Meet the new Wowwee COJI

Meet the new Wowwee COJI

Kids as young as six can learn to code with the COJI Robot. COJI gets its name from Coding with Emojis. It's the new coding robot pal where STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) comes together to teach children basic programming skills using the “language” of visual emojis. Kids will have fun testing their problem- solving skills and playing games with their new robot friend. They use the free app on any smart device to control COJI’s actions. As you'll see in the video, Bluetooth is used to send a child's commands to COJI to follow. COJI also reacts to physical stimulation such as tilting and shaking. He comes with an LCD screen, dynamic sounds and thousands of animations. It’s coding and learning fun with a smile(y)! MSRP $59.99 Coming in the fall of 2016 It's for kids 6 & up. 

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/bKLZE3_D444

Company Website: http://www.wowwee.com/

Before kids play with this computer, they have to put it together. (But it's easy.)

The company says their Kano Computer Kit is a computer anyone can build and code. It’s a fun way to make, play and express your creativity with technology. From what I saw, the kit indeed looks simple to build, especially with the easy-to-follow picture instruction book. I asked what ages Kano is for and they said it works especially well for children between the ages of 6 and about 12. Once all the plug-and-play pieces are connected, you have a mini computer and you can start to make music and artworks with code, even build stuff in Minecraft. They said it's also good for homework and making documents, but you probably don't want to mention that to a kid. I asked about the language used by the Kano Computer and the spokesperson at the booth said it was based on the very popular Linux OS. Since the Kano has HDMI out, you can hook it to any monitor or screen with an HDMI input. But Kano makes their own monitor which has a place on the back to hold booth the Kano computer and the included keyboard. It's AC powered. The Computer Kit comes with 11 plug-and-play components including: A Raspberry Pi 2 - Wireless keyboard with multi-touch trackpad - A DIY speaker, case-mounted and powered by GPIO - power and HDMI cables - Wi-Fi dongle, Kano OS 8GB Memory Card - A US, UK or EU USB power supply - Two illustrated story books: “Make a computer” and “Code powers”. When the computer is built, Kano provides an introduction to various programming languages including Python and Javascript. Kids will learn Python through our Kano Blocks by making Minecraft and Pong, and can dive into the world of Linux by going on a Terminal Quest and by making Snake. And yes, there are 4 levels of parental controls on the Kano Computer Kit, ranging from blocking blacklisted websites to only allowing access on Kano World. The computer is $149, and the build-it-yourself monitor kit is $149. But you can them together as a full kit for $270, so you save money bucks there. And check the company website. I saw a special price of $249.00 there as of 2/26/16, but I don't know how long that price will be in effect.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/AtgkGEqEOWc 

Company website: http://www.kano.me/

From Toy Fair 2016 - make your computer think a banana is your mouse button.

If you're familiar with Makey Makey Classic, you know that with that kit it's possible to make a piano out of bananas. Yes, bananas, the fruit. You can see a demo of that on their website. Their newest gadget is the MakeyMakeyGo. It does the same kind of thing, but on a smaller device that looks like a USB key. How Does it Work? Alligator Clip two objects to the MaKey MaKey board. For example, you and a banana. (You're the ground for the connection.) When you touch the banana, you make connection complete, and MaKey MaKey sends the computer a keyboard message. The computer just thinks MaKey MaKey is a regular keyboard (or mouse). Therefore it works with all programs and webpages, because all programs and webpages take keyboard and mouse input. And the name, MakeyMakey? This is how the company says it came about: Make + Key = MaKey MaKey! The new smaller kit includes 1 USB Invention MaKey MaKey Stick, a case with magnet, 1 white alligator clip (2.5 ft), a key ring, and instructions. It's $24.95 and for now it seems to be only available on the company website. You can still get the larger kit, now called MaKey MaKey Classic which is $49.99 to $59.99. 

www.makeymakey.com

A new version of a clever Smart Charge LED Rechargeable Light Bulb.

Here's a new version of a product I reported on about two years ago. It's the SmartCharge LED Bulb. This smart rechargeable light keeps the light on when power goes out. But it’s different from those lights that go on automatically when the power goes off. The SmartCharge Bulb, which looks like a normal light bulb from the outside, is designed to enable wall switch control of the light even when the power is off. If the power went out when you weren’t home those automatic lights that come during a power outage may have no battery power left by the time you get home. But with the built with proprietary ‘Grid & Switch Sensor technology’ and a rechargeable battery, the SmartCharge Bulb will light when you click the switch when you get home and find the power out. It can keep you in the light for about 4 hours when the rest of the neighborhood is left in the dark. The SmartCharge LED Bulb is capable of distinguishing between a loss of power due to opening of the line switch and a loss of power from a power grid failure (when the switch is either on or off.) The new SmartCharge LED Bulb 2.0 adds a couple of new features. It's almost twice as bright as the original which is 350 lumens. The new version is 650 lumens. But wait, there's more! You can now use 'Charge only mode' which means you can charge the battery without the bulb being lit. As of 2/10/16 you can preorder the SmartCharge LED Bulb 2.0 via the company website. It's on Indiegogo where right now they're priced at 4 bulbs for $75. They'll ship in May. Retail is expected to be $25 a bulb, so you actually get four bulbs for the price of three during the preorder. (I don't know when that will end.) You'll see me do a demo in the video below.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/e5IaK_DqgzU  

Company website: http://www.smartchargelight.com/ 

What? A Game Console For Your Dog? Yep. And cats can play too.

It's often said that a dog with a job is a happy dog. And that's why CleverPet says it offers unlimited adaptive all-day play. With smart software built by PhDs in computational neuroscience, CleverPet is designed to fulfill your dog’s cognitive needs. It’s optimized for dog engagement, right down to its lights, sounds, and colors. Puzzles using touch pads, lights, and customizable sounds, paired with food-dispensing rewards, change to match your dog’s mood. New games update automatically on the CleverPet Hub via WiFi. With the app you can turn CleverPet on or off, or set it to run at particular times during the day. You can also track your dog’s food intake to make sure it’s just right and see progress in real time. What game level did your dog reach today? The company is taking preorders now. Retail will be $299. It plans to ship its first units in April. 

Dogs get a 1^st look at CleverPet:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h_FUmnHrKY

Perfect Pet Company Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMQ6WuTcsLE

http://www.getperfectpet.com/