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nintendoduck-blog · 7 years ago

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Vivre Le Rêve Christmas Toy Top Ten Predictions

New Post has been published on https://www.vivrelereve.co.uk/christmas-toy-top-ten/

Vivre Le Rêve Christmas Toy Top Ten Predictions

Here’s our list of top 10 Christmas toys for 2017. It’s the time of year when thoughts start to turn to Christmas shopping – especially for those with little ones to buy for. Popular toys can be in short supply and snapped up quickly so we’ve has issued our list of top present predictions early this year to help parents plan ahead. They can, therefore, see which toys are going to be the most wanted and start ordering now to try and be more organised for the big day.

So we’ve been checking the toys out, playing with them, getting kids to play with them and finding out the cheapest places to buy the toys – updated in realtime wherever we can.

We’re predicting tech toys will be a big hit with kids this year!

1. Anki Cozmo Robot £199.99

Christmas Toy Top Ten

This guy really is pretty special. We’ve spent a bit of time with Cozmo and his personality really does evolve as you hang out with him more. He’ll nudge you to play with him, and we’ve even seen him get annoyed and move away from his ‘owner’ when they’d ignored him for a while – though he soon comes around.

2. Vtech Kidizoom Flix Playset £46.98 (RPP £59.99)

Christmas Toy Top Ten

Meet Flix! Your fun alien camera friend! Customise his look using the camera by changing the colour of his eyes and background. Unlock some funky accessories by playing 3 fun games. Set Flix to Guard mode where he will act as your guard and take photos in secret!

Features include a 2 mega pixel camera, 1.8 inch colour screen, twistable lens and a built-in rechargeable battery.

Bundled with a flexible tripod and USB cable for photo uploading.

3. Lego Boost 17101 Creative Toolbox £149.99

LEGO Boost

This LEGO robot takes construction to another level – you can style him to be a classic looking bot or turn him into a cat, guitar or auto-builder. There are 840 pieces in this epic set, and each one of the different robot styles has a set of activities designed especially for it: access them using the dedicated app. We can’t quite believe how many skills this toy rolls into one…

4. FurReal Roarin’ Tyler The Playful Tiger £134.99

FurReal Roarin’ Tyler The Playful Tiger

This totally lovable tiger is always ready to play – he has 100 sound and motion combinations and reactions when you play with him. Stroke his tummy and he might give a roar or blink his eyes in appreciation. He responds when he’s given his little yellow bird toy to play with too. Adorable.

5. Mattel Bloxels Game £39 (RRP £43.99)

Mattel FFB15 Bloxels Build Your Own Video Game

Now here is an epic idea. Take a pinch of Minecraft, a hint of Lego, along with classic platform video games and turn it into a toy that not only allows children to play those video games, but to help craft them too. Let kids be creative, let them THINK, and also let them play. Awesome.

6. FurReal Friends Makers Proto Max Interactive Pup £89.99

Christmas Toy Top Ten

Kids can create and code their own ultimate pup with the amazing Proto Max interactive pet from FurReal.

With over 400 sounds, over 100 eye animations, a wide range of colours and 360-degree motion, you can customise this cute little critter right down to its personality! You can even have it do awesome tricks and routines by using the downloadable app! The fun starts as soon as you open the box and start to create your very own pup!

An ideal introduction to coding and computers, Proto Max is perfect for inspiring creativity as well as developing thinking and problem-solving skills.

7. Meccano Robot M.A.X £149.99

Christmas Toy Top Ten

From the internationally renowned maker of robotic toys arises a new model of impressive proportions. M. A. X. Combines Artificial Intelligence (AI) with customisable programming. The result is a one-of-a-kind robot of your own creation! Once built, M. A. X measures 12-inches tall! Control M. A. X using voice commands, buttons on the MeccaBrain, or the free M. A. X app! You’ll know exactly what M. A. X is thinking based on the expressive facial graphics. If you know a young mind in need of a challenge, introduce them to their new friend, M. A. X!

As a S. T. E. M robotics platform, M. A. X is designed to engage kids in intellectually stimulating play, drawing on their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and maths.

Not just a learning tool, this robot loves fun! Try playing on M. A. X’s built-in gaming platform; are you smarter than a robot? Find out with the built in trivia game, or ask it to tell you a joke! With a multitude of features, kids will want to bring M. A. X everywhere!

8. Nerf Nitro Motor Fury Rapid Rally £49.99

Nerf Nitro Motor Fury

Blast into motorised, rapid-fire stunt challenges with the Nerf Nitro MotoFury Rapid Rally set. Design outrageous car-blasting action with the high-jump ramp, long-jump ramp, and 12 obstacles. Comes with 9 cars, including 3 special ones available only in this set.

9. Lego Creator 10254 Winter Holiday Train £74.99

Lego Christmas Train

Celebrate the holidays with this festively decorated Winter Holiday Train set from Lego.

Featuring a sturdy green engine with red locomotive wheels and a large smoke-bellowing stack, it also boasts a coal tender, flatbed wagon with Christmas tree, gifts and toys and a cosy red wagon where you can join the ticket collector at the table for a warm cup of cocoa.

Have fun loading up the toys and gifts and watch the Christmas tree rotate as you journey around the track. Stop to pick up the passengers at the charming boarding platform with its bench and lamp-post, then join the driver in his taxi and help deliver the precious cargo in time for Christmas.

10. Luvabella Doll £99.99

Luvabella

This robotic doll has an astonishingly expressive face – her lips move and her eyes blink. And she is programmed with 100s of responses and reactions. So, if you tickle her tummy or her toes, she will giggle, if you give her her lamb toy, she will kiss it, and if you cover her eyes, she will play peekaboo! She’ll also adapt to how your child likes to play, responding more positively to repeated actions, and even learning to say a few words.

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laflechanet · 5 years ago

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Nueva noticia publicada en LaFlecha

New Post has been published on https://laflecha.net/proyectos-divertidos-de-robotica-que-puedes-hacer-en-casa/

Proyectos divertidos de robótica que puedes hacer en casa

Si estás buscando algo que hacer para aprovechar el tiempo en casa, iniciar un proyecto de robótica es una de las actividades más completas y divertidas. A los niños les encanta y los mayores también pueden participar.

Cuando decides poner en marcha un proyecto relacionado con la tecnología, existes muchas opciones, y todas ellas son buenas: aprender un lenguaje de programación, aprender a montar un PC desde cero, etc. Uno de los más completos que existen es la robótica, porque reúne varias disciplinas. Aquí te mostramos8 proyectos divertidos de robótica que puedes hacer en casa.

Con un kit de robótica aprendes a montar físicamente un robot, pero también lo programas, lo modificas, lo personalizas, e incluso te inventas nuevas funciones. Y es divertido en sí mismo. ¿A quién no le gusta construir su propio robot?

Si emprendes un proyecto de robótica aprendes ingeniera, programación, matemáticas, telecomunicaciones, y además te lo pasas bien. Y es una aventura que pueden llevar a cabo niños y mayores. Un entretenimiento educativo para practicar en familia.

Por supuesto, cuando hablamos de robots no nos referimos sólo a los clásicos androides que caminan sobre dos patas. Un coche puede ser un robot, e incluso una impresora 3D, que puedes montar tu mismo.

Algunos de estos proyectos funciona con una Raspberry Pi o una placa Arduino, que quizá debas comprar aparte. Y todos exigen una pequeña inversión para comprar el kit de piezas. Hemos dado preferencia a los kits de robótica asequibles. Como verás alguno de ellos apenas cuestan 40 euros, y ninguno supera los 200 euros.

Vamos a echar un vistazo a 8 proyectos de robótica divertidos que puedes hacer en casa.

Kits de robótica para todas las edades

PiCar-S

Monta tu propia impresora 3D

Zowi

Makeblock Explorer Kit

Lego Boost

Edison 2.0

Robots Dash y Dot

ELEGOO Smart Robot Kit Cat 3.0

PiCar-S

Si tienes una tarjeta Raspberry Pi, o no te importa comprar una, uno de los proyectos de robótica más divertidos para esta tarjeta es PiCar-S. Básicamente, construir un coche controlado por una Raspberry Pi.

Una de las mejoras cosas que tiene es que funciona con todos los modelos, desde Raspberry Pi 2 a la nueva Rasberry Pi 4 B:

Pi 4 Model B

Este Mini PC cuenta con varias versiones, de 1GB, 2GB y 4GB de memoria RAM. Da un salto cualitativo con respecto a anteriores versiones tanto en potencia como en conectividad. Cómprala al mejor precio

PiCar-S incluye todo lo necesario para montar un coche teledirigido, y controlarlo con la Rapsberry Pi. También puede manejarse con una app instalada en el móvil.

