Tiny cars that drive on an iPad highway.

Disney has combined a real hold-in-your-hands toy car with a virtual Cars 2 world online with their new Appmates. The Cars 2 toys use the iPad as a virtual interactive play mat for kids, and for adults too. Disney calls them these miniature model cars Appmates. You get to drive them and interact with other cars via a free downloadable app. Once the car is placed on the app's colorful background, the scrolling begins! You cruise (and crash) your cars in different locations in world-famous Radiator Springs - a neat location from the movie. There are five different racetracks, where you can race against on-screen, but still fun-to-beat, virtual opponents. Each car features a unique sensor on the bottom that unlocks features and content specific to that movie character. One of the things the spokesperson from Disney pointed out at the press preview is that the cars have no electronics of their own. Even though it doesn't even have a battery, Disney technology makes it appear as though the car has working headlights and an illuminated number on the top! (Most likely their version of fiber-optics.) Cars 2 are sold in two packs. They feature Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell. (There are single packs too, but it's a better value to buy two at time. In November, Apple Stores will sell an exclusive two-pack featuring Francesco Bernoulli and Shu Todoroki. The other cars are available October 1^st.

Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/8xb11TQy4XM

Disney Video: http://youtu.be/VaNzbCtxtcY

Available at the Apple Store. As of Oct. 1^st, they are not yet at:

www.disneystore.com

See or hear this Netcast: http://twit.tv/show/weekly-daily-giz-wiz/1334