As ThinkGeek points out, you technically can’t refer to these flying discs as ‘UFOs’ because they’re not ‘unidentified.’ But since IFOs doesn’t have the same ring to it, I’m going to cut them some slack, particularly since the Summer is soon drawing to a close, and these look like an entertaining way to spend an evening while the weather’s still nice. The Glow And Throw kit comes with a 9.25 inch flying plastic disc that features a set of symmetrically drilled holes. It also comes with 14 green, red, blue, orange and yellow glow tubes that you can thread and connect through these holes so that when the disc is thrown, persistence of vision creates some unusual looking 3D shapes.
You can get the starter kit from ThinkGeek which includes the flying disc, the glow tubes and a set of connectors for $9.99, while a set of 14 additional glow tubes and connectors is $3.99.
Batman’s definitely known for his wonderful toys, and while the The Dark Knight didn’t disappoint when it came to crime-fighting electronics and gadgetry, I guess I must have dozed off at some point since I don’t remember seeing him use this particular weapon. The Dark Knight Attack Bat sits quietly on a bat-themed display stand until you push a button causing its eyes to glow while it begins to make chittering noises. Pushing another button will then cause it to spread its wings and take flight around your room until I assume its lack of radar will cause it to crash into a wall or a hilariously misplaced expensive Ming Vase. So if you’re a fan of Batman and have a penchant for collecting items that have never, or will never appear in any of the films, comics, TV shows or video games, you can pick one of these up from Entertainment Earth for $27.99.
While this electric toy car/windmill model kit is recommended as an educational toy for kids 15 years and older, it seems better suited for the younger set who go through batteries like they grow on trees. Once assembled, the electric car is actually recharged by connecting it to the turbine on the back of the windmill. The windmill itself features a loop-wing design that can be turned with even the slightest breeze, but also has a switchable gear system for better harnessing the power from a particularly strong wind. The electric car will run for about 1-2 minutes with about 5-10 minutes of charging, and since it attaches to the windmill your kid can spend the afternoon running around the backyard with it, creating their own breeze. The kit is available on the Tamiya America website for $67.
Companies like Tonka and Fisher-Price have made a name for themselves when it comes to designing toys that can survive the abuse of a small child. But with today’s kids becoming more and more tech-savvy, it only makes sense that in recent years they’ve expanded to making easy-to-use but hard-to-destroy electronics like digital cameras. Continuing with that trend, Fisher-Price is now selling a ‘Kid-Tough’ portable DVD player that features a rubberized shell and shock & skip-proof technology allowing it to survive multiple drops at the hands of a pre-schooler. The 3.2-inch LCD display isn’t gigantic by any stretch of the imagination, but it gives the player about 2 hours of battery life which should make any kid who’s stuck in a car seat more than happy. But that small screen size also means the DVD player can’t really be shared, so the $149.98 price tag is kind of steep if you have more than one kid to distract.
Here’s another low-tech gadget for the spy who’s on a tight budget. If you’ve ever gotten a quote for a custom geosynchronous spy satellite, you’ll know that the price tag is usually well beyond what a non-government funded spy can afford. So here’s a decidedly simpler and considerably more affordable solution if you’re looking to do a little aerial reconnaissance. The Spy Kite features a delta wing kite made of fiberglass and ripstop material that’s capable of lifting a compact digital camera over 80 feet into the air. Presumably the camera can be remotely triggered using the kite’s handle, and I also assume the 80 foot altitude is only a limitation imposed by the wireless remote.
Once the kite is returned safely to the ground the digital camera can be connected to your PC via USB for downloading your shots, but I have no idea how many photos you can take or what the resolution is like. Though with a price tag of about $57 from Gadgetshop, I wouldn’t expect too much from it.