Lo más interesante son los sensores. Con el sensor de luz el coche puede funcionar a oscuras, y dirigirse hacia una fuente de luz. Tiene también un sensor ultrasónico, así que puede sortear obstáculos. Y además posee un sensor para seguir una línea (dibujas un circuito para que lo recorra)

En el pack tenemos desde el chasis del vehículo a las ruedas, el motor, la batería, luces, cámara, etc. No requiere ningún tipo de soldadura o conexión compleja. Todo se conecta mediante clips que solo encajan en una dirección.

Con ayuda del manual y un vídeo explicativo es fácil montar el coche, conectar una Rapsberry Pi, y controlarlo con los programas preinstalados. Además es posible programarlo con un sencillo lenguaje de programación que usa bloques visuales, llamado Dragit. Y también programarlo con Python. Así que puede ser una experiencia todo lo sencilla o compleja que quieras.

PiCar-S

PiCar-S es un kit de robótica para Raspberry Pi en donde puedes construir tu propio coche y controlarlo con el móvil. También es posible programarlo con un sencillo lenguaje por bloques, o en Python. Ver Oferta en Amazon

Un kit de robótica divertido y educativo para niños y mayores.

PiCar-S tiene un precio de 83,99€ en Amazon.

Monta tu propia impresora 3D

Quizá esta propuesta te haya pillado por sorpresa. ¿Una impresora 3D es un kit de robótica? Pues técnicamente, sí. Al menos los modelos más baratos, que se venden desmontados y tienes que montarlos pieza a pieza.

Montar una impresora 3D no es una tarea difícil, porque las instrucciones son claras y existe mucha documentación y foros de ayuda. Pero sí exige una precisión absoluta. Las piezas debes estar exactamente en su posición y perfectamente alineadas. Sino la impresora no imprimirá bien, o lo hará torcido, o no respetará las medidas.

Si te animas, una impresora 3D barata sin montar cuesta unos 200 euros:

Impresora 3D Comgrow Creality 3D Ender 3

La impresora 3D Comgrow Creality 3D Ender 3 es una de las más asequibles y mejor valoradas de Amazon. Es una impresora 3D DIY con una superficie de impresión de 220 x 220 x 250 mm. Solo necesita 5 minutos de calentamiento, y es capaz de reanudar la impresión cuando se detiene. Ver Oferta en Amazon

Además de que es un proceso divertido, la recompensa es que obtienes un robot tremendamente útil, con el que podrás imprimir juguetes, accesorios para el móvil o las consolas, objetos decorativos, piezas para tu trabajo o tus hobbies, y mil cosas más.

Hay que ser un poco manitas, pero la experiencia merece la pena.

Zowi

Zowi es el robot programable de bq, que se ha hecho famoso por aparecer en un programa de televisión.

Tiene ya unos años, pero eso juega a su favor porque existe abundante información y cientos de proyectos que se pueden probar.

Zowi está pensado para que los niños aprendan los conceptos de la programación y la robótica. Por si solo puede andar, bailar, y hacer gestos con la boca. Tiene también un sensor de ultrasonidos que hace que reaccione a las palmadas o los toques.

dailymotion

Existen una app de Android (no está disponible para iOS) que permite comunicarse con el robot, acceder a minijuegos y desbloquear más contenido.

Además Zowi se puede programar con el lenguaje BitBloq, un sencillo lenguaje por bloques que permite hacer cosas como enseñar a cantar al robot, hacer que recorrar una ruta preprogramada, o que te avise cuando detecta ruido.

Zowi

Zowi es un robot programable ideado para que los niños aprendan programación. Es compatible con el lenguaje BitBloq, y con la placa Arduino. Ver Oferta en Amazon

Finalmente, también es compatible con la placa Arduino, con la que se puede añadir nuevos sensores, y programación más avanzada.

Aunque está pensado para niños, cualquier persona puede aprender conceptos de programación y usarlo para cosas más serias, a través de Arduino.

Zowi tiene un precio de unos 66 euros en Amazon.

Makeblock Explorer Kit

Makeblock Explorer Kit es uno de los kits más asequibles de la gama MakeBlock.

Se compone de un bloque motorizado con una placa Arduino One, que viene con multitud de sensores programables: sensor de luz, pulsador, receptor infrarrojo, sensor ultrasonido, un guía-línea, zumbador, LED RGB, y emisor infrarrojo. Y hay que montarlo desde cero. Tiene una edad mínima de 14 años.

Los kit de robótica mBot y mBot Complete incluyen una placa (basada en la Arduino One) y distintos sensores y piezas que se pueden combinar para crear distintos robots que interactúan y reaccionan ante diferentes estímulos. Con mBot Ranger, se puede crear incluso un coche de carreras, un balancín y un tanque.

Makeblock Explorer Kit

Makeblock Explorer Kit es un kit de robótica basado en Arduino, que permite constuir diferentes tipos de robots, con todo tipo de sensores. Se puede programar en Scratch o Python. Ver Oferta en Amazon

Cada kit cuenta con varias configuraciones para que el proceso de creación de un robot sea más ameno para los principiantes. El Pack Inventor, por ejemplo, ha sido diseñado expresamente para aprender sobre la plataforma Arduino y crear prototipos fácilmente. Ultimate 2.0 es un producto muy completo que permite a los usuarios crear hasta 10 montajes prediseñados.

A la hora del programarlo, se puede usar Scrach, o el versátil lenguaje profesional Python.

Makeblock cuesta 90 euros en Amazon.

Lego Boost

Lego dispone de numerosos kits de robótica, pero son bastante caros. Su gama estrella, Lego Mindstorm, no baja de los 300 euros.

Una opción más barata pero también interesante, es la plataforma Lego Boost, lanzada hace un par de años.

Lego Boost está compuesto por un bloque motorizado llamado Move Hub, que integra un sensor de inclinación y está alimentado por seis pilas AAA, otro motor y otro sensor que combina el color y la distancia, así como 843 piezas tradicionales de LEGO. Puedes construir lo que quieras, no tiene que ser un robot.

dailymotion

El robot se programa a través de una app disponible para iPad y tablets Android que tiene una interfaz muy intuitiva y fácil de utilizar basada en Scratch, el lenguaje de codificación visual desarrollado por el MIT.

LEGO Boost permite construir y programar cinco robots, cada uno de ellos con un nivel de complejidad diferente para adaptarse a los usuarios de todos los niveles. Los estudiantes podrán fabricar una guitarra de colores, un vehículo parecido a un camión, una máquina similar a una impresora 3D, al gato Frankie y a Vernie, un robot antropomórfico que es el proyecto con mayor nivel de dificultad.

Lego Boost

Lego Boost es un módulo programable con un lenguaje por bloques, que gracias a las piezas de Lego podemos convertirlo en un robot, un gato, y otros objetos, cada uno con sus habilidades programables. Ver Oferta en Amazon

Cada uno de los robots se puede programar para realizar diferentes tareas con las que los niños aprenden los principios de la codificación y la robótica mientras se divierten. El androide Vernie es el que cuenta con un repertorio más amplio: puede bailar, disparar un pequeño proyectil contra un blanco, o incluso mantener una conversación.

Lego Boost cuesta 139,99 euros en Amazon.

Edison 2.0

Si buscas un kit de robótica versátil, muy personalizable, y barato, Edison 2.0 seguro que te resulta de interés.

Básicamente es un motor con ruedas y sensores. La característica más importante es que compatible con las piezas de Lego, así que puedes usarlo para lo que quieras.

Edison 2.0 detecta y esquiva obstáculos, comienza a moverse con el sonido de una palmada, rastrea líneas siguiendo su recorrido, detecta la luz y además se comunica con otros robots EDISON.

Los proyectos de robótica más inquietantes que hay en marcha ahora mismo

Sus creadores aseguran que son inofensivos y que su principal objetivo es ayudar a los humanos, pero la ciencia ficción nos ha hecho volvernos desconfiados con el concepto de ‘robot’. Vamos a repasar los proyectos de robótica más aterradores que hay ahora mismo en marcha. Lee el reportaje

Puedes elegir entre jugar con el control remoto y los programas precargados o crear tus propios programas. Hay contenido didáctico para niños desde los 4 hasta los 16 años. Existen distintos niveles de lenguaje que se ofrecen para programar. Desde el más básico basado en bloques, a Python o, un lenguaje híbrido.

