With the Nikon Coolpix S30, Nikon have stepped into a new category of camera, and it's all about family. This is a camera you can put into the hands of your children without worrying about how much damage they'll do to it.

Built like a plastic tank, the Coolpix offers a distinct advantage in avoiding some of the dainty controls you'll find elsewhere in Nikon's compact range. There are three buttons on the top of the camera: a central power button, a big video button and a big shutter button.

On the back you'll find four buttons down the left-hand side of the screen - unmarked because their function changes depending on what you're doing - and a four-way controller on the right, which also operates the zoom.

The design has been considered by Nikon. Although this is a chunky camera, it will withstand drops from 80cm - about the hand height of a 5-year-old - and you'll find the lens and flash in the centre of the face of the camera, meaning fingers are less likely to stray and cover them.

Children like to poke the end of a lens with sticky fingers and that's a fact. On any normal compact, that means you've then got to try and wipe the glass clean or your pictures all look milky. In the case of the S30, the lens is housed within the camera, so there are no external moving parts and it will be much, much, easier to wipe clean.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 is also waterproof (IPX8, hence the internal housing of the 3x zoom lens). With proofing down to 3m, it will survive a trip to the beach, being dunked in the dog bowl or dropped in a puddle.

It's also one of the only Nikon compacts that deviates from a text-based menu system. Using icons and colours, the menu isn't especially slick compared to some of the efforts of Samsung or Sony, but it’s easy enough to use.

In our quick play with the camera we found a number of fun features on offer. You can change the sounds, edit pictures and apply a number of photo effects.

Basic photo functions aren't omitted however, so you can capture 720p video and take 10 megapixel snaps. The sensor is a 1/3 type CCD, which is small, and ultimately this will effect the final quality of the results.

The S30 measures 101.9 x 64.8 x 39.4mm and weighs 214g. It will need an SD card for storage and requires 2x AA batteries for operation.

This is an interesting camera from Nikon and at ?99, it's not too expensive for those looking for something that will survive a trip to the beach, especially if you want to save your slick P310 from the children.

Of course, we can't judge the quality of the results until we get the Coolpix S30 in for a review, but we'll be sure to let some kids loose with it when we do.

The Nikon Coolpix S30 will be available from 29 March 2012, will cost you ?99.99 and comes in black, blue, white and pink.

Tags: Cameras Compact cameras Nikon Nikon Coolpix S30 10 megapixels Dad Photos

Nikon Coolpix S30 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:11:01 +0000

You are in a restaurant, the food is taking ages, and your kids are starting to go stir crazy. You have two choices. Start praying that the food will turn up any moment, or turn to your partner and start praying that they've brought the usual array of colouring pens, colouring pads, and anything else that seems to keep your little ones from wrecking the joint.

Failing that you could reach into your pocket grab your Windows Phone 7 smartphone and load up Bord.

Bord

Format

Windows Phone 7

Price

Free / 79p

Where

Marketplace

To say the app is simple would be an understatement. Bord and the free Bord Lite app simply turns your Windows Phone into a old school chalkboard, however it does it in such a pretty way that we just had to share it with you.?

Load up the app and you get to draw on the app's black or green chalkboard with six different chalks, choose the size of the chalk, and then rub it off with a sponge afterwards.

The difference between the two versions is that one lets you load your saved drawings with playback of drawing in the realtime or at various speeds. Either way there are no adverts to worry about to bamboozle your kids with, which is great.

Where Bord shows its cute side is that the chalk on the board acts in the same way as chalk on a real blackboard does. Keep going over the same spot and the colour you are using becomes more concentrated, while rubbing it out with the sponge won't get all of the chalk off first time.

There isn't much to the Bord app admittedly, but it has already saved our bacon at a couple of restaurants with our 4- and 5-year-old kids meaning for us it's well worth the 79p purchase price.?

Tags: Apps Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 7 apps Dad Video

APP OF THE DAY: Bord review (Windows Phone 7) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

We've already come across Bossa Nova Robotics' remote controlled Mechatars before, at last year's Toy Fair in fact, but now they're ready for public consumption and Pocket-lint got the chance to see the online role playing game aspect of the new USB connected toys.

Demonstrated to us at Toy Fair 2012 in London, Mechatars is a range of interactive battling robots that, when coupled to a PC, can be used within the Mechaverse, an online, in-browser fighting game that rewards power-ups, extra purchases and continued play.

Each Mechatar - there will be three main ones on launch - can learn new skills and abilities as a child plays with them more, either in the real world through a supplied remote control, or via their online virtual counterparts. They can also be enhanced with the use of add-on weaponry, called Power Packs, which connect to each Mechatar using mini USB and will therefore appear in your online inventory when hooked up.

These are massively helpful in the Mechaverse, as the point of the in-browser game is to battle against other Mechatars in order to earn experience and level up. It's essentially a cross between Street Fighter II and the battle sequences in the Final Fantasy games, as fights are turn based like the latter, but with beat-em-up style health bars at the top. Naturally, the winner gets more of the spoils.

