fulfilled. Flying cars, self-lacing shoes and of course, hoverboards. We’ve yet to see any real improvements on these technologies in the last 25-years, not enough to make me think we’ll see any of these in the next five years at least. The only way we’re going to get close to owning such things is to build awesome replicas, like this hoverboard.
Unlike most replicas I’ve seen, this board has one very unique feature. It actually hovers. Sadly, it only does so when placed upon a very special pedestal. It uses a pair of electromagnets and a laser system to keep it in place an inch or two in the air. It’s not powerful enough to hold the weight of a person, only around 4.5lbs. Still, just sitting there it looks like a perfectly functional hoverboard. Is it a perfect replica? No. Would it still be awesome sitting in your house? Yes.
As devices like smartphones become more and more capable, the learning curve for all of those features becomes increasingly difficult for those who aren’t quite as obsessed with gadgets and technology as some of us. So this Out of the Box concept, created by Clara Gaggero in collaboration with Adrian Westaway and Jaakko Tuomivara, sees the phone packaged in what is essentially a comprehensive, easy-to-follow instruction manual.
The phone sits in a cutout in the center of the book, and each page provides instructions on how to use different functions, including arrows pointing to exactly what buttons on the phone to press. Now granted it’s not as eco-friendly as a digital version of the manual, or a comprehensive tutorial built into the phone itself, but given pretty much everyone has mastered the concept of books, it’s certainly user-friendly.
When you think of simulators designed for the military, you probably think of pilots safely training in virtual multi-million dollar aircraft, or soldiers practicing combat via a shoot-em-up FPS, but the TC3, or Tactical Combat Casualty Care Simulation, is an FPS that’s actually designed to give medics experience in the field.
Learning how to quickly and effectively treat a wound is one thing, but learning how to administer the same treatment in the middle of a warzone is an entirely different skillset. So the TC3 simulator reinforces lessons taught in a classroom with actual scenarios played out in a virtual version of Afghanistan, where medics have to treat wounded soldiers in the middle of battles and gunfire. Everything from how to treat the wound to bedside manner is tested, since calming an injured soldier is usually the first thing you have to do before you can even begin treatment, and at the end of the mission the participants are critiqued as to how well a given situation was handled, and if there’s room for improvement.
What we’ve got here is nothing more than your average lava lamp, but with a much needed facelift so it looks more at home in a modern decor, and less like it’s a remnant of your college days you refuse to let go of. And I just realized that when the world finally transitions to fluorescent and LED lighting, the lava lamp could go extinct since they rely on the heat produced by an incandescent bulb to keep the lava flowing… A scary glimpse at a future I don’t want to be a part of. In the meantime you can get this lamp from Amazon for $67.77, with either black or hot pink ‘lava’.
Related Tags: Gaming, Remote Control, Toys
Permalink
