Brick by brick: Lego pieces together electronics business

You can't take the Bionicle Lego camera apart--but it would be fun if you could.

(Credit: Lego/Digital Blue)

In a brilliant marketing move, Lego and Digital Blue have partnered to bring out Lego-branded kid's tech products. The line, which is due to launch this summer, will include digital cameras, MP3 players, video cameras, and walkie talkies. There's also talk of Lego boom boxes and clock radios.

Yes, it would be fun if kids could build their products themselves with a kit, but the bricks in these gadgets aren't designed to be pulled apart and rebuilt. That's probably a good thing, but a little customization would be cool.

No word on the exact pricing for the various devices--or what products will be available at launch--but the press release says they'll range in price from $20 to $60. Geared to preteens (7- to 11-year-olds), the Bionicle digital camera (pictured) will be stocked at Toys R Us this fall. Personally, I think they should gear it more to the 4- to 6-year-old crowd. All the preteens I know want real digital cameras.

(Via Engadget via KidsTechReview.com)

[oce.net]

30+s want the Lego Gadget collection. And when it comes to customization/modification- all it needs to have is the normal block attachment points- and with a decent set of standard Legos (Mindstorms, DACTA, etc.) you can have your hand made flash, auto zoom, auto light, live streaming point and shoot.
Thus the genius of Lego!!!

[oce.net]

Oh- and don't forget your Duplo-based standing and folding tripod- that breaks down for easy storage and situational customization.

[Dragoniies]

Hell I will buy it just cause its Lego....

[iff2mastamatt]

I remember back in the day, the good 'ol Lego memories. I loved legos as a kid!!! Heck, I even won money in a contest after submitting my creation!

[BenFlavoredCandy]

They are missing a huge opportunity to make "buildable" products! I understand the complexities that would arise, but imagine having a few key pieces [battery, LCD, shutter, memory, etc.] that connect in a particular way, then any Lego pieces lying around in your house to create your own body.

[jskrenes]

Yeah, buildable gadgets would be exactly what I would want out of something like this. Imagine a digital camera that you could turn into self-portrait mode by rearranging lego blocks. Just one idea of something you could do with Legos that would be fun and innovative.

[oassaf]

Odd that they are gearing it to 7-11 year olds, my 4 year old nice can already take half-decent pics with a normal digital camera. They should have made them for adults, with completely customizable options

[Pizzookie]

If lego were smart they would make it like their mindstorms robotics invention system. The kit included the motors, sensors, cables and the computer ingeniously designed be built upon with legos to create robots. Lego should sell camera, mp3, etc. modules and allow you to build your own case tor them with legos. And possibly be able to position the control buttons anywhere and connect them with wires with lego block connectors the same way the robotics invention system allowed you to place and connect sensors and motors.