Earlier this week MacRumors reported that Apple had released the "Pole Position Remix" game for the iPhone. This is a remake of the classic Namco video game Pole Position that I played more than anyone else as a kid.

The last time I talked about Pole Position on Operation Gadget was three years ago when I picked up a copy of an inexpensive TV game called Namco II: Ms. PacMan and 5 TV Games. I loved that game. I hope that Apple releases "Pole Position Remix" for the iPhone after the iPhone Software Development Kit comes out next month.

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• Apple Releases a New "Get a Mac" Ad Co-starring a Football Referee on Apple.com: Pretty good attention to detail. The referee is wearing a white hat and a uniform that is very close to that worn in many college football leagues. What I would add to this is the referee turning on his microphone and speaking over the public address system. [ Seen on TV over the weekend. ]

• Andrea Jung Joins Apple Board of Directors on MacRumors.com: "Apple has announced that Andrea Jung has been elected to Apple's board. Andrea also serves as Chairman and CEO of Avon Products, board member of General Electric, and member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital board of trustees and the Catalyst board of directors."

  Why the CEO of Avon and why now? Speculation is that her board seat at GE will make her helpful in brokering an agreement with NBC Universal to bring them back into the iTunes fold.



• Break a Soda Habit with Better Water on Lifehacker: "Have a serious soda habit? Part of the lure of the stuff is the convenience and fizzy texture, not just the sugar content you can get from lots of other places. How-to blog TipNut details one writer's cheap, simple fix—giving water more appeal." My habit is Caffeine Free Diet Coke, so I don't have the caffeine or the sugar but I still have the soda fix. I just drink way too much of it.


• Chalet Doll House on BabyGadget.com: "...this Chalet Doll House from Plan Toys is like a breath of fresh air with its openness and lack of minuscule plastic parts. With movable staircases and skylights, this doll house comes completely furnished - sans family...." Nice looking, substantial, and modern.


• Philips Blu-ray Player BDP7200 on Ubergizmo: "The BDP7200 is Philips’ first Full Profile 1 compliant BD player that features Dolby® TrueHD and DTS® HD High Resolution Audio, multi-channel audio decoding and digital audio optical outputs. The BDP7200 supports 1080p at native 24 frames per second...." On display at CES.

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• Isolator- Concentration Application For Mac OS X on LifeDev: "I don’t think I have to tell this blog’s readers how hard it can be to stay on task when working on the computer. That’s why “concentration applications” are great tools to have. If you’re a mac user, check out the elegant Isolator for blocking out all of those outside distractions associated with working with a tool that can do soooo many things...."
• Avoid needless delays in System Updates on MacOSXHints.com: "While installing the 10.4.11 Server and subsequent 10.4.11 security patch, I had to wait a very long time (over an hour) while the Installer was configuring the install. I peeked in on the Installer process..., and found that it was searching through every directory on all mounted drives on the machine for files to update...." [ Does this pertain to MacOS X workstations or just servers? If so, does it pertain to Leopard or just Tiger? ]
• Weekend project: Wire Your Home On-the-Cheap with DIY Network Cables on Lifehacker: "The video demonstration above from electronics retailer TigerDirect details the relatively simple process of cutting your own Ethernet cables so you don't end up spending more than you need wiring your home or office (you also won't end up with 10 feet too much or a foot too little like you often will when you buy pre-cut). Wireless home networks are convenient, but if you regularly transfer large files or stream HD-quality video, nothing beats a solid wired network....
• Test-Driving a Sno-Park Maserati in The Wall Street Journal: This article compares a $4.99 snow saucer from L.L. Bean to a $279 inflatable "body board for the snow" imported from Switzerland. Although the writer expected there to be little difference in the fun had on the two sledding devices, she actually found that the $279 was far more fun and less jarring than the basic model.