Cleverly, Bossa Nova is allowing anybody to sign up and play in the Mechverse without the need to buy any of the toys. However, there will be only so far that you can get without any power ups or increasingly more beefy 'bots. The real-world Mechatars can also gain plenty of experience in offline mode too, so while you might have a superb and unbeaten online character for a while, you'll soon come up short when you meet a rival who's been training one of the purchasable robots.

Another incentive to buy the Mechatar toy packs is that two real world robots can actually talk to each other wirelessly, and can therefore be battled against each other through their intuitive remotes. It's a feature that will reward those who have friends who buy into the same franchise.

The last add-ons for the initial batch of Bossa Nova toys come in the form of Exomorphs, two (for the time being) robot scorpions that can be used like supercharged Hexbugs, but can also follow vocal commands to attack, barked from a kid's Mechatar. Again, these appear in the online world too and can present some powerful attacking options.

There's certainly plenty of play to be had with the Mechatars, and the Mechaverse is a neat idea. It's already been running in the US for while, but will hit the UK from summer time.

To find out more, visit ILoveRobots.com.

Tags: ToyFair2012 Toys Dad Bossa Nova Mechatars Bossa Nova Mechatars

Bossa Nova Mechatars pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:48:58 +0000

Okay, so there's no gadget-based wizardry involved and the closest they get to consumer electronics is that they share a name with a giant in the world of cables, but WowWee's Monster Marbles invoke the kind of reminiscence you don't get from a Nespresso coffee maker, even if it does come in beige...

Monster Marbles offer essentially the same gameplay and fun as the glass orbs we all remember from our childhoods - except you can't play Kerplunk with them. The marble part, you see, is housed within a collectable plastic fiend and the games you play are very similar to the old classics.

The Monster Marbles sets come with a piece of chalk and instructions, which help you set up one of four different games. Monster Bash is the most akin to games from the days of yore; you draw a circle with the chalk and have to shoot marbles out of the ring with your shooter Monster. Everything you shoot out, you keep.

Well, at least that's the way it used to be played. At ?1.99 for each of the Monster Marbles, you won't want your child to come home without their beloved toys.

WowWee is also going to release packs of Monster Marbles at different price points. A Monster Marbles Carrying Case with two marbles will cost ?9.99, one marble with the chalk will be the aforementioned ?1.99, two will cost ?2.99, and a three pack (plus chalk) weighs in at ?4.99.

Packs contain random characters and there are also very rare golden Monster Marbles hidden away amongst them. And, if successful, WowWee plans future series to expand the collection.

Series 1 of the rolling horrors will be released in the UK in the summer.

Tags: ToyFair2012 WowWee WowWee Monster Marbles Toys Dad

WowWee reinvents a classic with Monster Marbles originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:32:29 +0000

Innovation First, the technology company behind the smash toy sensation Hexbug is to expand its line-up of creepy crawly robots massively. There are new larger models for the main Hexbug family, plus special edition Hexbug nanos and new additions to its range of playsets.

It is the Hexbug nano range that sees the most amount of activity. Not only is the glow in the dark set, teased at last year's Toy Fair, now ready for public consumption, but three seasonal or special edition nano bugs are coming in the next couple of years.

For Christmas 2012, there will be a selection of the collectable automated cockroaches (which is how they move and scuttle about) that come emblazoned with a snowflake and sporting little reindeer antlers. There are also some that come with bunny ears for Easter, although these won't make it to the UK until 2013, sadly.

But the best of the new Hexbug nanos are the zombies to arrive in time for Halloween this October (available in the US already). Coming in a plastic coffin, the scary undead nanos carry a glow in the dark skeleton frame on their back, which can be removed. And shining a light through the nano itself will then reveal its guts. Yum.

We're not sure on the price for the new special edition nanos yet, but the original ones start at ?8.99.

The company's range of playsets - "Habitats" - will also be improved in the summer/autumn, with the addition of a Construct System. These allow owners to add little obstacles and interactive elements for their nanos to explore, such as plastic car washer-like barrels and seesaws. They'll cost from ?14.99 up to ?44.99 when they hit the UK in August.

The actual "Glows in the Dark" line of Habitats and Hexbug nano collection are more imminent. Indeed, their actually available now. They're available as individual Hexbug nanos, starter sets and larger constructs, and cost from ?8.99 to ?29.99. All of them are similar to their non-glow chums, but the playsets are black (rather than white) and you can, obviously, play with them in low or no light.

Another new Hexbug that's already available to buy is the larva; a robotic slug, if you like. Switch it on and it slithers in a rhythmic flexing motion. Unlike the smaller nanos, it can sense oncoming obstacles and will therefore change direction as it sees fit. It comes in five different colours and costs ?12.99.

More scary than the larva is the Hexbug scarab, a beetle-like robot that scuttles about like its namesake and at a fair rate of knots. It's major feature is that it can flip itself upright if it falls onto its back. The scarab too comes in five colours, but costs a little more at ?14.99. It'll be in UK shops in March.

That's not even all, there's also a few top secret new Hexbugs on their way, although we're under strict instructions to keep them under our hat for now. Needless to say, from our play at Toy Fair 2012 in London, they all look amazing.

The future's looking very bright for Innovation First and Hexbug fans.

