ALKHOBAR, 26 December 2006 — The weather outside is frightful, so turn your attention to some high-tech toys that bring fun and laughter indoors. Let’s start out with Wild Planet’s Spy Video Car (www.shopwildplanet.com), a remote-controlled car equipped with an infrared camera attached to its body and monocular eyewear to be worn by its driver. The vehicle incorporates Kopin’s CyberDisplay 300M LV monochrome active-matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD).
A camera mounted on the front of the car sends an image wirelessly to the eyewear, which enables the user to drive the car in light or darkness up to 75 feet away. The Spy Video Car allows children to enjoy the “real life” perspective of driving from inside the car or to play secret agent with night-vision capabilities. As the first toy car with the night vision capability, the Spy Video Car allows children to navigate secretly in darkness and see clearly without being detected. The car retails for $139.95.
While driving a car can be a lot of fun, trying your hand at a bit of flying might be even more amusing. The Picco Z Micro Remote Control Helicopter is small enough to hold on the palm of your hand. Unlike traditional remote control helicopters, the Picco Z can be flown indoors. The polypropylene foam body can withstand most collisions and crashes inherent to remote control helicopter flying. The helicopter is ready to fly right out of the box with no assembly required. The helicopter requires an initial charge of 20-30 minutes before its first flight and six AA batteries are needed for the controller/charger.
The Picco Z is very easy to fly as it is designed for the novice and expert pilot alike. Its small dimensions allow easy use indoors. The helicopter measures — main rotor diameter: 5.25 inches (130mm), length (excluding rotors): 6.5 inches (170mm), rear rotor diameter: 1.25 inches (30mm). It weighs only 10 grams. This helicopter is more than just a toy that hovers in the air and drops back to the ground. The Picco Z is completely maneuverable and will fly for eight to ten minutes on a full charge.
Each Picco Z ships with a two-channel, infrared controller that allows for left, right, up and down movements. The controller also doubles as a portable charger and features a compartment with a hidden cable that recharges the helicopter between flights in as few as five minutes. The controller has a range of up to 30 meters and the infrared control system with bands A, B and C, allow up to three models to be flown at the same time in the same space. The toy is very affordable, retailing for $39.
But don’t spend too much time with your head in the clouds. More fun is to be had back on the ground with the creepy, crawling NSECT. Years in development, Tyco’s NSECT (New Science of Experimental Combat Technology) creature features Variable Motion Technology, allowing it to move just like a creepy crawler you might find in your backyard. All six legs work in conjunction with one another to help the NSECT scurry across the floor and overcome various obstacles.
“Armor plated” and ready to go, the NSECT comes equipped with an assortment of weaponry seldom seen in the remote control aisle. Besides its intimidating appearance, the creature has a pinching claw that allows it to pick up and transport objects. However, its greatest weapon is cleverly concealed. With the press of a button, the creature’s eyes change color from a cautionary yellow to an angry red as its wings rise to reveal a hidden cannon that can be adjusted for targeting. Press another button and the NSECT fires its six foam suction cup darts in rapid-fire succession or one at a time.
The NSECT is available in two colors and frequencies — for head-to-head battles or multibug attacks. It’s priced at $99.99 and comes complete with all necessary batteries and a charger for operation. To learn more about this creepy crawler, log on to the NSECT Force website — www.nsectforce.com.
If you are having so much fun, then you’ll need a cool camera to take shots of all your activities. Disney Consumer Products has launched a new line of Disney Pix digital cameras especially designed for kids and tweens. Available in a variety of styles and character-themed designs, the new Disney Pix line features digital cameras, camcorders and peripherals that allow young users to shoot, edit, print and share their own digital photographs.
All of Disney’s imaging products come with Disney Pix software, designed to inspire creativity and imagination. This proprietary, highly interactive and easy-to-use editing software suite allows users to customize their photos with Disney characters, stamps, frames and more. A video-editing version is also available for digital camcorder products.
The Disney Pix line features eight products suitable for all ages and budgets and Disney-themed designs such as “Disney Chrome,” “High School Musical,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Cars,” “Little Mermaid,” “Disney Princess” and “Tinker Bell.” The line includes:
• The Disney Pix Micro Digital Camera: An ultra-small camera for easy, on-the-go pictures. Priced at $19.99.
• The Disney Pix Click Digital Camera: This camera features a 1-inch color LCD screen, VGA digital resolution (640 x 480), stores up to 200 photos, a 2X digital zoom, built-in auto flash and TV output (NTSC/PAL compatible). Priced at 49.99.
• The Disney Pix Max Digital Camera: This camera is for optimum picture taking with a 3 Mega Pixel digital resolution, a 1.5-inch color LCD screen that allows users to view their photos enhanced with Disney images utilizing innovative digital custom photo frames available directly on the screen. It also includes a 4X digital zoom, expandable memory card slot, built-in auto flash and TV output (NTSC/PAL compatible). Priced at $79.99.
• The Disney Princess Digital Movie Maker: A digital camcorder featuring 32MB of built-in memory, 640 x 480 video resolution and a built-in microphone. Priced at $79.99.
• The Disney Keychain Digital Brag Book: The perfect way to share your photos on the go, this ultra-small digital photo album keychain features a 1.1-inch LCD screen and stores up to 50 photos. Priced at $29.99.
So there you have it. A collection of fabulous high-tech toys that young and old alike can play with together indoors. What a super way to create some family fun on these cold, rainy winter weekends!