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Every year I try to report on the Toy Wishes Hot Dozen list of top toys. This year I think that the editors of Toy Wishes have found a group of toys that will entertain a wide range of kids and adults. The toys on this year's list are:

• American Idol Talent Challenge: This is one of those games that I think could be fun if played after dinner at family parties. The game consists of a computerized DVD player that you can hook up to your television and use to play karaoke. The DVD that comes with the game contains 12 songs recorded by the winners of American Idol, and additional DVDs are available.
• Barbie Girls MP3 Players and Accessories: Imagine an MP3 player shaped like a Barbie Doll that comes in one of several fashionable colors, and you've got the Barbie Girls concept. Accessories to decorate the MP3 player are available (of course). The cost per megabyte of flash memory in these players is probably higher than in the iPod Touch, but that's not the point, is it?
• EyeClops Bionic Eye: Another classic faux-tech gadget from Jakks Pacific. This is a 1:200 video microscope that hooks up to your television. This has all of the science project feel of a magnifying glass of days gone by, except that you won't be able to take it out on the driveway on a Summer day and set bugs on fire. Nevertheless, the EyeClops will be a hot toy.
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: Here's the latest in a line of smash hit video games for the PlayStation2 and a number of other game consoles and computers. This time more than 70 classic songs from the hard rock era are brought back for your enjoyment including Barracuda, Rock and Roll All Night, and Paint It Black. Check out the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock page on Wikipedia for even more information about this game.
• Hannah Montana Singing Doll Collection and In Concert Pop Stage: A whole range of reasonably priced dolls and accessories celebrating the Hannah Montana phenomenon. I was surprised that these products weren't more expensive, but the prices will probably get ridiculous if any of them sell out and end up on Ebay.
• Nerf N-Strike Disc Shot: This is a Nerf gun shooting game involving moving targets, probably similar to either skeet or trap shooting. (I don't know exactly which one.) This is the kind of thing that school-aged kids might like to play in the garage during the winter. I thought it looked like fun, but a game like this will never get the seal of approval from my wife the pediatrician.
• Rubik's Revolution: An inexpensive cube-based electronic game with 6 different challenges. One of the games included is called "pattern panic" and requires you to memorize the sequence in which the center button on each side lights up. This makes it similar in some respects to the game Simon from the mid-1980s.
• Smart Cycle: This may be my favorite toy for the preschool age group. Smart Cycle is a video game for kids who are three and older that combines learning activities, video game playing, and stationary bike riding. I'd want to see several of the games in action to make sure they were interesting to my kids, but if they were, I'd buy it. I think we will have to wait a year or two before this is appropriate for my son Jimmy, but we could end up with one of these in our living room then.
• Spotz Creator Machine: When I was a kid, we got a button maker one year so we could make our own campaign-style buttons. The Spotz Creator Machine is a similar concept, although the Spotz themselves are much smaller. Spotz are the size of very large clothes buttons and can be created with photos or artwork inside. Spotz can be combined to form craft items. This activity will probably appeal most to girls in their pre-teen and early-teen years, but this is just a guess on my part.
• Swypeout Racing Starter Set: A multiplayer on-line racing game that adds a card reader to your PC which allows you to add features to your vehicle during the race. This is supposed to be a combination of multiplayer gaming and card collecting. Swypeout seems like it's going to be given as a gift, we'll see how much it's played after New Year's. I'm not sure how it will do from what I've seen so far.
• Transformers Arm Blasters & Transformers Movie Ultimate Bumblebee: Two toys representing the Transformers movie franchise. The Arm Blasters shoot foam darts. The Ultimate Bumblebee is one of the most complicated model cars I've ever seen. It converts into a robot, as you would expect if you've seen any Transformers TV program or movie. But the Ultimate Bumblebee has animatronic capabilities. It has a series of moves that it can perform on command and also responds to some noises in the room.

Technorati Tags: Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts,toys, toy ideas, American Idol, Barbie Girls, EyeClops, Guitar Hero 3, Nerf NStrike, Rubiks Revolution, Smart Cycle, Spotz, SwypeOut, Transformers.

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Martin O'Donnell pointed out an article from The Wall Street Journal that warns of more extreme toy and game shortages during this holiday season than in recent years. The shortages will be more extreme this year due to cautious retail strategies (brought on by poor sales of supposed-hot toys last year), production problems (resulting from labor shortages and infrastructure problems in China), and surprisingly high demand for the toys here in the USA.