Tags: ToyFair2012 Toys Dad Hexbug Innovation First

New Hexbugs coming to expand creepy crawly robot range, including zombies (pictures) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:59:00 +0000

Toy tech brand LeapFrog is expanding its line-up of educational kiddy gadgets with a handheld, portable music player that looks like an iPod classic, but for pre-schoolers.

The LeapFrog Move & Learn Music Player won't store MP3s or other file formats, but will come with 20 pre-installed songs for the little ones to enjoy. And there are also four activity modes aimed to teach infants about movement and help them improve their motor skills.

There are two versions of the player that will become available later in the year, one is styled around Scout, the company's iconic green dog pal and one around Violet, the female equivalent.

We haven't been informed when the Move & Learn Music Player will become available, but it'll cost ?9.99 when it hits stores and be suitable for children 18 months and older. It's also worth pointing out that the sample Pocket-lint saw and photographed at Toy Fair 2012 in London was a prototype, and that the line of missing pixels on the its screen will not be an issue with the final toy.

Tags: ToyFair2012 Toys Dad LeapFrog LeapFrog Move and Learn Music Player iPod

LeapFrog Move & Learn Music Player is iPod for infants originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:14:27 +0000

Character Options, the company behind many licensed toys including the Doctor Who and Wembley Stadium Character Building brick sets, Angry Birds catapult and Android plush, is to bring WowWee's AppGear to the UK, a new range of augmented reality games for Android, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The first wave will be original properties, but once established, the firm plans to release a series of AppGear titles using its Doctor Who license. That means you will eventually be able to battle Daleks in the park or the Weeping Angels in the confines of your own bedroom.

These will be playable after the user buys the Doctor Who blaster, which works much like the AppBlaster from AppToyz?we?featured last year. An iPhone, iPod touch or Android device slots into the top of the plastic accessory and the game uses the real world (as seen through the device's camera) as a backdrop to the action.

AppGear isn't launching with this specific range, however. The first few titles will come in different guises, each offering an AR games experience, but with different included toys and triggers.

The first game, for example, is Foam Fighters, which comes with foam aeroplanes which stick to the back of an iDevice or Android handset. The player can then see it on the screen while they wend and shoot their way through obstacles and waves of enemies.

Alien Jailbreak includes an AR trigger-spattered block and alien figures. Zombie Burbz comes with Zombie figures that can interact with the screen of an iPad or Android tablet. Elite CommandAR uses a blaster like gun in a similar way to the prospective Doctor Who apps. We're not entirely sure what Mysterious Raygun will offer (apart from mystery, clearly). And Akodomon is a virtual pet simulation game, coming with, what it seems, plastic pompoms.

The range is expected to start (with Foam Fighters) in spring this year, with further launches throughout. Character Options (in association with Paper Jam manufacturer WowWee) is expecting big things with AppGear: "We're expecting big things," a spokesperson told Pocket-lint at Toy Fair 2012 in London.

Tags: Toys Character Options ToyFair2012 Dad Apps Augmented Reality AppGear WowWee Doctor Who

Character Options AppGear to bring AR gaming to Doctor Who originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Bladez Toyz, which is possibly best known for its massive selection of radio controlled helicopters, has signed a deal with Lucasfilm to bring the Star Wars franchise to its Pump & Play RC range.

The first officially licensed toy in the line-up will be the RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2, which Pocket-lint saw in the flesh (so to speak) during Toy Fair 2012 in London. It stands 26-inches (65cm) tall and is controlled in much the same way as a normal remote controlled car.

A foot pump comes in the box and we were assured that it doesn't take long to inflate. It was also demonstrated to us by... Princess Leia (a much taller one than we remember).

Coming out in Q3/Q4 this year (autumn/winter time), the RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2 is expected to retail for around ?40, and Bladez promises that there will be additions to the Star Wars Pump & Play range to come.

Tags: Star Wars Toys ToyFair2012 Bladez Toyz RC Jumbo Inflatable R2-D2 Dad

RC R2-D2 marks start of Bladez Star Wars Pump & Play range (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:53:00 +0000

Toy maker Character Options has created a new range of plush toys based on popular smartphone applications and, even, an operating system. Called App Plush, the range features 5-inch plush toys using characters from Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, Doodle Jump and the Android icon from the mobile platform.

Pocket-lint got to fondle the cuddly range at Toy Fair 2012 in London and were somewhat surprised that, not only is there a strawberry, apple and pineapple from Fruit Ninja on offer, but the dreaded life-ending bomb is included too.

In the Cut the Rope range, there are two Om Noms to collect; one open-mouthed and one looking more traditionally gormless.

Unfortunately, the Doodle Jump main character wasn't available to us, but the officially-licensed Android plush was there in force. Several colours are available, as well as the conventional green, including blue and red, and each of them have "Android" emblazoned in bold across their, ahem, posteriors.

Prices and availability are unknown at present, but we would expect them to start invading UK stores soon.

We'll let you know more, including stockists, when more details are available.

Tags: ToyFair2012 Android Toys Dad App Plush Character Options Cut The Rope Fruit Ninja

Android cuddly toy to head App Plush line (pictures) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:59:29 +0000

Hexbug creator Innovation First is hoping to repeat the resounding success it has had with its robotic bug range with a new range of scuttling, vibrating collectables. And this time it has partnered with Mind Candy to bring its tech to Moshi Monsters.

Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters Moshlings may be a bit of a mouthful, but Pocket-lint fully expects them to be every bit as big as the rest of the Moshi toys released to date, if not more so. The fact that they move about, seemingly of their own free will, is something that will thoroughly delight smaller children. Almost as much as it did with us.

The Bobble Bots use the same patented Hexbug nano technology as their creepy cousins, which essentially whizz about on their own merry paths, but the major difference is they each have massive noggins; he-uuuge wobbling bonces with foreheads bigger than Ant from that there them Ant and Dec.

There will be 24 Bobble Bots Moshlings available on launch, and eight of them will be available to buy individually, while some will only be able to be collected by buying one of the many playsets Innovation First is launching. They also unlock exclusive content in the Moshi Monsters online world, so they'll prove an instant hit with children who subscribe to Mind Candy's?phenomenally?successful website.

As well as the individual Moshlings, which retail for ?4.99 per Bobble Bot, there are four starter sets, which come with a small patch of land for the Bot to zip about on. There are four unique Moshlings to collect in this form, costing ?12.99 each.

Then there's larger starter sets, featuring a further three individual characters to collect; a Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters House, which comes with Oddie and different wallpaper combinations for the house itself - that will cost ?29.99; and finally, there are four stores that Moshi Monsters fans will instantly recognise. These each have their own individual Bobble Bot and cost ?14.99.

In action, the Bots are frenzied but somehow more graceful than the Hexbug nanos. They happily wend their away around the playsets, in and out of doors and bumping into each other. You can definitely imagine Children making up stories as they watch their almost real placky friends interact.

The world of Moshi Monsters is vibrantly colourful, and so are Innovation First's new range. We would be hugely surprised if this isn't the start of something (else) really big for the company.

Tags: Toys Dad ToyFair2012 Hexbug Innovation First Moshi Monsters Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters Moshlings

Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters Moshlings pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Are you a Star Wars fan? Like Scalextric? Then Hornby has the ultimate set for you coming later in the year - Star Wars Scalextric.

Yep, that's right, the two biggest toy brands of your childhood will be coming together in glorious 3D (a tie-in with the movies clearly) to bring us two racing sets in the next couple of months.

The first is the Micro Scalextric Star Wars Death Star Attack set that will cost ?69.99 and see you and a mate trying to knock each other off the track in a split time trial race.?

But rather than boring cars, one player will be in control of an X-Wing, while the other in control of a Tie-Fighter. The idea is that the two are too big for you to overtake so catching up with the slower vehicle will instantly knock them off.?

A quick eyes on and the glow in the dark spaceships from the Lucas movies are incredibly detailed while the actual box doubles up as part of the track.

But if the idea of spaceships sounds, well, not exciting enough, Hornby is also planning a second set: Scalextric Start Star Wars Battle of Endor.

It will cost ?99 and feature the bigger 1/32 scale track system. As you might have guessed by the name of the set, you are racing speeder bikes with one player racing as Luke Skywalker and the other as an Imperial Scout.

A Hornby spokesperson told Pocket-lint that it was really excited to have got the global licence for the new toys, so we suspect these aren't the only sets we'll be seeing in the future.

May the Force be with you.?

Tags: Toys Dad Star Wars Scalextric ToyFair2012

Scalextric Star Wars Death Star Attack: Force powered slot car racing originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Character Options, the toy company behind the excellent Doctor Who Character Building (Lego-style) figures and playsets launched last year, has signed a deal with the English Football Association in order to release figures and brick building sets licensed from the organisation.

Shown at Toy Fair 2012 in London for the very first time, the FA sets include a buildable FA Cup, mini figures sporting the England home and away kit and all manner of other football-related shenanigans.

The most impressive, however, is the officially-licensed mahoosive Character Building Wembley Stadium, which can house supporters, players, goals and a little, angular ball. The set, along with the other FA gear, is still awaiting final license approval, but is expected to be launched in time for the forthcoming Euro 2012 tournament in the summer.

Indeed, the figures and multiple playsets are so locked down in licensing legalities at the moment that Pocket-lint wasn't allowed to take photos of the miniature England team (possibly because the mini John Terry was still in it), but a spokesperson did let us take a few snaps of the stadium itself. And it's a mightily impressive beast.

The Lego-style Wembley Stadium will weigh in at a healthy ?150 when it launches. Which is half the price of an FA Cup Final ticket on eBay... Probably.

Tags: Toys Dad Character Options Character Building Lego Football Character Building Wembley Stadium ToyFair2012

Character Building Wembley Stadium offers Lego-style footy fun originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:44:00 +0000

Salad Fingers, the downright strange but also fascinating YouTube animation is to get his own collectors action figure. Pocket-lint was at the Toy Fair in London to check it out.

Created by David Firth, the Salad Fingers character has become a firm favourite among internet obsessives. Firth's website,?fat-pie.com is filled with strange and creepy animations, salad fingers being the most popular.?