Edison 2.0 solo cuesta 45 euros en Amazon.

Robots Dash y Dot

Dash y Dot son dos simpáticos robots que han recibido numerosos premios en varios países, y desde hace poco están disponibles con el software en español.

Son dos robots independientes que se venden por separado, pero juntos pueden realizar más acciones. Puedes empezar con Dot, ya que mediante un accesorio se puede transformar en Dash.

El más grande, que dispone de ruedas, puede hacer cosas como moverse, bailar, iluminarse, hacer sonidos, evitar obstáculos e incluso reaccionar ante la voz. Además viene con dos extensiones para poder utilizar ladrillos Lego y personalizar el robot.

Dot es más modesto (también más barato), ya que nos se mueve, pero habla, reconoce movimientos, y tiene luces programables.

8 lenguajes de programación para aprender a programar desde cero

Saber programar no solo sirve para crear o mejorar programas. Aprender un lenguaje también te prepara para resolver los problemas de la vida diaria, y te ayuda en tu día a día. Incluso puedes ganarte la vida con ello. Lee el reportaje

Lo más interesante de estos robots es que se programan con Blocky, el lenguaje de Google, y además usan un lenguaje propio basados en iconos, desde el móvil o la tablet.

La aplicación tiene más de 300 desafíos en forma de retos de programación, con recompensas en forma de desbloqueos de habilidades y herramientas, que animan a superarlos.

El robot Dash tiene un precio de 143 euros en Amazon. El pequeño Dot es más asequible. Lo puedes encontrar por unos 71 euros en Amazon.

ELEGOO Smart Robot Kit Cat 3.0

Aquí tenemos un kit de robótica integral, en el sentido de que toca distintas ramas. Elegoo Smart Robot Kit Cat 3.0 te invita a montar un coche teledirigido desde cero, para lo cual aprenderás conocimientos de robótica, electrónica, ingenería y programación.

El montaje está recomendado para mayores de 12 años, pero como se ve en las fotos, aunque contiene instrucciones detallas en español, no es un juguete que pueda montar un niño por su cuenta. Es un producto que incluso puede ser un reto para los adultos.

Este Kit viene con una placa Arduino Uno, que se usa para programar diferentes funciones, conectando la placa a un ordenador. Podemos crear programas para que funcione de forma autónoma, esquivando obstáculos, o bien hacer que siga una línea en el suelo, o controlarlo con un mando incluido, o con una app desde el móvil.

A través de Arduino, se puede usar para todo tipo de proyectos.

Es un kit interesante porque es bastante completo, no es solo para niños, y tiene un precio ajustado. Elegoo Smart Robot Kit Cat 3.0 cuesta 71,99 euros en Amazon.

Fuente: Computerhoy.com

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barrenharold021-blog · 5 years ago

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Overall best robots for kids

Best Overall: Wonder Workshop Dash

What We Like • 5 hours of play • Expansion kits • Workshops and competitions available What We Don't Like • Expensive • Reports of DOA units • Reports of batteries not holding charges

The Wonder Workshop Dash robot is the perfect toy for teaching your little ones the basics of coding and robotics. Dash is compatible with five different apps that show off its abilities and slowly introduce kids to programming fundamentals until they have a basic understanding of how coding works. Wonder Workshop also offers children the chance to take part in the Wonder League to share ideas and Dash obstacle course builds and the Wonder Workshop Robotics Competitions to show off their skills.

Dash’s abilities can be expanded on with the sketch kit for making art, a bulldozer blade, a projectile launcher, costumes, a xylophone, and even an adapter to connect LEGO building bricks for truly custom robot builds. The Dash robot has been used in over 20,000 schools across the U.S. to help make computer and robotics science fun for kids. Do Robotic Pool Cleaners Really Work https://www.robotsden.com/do-robotic-pool-cleaners-really-work Best Coding: Makeblock mBot Robot Kit

What We Like

• Add-ons available • Step up software to keep older kids engaged • Great for home and classrooms

What We Don't Like

• Special batteries needed • Weak wheel connections • May not work as well with Mac computers Makeblock, one of the leading brands of STEM toys, has introduced the mBot robot kit to help get kids more interested in science, engineering, and technology. The mBot can be put together in as little as 15 minutes with the included guide; it can also be built into almost any configuration your child can imagine by combining it with building blocks like LEGO and Mega Bloks.

The little robot is controlled by a dedicated iOS or Android app to teach the basics of coding and programming. There's also a more advanced programming software that can be used with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome-based computers for more in-depth coding and to keep older kids interested in science and engineering.

Both the mBot and dedicated software are not only great to play with at home, but elementary school teachers can use them in the classroom for hands-on learning. arduino robot arm source code https://www.robotsden.com/7-arduino-robotic-arm-project-ideas-tutorial-plus-source-code

Best Robotic Pet: Miposaur

What We Like

• Hours of fun • Interacts with other MiP bot toys • Use on hardwood or carpeted floors

What We Don't Like

• Connection issues with trackball • Reports of DOA units • Reports of failing units

If your kids have ever dreamed of owning a pet dinosaur, the Miposaur is the closest they’ll get to the real thing. This fun, robotic dinosaur can be controlled with hand gestures, the included trackball, or the dedicated mobile app. The Miposaur responds to 10 different commands and cycles through three different moods; it even sometimes ignores commands to teach children creative problem solving and show off its mischievous personality.

With the hand gestures, your kids can make Miposaur swipe its claws, clap, and even roar. The trackball is meant to "feed" the dinosaur, make it dance, and even make it play fetch. The dedicated app works with both iOS and Android smartphones or tablets to convert the dinosaur into a fully remote-controlled toy or make it interact with other MiP robot toys. Both the dinosaur and trackball run on batteries and give your child up to six hours of playtime. remote control car with night vision https://www.robotsden.com/best-remote-control-car-with-night-vision

Best Solar Powered: Discovery Kids Mindblow 12-in-1 Solar Robot What We Like

• Solar powered • Can be used in water • 12 blueprints included

What We Don't Like

• Limited operation in dim light or with bulbs under 100W • Reports of DOA units • Instructions are picture-only and in black-and-white

The Discovery Kids Mindblow 12-in-1 Solar Robot kit has everything your kids need to build just about any robot they can dream up. The kit includes 12 sets of blueprints for everything from a robot dog to a bot that can row around a pond or bathtub. There are 190 pieces to encourage children to try out different designs and teach the basics of mechanical and robotic engineering. The kit is powered by a small solar panel, eliminating the need for batteries and chargers that can get lost, damaged, or cut playtime short by running out of energy.

Each robot build features clear body panels so kids can see how the motor drives gears and shafts in order to make the unit move. Each build also utilizes a basic "face" to help give the robots a personality that kids can connect and have fun with. If you have older kids who have a basic understanding of engineering and are looking to build upon that, the Discovery Kids Mindblow 12-in-1 Solar Robot kit is just what they need.

Best for Parents and Kids: Nintendo Labo Variety Kit

What We Like

• Easy for kids and parents to build together • Game included • Compatible with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

What We Don't Like

• No extra parts if you damage them while building • Older children may get bored easily • Reports of customers receiving the Japanese language kit rather than the English one

Nintendo has been a leading innovator in the video games market with consoles like the original Game Boy and the Nintendo Switch. They’re now taking on augmented reality and engineering with their Labo brand add-ons for the Switch. The Variety Kit contains all you need to build two RC cars, a house, a fishing rod, motorbike handlebars, and a 13-key piano.

The kit comes packaged with a game cartridge included to show you the basics of how to use each of the builds. The motorbike handles are also compatible with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for a more immersive playing experience.

Kids and parents can use the Toy-Con Garage software to create new ways to use the kit’s builds or use cardboard and other household objects to create your own Toy-Con objects. You can customize each build with paint, markers, stickers as well as other Labo kits for truly unique builds.

Best for Pre-Teens: LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox 17101 What We Like

• Five buildable bots • Compatible with certain LEGO City and NINJAGO kits • App teaches intermediate programming and coding concepts

What We Don't Like

• App will not work with Kindle Child profiles • Incompatible with LEGO Mindstorm kits • Connectivity issues with Kindle 7 and 8 tablets LEGO has jumped into making STEM toys, offering plenty of options to make science, engineering, and coding fun for kids of all ages.

The Boost Creative Toolbox 17101 contains 847 pieces to build five different robots: Vinnie the Robot, a semi-functioning guitar, Frankie the Cat, a multi-tooled rover car, and an automated assembly line to build miniature structures.

