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• 7 Days of Traveling Helps: Lift the Flap Books

  Let me say first that I've already written about the best Traveling Help that I know, the Panasonic DVD-LS82 Portable DVD Player. But considering I've already shared that with you, I'll give you my number two Traveling Help. If you're going to be traveling with any child between the ages of one and three, you need to go get a lift-the-flap book. And then hide it until the trip is underway. Read More... Posted Jul 05 2008, 08:47 PM by moderndaydad with | with no comments Filed under: children, Books, book, electronics, children's books, Sesame Street, amazon, dvd, Elmo, Panasonic, mdd, 7 Days of Traveling Helps, lift the flap, dvd player, seek and find, lift and look, panasonic dvd-ls82 portable dvd player, where's waldo

• Father's Day Gift Alert: Flip Video Mino Released Today

  Looking for a good Father's Day Gift? Check out the Flip Video Mino. Flip Video is a brand of camcorders that are small, compact and incredibly portable. Small and simple to use, they basically are the point-and-shoot of video cameras. The new one that's out today, the Flip Video Mino, records full VGA video in a camera that's a pocket-sized 4" x 2" x 1/2". Read More... Posted Jun 05 2008, 01:02 PM by moderndaydad with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: electronics, camera, gifts, gift, gadgets, video, video camera, mdd, father's day, vga, flip, flip video mino, ultra, father's day gift, flip video ultra, mino, flip video

• Disney's WALL-E Robot to Break Fourth Wall This Summer

  The dialogue-light, visual-rich CGI robot flick WALL-E is still a few months off from hitting theaters (trailer here), and by the time it arrives, you may be able to take home your own real-life version of the animated droid. Read More... Posted May 01 2008, 09:03 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: Toys, Disney, electronics, robots, gadgets, animatronic toys, wowwee, remote control, pixar, r/c, wall-e, cgi, summer blockbusters

• Concept TV Reaches for Your Child's Inner Zombie

  My family spent the past week fighting off an absolutely wretched bug -- not so unmanageable when it was just the kids, but as Mom and I fell ill (and, as these things always go, we got it 10x as bad as they did), we found ourselves praying for a way to keep the little ones pacified while we recovered. Then, like an angel from concept-electronics heaven, Babble's Rachael Brownell sent along this link to a prototype from designer Sung-kyu Nam -- I swear just the thought of it cut my recovery time in half. Of course, now that I'm better, it's a little easier to raise an eyebrow at the NapTV... Read More... Posted Apr 28 2008, 10:03 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: television, electronics, gadgets, design prototypes, gizmos, naptv, design concepts, visual babysitters

• Homade LEGO MP3 Player is Music to Blockheads' Ears

  You'll notice the word "LEGO" doesn't actually appear anywhere on this Homade MP3 Player ($46 from Homeloo). Still, it's pretty clear which famous block inspired the player's design (and packaging, for that matter), and outside of conceptualizing your own, you won't get a more accurate-looking LEGO/MP3 hack than this. After the jump: a full round-up of Homade's LEGO-inspired MP3 gadgets, speakers included. Read More... Posted Feb 26 2008, 10:03 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: Legos, electronics, lego, gadgets, mp3 speakers, mini speaker systems, mp3 docking stations, mp3 players, lego hacks, lego mp3 player

• It's Always 30:92 Somewhere: Modular LED Clock by Jonas Damon

  Actually, given the way the blocks in designer Jonas Damon's LED clock ($100) logically connect to one another, you could never conjure a time that screwed-up; but you can rearrange the blocks into different designs -- a square, or a horizontal or vertical row -- to suit your whims and make learning to tell time a lateral thinking exercise for your kids. Read More... Posted Jan 14 2008, 10:03 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: modern design, blocks, electronics, gadgets, clocks, led clock, jonas damon, modular design

• DaysAgo Fridge Timer Lets You Spoil the Food, Spare the Child

  Sure, you have a digital thermometer to measure baby's core temperature and a heat-sensitive rubber duckie to ensure the bath never gets too warm, but how do you know that homemade baby food you just whipped up is still fresh enough to eat? With the DaysAgo Refrigerator Timer ($10 for a two-pack), just slap one of these gizmos on the outside of your food container... Read More... Posted Jan 09 2008, 12:03 PM by Aaron Burgess with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: geek toys, electronics, gadgets, kitchen, fridge, days ago refrigerator timer, food poisoning, food storage