The short cartoons see Salad Finger's adventures in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. His obsession with rusty spoons and interactions with ants and other strange creations are now one of the popular memes on the Internet. Salad Fingers sits alongside the likes of Burnt Face Man, Jerry Jackson and Devvo (a personal favourite) on Firth's website. Nearly everything he creates is seriously disturbing and definitely not one for the kids. If you can handle it though, his strange blend of cute and creepy can be quite addictive.?

Spotted at the London Toy Fair on the Together Plus stand, the figurine will come with three different heads to show his three different moods and will be limited to a run of just 2000 pieces.

Salad Fingers is expected to cost just ?16.99 and be available in the next couple months.

Tags: Toys Dad ToyFair2012 YouTube

Salad Fingers from YouTube becomes action figure originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Remember the 1980s toy phenomenon, BigTrack? If not, allow us to fill you in - it was a six-wheeled programmable electric vehicle where you entered codes on its built-in keyboard for a pre-determined movement sequence. It was the toy car for geeks. We loved it, of course.

In 2010 it received a 21st century update; BigTrack Jnr, with extra coding on board and a digital camera as well. And now, we've yet another contemporary BigTrack to enjoy; the BigTrak XTR that packs a number of new enhancements including a new design and the ability to take control using your smartphone, computer or the onboard keypad.

Pocket-lint took it for a spin at the London Olympia, at Toy Fair 2012, using an iPhone as our control method. You simply enter the surface type that your BigTrack is on, the method of steering (tilt or joypad) and away you go.

As promised with the relaunched BigTrak from 2010 you’ll be able to add accessories such as the wireless camera, missile launcher or IR gun to expand the XTR's capabilities.

It's great fun and proof that toys from the 80s still have a place in modern society. We await a revamped Thundercats Lion-O with built in Bluetooth (for "sight beyond sight", of course).

Still no word on pricing or availability, just that it will hit the shops this year.

Tags: Toys Dad ToyFair2012 Bigtrak XTR iPhone apps Android apps

BigTrak XTR pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:48:30 +0000

Kids like to keep things safe. They like Doctor Who. They probably have an iPod touch or iPhone.

So what better way to celebrate all that than with the Doctor Who Tardis Safe that will only open with a dedicated app and the right passcode?

Yep, that's right, you need to have all three to get in to your new security locker, but rather than using the latest cutting edge technology like Bluetooth, Wireless or NFC, the app works by sending a receiver a series of lights as if it was Morse code once you've docked the phone.

That also means that you can work it with Android handsets as the company behind the new gadget told Pocket-lint that there is an Android app coming as well.

The lack of expensive technology means that the safe will cost just ?19.99 when it comes out in the UK in June.

Those not too fussed about Doctor Who will also be able to get an R2D2 safe as well, however it is considerably smaller. It too will be out in June.

Tags: Toys Dad ToyFair2012 Star Wars Doctor Who iPhone Phones Android

The Doctor Who Tardis safe that you unlock with your phone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:46:00 +0000

There are a few Bluetooth watches available already, with varying levels of usefulness, but Casio's forthcoming attempt is different. For starters, it's a G-Shock, so is already worth the attention, and secondarily it uses the low energy Bluetooth 4.0, so is power friendly and, therefore, can run for up to 2 years on a single battery.

But we jump ahead of ourselves here, the Casio G-Shock GB-6900 looks, for all intents and purposes, like a normal G-Shock. It only comes in black, but presents the same bold and chunky plastic body that is popular amongst rap stars and, you know, the kids. And it tells the time.

The Bluetooth shenanigans add several other features to the mix, including email and caller ID and alerts. When hooked up to a compatible smartphone or other device, the watch informs you when you receive a call by vibrating and showing the name of the caller in a small, dedicated panel in the top left of the fascia. It will do the same with emails too, displaying the name of the sender.

Additionally, although not so usefully in our opinion, it will scroll the name of the song you're listening to on your device.

But, funnily enough, our favourite feature, as demonstrated to us at CES in Las Vegas, was the ability for the watch to warn you if you get too far away from the device it's paired with. For example, if you go more than 2 metres away from your smartphone, it will beep, ensuring that you never accidentally leave your phone or tablet behind (the Bluetooth range is expected to be around 2 metres anyway, so it's an easy feature to implement).

It is also future-proofed for other applications, as more Bluetooth 4.0-compatible devices are devised. Take the medical profession for example, it could sync with heart rate or blood pressure monitors. Or your car in order to show, er, car things. A world of possibilities, we're sure you'll agree.

Sadly though, this is also the reason we may not see the GB-6900 in the UK anytime soon; at present there are few devices that are Bluetooth 4.0-enabled, with the smartphones that are compatible currently only being available in Japan - hence a Japanese release is scheduled for this coming March at 18,000 Yen (around ?150).

According to Casio, the US and UK are likely to have to wait until the end of this year at best, more likely 2013. Hopefully by then though, the company will have come up with some new colour schemes too.

Tags: CES2012 Casio Dad Watches Casio G-Shock Casio G-Shock GB-6900

Casio G-Shock GB-6900 Bluetooth watch pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:09:00 +0000

BabyPing has unveiled the latest in high security Wi-Fi baby monitors at CES 2012, which allows parents to to keep an eye and an ear on their little cherubs through their iOS device.

