NEWS – Remember back when fidget spinners were hot and everyone and their brother was spinning them between their thumb and index fingers? That was just the beginning of the whole fidget toy craze that appears to have no end in sight.
Fidget toys can help you concentrate and relieve stress and who doesn’t need more of both? So just in time for Easter comes the Thinking Egg from the Orijin Design Company.
Thinking Eggs are small marble sized eggs made of natural materials like stone, wood, brass, and even lava. They are like a holiday-inspired worry stone that you can roll between your fingers without the annoying distraction that traditional fidget spinners can have. Thinking stones are priced at $24.95. You can read more about them at theorijin.com and buy one from The Grommet.
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REVIEW – I have never really been into gaming gadgets and quite frankly, the only games I play are usually card type games on my smartphone while I pass the time traveling on the railroad back and forth to work. When I got the opportunity to review a pair of the GJS GEIO gaming robots, I readily accepted because they look like nothing I have seen before and I was intrigued by them. I wonder if they will get me hyped or just bored? Let’s see!!
What is it?
GEIO is an innovative gaming robot equipped with an intelligent visual recognition system. It is capable of high-speed mobility and includes a flexible biaxial battery which allows for more game modes. “It adds a powerful long-range unit to the [mechanized battlefield]. Its small size does, however, not impact its power.”
What’s in the box
1 x GJS Battle Robot (2 were provided by the manufacturer for this review)
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Rechargeable Battery
1 x Instruction card
4 x Totem Game Cards
Design and features
Features
Specifications
Size: 170mm x 170mm x 160mm Weight: 730g Turret Angle – Horizontal: 0-160° Turret Pitch: 0-90° Material: Aluminum Alloy, ABS Battery: 7.4V 2000mAh Supported Mobile Phone System: iOS / Android Camera Resolution: 300,000 pixels Visual Identity Range: 50cm-2m Internal Sensor Infrared Sensors: Magnetic Sensor Connectivity: WIFI Operating Frequency: 5GHz Maximum Transmission Distance: 70 m
The GJS Robots are well designed and very attractive. They have built-in LED lighting all around their frame and they are well built. They utilize Totem cards as a part of some of the games to give gain weapons and health, etc and they actually have the ability to read the cards. The various pictures below highlight some of the design features.
The picture below provides a clear view of the camera that is mounted on the turret and the guns that have built-in LEDs in each barrel. The LEDs in the gun barrel flash like strobes when they are shooting.
The picture below is just another angle showcasing the design and the LEDs that are all over the robot.
Underneath the robot, there are 4 sets of double wheels that allow for great versatility in movement including sideways. In the center, there is a connection for the rechargeable battery.
On one side of the rechargeable battery, there is a micro USB port for recharging. The battery can be charged separately, or while connected to the robot. The micro USB charging port is still accessible when the battery is connected. This is shown in the third picture below.
Performance
Once the batteries are charged and installed, the robot is ready to go. On the back of the robot there is a power button, and once pressed, the robot turns on, makes robot-like sounds, the turret moves around and the “eye” seems to be searching. Once you download and install the GJS GEIO app, and the robot is turned on, it shows up in the WIFI list on your mobile device. You can select a single robot mode or multi-player mode. Controlling the robot is easy but you have to get used to the on-screen controls because they are quite sensitive. The robot can move very quickly, is very responsive to the controls, and can move in just about any direction and orientation you choose. You can also turn the direction of your phone and the robot will respond to your movement. This is especially helpful in the AR mode when fighting virtual robots. When you place the Totem cards within the battlefield, you can focus in on the pictures on the cards for various gains. There are lots of capabilities but they not that easy to describe unless you actually use the robot. The instruction card that is included is not that helpful and since it is also not that detailed, you have to figure out some things on your own. The print on the card is also quite small. The following pictures are of the two sides of the instruction card:
The following is one of several short videos on the GJS website that show the robot in operation:
The screenshots from the app below show some of the choices of operation modes that are available via the app.