Each build can be controlled with the dedicated Boost app on iOS, Android, Kindle, and Windows 10 smartphones or tablets. The app also builds upon basic coding and programming lessons to introduce more advanced concepts.

Kids can combine the Boost Creative Toolbox with the LEGO City Arctic Scout truck and the NINJAGO Stormbringer to create even more robot builds and obstacle courses. The Toolbox comes with a playmat that allows your kids to do specific activities like path tracing.

Runner-Up, Best for Pre-Teens: Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst What We Like

• All hardware, tools, and safety equipment included • Challenge cards • Great for classrooms

What We Don't Like

• Younger children may get frustrated • Reports of missing pieces • May not work as well on smooth surfaces While not as complicated to build as the LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox, the Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst still offers your kids plenty of opportunities to test their engineering skills. The kit comes with over 50 parts to create an almost unlimited number of robots and vehicles; from doodle bots and simple cars to robots that can cut paper and even make scrambled eggs.

It comes with all the tools your kids need to get started, including safety glasses to reinforce basic lab safety procedures. There are 10 challenge cards with specific goals to help kickstart your child’s imagination, and each challenge can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to build to provide hours of fun. Like the Makeblock mBot kit, the Electric Motors Catalyst kit is great for playing with at home, and also a useful classroom tool for hands-on engineering lessons.

Best RC Robot: LEGO Mindstorms EV3 31313

What We Like • 17 robot designs • Online tutorials • Sensors to make the robot interact with stimuli What We Don't Like • May be too complicated for younger children • Reports of missing pieces • Programming software has issues with Microsoft Silverlight

The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 31313 buildable robot kit comes with everything your kids need to create their own remote-controlled bots. There are five different styles of robots that can be made with the 601 pieces: SPIK3R the robot leader, an all-terrain vehicle, a gripper bot, a robotic snake, and a scorpion bot. Included in the over 600 pieces of the kit are three interactive servo motors and sensors for infrared light, colors, and touch to make the robots even more responsive to input. The EV3 kit is compatible with all LEGO build sets so your kids can make truly unique builds, obstacle courses, or target ranges. The bots are controlled by a dedicated app that works with both iOS and Android mobile devices. There is also a step-up software for Windows and Mac computers to teach more complex coding lessons and keep older kids and even teens interested in science, robotics, and engineering. Kids, parents, and teachers can visit the Mindstorms website to download building guides for 12 additional robots, programming, and coding tutorials, and access the thriving online community in order to share ideas and robot creations. toy robot that blows smoke https://www.robotsden.com/toy-robot-that-blows-smoke-gifts-to-delight-your-inquisitive-kid

The 9 Best Tablets for Kids in 2020

Our Process

Our writers spent 38 hours researching and testing the most popular robotic toys for kids on the market. All of this research adds up to recommendations you can trust.

What to Look for in a Robotic Device for Kids

STEM features - Robots are fun, but let’s face it: A lot of the reasoning involved in splurging on a toy like this is for STEM learning. Different robots and robotics have varying levels of STEM; some have it as a primary focus, while for others it’s just a result of using the robot. If you specifically want your child to learn about coding or robotics, it may be better to pick a model that emphasizes these features.

Age level - The age of your child plays an important role in what kind of robot would best suit them. You may want to consider purchasing a robot that will grow with them if your child is young, offering basic features at the beginning with room to expand later. On the other hand, if your child is old enough to learn to code, a more advanced model might work better.

Personality - It’s hard not to get attached to a robot, especially considering how cute some of them are. Some robots even have a personality that will develop based on interaction and use. If you think your child might enjoy having a robot companion to play with, choosing one with a personality might be a fun idea.

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johnvhbrown · 5 years ago

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Lego Boost Creative Toolbox Boosting Your Kid Imagination Report

Lego Boost Creative Toolbox Review

[caption id="attachment_781" align="alignleft" width="450"] Lego Boost Creative Toolbox Top Award[/caption]

Lego boost creative toolbox or Laser Pegs T-Rex is very much like how you would assemble Legos.

However, they are a little different because LED lights illuminate them in the dark, which adds to their appeal.

Also, each set can make 20 different animals.

They are also compatible with other Laser Pegs sets and building block brands, so you can build unlimited designs using a combination of the pieces.

Each box comes with an instruction manual with number groupings that you can refer to when you start building.

Also included are the pieces of the figure, light up power bricks, sound blocks, and pegs with 15 LED light.

This toy runs on batteries, so you might want to buy extra ones when you decide to get the toy, but don’t worry because the kit got you covered the first time.

[caption id="attachment_783" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Laser Pegs T-Rex 20-in-1 Lighting Up Your Kid’s Imagination[/caption]

Lego Boost Creative Toolbox 17101 Building

This toy works just like other building, and construction toys do.

When connecting them, make sure to avoid forcing parts together to avoid damage and bad design.

If a piece doesn't go all the way in, look for a different one to attach or set that cluster aside and build a different one, until you finish more groups to put together.

You may have to search for the instructions on how to create the other animals.

They are a lot of people over the internets who are sharing their designs and patterns because the pieces of the toy are exceptionally customizable.

This fact alone makes it even more interesting since you can interact with people of with the same interest and toys.

That also can help boost even more the creativity juice and learn new things to do you did not think even possible.

Lego Building tips and tricks are some of the few things that you learn.

Lego Boost Creative Toolbox

Parent can participate in the building of the toy, while sharing some swell time with their kids.

Moreover, after doing the T-Rex, your kid will more or less have an idea how to build the others based on intuition.

One practical tip to remember when dealing with any building and construction toys; is to provide always for a container for loose parts since there will surely be plenty left so that you can cover all of the dinosaurs.

By doing this will also help you prevent losing them and eventually ending up with an incomplete animal.

Some designs may take more time to assemble, but this is the beauty of the Laser Pegs.

We can teach the kids to be patient and to look for ways to solve problems no matter how small they are.

All in all, Laser Pegs T-Rex 20-in-1 is an excellent toy if you want your kids to learn the value of perseverance and creativity.

Help your kids avoid electronic devices and expose them early on to toys that make them work their minds.

Here’s a link of the Lego boost creative toolbox if you are interested in buying the Laser Pegs animals:

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Customer Reviews and Scores:

Most customers are raving fan of this building block toys and we are talking about those really enjoy building block toys.

You can read a few lines of a review here and the rest on Amazon Here:

You can build 5 different, intricate projects right out of the box. LEGO included a huge assortment of great parts so that you can build a standing robot, a guitar, a “factory”, a cat, and a horizontal rover bot.

Each model is part toy and part experiment because the app has included code that makes the characters lively and interactive while leaving room for customization.

All the sounds and processing is done by your tablet, so that’s a smart way to save costs and make the “brain” brick really simple (which LEGO calls the “Move Hub”).

The LEGO Boost app guides you through building and programming each robot in a set of challenges that are unlocked as you go.

My 7-year-old and I could only figure out how to do Vernie the tall robot so far, which was sad because he wanted to start with the guitar or factory.

This is minor bump in the road, though, because I envision this being a popular toy for a very long time.

The fact that the Bluetooth setup was so painless (no pairing on iOS, it was like magic) makes this much easier to deal with than other robots like Cozmo.

Buy now at Amazon.com >>>

Discover more Awesome Building toys at: Aitoystech Building Toys

Post Source Here: Lego Boost Creative Toolbox Boosting Your Kid Imagination Report

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goarticletec-blog · 6 years ago

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Black Friday 2018: The Absolute Best Tech Deals Online

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Black Friday 2018: The Absolute Best Tech Deals Online

We know how you’re feeling. You’re full of turkey (or maybe Tofurky!) but the deals are happening, and they’re happening right about now. Well, fear not. We here on the WIRED Gear team have been patrolling every online deal we could find for the past week. We’ve produced half a dozen or so guides covering a good swath of the tech world, and this guide has our absolute favorite sales. It has super expensive, amazing TVs and $5 smart plugs, side by side. Keep this page bookmarked, too. It will also become our home for Cyber Monday deals in just a few days.

Note: Deals tend to flow and out of availability at a rapid rate during Black Friday, and some may not be available until 12 a.m. Friday, or early in the morning. Please bear with us. We will continue to update this list as we learn about new deals, and items sell out. You can read more WIRED Black Friday 2018 Deals guides here.

TV Deals

LG OLED C8 55-Inch 4K TV for $1,697 ($400 off)

Amazon

Once you spend a day with LG’s OLED screen tech, you won’t go back. Visually, nothing compares to it. The contrast and inky blacks are as good as they come, and the LG C8 is a perfect example. OLED TV’s have yet to get cheaper than $1,500, which is a shame, but if you want the best, they’re worth the extra cost. Read our C8 review to learn more.