If a traditional baby monitor just doesn't cut it any more and you prefer the belt and braces approach to baby monitoring then this new device will keep you constantly informed by way of "double-layer security and alerts to inform the user if the baby cries, if the Wi-Fi connection has been broken or if the monitoring iOS device is out of range".

You'll also get full-colour video at 640 x 480 resolution, a high quality built-in microphone and superfast wireless Wi-Fi. The baby monitor's Smart Filter cuts out the background noise and static normally associated with baby monitors, while Constant-Connect "acts as a permanent tether between the app and monitor, instantly notifying the user when the baby is upset or if the connection is broken at any point, ensuring parents can put their trust in this new technology."

The company says that: "BabyPing only uses your home Wi-Fi network to transmit information, avoiding unnecessary web streaming and bandwidth costs, as well as ensuring instant alerts and updates from the monitor, without the long delay associated with other baby cameras. BabyPing is the only Wi-Fi baby monitor on the market with invisible infared night vision, offering round the clock visibility without disturbing the baby."

Not a bad solution for any would-be parents, and it should especially appeal to those first-timers, as after number one drops and number two arrives you tend to relax a bit.

The BabyPing Video Monitor will be available in the UK from February 2012 priced at ?149.99 and available from Amazon, BabyPing.com and other select stockists.

Tags: Dad Baby monitors BabyPing Apps iPhone apps CES2012

BabyPing Wi-Fi Baby Monitor launches for iOS originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Griffin and Crayola have teamed up to bring the next iteration of MyPhones headphones and colouring apps, which have been specifically designed to allow your children to get the most out of their (or most likely your) iPad.

We've looked at both the Griffin Crayola MyPhone headphones and ColorStudio HD iPad app before and thought both were excellent, so we'll be keen to see what the new batch brings in 2012.

First off, the MyPhones are headphones which allow your young ones to personalise by way of colouring stickers which can fit on the back. They are designed to fit over the ears, so nothing enters the ear canal and come in pink/purple and blue/green.

The new addition are the earbuds which comes with its own carrying case shaped like a Crayola crayon, that opens to reveal the earbuds and 3 sizes of soft silicone ear cushions. Colours are typically child-like with names like purple pizzazz, cotton candy, caribbean green and blue berry.

Both styles have built-in volume-limiting circuitry that keeps the sound pressure down to levels recommended safe for young ears.

The new app comes in the form of Crayola Lights, Camera, Color! HD and turns photos taken on an iOS device into personalised digital colouring pages. The app then drains the colour from the picture and morphs into a colouring page, awaiting your child's embellishments. Children can also put their face to a colouring page with Crayola Silly Face Swaps HD, and then each colouring page character has a cut-out where they can place a photo of their face, a friend’s face, or even a pet’s.

All works of art can then be sent off and emailed, Facebooked or printed so friends and family can admire as well.

The MyPhones headphones will be available in spring and priced at $24.99, whilst the earbuds will be priced at $14.99. The Crayola Lights, Camera, Color! HD is now available on the iTunes App Store for $1.99, with Crayola Silly Face Swaps HD coming later int he spring.

Tags: iPad apps Apps Griffin Crayola Dad CES2012

Griffin draws on Crayola's expertise: New kid's MyPhones and iPad apps originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:44:08 +0000

Tech company Withings has announced that it will be launching its internet-connected baby and toddler scale - called the Withings Smart Baby Scale - at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. Where else?

Fitted with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, it is described as "the next evolution in home baby and toddler weight tracking", and supposedly combines, "cutting edge technology and exquisite design to create a scale that will give parents all over the world a very simple to use and extremely accurate way to monitor, understand and share their child’s growth".

The company behind the new baby scale has previous when it comes to weight monitoring as it already makes a Wi-Fi scale for adults. This fixation with monitoring everything can go either way, as any benefits to physical health could well be undermined by the onset of paranoia and obsessive compulsive disorders* brought on by the habit of constantly checking and comparing your baby's weight.

However, C?dric Hutchings, Withings co-founder seemed quite upbeat about the whole thing, saying: “We are very excited to announce our Smart Baby Scale and offer parents an amazing new way to take care of their newborn or young child. The success of our WiFi Body Scale has proven the benefits of connected weight tracking on adults and we were eager to also bring these benefits to babies and children."

As well as weighing your baby, the scales can be hooked up to the Withings Blood Pressure Monitor, which will add another thing to check and worry about.

Needless to say all this info can be shared online through the WiScale app which links to both Facebook and Twitter. Weighing infants is clearly an important aspect of keeping check on development and regular weighing appointments are usually arranged as a matter of course, so we don't really see the point of this other than a way to bombard more of your Facebook friends with data about your new-born.

The weird and not-very-wonderful Withings Smart Baby Scale will be available in Q2 2012.

*Withings Smart Baby Scale may not actually cause paranoia and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Tags: Dad Gadgets Withings Social networking CES2012

Withings internet connected baby scale is a whole new world of weird originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:16:50 +0000

Specialist toy manufacturer In Icons has created a 12-inch Steve Jobs action figure that is so frighteningly realistic that, at a quick glance, you'd think its well-staged pictures are of the late former Apple CEO himself, not a doll.

