This Gyrobot can walk along a suspended piece of string! (Once you build him.)

Gyroscopes are used in countless devices. From smartphones, tablets, and video game controllers to airplanes and space telescopes, gyroscopes perform tasks ranging from the everyday to the extraordinary. With this Gyrobot kit, children can explore the astonishing powers of the gyroscope by building seven motorized models, including a robot that can balance on two linear wheels and move along a tightrope! At the press demo I held one end of a string while I watched the Gyrobot walk perfectly balanced, from one end to the other. Pretty neat! With this kit kids can learn about the physical science principles that keep the robot balanced, making it appear to defy gravity. By constructing seven different models with the motorized gyroscope unit, young engineers can experiment with and learn about the science of gyroscopic devices and the indispensable role they play in our lives. The models include the gyroscopic robot, a balancing personal vehicle, a gyro horizon (or artificial horizon), a gyrocompass, a balancing game, a tightrope walker, and a flight simulator. A full-color, 24-page, illustrated experiment manual provides step-by-step assembly instructions and scientific explanations. Ages 8 and up. 102 pieces. $49.99. ($10 cheaper, $39.99 on Amazon as of 7/23/14.) And on Amazon Prime, so free shipping if you’re a Prime member. 

Company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PT-fqXaVdo

More about this on The Giz Wiz Show: www.twit.tv/giz1478 

The Brick Phone - New and Updated!

A few years ago lots of people thought it was great fun to answer their cell phone via a retro old-fashioned Bell-Western handset. You can do it via a wired version or a Bluetooth version. Now there's a new retro device in the marketplace, The Brick. The Brick is a phone, well, the size of a brick! Yep, exactly like the ones from the early James Bond movies. So cool back then, so retro now. But looks can be deceiving; this Brick has Bluetooth, so you can use it to take and make calls, which are actually going through your smart phone. (Or, you can even put in a compatible 2G Sim card and use The Brick as your portable phone!) 1.77" LCD TFT Display 128 x160 px. 2G Networks - GSM/GPRS. You can access smartphone contacts, music and call log via Bluetooth. The Brick also has SD card slot so you can play music right on built in speaker. Built-in also is the classic game of Snake and even an FM radio. But wait, there's more. There's even a flashlight and back-lit keypad. Battery life? It has a 1000mah battery for up to 14 hours of talk time.  And it’s camera-and app-free! $69.99  

www.meetthebrick.com 

An easy way to take a Selfy, case included.

At a recent press event I stopped by the iLuv demo table to learn about the Selfy. This is a combo wireless Bluetooth camera shutter + a protective case. At first I thought this was not unique because there are a few products out there that let you fire your smart phone’s camera shutter remotely by Bluetooth. But then Bill, the guy doing the Selfy demo asked: “where do you store your Bluetooth shutter device?” He had me. Mine's in a drawer or on a shelf someplace in my studio or my apartment. A big advantage of the Selfy, is that the Bluetooth shutter device stores right inside the protective case. With it you can enjoy taking self-portraits without struggling to reach your phone's camera button. Just hold your phone out in one hand, hold the shutter in your other hand and snap away. No fear of the "selfie arm" ruining your pictures. You can even set your phone down and use the shutter to get a full body shot. It also lets you be in group shots; take the picture and be in front of the camera at the same time. iLuv says the phone case itself is built with rugged dual-layer of protective soft, shock-absorbent TPU and tough, impact-resistant polycarbonate to keep your phone safe. There are two models right now. One that’s compatible with the iPhone 5s/5 and one for the Samsung Galaxy S5. But wait, there’s more! Slide the shutter out, replace it with the main connector and now you can attach the Selfy case to custom accessories like tripod, bike mount, helmet mount, etc. The Selfy case with built in Bluetooth shutter is under $50. Accessories are optional, but reasonable. The tripod is under $20. (There's an iPad Mini and iPad Air version coming. I don't know those prices yet.)

Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/ycx0piFP32E

Company link: www.iLuv.com/selfy 

A new kind of camera from Kodak PIXPRO.

From Kodak, who joined with JK Imaging (probably to stay active in the photo business) is producing the PIXPRO Smart Lens cameras. (Yes, they do resemble similar entries from Sony's QX-series, but are lower priced. I have not used either one.) The PIXPRO SL10 and SL25 look like zoom lenses, but they do not attach to a camera body. Instead they feature a spring bracket that quickly attaches them to almost any smartphone. Even though they're physically connected to your Android or iOS phone, they are controlled via Wi-Fi. Once paired, you see the live output of the lens on your connected device. As a matter of fact you can hold the lens in the air to get a better shot while you view what the lens is seeing right on your smart phone screen. You can also control the zoom and shutter button from your smart phone or on the Kodak SL10 or SL25's body itself. You can choose to save the images to your device or to the PIXPRO; each camera features a MicroSD card slot. The PIXPRO SL10 offers a stabilized, 28-280mm equivalent, 10x optical zoom lens. ThePIXPRO SL25 has a 25x optical zoom with a 24-600mm equivalent range. Both Smart Lens cameras can also shoot full 1080p video. The SL10 is available now for $229. The SL25 is coming in the fall at $299.  

Company website:http://kodakcamera.jkiltd.com/Americas/ 

Finally, a really different kind of Bluetooth Speaker.

See the video of The Giz Wiz Dipping a high tech Bluetooth Speaker into the Hudson River!

Fugoo's unique "Core plus Jacket" modular design lets you customize the speaker to your taste and lifestyle. In my video, I tested the Fugoo Tough Jacket version, which is crafted from fiber-reinforced resin and solid aluminum. So you can take it lots of places, the mounting socket on the underside accepts the Bike, Strap, or Multi Mount, or you can use the slip-resistant aluminum rods at either end to secure it with straps, ropes, or carabineers. I used a bungee to bounce it up and down in the Hudson River, so check out the video. But wait, there’s more! The built-in omnidirectional microphone gives you full-duplex speakerphone functionality so you can answer a call right from the speaker. And something else rather unique, speakers on all four sides offer what Fugoo calls 360 sound. The speaker's upward tilt and symmetrical positioning cancels vibrations so the Speaker won't "walk" across the table like other speakers might do. Price is about $200 with most of the jacket selections, and $229.99 for the Tough model, which is the one in the video. It is one impressive rugged speaker system. There’s a 3.5mm jack too in case you want to use it with a device that doesn’t have Bluetooth. And playback time – an amazing 40 hours at half-volume after about a 3.5 hour charge! 

Company website: www.fugoo.com 

Giz Wiz Fugoo Speaker Video:http://youtu.be/jjhZ2079s8Q