All of this points to possible frustration and disappointment while shopping later this week. You may want to consider shopping for popular toys and games before Thanksgiving, if you have time.

An example of hot toy shortages cited in the article is the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Playset. This electronic clubhouse has a suggested retail price of $39, according to The Wall Street Journal article. Third parties are trying to capitalize on the shortage by selling the clubhouse for $90 or more. If you want this toy for your children, a far better option is to look on DisneyShopping.com, where the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Playset can be found for $49.95 as of this writing.

It's a good thing that my son doesn't have his heart set on anything in particular for Christmas, otherwise I'd be competing for the hot toy for my son's age group against his peers' parents. Next year we may have our first direct experience with toy shortages. [ Subscription required to read most articles in The Wall Street Journal. ]

Technorati Tags: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Playset, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

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Kid Tough Digital Camera: One of my favorites on the
Toy Wishes Hot Dozen Holiday List.
Product photos courtesy of Amazon.com.

I got my copy of The Holiday 2006 issue of Toy Wishes Magazine about two weeks ago, and I've been reading it to see which toys the publishers think will be hot this year. The thing that surprised me was how much the toys cost.

Three of the toys on the Hot Dozen cost more than $200. Compare this to last year, where three of the four most expensive toys on the list cost between $75 and $100, with the most expensive came in at only $150. Only one item on this year's list has a suggested retail price of $25 or less.

Let's take a look at the 2006 Hot Dozen:

• Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses: This is series of products based on the Barbie in The 12 Dancing Princesses DVD released in September 2006. Barbie stars as Princess Genevieve, who is the seventh of 12 daughters of a widower king. There are lots of options and accessories available, including a more sophisticated "interactive" Princess Genevieve, a horse and carriage, and a magical dance castle. Not to mention the dolls representing the other 11 sisters and the love interest, all available separately.
• Bratz Forever Diamondz: The Bratz are back again, as you've never seen them before. Sharidan, Cloe, Jade, Yasmin, and Sasha are expected to be hot with six to nine-year-old girls.
• Butterscotch My Furreal Friends Interactive Pony: The most expensive item on the Hot Dozen this year. This pony stands over three feet tall and weighs 25 pounds. She responds to cues with some elaborate animated action, including moving her eyes, ears, and head, whinnying and snorting, and responding to being fed. Children weighing up to 80-pounds can climb on for a "ride", although the horse stays in place on its stand.
• Digi Makeover: Gives pre-teen girls the opportunity to tryout new hair and makeup styles. The system apparently lacks an easy way to transfer "before" and "after" images to a computer for sharing via email and IM.
• Fly Wheels XPV: a remote controlled vehicle that drives like a car and flies like an airplane. The manufacturer says it can reach speeds of 30 miles an hour and fly higher than 100 feet in the air.
• Kid Tough Digital Camera: A 0.3 megapixel camera with a tough exterior, a 1.3-inch LCD, and a simple user interface that other camera manufacturers might want to study. This camera also has USB connectivity for use with a PC and a memory card slot. Comes in a version for boys (with a blue plastic case) and a version for girls (in pink).
• Lego Mindstorms NXT: The latest enhancement in the Lego Mindstorms robotics line. This is clearly aimed at engineering minded teens and adults. Expensive, but with many more capabilities than previous Mindstorm products I've seen.
• Magtastik: Magnetic construction sets that feature big, brightly colored plastic pieces. These kits look quite different from the Magnetix products featured on last year's Hot Dozen list.
• Monopoly Here & Now Edition: Why this game was included on the list is a real head-scratcher for me. How is this different from the umpteen other Monopoly spin-off attempts that haven't connected with the gaming public?
• Speed Stacks StackPack: A manual dexterity and coordination game that is supposedly used in physical education classes at over 10,000 schools. Comes in blue, red, green, yellow, and pink.
• T.M.X. Elmo: The 10th Anniversary Tickle-Me Elmo doll that was recently released to rave reviews. Already it's very difficult to find in stores and on-line.
• Wii: Nintendo's new game system that emphasizes two-handed, wireless game controllers with motion activation. The controllers should make sports games such as baseball, tennis, and hockey a lot more interesting. This is the first time in recent years that Toy Wishes has included a game system on the Hot Dozen list.