The company is renowned for its hyper-real collectables, including one of Barack Obama, and has now started accepting pre-orders for its tribute to Jobs, with each coming in an Apple-themed box and priced at $99.99 (to ship from Feb 2012).

However, there are many who speculate that the figure will never actually see the light of day. In Icons' version is unauthorised and, as such, runs the risk of an injunction by Apple or Jobs' own family. Admittedly, the Obama figure went ahead without legal action either way, but something tells us that, with only 3 months having passed since Steve Jobs died, there may be more opposition to the use of his likeness in this case. Additionally, Apple managed to stamp on?MIC Gadget when it tried to sell its Jobs action figures in 2010.

We reckon that there won't be any opposition from the fanboys, though. If it goes ahead, there'll be more than enough suitors. The fact that the In Icons website seems to be clogged up with visitors at present is some proof of this.

There has been so much traffic that the company has even issued the following: "Sorry! We will resume the pre-order soon..."

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Tags: Steve Jobs Apple Toys Dad In Icons

Steve Jobs action figure - bigger than an iPad screen size originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:57:00 +0000

If you bought your little prince or princess an iPhone for Christmas and are worried that they are going to blow their little eardrums listening to Justin Bieber on full whack, or walk in front of a bus because they're engulfed in some classic Professor Green then fear no more - because the Etymotic ETY-Kids3 child friendly earphones are here to save the day.

The revamped kid-safe buds have been announced ahead of a CES launch and pack a couple of key pieces of safety tech to keep your little 'uns protected.

The first is a noise-maximising function that allows youngsters to listen to 3 or 4 hours of music a day at full volume without causing hearing damage and with background noise blocking on board to stop them complaining that the sound is too low.

The second function is the Awareness app from Etymotic that listens to the users' surroundings and mixes any noise louder than normal background sounds directly into the earphones, so kids can hear traffic, announcements or any other important sounds.

The 3 in the name represents the three-button control and a mic designed for use with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad - and it's been given the official Apple thumbs up too. There's also a non-3 version without the control and mic.

No word on UK pricing as of yet, but the Etymotic ETY-Kids3 will hit Stateside shops at the end of this month, priced at $79, or $49 without the controls.

Tags: Audio Etymotic Earphones Dad

Etymotic ETY-Kids3 child friendly earphones announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:17:00 +0000

Toy manufacturer Hasbro is taking Asus to court over the use of the name Transformer Prime for its latest tablet/laptop combo. It believes that the name is way too close to its own trademarked property Optimus Prime, the leader of the Transformers.

The company is seeking both damages and an injunction to prevent the sale of the Asus device, which was due to hit the market soon. Website paidContent.org was sent a statement by Hasbro, after the lawsuit was filed in a Californian court:

"Hasbro continues to aggressively protect its brands and products and the specific actions we are taking today against Asus underscores yet again Hasbro’s willingness to pursue companies who misappropriate our intellectual property for their own financial gain," it said.

Asus has yet to respond publicly, although it is believed that the company is to continue to ship the Transformer Prime in January, with a court injunction pending.

We'll bring you more on this story as it develops.

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Tags: Asus Hasbro Dad Toys Transformers Asus Transformer Prime

Hasbro files lawsuit against Asus over Transformer Prime name originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Home working's all the trend these days; why labour away on the bus or tube, having to tuck your left cheek into a rotund fellow's honking armpit while being stabbed in the back with a golf umbrella, when you can sit around in your pants all day listening to Spotify and writing copy such as, "Home working's all the trend these days..."?

Nope, it's far better to travel into another room or, if you're completely adventurous (or foolhardy, considering the temperature in the UK at the moment), to the end of the garden. And, if you've got a spare ?10 grand, you can even get a better set-up than most in-town offices.

Micro Pod, by British firm Pod Space is much more than a garden shed, it's a fully-fledged garden studio that, because of its classification, allows you to add a workspace onto your property without planning permission.

At 2.5 x 2m, it's compact and bijou, yet has more than enough room for a decent workstation, chair and, er, that's about it. However, it's still bigger than the first studio flat we were shown when we moved to Manchester briefly in 1999.

It walls can be finished with white beech panels, but your cash doesn't all go on the materials. Under the floor, you see, is low energy?Scandinavian?heating, while a desk, shelving, ceiling light and self-cleaning windows can all be added at additional cost.

The basic price of the Micro Pod is??10,890 (not including VAT), and more information can be found at www.pod-space.co.uk. There are also bigger garden studios available, ranging up to the four person Eco Pod for ?33,950.

We guess it's the shed and knackered electric bar heater for us then.

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Tags: Gadgets Dad Micropod Garden gadgets Apple Pod Space

Micro Pod - the garden shed for the Apple generation originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Lego is a Christmas staple. Anyone with kids aged between 5 and 15 will likely be purchasing some this year. There might even be a few mums and dads who treat themselves to a cheeky slice of Lego pie. However a standard box of Lego bricks can be an intimidating sight to many dads who are relatively rusty on their Lego skills.