The next app screenshot below shows the start screen. You touch red or blue depending on which robot you want to control.
The following app screenshots are of various POV views from within the app.
The video below shows the POV from within the app. It is a bit grainy but the point is to show how it looks with the movement from the screen while controlling it. (It would be clearer with better lighting)
What I like
The overall design
The attractive LED lighting
The versatility to be able to move in just about every direction
The speed of movement
The interactive capabilities
The first-person POV view
The realistic and visible weapons lighting
The game options
The build quality
What can be improved
Better instructions for directions and visibility
Better battery life
Final thoughts
I am not a gamer, but when I first saw these robots, I was intrigued. I was worried if they could keep my attention long enough and whether they would be more like a toy for my 4-year-old. Well, I was so wrong. This robot is great, designed for older kids and adults, and even better if you have 2 so that someone can play against you. Maybe I am not as advanced as some in regards to Artificial Intelligence, but I find them to be amazing at how they operate and interact, and I can spend lots of time playing around with them until the battery dies. In my “What can be Improved” comments, I mentioned the battery life because, for this type of gadget, I want the battery to give me a few of hours of playing time like a video game. It gets more than an hour depending on use, but I want more time between charges. Maybe the solution is to purchase additional batteries. I will have to see if that is possible. This robot is well built, well designed, loads of fun and just great. Two thumbs up!!
Price: $199.99 each Where to buy:Amazon Sample: The sample for this review was provided by GEIO
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REVIEW – I have never really been into gaming gadgets and quite frankly, the only games I play are usually card type games on my smartphone while I pass the time traveling on the railroad back and forth to work. When I got the opportunity to review a pair of the GJS GEIO gaming robots, I readily accepted because they look like nothing I have seen before and I was intrigued by them. I wonder if they will get me hyped or just bored? Let’s see!!
What is it?
GEIO is an innovative gaming robot equipped with an intelligent visual recognition system. It is capable of high-speed mobility and includes a flexible biaxial battery which allows for more game modes. “It adds a powerful long-range unit to the [mechanized battlefield]. Its small size does, however, not impact its power.”
What’s in the box
1 x GJS Battle Robot (2 were provided by the manufacturer for this review)
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Rechargeable Battery
1 x Instruction card
4 x Totem Game Cards
Design and features
Features
Specifications
Size: 170mm x 170mm x 160mm Weight: 730g Turret Angle – Horizontal: 0-160° Turret Pitch: 0-90° Material: Aluminum Alloy, ABS Battery: 7.4V 2000mAh Supported Mobile Phone System: iOS / Android Camera Resolution: 300,000 pixels Visual Identity Range: 50cm-2m Internal Sensor Infrared Sensors: Magnetic Sensor Connectivity: WIFI Operating Frequency: 5GHz Maximum Transmission Distance: 70 m
The GJS Robots are well designed and very attractive. They have built-in LED lighting all around their frame and they are well built. They utilize Totem cards as a part of some of the games to give gain weapons and health, etc and they actually have the ability to read the cards. The various pictures below highlight some of the design features.
The picture below provides a clear view of the camera that is mounted on the turret and the guns that have built-in LEDs in each barrel. The LEDs in the gun barrel flash like strobes when they are shooting.
The picture below is just another angle showcasing the design and the LEDs that are all over the robot.
Underneath the robot, there are 4 sets of double wheels that allow for great versatility in movement including sideways. In the center, there is a connection for the rechargeable battery.
On one side of the rechargeable battery, there is a micro USB port for recharging. The battery can be charged separately, or while connected to the robot. The micro USB charging port is still accessible when the battery is connected. This is shown in the third picture below.