The gifts I see crossing over to teen and adult age groups most easily are the Lego Mindstorms NXT and the Nintendo Wii. I'll probably do follow up articles on these products, because they look like things that I would find interesting.

I wish the editors of Toy Wishes would include a toy or two suitable for small children. With the exception of T.M.X. Elmo, the toys on this list really don't make sense for children before age 4 or so. Since T.M.X. Elmo will be extremely difficult to get, they should have considered adding a second toy for that age group.

Technorati Tags: Hot Dozen, Toy Wishes Magazine, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We have a number of people who like math in our family, so Kathleen and I were pleased to discover Sudoku last week when we were shopping for Christmas gifts. Wikipedia says that Sudoku is a Japanese logic-based numeric placement puzzle which reportedly became popular in 1985 but only broke out to the rest of the world recently. According to the article:

The aim of the canonical puzzle is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each cell of a 9×9 grid made up of 3×3 subgrids (called "regions"), starting with various digits given in some cells (the "givens"). Each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of each numeral.

The game we bought Sudoku - The Utterly Addictive Number Puzzle Game is apparently so popular that Amazon.com is having trouble keeping it in stock. Here are a few other options for people who are trying to find Sudoku to give as a gift for the holidays:

• Board Games
  • SuDoku Sensations
  • The Original SuDoku with Wood Playing Pieces
• Electronic Games
  • Handheld Sudoku
  • Play at Joe's Sudoku Challenge
  • Sudoku Puzzle Addict
• Books
  • The Official Book of Sudoku: Book 1
  • Sudoku Easy Presented by Will Shortz, Volume 1
  • Sudoku Easy to Hard Presented by Will Shortz, Volume 2

Even more Sudoku options can be found at Amazon.com by searching for Sudoku.

Technorati Tags: Sudoku, Sudoku electronic games, Sudoku books, Sudoku games, Sudoku software, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

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For several years I've thought about building a scale replica of Houston Field House in LEGO building blocks. I've often read that building a scale model using LEGOs is difficult, but I think I've found a very useful book that would help me along the way. The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide by Allan Bedford covers topics like:

• Best practices for connecting bricks so your large models are as sturdy as possible,
• Tricks for calculating and using scale,
• Examples of how to build to the scale of the LEGO people (also known as "minifigs")
• Tips for sorting and storing LEGO pieces

This book includes a "brickopedia", a visual guide to about 300 of the most useful elements of the LEGO system. According to the book:

The Brickopedia (Appendix A) is a graphical reference tool that presents the most common and most reusable elements from available LEGO pieces. Although it does not contain an entry for every single piece ever produced, it does thoroughly examine the LEGO bricks, plates, slopes, and other elements that best define the highly flexible nature of this building system. I have categorized the Brickopedia using some traditional techniques but also using some newly defined criteria and classifications. I set this up intending that you use it as a stand-alone tool; therefore, it does not require a computer or Internet access to be useful.

I don't know if I'll ever build a replica of the rink I played hockey in during college, but if I do, I know which book I need to get started.

Technorati Tags: LEGO, how to book, toys

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One of the questions that Operation Gadget readers have about the Leapster L-Max learning game system is which Leapster games play on the television with the L-Max?. Here's a list of games that are known to work on your TV:

• Leapster Kindergarten,
• Leapster 1st Grade,
• Leapster 2nd Grade,
• Leapster Batman,
• Leapster Bratz World Jet Set,
• Leapster I-Spy Challenge,
• Leapster Math Baseball,
• Leapster Math Missions,
• Leapster Mr. Pencil Learn to Write & Draw,
• Leapster Reading with Phonics: Moles Huge Nose, and
• Leapster Thomas & Friends

LeapFrog takes a different approach. They provide a list of Leapster games that don't project on the TV with a Leapster L-Max. LeapFrog says that these games won't project to the TV for "quality and licensing reasons".