Such is the case, that helping a kid through a serious build can be a true Good Christmas experience. What better picture of family can you think of than father and son crafting themselves a master Lego creation? But where to start? What sort of masterpieces can a simple box of standard Lego create? Fear not, Pocket-lint is here with a quick guide to Lego construction.

The Tardis and Daleks

Doctor who has become the 10-year-old's equivalent of Made In Chelsea. With that in mind, we thought it best to cook up some sort of means for Dalek production. Throw in the Tardis and you have a build that is guaranteed to make the eyes of any child glow.

The really great thing about this one is that it doesn’t require a large number of bricks to complete. The Daleks can be a bit tricky as they require slightly more unusual parts, but ultimately it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to put together.

The Delorean

When you first discover Back to the Future as a kid, it can be a quasi-religious experience. We became instantly obsessed with the Trilogy and have since watched the movies more times than we have had hot dinners.

Why not capture a bit of that magic, whilst spending some quality time with your kid, putting together the most iconic vehicle ever to come out of a movie? Sorry Optimus, you came close. This is a bit more of a complicated build than the Daleks, but the final result is a near perfect copy of the one from Back to the Future II, complete with hook for hitting 88mph.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Apart from the constant singing, which to be honest, after years of Christmas viewing is starting to drag now, CCBB is a classic. The car almost touches the Delorean on the iconic scale, but will perhaps be better known by those with younger kids. We personally would build both and race them. Obviously in real life there is no way Chitty would even touch Marty at 88mph, but in the world of Lego, anything can happen.

There is a lot going on in this build, so we suggest divvying things up. It keeps the family spirit going whilst avoiding any potential boredom at the sight of an over complex build. Get your young one to put the carriage together, while you get your head round all the niceties of the chassis. Stick the pair together at the end and there you have it, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Lego form.

Space Shuttle

Space is a big talking point for the under tens. How big is it? How many stars are there? Where do Klingons live? Those sort of questions are all commonplace. What do you get in space? Rockets of course… and the cooler looking the better. Sat right at number one on the top of the pops of rocketry is the Space Shuttle. The reusable star tractor that, sadly, is no longer sadly in use.

The only way to bring it back to life is to use Lego and this handy model designed by one avid space fan. It looks great, isn’t too complex to build and is quick enough to put together that even the littlest of Lego fans will keep themselves occupied.

Glados and a Portal gun

Okay, so your kids might not be hugely into Portal. Say, just for arguments sake, you had played the game through with them, we can pretty much guarantee they would have loved it. No character could be more memorable than the game's very own evil robot, Glados. A bit less straightforward than the others, but just as rewarding, this build is quick but tough.

You need a lot of parts from things like Lego Technic to put this bad boy together. The Portal gun less so, as it requires fewer joints and small pieces. Both look just as good, so if you cant manage one, give the other a go.

Go freestyle

You might have noticed that a lot of these videos appear in a sort of 3D design simulator for Lego. It is a piece of software called Lego Digital Designer and a single search for it on something like YouTube will turn up a vast number of possible builds. The real treat with Lego, and what will get you more involved with your family than following any set of instructions, is try to come up with ideas yourself.

One gentleman, Duncan Titmarsh, is a certified Lego professional. Like Jedi, he is one of only 13 in the World. Given his title officially by Mr Lego himself (we think), he is in charge of creating some truly outstanding models. Use his website to get the family inspired and thinking about what sort of Lego creations they could come up with. Not everyone likes the usual Doctor Who or Back to the Future, some young ones might be more interested in bridges or skyscrapers, so let them try building it!

Good Christmas is all about doing things with your family you would never normally do. We want you to get inspired with your kids and enjoy building Lego with them. In writing this we discovered a whole community of Lego fans who build and share plans across the Internet. A really good family thing to do could be searching through and picking out favourite ideas, then sticking them together. For a few pointers try websites like Brickish, or Lionsgatemodels, both feature plentiful ideas for you to try out.

Tags: Toys Lego Features Gadgets Dad Good Christmas

Lego building tips for the family originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0000

We've had cakes, we've had toys, we've had iPod docks, we've even had a real-life, oversized version of the game, surely there's nothing that's yet to be touched by the feathered wings of Angry Birds. Well...

UK children's playground equipment firm Lappset Group has licensed Rovio's massively popular franchise in order to create slides, swings, sandpits and other kiddy rides. There are even plans to put them altogether in fully Angry Birds-themed activity parks.

There will be 20 different products adorned by imagery of the birds and their evil pig nemeses in all, including an outside arcade game featuring the blighters.

The first parks and play kit will be installed in 2012 in Rovio's home nation of Finland, with the UK soon to follow. And "Mighty Eagle" Peter Vesterbacka is hoping that world domination is soon to follow:

"The activity parks tie in perfectly with the Angry Birds world and our way of thinking," said the Rovio chief.

"We will be developing a service which brings together the digital world and the physical world in a way that’s never been seen before.?The popularity of Angry Birds isn’t restricted to any age, sex or social group, and the activity parks will be designed to be interesting places for absolutely everyone, all around the world."

What's the betting on an Angry Birds theme park ride next? They load you up into a giant catapult and...

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Tags: Angry Birds Apps Gaming Rovio Dad

Angry Birds - coming to a children's playground near you originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:20:00 +0000