Crave

When we saw the "iKids" safety system the other day, we liked the idea but suggested that it come with some other function that might give children more of an incentive to avoid losing it, such as games or music. Japan's Softbank Mobile has come up with a similar idea for an even more obvious device--the phone.

Mobile Magazine says Softbank is marketing its Toshiba 812T clamshell handset specifically for kids, as its pink and blue cases would indicate for the clueless. The phone has an emergency tab at the bottom that, when pulled, sounds an alarm … Read more

The people at WowWee don't waste any time. Just a couple of weeks ago, Crave wrote of an FCC application filed by the toymaker for a remote-controlled "FlyTech Dragonfly."

Now, T3 reports that it has gotten exclusive access to the robotic insect, with photos and YouTube video to prove it. Unlike lesser beings that rely on propellers and such for flight, according to the U.K. magazine, the Dragonfly is "the world's first robot to use brute flapping-power to remain airborne."

So the next time a co-worker buzzes you with one of those RC … Read more

Gag gifts are a lost art. All too often, we resort to the same whoopie-cushion cliches for lack of anything more inventive. The Onion Store, however, has put its exceptional snark quotient to good use with something different--and even better, it's aimed at least partly at geeks.

Last-minute pranksters might still have time to get the "GotchaBox," a set of boxes for three fake gifts: the "USB Toaster," the "Make-Your-Own Umbrella Kit" and the "Salt Of The Month Club." The box print is well done, easily mistakable for products from the … Read more

Will Orange soon be Google's favorite color?

France Telecom Group's mobile-telephony division Orange is in discussions with Google about a prospective "branded Google phone," according to a report in the Observer.

"Manufactured by HTC, a Taiwanese firm specializing in smart phones and Personal Data Assistants, it might have a screen similar to a video iPod. It would have built-in Google software (for) surfing the Web from a mobile handset," reported the Observer. "The companies believe that they have an affinity as brands that are perceived as both 'positive' and 'innovative.'"

Orange is … Read more

It's true: the iPhone is here--but not the one everyone's been talking about. Linksys announced today its family of Voice over IP and Wi-Fi phones, called iPhone.

The purveyor of home networking equipment has been shipping several flavors of VoIP and Wi-Fi phones since 2004 and announced two new products today, but branding them under the iPhone moniker is a new move. The two new members of the family are the iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype (CIT400) and the iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype (WIP320). The former is targeted for the home: it includes a cordless … Read more

So your kid is getting older, and you want to protect him from the hazards of skateboarding. Good luck.

It may be almost impossible to keep boys from undergoing this rite of passage, but you might be able to limit their board time by offering a virtual version as a part-time substitute. This skateboard game plugs into the TV and "translates a child's motion into real-time tricks and movements as players navigate multiple urban skateboard challenges such as timed races, slalom and obstacle courses, half-pipe environments, free skating and tournament play," according to Hammacher Schlemmer. And they … Read more

The other day we were complaining (yes, again) that electronics manufacturers sometimes seem determined to disguise their products, making them look different devices altogether. Well, we're apparently not alone.

Mobile Magazine makes a similar observation about the "Neo 808i" phone, which it says looks more like a media player because of its landscape screen. Even more notable, though, is how many features it crams into its diminutive frame. Among those are a 1.3-megapixel camera, an MP3 and MP4 player, FM radio, 128MB of memory, 3D graphics and Bluetooth connectivity. All this in an almost-miniature case that … Read more

It's not often that Crave gets freaked out, but we were a little thrown by this coincidence.

The other day we ran a small item about a small device, a robot USB key. Certainly nothing unusual about that, except for a random reference to Ultraman--a character we probably hadn't recalled more than two or three times since childhood. Then Saturday, only a few days after the robot USB item, what do we spy? An Ultraman USB key.

Fareastgizmos reports that the 256MB storage device is part of a 40th anniversary commorative set of collectibles dedicated to the … Read more

With so many products going under water these days, the only thing we can surmise is that people are really taking this whole global warming thing seriously. That would be at least one explanation for the proliferation of gadgets like this waterproof digital movie camera.

Gizmag says the Sanyo VPC-CA6 has a resolution of 6 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom, retailing for around $250. It does take stills as well, but if you're not satisfied with the quality you can try any number of waterproof point-and-shoot cameras. Either way, you can transfer your shots with your waterproof USB device … Read more