As far as I know, all of the L-Max games project to your TV. If I find out about any that don't work on the TV, I'll update this story. [ See also Leapster L-Max is a Popular Gift for 4 to 10 Year Olds ]

Technorati Tags: Leapster L-Max, Leapster, Hanukkah gifts, Christmas gifts, toys

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Leapster L-Max is turning out to be one of the most popular electronic learning games for the 2005 holiday season. I discovered this because of the response that has occurred since I mentioned the L-Max in an Operation Gadget called Electronics Dominate the Toy Wishes "Hot Dozen" Holiday Gift List for 2005.

The L-Max is the successor to the Leapster Multimedia Learning System which was very popular in 2004. The L-Max is compatible with games for the older Leapster system. It adds the ability to play many Leapster games on TV simply by connecting the L-Max to your television.

The L-Max also has an optional L-Max Recharging Kit which allows you to use a rechargeable battery pack instead of disposable AA batteries. The L-Max Recharging Kit will charge the L-Max in four hours, so it's perfect for recharging the L-Max overnight. I'm guessing that a charge will last for an entire day of L-Max use under normal conditions.

Technorati Tags: Leapster L-Max, Leapster, Hanukkah gifts, Christmas gifts, toys

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Since I published Electronics Dominate the Toy Wishes "Hot Dozen" Holiday Gift List for 2005, Operation Gadget readers have "voted with their wallets" by purchasing several of the toys and games that were highlighted. Early results indicate that the hottest selling toy among the dozen is Shell Shocker, a radio-controlled transforming vehicle for kids aged 8 and older. (Don't forget you need a Tyco Pro Flexpak Battery and Charger if you buy this.)

Close behind are:

• Dora the Explorer Talking Kitchen
• iZ
• PixelChix Beverly Hills House
• iDog

A couple of related toys that were not mentioned in this article have also been picked out by readers:

• 80th Anniversary Pooh: a commemorative Pooh bear exclusively available at Toys-R-Us and ToysRUs.com. It's already temporarily sold out at Amazon.com. Keep checking if you want one.
• Dora the Explorer Vamanos Van: an SUV that includes Dora and Mami figures.
• VuGo Multimedia System: a handheld video player I mentioned in the article called VuGo Portable Video System for Kids to be Target for TV Network Content Deal.

I'll report back periodically to tell you which toys and the hottest selling with our readers as the holiday season rolls on. If you have any comments on these toys or tips on others that you think are going to be hot, feel free to post them here.

Technorati Tags: Hot Dozen, toys, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

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The Wall Street Journal reported in its Monday edition that Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network will make some of their shows available on-demand for $2.99 per episode. According to the article:

The episodes will be tailored to work exclusively on toy maker Hasbro Inc.'s VuGo portable media player, a kind of video iPod for kids that began appearing on store shelves in recent weeks and sells for about $100 at discount retailers.

In an earlier article, I said that I put an iPod with video playback on my Amazon.com Wish List because I concluded that "video playback is going to be a very hot feature of portable media players in 2006". This deal between Viacom, Time Warner, and Hasbro is another indicator of the willingness of media companies to offer content for use on portable media players.

I think some of these initiatives will prove that there's a market for inexpensive content delivered on-demand. This will result in the availability of a wider variety of content, which will be its own demand driver. Whether lots of parents will pay $2.99 per episode for the right to download SpongeBob SquarePants episodes to their child's VuGo Multimedia System remains to be seen. { Subscription required to read most articles in The Wall Street Journal. ]

Technorati Tags: VuGo, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, SpongeBob SquarePants, Hanukkah gifts, Christmas gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Toy Wishes Magazine has released its ever-popular Hot Dozen Toys for 2005. This list is intended to forecast which toys will be the most popular during the 2005 holidays. We can safely assume that if the magazine is correct, many of them will also become hard to find in stores at some point in the near future.

Dora's Talking Kitchen: One of my
favorites on the Toy Wishes Hot
Dozen Holiday List. Product photos
courtesy of Amazon.com.