Performance
Once the batteries are charged and installed, the robot is ready to go. On the back of the robot there is a power button, and once pressed, the robot turns on, makes robot-like sounds, the turret moves around and the “eye” seems to be searching. Once you download and install the GJS GEIO app, and the robot is turned on, it shows up in the WIFI list on your mobile device. You can select a single robot mode or multi-player mode. Controlling the robot is easy but you have to get used to the on-screen controls because they are quite sensitive. The robot can move very quickly, is very responsive to the controls, and can move in just about any direction and orientation you choose. You can also turn the direction of your phone and the robot will respond to your movement. This is especially helpful in the AR mode when fighting virtual robots. When you place the Totem cards within the battlefield, you can focus in on the pictures on the cards for various gains. There are lots of capabilities but they not that easy to describe unless you actually use the robot. The instruction card that is included is not that helpful and since it is also not that detailed, you have to figure out some things on your own. The print on the card is also quite small. The following pictures are of the two sides of the instruction card:
The following is one of several short videos on the GJS website that show the robot in operation:
The screenshots from the app below show some of the choices of operation modes that are available via the app.
The next app screenshot below shows the start screen. You touch red or blue depending on which robot you want to control.
The following app screenshots are of various POV views from within the app.
The video below shows the POV from within the app. It is a bit grainy but the point is to show how it looks with the movement from the screen while controlling it. (It would be clearer with better lighting)
What I like
The overall design
The attractive LED lighting
The versatility to be able to move in just about every direction
The speed of movement
The interactive capabilities
The first-person POV view
The realistic and visible weapons lighting
The game options
The build quality
What can be improved
Better instructions for directions and visibility
Better battery life
Final thoughts
I am not a gamer, but when I first saw these robots, I was intrigued. I was worried if they could keep my attention long enough and whether they would be more like a toy for my 4-year-old. Well, I was so wrong. This robot is great, designed for older kids and adults, and even better if you have 2 so that someone can play against you. Maybe I am not as advanced as some in regards to Artificial Intelligence, but I find them to be amazing at how they operate and interact, and I can spend lots of time playing around with them until the battery dies. In my “What can be Improved” comments, I mentioned the battery life because, for this type of gadget, I want the battery to give me a few of hours of playing time like a video game. It gets more than an hour depending on use, but I want more time between charges. Maybe the solution is to purchase additional batteries. I will have to see if that is possible. This robot is well built, well designed, loads of fun and just great. Two thumbs up!!
Price: $199.99 each Where to buy:Amazon Sample: The sample for this review was provided by GEIO
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ARTICLE – So I’ve been cleaning up under my parent’s house recently and found my 1975 VR headset Yes, the View-Master Stereoscopic Viewer.
Remember these? 3 reels of 7 stereoscopic images and a little booklet that told you the story. Luckily none of the reels have been damaged with water or age. I pulled the View-Master apart, gave everything a clean and it’s just like being there I had hours of fun with this as a kid, but tell that to kids today…
Does anybody else remember the Viewmaster and their favourite reel? Share your memories in the comments below.
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NEWS – Let your imagination and creativity sore to new heights with the PowerUp 2.0 paper airplane conversion kit electric motor.
In just minutes you can convert your own paper airplane into a motorized flying machine.
The PowerUp 2.0 includes:
50K RPM motor
Carbon-fiber body
Reinforced nylon nose clip
Quick-charge port
Charger (3 AA batteries not included)
The kit is designed to maximize flying time, yet durable enough for those inevitable crash landings.
Each charge takes only 20 seconds, and each set of batteries is good for about 50 charges.
This gadget is ideal for those interested in paper airplanes, STEM, aerodynamics or just making things fly and crash. It could also be a fun option if you’re looking for a hands-on activity for your class, birthday party or scouting event.
When paired with a paper-airplane folding kit or construction book, along with some heavy-duty paper, the PowerUp 2.0 could make for a cool, unique gift for the children in your life (or the kids at heart!).
Available on Amazon for $16.99, currently offering a 10-percent off coupon.
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Yes, the 
I had hours of fun with this as a kid, but tell that to kids today…