• Now THAT'S What I Call a Wakeup: Sonic Grenade Alarm -- Clock Not Included

  Obviously you're not going to want to use this to wake your first-grader (as much as you may want to sometimes), but for those sluggish, hormonally grumpy older kids who've become way too friendly with their snooze button, the Sonic Grenade Alarm ($14.99) is the perfect way to get them the @#%! out of bed, pronto. Pull the pin, lob it into Pubert's bedroom, and within 20 seconds, one of three ear-shattering sirens will fill the air. No need for a pesky clock function, either -- this sucker's designed for one thing and one thing only. Posted Dec 17 2007, 01:02 PM by Aaron Burgess with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Toys, electronics, gadgets, hand grenades, alarm clocks, gag gifts, teenagers, alarms

• Triple Timer Eases Holiday Cooking for Multitaskers, iPod Nerds

  As you reflect on the madness that was yesterday's feast preparation, remember there are at least two more major holiday meals to prepare before Jan. 2, so get a head start on your prep work with this smart, iPod-style kitchen timer ($19.95 from Williams-Sonoma). Read More... Posted Nov 23 2007, 10:03 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: electronics, williams-sonoma, kitchen gadgets, kitchen timers, holiday food preparation

• Parents Agree: Graco's iMonitor Stinks, Rules

  If the Amazon.com customer reviews are any indication, the Graco Digital iMonitor ($59.99; or $89.99 for the deluxe, two-parent-unit version) is as wonderful a baby monitor as it isn't... Read More... Posted Nov 21 2007, 09:02 AM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: electronics, gadgets, digital imonitor, baby monitors, graco

• SmartShopper: Because We All Need a Personal Assistant

  While it's a little ironic that the SmartShopper ($149.99) costs more than some of us budget for a week's worth of groceries, the gadget at least promises savings to our sanity. (Ever tried making a grocery list on a tight budget with multiple kids under foot?) Speak the items or errands you want to add, and the SmartShopper records and categorizes a list for you. Once you're ready to hit the store, just print the list and go. Read More... Posted Oct 02 2007, 12:32 PM by Aaron Burgess with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: electronics, gadgets, smartshopper, shopping lists, groceries, gifts under $150, grocery lists, errands, personal shopper, montel williams

• Nickelodeon, Imation Team Up for Pre-Holiday Gadget Blitz

  Not that there aren't already plenty of consumer electronics products aimed at kids, but Nickelodeon and Imation have just announced their Npower line, which features Nick-branded gizmos ranging from Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! 7" digital photo frames ($99.99 MSRP; pictured) to a SpongeBob SquarePants 1.3MP flash digital camera ($49.99 MSRP). Npower -- which will also include MP3 players, LCD TVs and other items branded with Dora, SpongeBob, Diego and the Naked Brothers Band, aims to have around 20 products in stores starting in October. Posted Sep 18 2007, 03:27 PM by Aaron Burgess with | with no comments Filed under: electronics, gadgets, nickelodeon, imation

• Bandai Hex Bugs: Cool, or Creepy?

  To be released later this year, these creepilicious, battery-operated bugs will come in a array of colors.  They also avoid objects and direction when you clap in their presence.   Which is how I'm training my kids to dodge the piles of laundry around here.   These critters will retail for approximately $16 each. Posted Jul 03 2007, 09:02 AM by Karen Sugarpants with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: electronics, toys for kids, Bandai

• She May Be Ready for a Big Computer, but She Needs a Mini Keyboard

  Just because your precocious tot is ready to while away the hours online doesn't mean that she's suited to the ergonomics of a keyboard and mouse meant for full-grown adults. Consider picking up a mini keyboard and mouse for kids from Ergoguys; they come in four pleasing color-combinations, yes, but they're also designed for little fingers. The keyboards are 1/3 standard size with a slightly slanted key arrangement for ease of use. Corded optical mouse is designed to fit in the palms of small hands. Just $34.95 for the set. Posted Jun 12 2007, 12:03 PM by Mir with | with no comments Filed under: computer, mouse, electronics, keyboard