The Hot Dozen List includes (in alphabetical order):

• Black Belts Karate Home Studio DVD: an inexpensive active play set with a video component.
• Dora's Talking Kitchen; My wife Kathleen says that the kitchen play set at her pediatrics office is the most popular toy in the waiting room.
• Fly Wheels Assortment; Couldn't figure out which toy this was, so I'm recommending the Fly Wheels Rapid Fire Launcher for the moment.
• Furby: an electronic friend that comes in multiple color combinations.
• iDog: an electronic dog that dances to music that's being played in the room. Accessories are also available.
• iZ: an interesting combination of cartoon character, speaker for music playback, and music mixing tool. You change the beat of the music by twisting iZ's ears and pressing on his belly.
• Leapster L-Max Learning System: portable version of Leapster learning system. Requires new games, available separately. Works in conjunction with TV, if connected.
• The Magnetix MagnaWorld Series: lead by Magnetix MagnaWorld City. MagnaWorld Clock Tower, MagnaWorld Magna Central, Rescue Center, and Airport also available.
• Pixel Chix: including Pixel Chix Cottage House, Beverly Hills House, and Miami Loft. Interesting electronic house simulators. Kids interact with a Pixel Chix Pal, paying attention to the Pal in order to keep advancing in the game; Ignore and Pixel Chix Pal moves out.
• Shell Shocker Radio Controlled Toy: a toy with a "bio-mechanical design" that can shift from a rolling bowling-ball type shape to a reptillian-looking robot and back. Requires a Tyco Pro Flexpak Battery and Charger and a 9-volt battery, which adds to the cost.
• VCam Now: digital camera / video camera designed for kids. Holds 480 pictures or 7 minutes of video.
• V-Smile Pocket: portable version of V Smile-- a 2004 favorite. Uses the same cartridges as the bigger unit, potentially a big savings.

VTech V-Smile Pocket:
Little brother of the V-Smile Learning
System, which was a big hit in 2004.

If the 2004 Hot Dozen list was heavy with electronics, the list is overloaded in 2005. There are only two toys on this list that don't have a big electronic component: Black Belts Karate Home Studio DVD (also available in VHS) and the Magnetics MagnaWorld Series. I bought a set of Magnetix building toys for my nephew, Ben, a year or two ago, and I really wish they had been around when I was a kid, because they're fun to build with.

Last year, Operation Gadget readers bought a lot of VTech V-Smile, a video game-based learning system for preschoolers. In my opinion, this either means that V-Smile Pocket will be a similar hit, or it will be a dud. VTech has a strong lineup of add-on cartridges compatible with both devices based on Winnie the Pooh, Mickey and Friends, and the Little Mermaid. If these cartridges are entertaining as well as educational, I'm sure parents and grandparents will buy them, and many hours of fun will be had by all.

I'm concerned that the mix of electronic and non-electronic products in the Hot Dozen has tilted too far toward the electronics this year. Will there be hits in the non-electronic genre this year, in spite of the lack of attention? What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Hot Dozen, Toy Wishes Magazine, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

I was in Toys-R-Us yesterday for the first time in the 2005 Holiday Season. One of the first things I saw being promoted was the 80th Anniversary Pooh Doll from Fisher-Price and it looks like its going to be a hot product this year. Winnie the Pooh first appeared in The London Evening News on Christmas Eve 1925. Since then he's become one of the most popular characters in the history of children's literature.

The 80th Anniversary Pooh is $29.99 in stores, but you can get it for only $6.99 when you purchase $50 or more of toy or video game products from Toysrus.com or Imaginarium.com through Amazon.com. All you have to do is add the qualifying products to your shopping cart, including the Pooh doll, and enter the promotional code RTYBGBKTRUAA at checkout.

This Pooh Bear is machine washable and has a commemorative 80th anniversary insignia on his left rear paw.

My wife Kathleen loves Winnie the Pooh and we have quite a few Pooh products around the house. I'd be really surprised if this Pooh Bear doesn't come to our place this December.

Technorati Tags: Winnie the Pooh, commemorative, toys, Fisher-Price, Toys-R-Us

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