jedi

I knew there was something missing from my life. I just didn't know what it was until I came across ToyOtter's latest list of rejected "Star Wars" merchandise ideas on Action Figure Insider.

I'm missing a Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader salt and pepper shaker set, without which my life will never be complete. How did this product not get made?

"Let these legends of the kitchen table be a constant reminder of the battle over good and evil in the galaxy," the concept reads. Each morning there could be an epic battle for the very soul of my scrambled eggs.… Read more

From an autonomous car to a robot built to respond to disasters to a robot that can fold towels a la Rosie from "The Jetsons," these are just some of the amazing machines that caught the attention of SmartPlanet this year.

SmartPlanet correspondent Sumi Das takes a look back at the best robots of 2011.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "SmartPlanet's best robots of 2011."

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I'm quickly developing a new, quantum theory for tablet computing. Just as it appears that subatomic particles behave differently depending on whether they're being observed, it seems that tablet consumers and sellers start to behave strangely whenever the price for a tablet drops below a hundred dollars, no matter how unappealing the slate was at a higher price only a month ago.

Since HP announced last month that it was discontinuing the TouchPad and other WebOS devices, and dropped the price of the tablet by 80 percent (that put it at $99 for the 16GB model), we've seen pandemonium in stores and at online retailers. We've also seen HP's social-media manager harassed, we've seen civil war among Android developers looking to port to the cheap tablets, and now Lando Calrissian has joined the fray.

Just as any online political argument eventually invokes comparisons to Nazi Germany, under my new theory of touch-screen relativity, any sudden gadget frenzy will continually accelerate until non sequitur "Star Wars" references emerge.… Read more

Obi-Wan Kenobi may have been jolted out of his bed this morning by the millions of voices complaining about rumored changes to the original trilogy in the Star Wars Blu-ray collection, which will be available on September 16.

Entertainment blogger Devin Faraci was first to confirm with several sources that there will be several adjustments to the classic sci-fi movies: one for the original "Star Wars" (Episode IV), and two in "Return of the Jedi" (Episode VI). The New York Times has confirmed with Lucasfilm that changes are happening. To add even more fuel to the fire, there is video. … Read more

The highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG still lacks a release date, but Bioware isn't shying away from showing off some end-game content.

As a bit of background for the uninitiated, gamers can group together in SW:TOR and tackle challenges called "operations," which are similar to raids or instances found in World of Warcraft. These types of areas are critical to those who have reached the maximum level possible by offering intensive teamwork experiences and the chance to acquire high-powered items. Dallas Dickinson, Bioware's director of production, previews one of those operations, Eternity Vault, in a 10-minute video released a few days ago. … Read more

A slight disturbance in the Force was felt this morning after BioWare, LucasArts, and EA announced that Jedi and Sith everywhere can now preorder Star Wars: The Old Republic for a limited time.

Three versions of the highly anticipated MMORPG are available: Standard ($59), Digital Deluxe ($79), and the whopping Collector's Edition ($149). A preorder FAQ answers some common questions for curious padawans. Those who order soon get access to the virtual world early and obtain special items to make questing easier.

Star Wars fans have clamored for the title since its reveal in late 2008, with an expected release date later this year. According to the official preorder site, here is a breakdown of the three editions: … Read more

Jedi training just got cheaper. Nearly a year ago, "The Jedi Path" by Daniel Wallace hit the market and changed the destiny of many Force-sensitive padawans. Now, some good Father's Day news for those of you who want to help enable Dad to confidently swing a lightsaber during his next home improvement project. The price of the anthology just dropped from $99 to around $60.

After Order 66 and The Great Jedi purge(s) nearly eliminated most Jedi, it became nearly impossible for one to learn the complexities of the light side of the force. Luke Skywalker eventually opened up a New Jedi Order on Yavin 4, but getting there from Earth is a tough proposition. The 160-page hardcover Jedi training manual, created in collaboration with Lucasfilm, is a great alternative for those not wanting to travel millions of miles to a galaxy far, far away. … Read more

This week, your regular Cravers are joined by special guest Brian Seitz, senior marketing manager for Windows Phone. Despite what that implies, we're largely up to our regular shenanigans. Namely, giant robots, anthropomorphized gadgets, and artery-clogging edibles. If that's not enough to pique your curiosity, we're hoping that Optimus Prime, an emoticon keypad, and a Jedi mind-trick of an iPhone accessory will draw you in. Plus, Jasmine actually ate this week's fat-worthy item.

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This week on Crave, a low-tech robot makes Donald excited...or sad. No, excited. No, sad. Either way, its bulbous hand is sure to provide minutes of entertainment. Also, we chime in on a high-fashion biking helmet from Sweden and find out what the moon smells like (Eric is disappointed it's not cheese). Plus, an R2-D2 swimsuit falls flat on the sexiness scale, super shimmery batteries catch Jasmine's eye, and a Hello Kitty Smart car brings the rave full circle--as does the iPhone soap that smells like sausage. Or maybe it's the faux-nut from ThisIsWhyYou'reFat that does it. Either way, you're in for a treat (and it might be a pizza pop).