43-Inch TCL 4K Roku TV for $320 ($80 off)

Amazon

You can find cheaper TVs, and some of them may also be from TCL with Roku built in, but this is the one you want. The TCL 5 Series strikes a really good balance between beautiful picture quality and price. And, as always, since it has a Roku inside it, the interface and remote are easy to use and great for streaming out of the box.

Headphone and Audio Deals

Lenovo

Sonos One for $174 ($25 off)

Amazon, Sonos

The Sonos One is the Best Smart Speaker you can buy. It sounds incredible and is a perfect starter speaker to a larger Sonos world. The thing that’s best about Sonos is that the speakers network together around your home, and you can easily group and ungroup them, and play music from just about any streaming service. The One also has Alexa built in, works with Apple AirPlay 2, and will connect to Google Home in early 2019, we’re told. It’s rarely discounted, but this weekend you can also get $50 off the Beam, and $100 off the Sub.

Lenovo Smart Display for $99 ($100 off)

Walmart

Lenovo’s Smart Display is one of the Best Google Speakers you can buy and a top Smart Speaker, too. We like Google Home a bit more than Amazon’s Alexa right now for its ease of setup and use. This was Google Home’s first smart display (now, there are many), and it does a great job of making itself a relevant addition to the kitchen, especially. It has interactive recipes and delivers morning video news reports.

Sony WH1000XM2 for $200 ($150 off)

Amazon

These Sony 1000XM2s can’t quite match the Bose QC35 headphones(see below), but they’re pretty close. (The 1000XM3 are even better.) They cancel noise incredibly well, and if you put your hand over the right earcup, it amplifies the sound around you, so you can hear the bus driver or pilot say something you hoped would be important.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II for $299 ($50 off)

Amazon, Jet, Dell

Bose’s killer travel headphones are on sale! Almost nothing can match the noise canceling abilities of these cans. They’re a rock-solid pick, all around, but even at a discount… they’re pricey.

Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones for $200 ($150 off)

Amazon, Best Buy (Available Now), B&H, Target

Starts Friday. The Studio3 get excellent battery life, work remarkably well for phone calls, connect especially well to iPhones, and cancel noise better than you’d think. They are very underrated. Yes, they are a bit bassy like most Beats, but they sound pretty great.

Google Home Hub for $99 ($50 off)

Walmart, Google

Google, or Amazon? Amazon, or Google? If you’re a Google household, there are a couple good deals on the new Home Hub right now.

Home, Kitchen, and Toy Deals

Furbo

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart for $70 ($30 off)

Amazon, Walmart, Target, Macy’s

It wouldn’t be a shopping holiday without a sale on the Instant Pot, the multi-purpose cooking device which has saved dinner for millions of parents across the country. Naturally, it’s on sale for Black Friday.

iRobot Roomba 960 for $499 ($200 off)

iRobot, Amazon, Best Buy, Target

iRobot’s Roomba 900 series is one of our favorites, with smart navigation, Dirt Detect to sniff out gross spots, and AeroForce cleaning tech to suck up debris with a typhoon’s force.

Amazon Smart Plug for $5 ($20 off) with any Echo Purchase

Amazon

We have a separate list of our favorite Amazon devices that are on sale for the holiday. But if you’re in the process of setting up your smart home, it’s hard to go wrong with a simple smart plug that’s basically free.

Furbo Dog Camera for $135 ($114 off)

Furbo

One of our favorite devices for pet parents who have to work out of the home is over $100 off for the holiday.

ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide for $159 ($40 off)

Amazon, ChefSteps, Sur la Table

Are you cooking a large hunk of meat over the holidays? This smart sous vide immersion wand will take a lot of stress out of the process.

Kiwi Crates starting at $8 ($12 off)

KiwiCo

Our favorite kid’s gift subscription has boxes with fun age-appropriate activities for ages 0-14. For the holiday, you can get 60 percent off your first month’s box.

Fitness and Outdoor Deals

Fitbit

Fitbit Versa for $149 ($51 off)

Target, Walmart

The Fitbit Versa is one of the most effective, attractive, and affordable fitness watches you can buy. The Apple Watch Series 3, also an excellent fitness watch, will also be $80 off.

Fossil Sport Smartwatch for $179 ($76 off)

Fossil, Amazon

Confession: Our tester model is still en route to the office, but word on the street is that this sport smartwatch is an excellent value for the money, and we’re very excited about checking it out. We would be remiss to not point out that it’s on deep discount right now.

Mission Workshop The Rhake for $292 ($73 off)

Mission Workshop

Mission Workshop’s burly bags are a favorite around the WIRED offices. Through November 26, you can get 20 percent off all purchases, plus a $20 gift card, plus a free bag of coffee!

Brazyn Collapsible Foam Roller for $51 ($17 off)

Huckberry

All of Huckberry’s Black Friday deals are worth checking out, especially if you have an outdoorsy man in your life. Our pick is this lightweight, collapsible foam roller, which is easy to pack if you fear for the state of your IT band while traveling over the holidays.

Arc’teryx Gamma MX Hoody for $262 with code TAKE25ARC ($87 off)

Backcountry

Arc’teryx’s jackets are durable, weatherproof, and cut to allow you maximum freedom of movement while still looking svelte. But they’re too expensive to buy without a discount. Backcountry is currently offering 25 percent off one full-price Arc’teryx item through November 26.

Burley D’Lite Bike Trailer for $517 ($172 off)

Burley

If you and your child want a bike trailer for Christmas, Burley is offering 25-30 percent off bike trailers and bundle deals through November 28. The D’Lite can seat two children and convert to a stroller, a jogger, or a sled.

Free Belt Plate, Skid Plate, and $50 Gift Card with Boosted Mini S Purchase ($749)

Boosted

Boosted is currently offering free accessories with the purchase of the Boosted Mini S.

Gaming Deals

Catch all of our favorite Black Friday Gaming Deals in our official guide, updated regularly.

Nintendo

PS4 Slim with Spider-Man for $200 ($160 off)

Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop

Marvel’s Spider-Man is one of our favorite games of 2018 and is a perfect starter if you’re entering the PS4 world. There are a ton of fantastic games to play and the Slim looks good on any TV.

Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Bundle for $300 ($60 off)

Walmart, Best Buy

Everyone likes Mario Kart, and it’s one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch. If you don’t yet own the system, pick one up. There are quite a few really amazing games on it already. When you’re ready to up your game, check out our list of fun Switch accessories.

Two Nintendo Labo Kits for $99 ($40 off)

Best Buy

The Nintendo Labo is like Legos meets videogames, and we love it. Using on-screen instructions, you put together crazy cardboard contraptions like a fully functional steering wheel, and then use them in a game by plugging the Nintendo Switch display or Joy-Con motion controllers into slots in the cardboard. Building is fun for adults, but kids will have a blast doing this alone or with parents. The Vehicle Kit is our favorite, but the Variety Kit is also a lot of fun. Both Kits come with multiple things to build that will take at least a dozen hours of focused fun. Then you get to play!

Laptop, Phone, and Device Deals

For all our computing recommendations, read our Black Friday Laptop, Tablet, and Phone Deals roundup.

Amazon

Apple iPad 2018 for $249 ($80 off)

Amazon, Apple

Starts Friday. If you have any leanings toward a new iPad, this is the time to buy it. The 2018 iPad is fantastic and now compatible with the Apple Pencil. There are no real surprises about it: it just works very nicely for casual tasks and has more worthwhile games and apps than any other tablet.

Samsung 11-Inch Chromebook 3 $99 ($100 off)

Walmart

If your needs are few and your expectations are in check, this Chromebook might satisfy your computing needs. It can check email, browse the web, and do other basic tasks. That’s all we ask of a $100 computer.

Microsoft Surface Pro 6 with Keyboard for $799 ($260 off)

Microsoft, Newegg (+$20 gift card)

The Surface Pro 6 is a hybrid laptop/tablet that WIRED Recommends). We particularly like this Black Friday deal because it bundles in the magnetic keyboard.

SHOP HAPPY

Get Gadget Lab’s picks of the best holiday deals this season. Headphones, laptops, TVs, oh my!

Kindle Paperwhite for $80 ($40 off)

Amazon

You’ve seen a Kindle. You know what the Kindle is all about. If you need to read, and want to do it with a nice backlight, this 7th gen Kindle gets the job done at a lower price than we normally see during Amazon sales.