As a kid I was a big fan of remote controlled cars, trucks and planes and while I stayed on top of what was new and cool via a handful of different magazines, I never really owned what would be considered a ‘real’ RC toy. (i.e. non-Tyco) And even as an irresponsible adult I still can’t bring myself to spending hundreds of dollars on a high-end RC vehicle, but thankfully these days the cheaper versions seem to be just as cool. Take this Silverlit RC Ducati bike for example, thanks to a built-in gyro the bike is actually steered by the leaning motion of the small plastic rider, making it look slightly more realistic as it careens around your office. In fact here’s a video of it in action:
The 1:12 scale licensed motorcycle also features digital proportional steering, spring suspensions for those wicked jumps and the ability to adjust the throttle and braking response. It’s currently available from RED5 for about $95, and includes a remote that’s available in 2 different frequencies.
The PicooZ was the first real RC helicopter that you could safely fly indoors. I mean technically there’s nothing stopping a skilled RC chopper pilot from using a gas-powered model in their living room, but crashes can happen, and going down in a room full of furniture and people is a lot different than going down in an empty field. And given how easy the tiny PicooZ helicopters were to fly, it wasn’t surprising to see how popular they became, and how many knock-offs soon followed. But at least this RC Flying Cockroach manages to set itself apart from other knock-offs by looking like… well… a giant cockroach. (Or a small cockroach, depending on where you live.) The set of rotors sticking out of its back will probably tip people off that it’s not the real thing, though the Japan Trend Shop website does list “scaring your victims” as a potential use. But even if they’re not creeped out when buzzed by a fake, flying cockroach, I guess the risk of getting a set of plastic spinning blades to the face could be just as scary.
Like most of the miniature RC helicopters on the market, the Flying Cockroach is recharged using the remote control (which gobbles up 6 AA batteries) and a 30-minute charge gives you about 5 minutes of flight time. You can get your own from the Japan Trend Shop for $59.00.
And speaking of safety, Sideshow Collectibles is selling a prop replica of the Wolverine claws used by Hugh Jackman (or his stunt double) in the X-Men films. Instead of Adamantium, the replica claws are made from solid machined aluminum and include the stainless steel palm attachments which enabled the actors to wear the claws on set. Of course the Sideshow Collectibles website makes sure to mention that the claws come “permanently affixed to the custom, sturdy wood “X” display plaque…” but there’s little doubt in my mind that whoever buys a set of these replicas will do everything they can to find a way to remove them. (Why else would you buy them?)
The Wolverine claws replicas will be available from Sideshow Collectibles for $149.99, but at the moment they can only be pre-ordered. And besides coming with the risk of cutting yourself up real good like, they also come with a full color Certificate of Authenticity since only 500 sets will be produced.
If you are a big fan of 80’s pop culture, then there’s a chance you’ve already picked yourself up a Knight Rider R/C car. Sure, KITT was an awesome car, but what about that sweet GMC van that the A-Team rode around in?
If you want to add another 80’s icon to your collection of R/C cars, then the A-Team van is probably the way to go. Unfortunately there’s not really anything exciting about this, aside from the looks. It’s an officially licensed product which runs on 4x AA batteries and 1 9v. It’ll set you back around $60. Personally, I’m holding out for a Back to the Future DeLorean R/C car.
We posted about the Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 back in February, and some of you seemed to want one. Or something. Anyway, I think it’s wicked cool, and it’s now available from Hasbro for the promised price of $40. That’s right, you get a fully automatic Nerf dart Gatling gun for just 40 clams. Turns out you get a little extra, too… The “Value Pack” includes a shoulder strap plus one extra belt and darts, for a total of 50 rounds. 50 rounds is good for about 16 seconds of firing, as the EBF-25 tops out at a meager 3 RPS. Max range is rumored to be pretty poor, and with 6 D batteries to power it, it probably weighs a ton. But I’m not worried. It’s only been out for like a day, and somebody over on NerfHaven has already hacksawed one in half to improve airflow and increase range. I’m looking forward to some DIY modding that turns it into a Nerf version of this.
The Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 looks to be available online, and in Wal-Marts in Colorado but nowhere else (?) yet.
Related Tags: 
Permalink
By Andrew Liszewski
