Toy Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Parrot updates the AR.Drone for a second version

by Mike Schramm (Jan 25th, 2012)

CES 2010 was where we first heard of the Parrot AR.Drone, a radio-controlled quadricopter that hooked up via Wi-Fi to an iPhone app. And now, two years later, that product is out and successful -- and now, obsolete. Parrot used CES 2012 a few weeks ago to introduce the AR.Drone 2.0, a brand new ...

Apple moves to ban Steve Jobs action figure

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jan 5th, 2012)

Do you remember the Steve Jobs action figure that was so life-like it was creepy? It appears the model may never see the light of day because of Apple's proactive legal team. According to a report in the Telegraph, Apple is threatening to sue InIcons, the company that created and marketed the ...

RC car modded with Arduino, controlled by iPad

by Mike Schramm (Jan 3rd, 2012)

This is great -- developer Wannes Vermeulen has hacked a toy remote control car with an Arduino board and hooked it up to an iPad to drive it around. You can see video of the project in action over on Vimeo right now. It's not anything too special these days, as you can buy lots of RC vehicles ...

iPhone recreated in wood (and a toy iPad for the taking)

by Mike Schramm (Dec 6th, 2011)

How great is this wooden iPhone, complete with special block icons to get moved around on the "touchscreen"? I'm not quite sure what it says about our culture that we're recreating Apple's magical device in this way (though it should be noted that this is an art project, not an actual "wooden ...

Sphero available for pre-orders now

by Mike Schramm (Nov 1st, 2011)

We got to see Sphero, the remote-controlled ball toy controlled by an iOS device, way back at the beginning of this year at CES, and if you're still interested, it's now finally available for pre-order. The toy's been priced out at $129.99, which is a little high, I think, but then again if you ...

Sphero boasts new look, launch set for later this year

by Mike Schramm (Sep 20th, 2011)

We saw Sphero in action in January at CES 2011, and the company has released some details on the final prototype and an actual release. The little iOS-controlled sphere is still planned for release sometime this year, but it's got a new design that you can see above. Don't worry, it's still a ...

Griffin announces a $50 iOS-controlled helicopter

by Steven Sande (Jul 14th, 2011)

It has no built-in camera beaming video back to your iPhone, and it isn't controlled via Wi-Fi. There are no augmented reality apps that come with it, nor is there (as far as we know) a way to hack the firmware. It only has two full-size rotors instead of four. Despite all of these ...

Start 'em young with a jailbroken iPhone toy

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jan 3rd, 2011)

Ask any parent, and they will tell you that you need to start your kids young and surround them with toys to stimulate their development. There is no better toy for the next generation saurik or geohot than the not-so-creatively named "Smart Phone" toy fresh out of China. Why is this phone so ...

Steve Jobs action figure no longer available

by Michael Gray (Nov 23rd, 2010)

The Steve Jobs action figure has been making the rounds of the Internet in the last few days. Rocking a black turtleneck, blue jeans, and an iPhone, the magical and revolutionary replication of Apple's chief honcho has been a huge hit for many fans of Apple. Unfortunately, according to M.I.C. ...

iPhone-controlled marble prototype from GearBox

by Mike Schramm (Aug 6th, 2010)

This is wild -- a new startup called GearBox is working on making "smart toys," and one of their first products is a prototype rolling ball that's controlled with your iPhone (or other smartphone, of course). Not only can you move the ball around on the ground with your phone's touchscreen, but ...

Build customized LEGO packs with LEGO Digital Designer

by Sang Tang (Dec 13th, 2009)

Have you completed your holiday shopping yet? Neither have I. Well, if your friends or loved ones have a particular affinity for LEGO's construction toys, consider using LEGO Digital Designer to order a customized building block set for them. Via LEGO's DESIGNbyME, Mindstorms, and Creator-based ...

A BBQ in your pocket with Barbecue

by Victor Agreda, Jr. (Oct 2nd, 2009)

I've always enjoyed miniatures for some reason, and Barbecue [iTunes Link], from Equinux , is an enjoyable miniature barbecue grill. It's a pretty simple thing, really. You launch the app, light a match to get the grill going, then spend your time throwing a variety of meats and corn onto the grill. ...

Mujik for the iPhone. I'm scratching my head but enjoying it

by Mel Martin (Aug 7th, 2009)

Every so often something hits the App Store that is interesting but difficult to explain. At the same time, it is enjoyable to use, and you tip your hat to the people who thought it up, even if it has no real practical use. Mujik [App Store] is a free (for now) app that allows you to create musical ...

WWDC Demo: Coolness Test and Spin the Ball

by Victor Agreda, Jr. (Jul 7th, 2009)

Coolness Test (iTunes link) is a well-executed game of skill where you tap a green button as it moves around the screen. You have to avoid the red button, and both move around the screen with each tap. The developers found people were playing for extraordinary lengths of time, and I can see why. ...

Sababa Toys shows the iNo

by Victor Agreda, Jr. (Jan 21st, 2008)

In the Moscone West "first look" section we found Sababa Toys demonstrating their iPod music-trivia game called 'iNo.' Unfortunate naming scheme aside, it looks pretty fun. You push your iPod into the device, it plays a random song while hiding the screen. If you think you know the song (or artist, ...

Buy an ad here