Nokia 6.1 for $180 ($75 off)

Amazon, Best Buy, B&H

The Nokia 6.1 is one of the only budget phones to get updates straight from Google, making it one of the most secure and up-to-date phones you can buy—all for less than $200 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you’re looking for a good affordable phone, try this. It’s not a beast like the Galaxy S9, but it’s completely usable and has a durable metal unibody.

Samsung Galaxy S9 for $520 ($200 off)

Amazon, Walmart, Samsung, Best Buy, B&H

Most high-end phones cost $800 – $1,100 this year. That’s ridiculous, which is why we’re happy to see the Galaxy S9 on sale for around $500. It’s worth that amount of money and has a camera, processor, and display that’s competitive with any other phone on the market.

Black Friday Sale Pages for 2018

We’ve sifted through the mess of deals, but if you want to look for yourself, here are some links. Many of these prices may not be live until day-of.

When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about how this works.

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zanmanxp · 7 years ago

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15 great ways to Repurpose your Android Phone

STOP ! dont sell that Android device !

A new year and yet another craving to own the latest and greatest android phone that new number of 8 or 9 or 10 making your existing device outdated.

zip zap zoom – you bought the new phone and your current phone is too dear to be sold off.

Here is what you do with it >

1. Use it as a dedicated camcorder

Whatever you’re recording — a wedding, a kid’s soccer game, a music video or your sure-to-win-the-film-fest indie movie — nothing beats multiple cameras. When it comes time to edit, you can mix footage from different angles and positions to create much more interesting video.

Needless to say, your old Android can make a great second camera. Even older, lower-end phones can usually capture at least 1,920×1,080-pixel video at 30 frames per second. Clear out as much storage as possible to make room for new footage and you’re good to go.

2. Use it as a video doorbell

No baby? Consider putting your Android on door duty instead. No, the phone itself doesn’t go outside; you’ll need to install either an outdoor Wi-Fi webcam or a smart doorbell. Then your phone can serve as a full-time video monitor, one that lives on, say, a coffee table or nightstand.

For example, the Canary Flex is a versatile, security-minded webcam that can go just about anywhere — including outside. Alternately, check out video doorbells like the August Doorbell Cam, DoorBird Video Door Station, Ring Video Doorbell and SkyBell Video Doorbell.

3. Create a dedicated VR headset

Get ready for a surprise. That old Android phone of yours? Virtual-reality powerhouse! It’s true: A smartphone can serve up some terrific VR experiences. All you need is a headset and some apps.

Even more surprising: a headset won’t cost you much. Amazon, for example, offers dozens of universally compatible VR goggles priced in the $20-to-$35 range (AU$26-AU$46, £15-£27). Look for a model that lets you adjust focal width and length, the better to accommodate less-than-perfect vision. I also recommend choosing one that comes with a Bluetooth gamepad, the better to control games and access menus.

As for the apps, hit the Google Play Store and search for “VR” or “Google Cardboard ($15.00 at Google Store).” Both will reveal a wealth of games and other experiences that are compatible with nearly any Android and VR headset.

4. DIY Google Home

Don’t want to spend $129 for Google’s voice-powered smart speaker? That’s understandable, especially when you can put together something similar for a lot less. Unless it’s really old, your old phone can listen for and respond to voice commands, same as a Google Home. So all you need is a speaker to round out the equation.

What kind of speaker? And what kinds of things can you do with a phone-brain that you can’t do with an actual Home? Find out in “Turn a spare Android phone into a Google Home.”

5. Reframe it as a full-time video conferencing station

Set up your old Android device with the app for your video-chatting platform of choice — Skype, Hangouts Meet, Google Duo or whatever the case may be — then drop it into a dock on your desk or conference room table. Say “hocus pocus” for good measure, and ta-da: You’ve just created a permanent access point for virtual face-to-face communications.

Just think: With enough old phones and tablets, you can create an entire house- or office-wide video conferencing system. Sign each device into its own unique account, with the name of the room as its username, and seeing someone across the building will never be more than a couple quick taps away.

6. Convert it into a digital photo frame.

Ah, memories. Snag an inexpensive stand, plug your device into its charger and turn it into a cloud-connected photo frame for your home or office.

If you use Google Photos, just open up the app, tap on any photo in your main library or within a specific album and then tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and select “Slideshow.” The app will cycle through your photos and give you plenty of memories to reflect upon whilst relaxing or taking care of business.

7. Use it as a dedicated e-reader

Want a distraction-free reading environment for your next business trip or public transit commute? Load up your old Android device with only the apps you need for reading — Google Play Books, Amazon Kindle, Nook or whatever tickles your text-ingesting fancy.

You can even borrow books from your local library: Check with your nearest branch for information on how to do it or download the free OverDrive app, which is used by a variety of libraries, schools and institutions.

Be sure to disable notifications from Gmail and other noisy apps — heck, even switch the device into airplane mode once you’ve downloaded the content you need — and you’ve got the equivalent of a dedicated e-reader without all the usual phone or tablet temptations.

8. Make it a mounted command center for your car

Save yourself the hassle of futzing around with your current phone in your car by turning your old device into an always-available in-car command center.

Find a decent car dock and mount the device somewhere safe. Be sure to plug it into your car’s power port and connect it to the stereo (via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm headphone jack). Then, either use your primary phone as a hotspot to keep it online or go the economical route and download any necessary music and directions before you hit the road, while you’re still connected to Wi-Fi.

Grab the Android Auto app for a simplified interface with large buttons and extra voice commands, and that’s it: Your newly repurposed companion is ready to roll.

9. Convert it into a gaming device for your downtime

Put down the briefcase and summon your inner Pac-Man: Silly as it may seem, your old Android device is a mini-arcade just waiting to be called into action. (Hey, we all need the occasional break from working, right?)

To complete your device’s Game-Boy-like transformation, just surf the Play Store for some games — you can even find emulators for console-level systems, if (ahem) you know where to look — and then level up by grabbing one of Moga’s universal Android game controllers, available for $25 and up.

10. Turn it into your personal testing ground

Android is a tinkerer’s dream. It typically doesn’t take too much sorcery to root, or gain system-level access to, an Android device — and once you’ve done that, you open up a whole new world of possibilities. You can install powerful root-only applications and even replace your device’s entire operating system with a custom ROM full of fresh features and advanced customization potential.

Anytime you start poking around under the hood, though, you risk screwing something up. And when the device in question is your primary phone or tablet, that can be a daunting gamble to take (especially since rooting a device usually violates its warranty).

That’s where an old phone or tablet can come into play. Put on your hacker’s hat and do a Google search for “root [your device name]” and then “[your device name] ROM.” There’s a huge community of Android enthusiasts out there, and you’ll almost certainly find some helpful user-generated guides to get yourself started.

11. Gym device

Your old smartphone can be used as an ideal gym device. Reformat the device to remove unnecessary apps, take out the SIM card, and don’t log into Facebook or Twitter via WiFi, and you’ll avoid any unnecessary notifications that could interrupt your workout.

Then take your pick of the countless fitness-tracking apps out there and boot it up — or just pack it full of music and use it as an MP3 player when out and about or on the treadmill.

Bonus: Pair it with a cheap fitness tracker or smartwatch for extra functionality.

12. TV remote control

Check if your smartphone has an infrared emitter — because if it does, you could use it as a TV remote. With the various TV remote apps out there, it should easily work with most TVs and top boxes.

13. Wi-Fi extender

If you’re plagued by weak Wi-Fi, you can boost the signal throughout your house by installing an app like fqrouter2, which will pick up the signal and repeat it. It will require rooting the device to work.

14. Robot brain

So, we’ve established that Android smartphones are computers. You know what else is technically a computer? A robot. And yes, with a bit of work you can turn your Android smartphone into a functional robot brain.

There are multiple examples of smartphones being used to power robots. Take the Cubestormer 3, which can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 3.253 seconds and is built out of Lego. Or the Smartbot, which is programmable and can navigate, hear and “see.” Or you can build one yourself, using around $30-worth (£20-worth) of kit.

15. Dashcam

Here’s another automotive possibility: a dashcam.

Mount your Android to your car dashboard, camera facing the round, and you’ve got yourself a DIY dashcam, something that can be invaluable in accidents and for insurance claims. There are plenty of apps out there that will complete the transformation.

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gastro-nomique · 7 years ago

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MPMK Preview Gift Guides: The Hottest Toys of the Year!

It’s that last day of September, which means I am furiously working on this year’s gift guides (I’ve actually left my family and stashed myself away for the entire weekend to do so!)

