The Toys of Summer: Tamagotchi Friends: Bandai Brings The Digital Pet Back Into The Social Age

Posted on August 28, 2014 by geelw

Okay, yesterday some of you found out Hello Kitty is actually a five-year old English girl and today, I;m telling you you know she’d probably be wanting one of Bandai’s Tamagotchi Friends as a gift from either her non-cat parents or other non-animal acquaintances.

Bandai has brought back the portable digital pet experience as a relatively inexpensive and much more connected collectible than the previous version from the late 90’s that sold who knows how many millions of units and inspired far too many clones to count. I won’t reveal exactly how many of those original Tamagotchi I actually owned, but all I’ll say is I got my first two from a friend whose wife was obsessed with them and he finally convinced here that twenty was a good number to stop at… Continue reading →

CE Week Best of (1 of 3): “Get The Picture” With This Quintet of Snappy Tech Goodies

Posted on July 14, 2014 by geelw

Save for the restrooms, nearly everywhere you looked at this year’s CE Week, there was some sort of tech accessory being showed off, a dongle dangled in your face every ten paces and other high and low tech tech related goodies of all types vying for attention and coverage. I liked a lot of what I saw, so in a few parts today and into next week, here are a few photo-related suggestions for you potential gift givers out there or those of you looking to give a little or big something to yourselves at some point:

ZTYLUS Smartphone Camera Lens (iPhone 5/Samsung Galaxy S/Galaxy Note): If you take a lot of photos with that iPhone or Galaxy, you’ll definitely want a ZTYLUS sooner than later. Invented and designed by Tim Hsu, this lens attachment (with optional case that makes your phone look like something even more futuristic) has a 4-in-1 lens that expands your creative options, is relatively inexpensive and as the official site says, will help you take better smartphone photos. The Revolver 4-in-One Lens is $69.95 and the case is $39.95, but I say snap both up in a combo pack from the ZTYLUS web shop for $99.95 and get your friends wondering when you became a secret agent (who just so happens to take REALLY awesome camera photos).

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The Toys of Summer: World Tech Toys Joker 2CH IR RC Helicopter – “Fly So Serious?”

Posted on June 12, 2014 by geelw

I’ll have to admit, I let out a hearty chuckle when I opened the box from HobbyTron and saw that World Tech Toys DC Comics Licensed World Tech Toys Joker 2 Channel Infrared RC Helicopter inside leering at me suspiciously. I wasn’t laughing AT the Joker-shaped chopper, mind you… but the fact that it was him inside that box and not Batman or Superman as I’d expected.

I also laughed because it being the Joker meant I was probably lucky to be alive after opening that box. As not a whiff of Smilex Gas poured out of the box and I was still breathing, I cracked the package open, took everything out and in less than two minutes (most of which was spent trying to recall where I put the bulk package of batteries I bought a few weeks ago), I was about ready to fly… Continue reading →

BUY THESE! Funko Gets Guardians of the Galaxy All Bobbly And Tiny And Collectible This July

Posted on May 21, 2014 by geelw

Okay, Funko. I want an entire box of these Guardians of the Galaxy Mystery Minis and I don’t even have ROOM for them! These mini-bobbleheads are coming in July (price TBA) and man, aren’t they CUTE? I mean LOOK. AT. THEM. (faint, *THUD*):

Anyway, blind box packaging, no “rares” to chase down, but two of them glow in the dark. If you want in on these, check the usual comic shop and online haunts for these in about two months. I bet they sell out everywhere, especially if the movie is bigger than it’s going to be…

READS: Super Graphic Is A Must For Comics Fans AND Statistics Hounds

Posted on May 21, 2014 by geelw

Writer/editor/designer Tim Leong is a genius, packing all 192 pages of his VERY informative (and a lot more hilarious) new book Super Graphic with graphs and charts and statistics on a wide range of comic book trivia. Ever want to know how much leg Wonder Woman has shown over 70 years? Or how many places in the world (and off it) Tintin has been? How about the difference between cosplay and crossplay? Maybe you’re really curious about How many times the letter “V” was used in each volume of V for Vendetta? Don’t guess, now – buy this book instead!

These and many more answers await in this amazingly cool book which doesn’t use a single illustration from any comic out there. Instead, it’s all an amusing collection of stylized lists and artwork that never fail to entertain, educate and inform with a fine sense of humor throughout.

The book is chock full of serious info as well, but it’s the humor that ties everything together. If you don’t laugh upon seeing the Gotham City Police Department’s Utility Bill (page 154) or the two pages on Why Guys Like The Invisible Woman and Why Guys Like Spider-Man (pages 84 and 85), you may need to go to Doctor Strange and get your head shrunk for a spell. Oh, and that Venn diagram with Stan Lee’s Nicknames for the Marvel Bullpen (pages 68 and 69)? Priceless. Disney and other comic and comic strip characters, manga, anime, animated movies and indie comics also get covered here as well as lots of non-comic, but related info. So if you’re not a member of the Merry Marvel Marching Society or a junior member of the Justice League, you’ll still find a great deal of interesting stuff here to pore over. Pick this up for $18.95 over at the Chronicle Books website.