There’s still plenty of work to do, but I couldn’t help but give you this sneak peek in the meantime. Enjoy…

Fingerlings – Interactive Baby Monkeys

(Ages 4 – 12) Starting at $14.99

These adorable finger-sized animatronic monkeys are the “It Toy” of the year. In fact, it’s the end of September as I’m releasing my gift guides and they’re already completely selling out everywhere.

If you get the chance to buy one- do it!! (Even if you end up getting something else for your kids, you will be able to make bank on eBay come December.)

So what’s all the hype about?

These pets react to sound, to motion, and to touch. They love to hang onto your kids’ fingers, backpacks, other toys and pretty much everything else.

With over 40 animations, kids can rock them to sleep, blow them kisses (and have them blown back), make them sing, and much more.

Like a lot of the hot toys out this year, they’re also incredibly life-like. They blink their eyes, turn their heads, swing by their tails, fart, and more. Plus, if you can get them at retail price – they’re cheap!!

And if the Toy Gods are really smiling down on you and you can find them, I also suggest both the Fingerlings Playset…

And the Fingerlings Jungle Gym for even more extended play time fun (as well as a handy place to store the little guys so they don’t get lost).

Another way to go are these 40 Piece Money Stix sets that seem to have been quickly produced by an industrious 3rd party company.

I am really digging that with this playset version kids get to engineer their own set ups for their fingerlings, plus it’s not another bulky toy to have to store somewhere.

LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox Building and Coding Kit

(Ages 7 – 12) $159.99

This is the toy that we’ve all been waiting for LEGO to make! Robotics and coding have become so incredibly huge in toys, in fact, that I’m really surprised it took this long.

I can (and will) tell you a lot more about this astounding kit but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you watch thr short video below on this 837 piece set – you will be sold!

It demonstrates a lot of what your kids can build and do, including a super cool robot, a working LEGO 3D printer, a very cool working electric guitar and more!

Until now, if you wanted to parlay your kids’ love of all things LEGO into an interest in programming, your only real option was the very expensive LEGO Mindstorm kits, which are also geared more towards older LEGO builders.

At a cost of $200 less than the Mindstorm kits, the new LEGO Boost kit still has everything you need to get your kids building, programming and coding and – frankly – I think the builds are more fun and approachable, especially to kids who aren’t hardcore coders.

Like all building and programming toys, this one works with a free app that you download on your tablet or phone and what I really love is that the kit builds not one, but five different models. The above video showed the robot.

Here is the working 3D printer.

And here is the guitar… This toy does SO MUCH, I predict hours and hours of educational play with this one!

KIDS IMAGINE MERMAID PILLOWS

(ages 2 – 14) $47.99

If you’re a parent, you are likely familiar with the mermaid fabric trend. Kids absolutely cannot get enough of playing with and “drawing” on this magic fabric. (To be honest, either can I – each night when I lay with my 3-year-old, I just can’t stop myself from petting this pillow. It’s so, so relaxing.)

As such, these pillows from Mermaid Pillow Co. have become my new #1 suggestion for gifts from grandparents.

Why? Because grandparents like to buy things that have a big “Wow!” effect, they often don’t mind spending a little extra on their precious grandchildren for something that’s high quality, and if left unchecked grandparents can often misguidedly gift monsterous plastic toys that you would never normally allow into your home!

Mermaid Pillow Co. sent one of these pillows for each of my kiddos to review (I chose the “Sharks Think” for my 8-year-old son, the “Fairies Fly” for my 7-year-old daughter, and the “Dinosuars Discover” for my 3-year-old son.)

There are a couple of things I love about these particular pillows. First, the affirming messages are really cool – just the kind of encouraging note we try to hit in our parenting – and it was nice that there were so many to chose from! I was able to find one that perfectly suited each of my kids’ personalities and interests.

(I also love the message of this one.)

Second, I was very pleasantly suprised with how soft the front of the pillows were. You can never really tell when ordering from a website, but these are extremly well made and super soft. They came beautifully packaged and seemed like something I would have bought from a boutique.

Last, but not least, is the mermaid fabric! Every bit as addictive as you might think, this stuff can be played with for hours. It’s fun to draw designs in, to write on with your finger, and also acts as a really nice tool for relaxing at bedtime or calming down from a tantrum. I highly recommend!

Cozmo by Anki

(ages 3 – adult) $179.99

There are all the other robots on the market… and then there is Cozmo.

I have never seen anything like him and, trust me, you haven’t either. He’s basically a real-life Wall-E that you can bring home to the kids.

He has the things you want in this kind of toy; i.e. a very cool and continually growing programming platform and a free app that’s iOS and Android device compatible so kids can learn to code. But he also has SO MUCH more.

Thanks to artificial intelligence, Cozmo can express hundreds of emotions (his face is just like Eva’s from the movie Wall-E). From curious to clever, persistent to playful, he has personality x 10.

He also has facial recognition that allows him to get to know your name, face, and quirks. And best of all, he continues to evolve the more you hang out with him.

He’s not just a novelty toy though (I already mentioned he can help your kids learn to code and program) he’ll also play games with you.

In fact, Cozmo is a game-playing machine. Literally. Whether lifting his Power Cubes or challenging you to games like Quick Tap and Keepaway, he’s always up for action. And in Explorer Mode, Cozmo lets you guide him through his environment to see what he sees — day or night. Cozmo’s skills and games are constantly updating, so the fun never runs out.

If you’re even thinking about a robot for the kids this Christmas, this is the one to get- you won’t be sorry!

L.O.L Suprise Dolls

(Ages 5 – 12) Starting at $15.99

If there is one thing that elementary aged kids just can’t get enough of, it’s collectibles. From Shopkins and Funko to Pokeman cards, small things that they can hoard like crazy are like catnip to kids this age.

And since toy manufacturers aren’t dopes, there are a few brand new collectibles that are sure to fly off the shelves this year (seriously- buy one or two for each of the special kids in your life now while you can still get them and they’re not stupid expensive).

All the rage this year are the already uber-popular L.O.L. dolls. Let me just start by saying that every year when I start researching for the gift guides I tell myself I cannot start buying for my own kids until at least October… and every year I fail because I see something that I know they will love and I know will be hard to get later.

This year, this was the thing I couldn’t resist buying in September for my daughter.

Note: Because these things are so popular this year, there are a lot of imitations. When you buy, be sure the company is “L.O.L. Suprise” and that it is shipped and fulfilled by Amazon.

These little balls of joy have all the miniature cuteness that’s required in a collectible for girls this age, plus a couple of really cool features.

The wrapping is part of the toy itself. It’s got 7 layers that need to be peeled off and each layer contains a new surprise. (I’m seriously considering stocking up on these just to keep around for future plane rides – talk about a glorious time killer!) The 7 layers of surprises include: (1) Secret Message Sticker, (2) Collectible Sticker Sheet, (3) Water Bottle Charm, (4) Shoes, (5) Outfit, (6) Accessory, (7) L.O.L. Surprise tots doll

The ball itself acts as a playhouse and storage case for the doll (Yay! for having somewhere to store the tiny pieces!!)

The doll itself is also a surprise in how it reacts to water. The many change color, drink, spit, tinkle, or cry.

Peppa Pig Lights and Sounds Family Home Playset

(ages 2 – 6) $59.99

Ah, Peppa Pig- how I love thee. So bright and cheerful and inviting, so gender neutral and appealing to all kids, so fun and happy! And this new lights and sounds family home playset is no exception.

First and foremost, your kids are gonna be impressed by the size- it’s big!

Which means your older kids will love it because it will be large enough to play with their friends during play dates (always a must) and your toddlers will be able to get their hands easily into all of the play spaces.

That makes this a really great toy for multiple siblings to share, which is something I’m always on the lookout for. It’s so much easier on my budget to buy one big toy for everyone and also less clutter in my house!

Plus it encourages coooperative play, a skill we’re always working on around here.

The last thing I really, really like about this stellar doll house is that it has some fun effects like lights and sounds, but they’re not overwhelming. It’s just one button to turn them all on or off and, while engaging, they don’t seem to be the main event of this toy (that would be imaginative play all the way).

With it’s vivid colors and bigger proportions, this house looks like it came straight from the pages of a gorgeous picture book. Plus the 7 rooms each have plenty of fun accessories to keep your kids engaged in tons of dramatic play.

Crayola Rock Painting Set

(ages 3 – 14) $19.99

At first glance this rock painting kit may not look like much, but don’t let the unassuming presentation fool you. This toy is gonna be a BIG WINNER in your house. Here’s why…

First, with clubs like “Seattle Rocks” or “Richmond Rocks” (insert your town’s name) popping up all over the country, rock painting is all the rage with the kindergarten and elementary school set these days. (And, of course, preschoolers will love it too with a little help from mom or dad.)

These fun clubs encourage families to decorate their own rocks at home, hide them somewhere in town and then join a facebook group to leave hints about where you left your rock and also to get hints on where to find other rocks around town.

This is a family activity that has so many beneficial elements for your kids. They get to flex their investigative skills in your community while being creative, social, giving and adventurous. Plus, they spend time with the family (and maybe even learn a little about using the internet safely with you).

Ok, so clearly I’m into the rock clubs- but even if you’re not, your kids will still love painting rocks for their own homes or just for sharing with friends. And if they’re gonna do it, THIS is the kit to get.

The biggest thing about this kit is that it comes with a tub to keep everything in!!! This is major! The one thing I do not dig about rock painting is the potential for half-painted rocks, paint and brushes scattered all over the house. This will keep it all contained!

It also comes with a lot of things other kits don’t, like 8 very cool shimmering metallic markers, a paint mixing tray, and finishing glaze. Of course, it also comes with acrylic paints in white, black, brown and the primary colors.

At first, I thought that didn’t seem like enough colors but then I watched the video above and realized the idea is to use the primary colors to mix your own secondary colors. Another learning element great for preschoolers and kindergartners!

Fort Boards

(ages 4 – 10) starting at $61.99

Kids LOVE making forts and, I gotta say, I’m a big fan of anything that will buy me a solid hour or two of busy time.

What I’m not the biggest fan of? The beating my couch cushions take when my kids get into fort-building mode.

That’s reason enough alone to love the Fortboard kits but there are quite a few other reasons too.

First is all the super cool kinds of forts you can build. After Fortboard sent us two boxes to review, my kids started with the instructions for making a house on their website company’s website. Next up was the submarine.

After a little trial and error, they pretty quickly got the hang of it and, let me tell you, they were pleased as punch about their new fort- which they insisted stay up for a week. That was fine by me as it resulted in TONS of cooperative dramatic play.

Next up was the submarine and the castle, both of which were equally successful. By then, even my 3-year-old was able to build stuff with these on his own. His current favorite is to make cubes, which he calls “bombs” and use them to knock down stacks of even more cubes Angry Birds style.

Fast forward a few months and they’re now building their own master creations like that 6-wheeler semi-truck pictured up top. It’s become a thrilling game to challenge each other to see what they can build next.

The second thing to really love is the ingenious ways these boards can connect in different ways to create all sorts of angles, and even curves.

The secret is the connector arm that can be moved to join the boards in different ways (and teach your kids about angles in the process).

It’s so innovative, in fact, that it’s won multiple awards and even a Microsoft Small Business Contest.

The final thing I love about Fortboards is how compact they are when it’s time to put them away. Unlike with their competitors’ sets, there are no awkward polls to store (and no polls for kids to hit their siblings with). Everything tucks into a box and neatly stores under a bed or in a closet when playtime is done.

Like other fort sets, this one is spendy but if your kid is a builder it’s worth the investment, especially if you’re looking for something great for play dates or for siblings to play with together.

Teddy Ruxpin – Storytime and Magical Bear

(Ages 3 – 6) $94.00

He’s back! That’s right guys, the evil toy geniuses totally have our number and know that we will pony up the cash for anything that brings back nostalgic memories of our own childhood. And in the case of Teddy, I’m 100% here for it.

I mean how can you pass up a chance to share that with your kid?! And, of course, they made him way cooler than the first time around.

Most notable are his crazy-emotive LCD eyes with over 40 animations- SO MUCH better than the creepy blinking of the original version. The cassette player in his back is gone too because Teddy now reads books on the free app- but don’t worry, you don’t have to have the app to use him. He can also tell his stories and sing without it.

He truly is a nice toy for encouraging reading in pre-readers and emerging-readers. By being able to pause the reading just by tapping his paw, they can ensure that Teddy goes at their pace and he is sure to have them asking him to read to them again and again.

Hatchimals Suprise

(Ages 5-9) $69.99

Hatchimals CollEGGtibles

$9.39

Hatchimals Glittering Garden

$54.88

These interactive, magical creatures that come (and eventually hatch out of) their own egg were the hottest toy of the year last year. Every elementary-aged girl I knew, including my kindergartener daughter, had one at the very top of her list and they quickly sold out everywhere.

Naturally, they’re back this year with the originals being as popular as ever and, count them, three new iterations for your kids to covet. First, though, a refresher on what we’re dealing with here…

The magic in this toy is how kids are encouraged to nurture it both to come out of it’s egg and once it’s in the world.

To get the egg to hatch, kids have to pay attention to the color of the eyes inside the egg as well as the sound the hatchimal is making and respond to it appropriately. My biggest question was how long the hatching would take and it turned out to be about an hour. Check out the whole process in the video above.

Once it hatches, it’s time to give your Hatchimal a name and raise it through 3 stages: from baby, to toddler, to kid.

And here’ where I eat my words- Last year I wrote that ,”My suspicion is that this toy isn’t quite as cool once it hatches, but it does do a lot (walk, talk, dance, play games, and more) and though you can’t put it back in the egg, you can start it over as a baby whenever you want.”

Turns out my daughter’s enthusiasm didn’t lessen any once the thing hatched and a year out it’s still one of her top toys… So what’s new this year?

First up are CollEGGtibles.

Seizing on that love of all things mini that I wrote about above, the Hatchimal people made a whole variety of mini eggs.

Open these guys by rubbing the hearts until they change color and they crack. Works a little differently but the excitement is the same and the lower price point sure is nice! These will make great stocking stuffers and kids will love this nursery playset once they collect several collEGGtibles.

Next Hatchimal Surprise.

Along with going smaller is also the option of going bigger… and that’s all I can tell you right now because what’s inside is a mystery until October 6th. This one is pretty much guaranteed to sell out way before Christmas.

Lastly is the Hatchimals Glitter Garden.

This guy works exactly the same as last year’s hatchimal but with a little more sparkle!

So those are my top picks for the hottest new toys but there will be a lot more to come in the next couple of months leading up as I finish up the 2018 MPMK Toy Gift Guides so stay tuned!

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out all of our picks from last year’s…

MPMK Toy Gift Guides: The Complete Collection

*Post contains affiliate links

The post MPMK Preview Gift Guides: The Hottest Toys of the Year! appeared first on Modern Parents Messy Kids.

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zanmanxp · 7 years ago

Text

15 great ways to Repurpose your Android Phone

STOP ! dont sell that Android device !

A new year and yet another craving to own the latest and greatest android phone that new number of 8 or 9 or 10 making your existing device outdated.

zip zap zoom – you bought the new phone and your current phone is too dear to be sold off.

Here is what you do with it >

1. Use it as a dedicated camcorder

2. Use it as a video doorbell

3. Create a dedicated VR headset

Get ready for a surprise. That old Android phone of yours? Virtual-reality powerhouse! It’s true: A smartphone can serve up some terrific VR experiences. All you need is a headset and some apps.

4. DIY Google Home

What kind of speaker? And what kinds of things can you do with a phone-brain that you can’t do with an actual Home? Find out in “Turn a spare Android phone into a Google Home.”

5. Reframe it as a full-time video conferencing station

6. Convert it into a digital photo frame.

Ah, memories. Snag an inexpensive stand, plug your device into its charger and turn it into a cloud-connected photo frame for your home or office.

7. Use it as a dedicated e-reader

8. Make it a mounted command center for your car

Save yourself the hassle of futzing around with your current phone in your car by turning your old device into an always-available in-car command center.

Grab the Android Auto app for a simplified interface with large buttons and extra voice commands, and that’s it: Your newly repurposed companion is ready to roll.

9. Convert it into a gaming device for your downtime

10. Turn it into your personal testing ground

11. Gym device

Then take your pick of the countless fitness-tracking apps out there and boot it up — or just pack it full of music and use it as an MP3 player when out and about or on the treadmill.

Bonus: Pair it with a cheap fitness tracker or smartwatch for extra functionality.

12. TV remote control

Check if your smartphone has an infrared emitter — because if it does, you could use it as a TV remote. With the various TV remote apps out there, it should easily work with most TVs and top boxes.

13. Wi-Fi extender

14. Robot brain

15. Dashcam

Here’s another automotive possibility: a dashcam.

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johnvhbrown · 7 years ago