ThinkGeek Wants You To Think “ROBOTS!” For Your Next Gifting Project…

Posted on May 12, 2014 by geelw

While this year’s National Robotics Week has already passed, you have until April 2, 2015 to snag something if you’re one of those people who celebrates these oddball non-holidays religiously (there’s a joke in there somewhere). ThinkGeek is of course, there for you and all your odd robotic or non-robotic gift wants and needs, so below the jump is a gander at a few items that caught my eye from the company’s latest email blast…

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Oops: Think Geek Reminds Me I Forgot Their Star Wars Day Sale… There’s Still Time To Buy!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by geelw

Okay, you only have until midnight to grab some bargains at 20% off, so you last-minute shoppers can and should boogie on over to the Think Geek shop and check out the oodles of Star Wars goodies they have for sale. I actually couldn’t find the other half of my tea infuser earlier today, so this Death Star Tea Infuser is calling out to me like millions of voices from destroyed Alderaan. Hmmm, I wonder if someone thought it was a gas explosion right as it happened? Ouch.

Anyway, I also like these awesome Lightsaber Umbrellas (available in three styles!) because I just NEVER carry an umbrella and this would completely make me do just that even if there’s not a cloud in the sky. Of course, I’d maybe want a waterproof Jedi raincoat, but that’s what the Force is for, correct? Then again, I wouldn’t need an umbrella if I can keep rain from making my clothes wet… hmmmm…

Anyway, time’s a’wastin, Padawans! Get some (more) shopping done already!

More Star Wars Day Madness? Hokay, Knock Yourself Out, Fans!

Posted on May 4, 2014 by geelw

One: The folks at mimoco are running a Caption Contest that ends at MIDNIGHT! Th prize? Your choice of One (1) 16GB retired Star Wars MIMOBOT from the #MIMOVAULT (if available, at their discretion) or one (1) of their 32GB USB 3.0 current series MIMOBOTS. Woo! Time is running out, so go HERE and enter to WIN! You can also boogie on over to the mimoco shop and get 20% off any Star Wars USB drives you buy for 24 hours PLUS free shipping for U.S. orders over $50!

Two: Chronicle Books is doing their May 4th up a few ways today, starting off by announcing a fun new kid’s book available for pre-order, Goodnight, Darth Vader by writer/artist Jeffrey Brown.

Yes, it’s TOO cute, but according to those folks at Disney who now own everything Star Wars, most likely NOT at all part of the new canon they’re creating (boo!). Chronicle also has a free activity kit you can grab PLUS a cool facebook contest for an excellent Star Wars prize set that includes books and some really cute maquettes!

Three: Her Universe is offering up a 40% off sale on SELECT Star Wars items, three new items in their SW line and a $10 Star Wars Mystery Tee (what could it be?). Well, you’ll just need to buy it and find out, correct? Everyone loves surprises, right? Well, unless it’s Jar-Jar Binks staring at you when you open that Mystery Package… Eeek.

Anyway, there’s a lot more going on allll over the internet to-day, but I’m tied up in a few other things and just cobbled together some of what but busting my inbox’ back. Anyway, go consume mass quantities or something and… oh, you know how the rest of that goes!

Game of Thrones Fans? Think Geek Has You WELL Covered (Not In Blood, Though)…

Posted on April 11, 2014 by geelw

You may have not thought you needed a House of Stark, Lannister or Targaryen pillow, a TOO cute Dire Wolf Plush, a Fabled Axe Tea Infuser or a set of Wax Seal Coasters, but the folks at Think Geek think otherwise and have very wisely gathered up a load of interesting (and even some exclusive) Game of Thrones goodies on their site just for you. And you, too. And you over there on the left who still needs to play catch up with the series because you FINALLY got HBO and don’t yet realize that includes HBO On Demand which just so happens to be running the first three seasons along with episodes from THIS season after they premiere each Sunday.

See, you learned something today and you weren’t even expecting it! Now go buy one of those goodies above or perhaps that Dragon Egg Pendant or a replica of Jon Snow’s Longclaw Sword are more up your alley? There’s FREE shipping on orders over $75, so knock yourself out and brighten (or darken) up your space with some neat swag!

Technogel Gives Your Bedtime Some True Joie de Vive!

Posted on December 21, 2013 by geelw

One of my other big hobbies outside of gaming, film, cooking and generally staying out of most trouble (unless otherwise necessary for a good story later on) is sleeping. I’ve been been known to fall asleep almost anywhere at the drop of a hat. In fact, if you go buy me a hat and hand it to me right now, I could drop it and fall asleep before it hits the ground. Okay, I’m not that good, but I’ve definitely mastered the fine art of snoozing on any relatively flat surface. This is naturally both a very good as well as a very bad thing. Very good as in I can curl up on anything from a lumpy hardwood floor with a scratchy burlap blanket to a nice Italian leather sofa and zonk out with ease. Very bad as in my poor back, neck and other body parts have been through the wringer thanks to some of my sleeping choices over the decades… Continue reading →