And you thought your thirteen-year-old daughter was too young for a cell phone.
While development company YoungToys is calling the Zeki a “cell phone” for kids; in reality it is a digital walkie-talkie that allows users to have conversations and short messages between two handsets up to 260 feet apart. The Zeki is designed to look much like a modern cell phone and has other cell-like functions including MP3 playback and audio/video recording, an alarm clock and downloadable games. With all of these functions, the Zeki is probably best suited for older children than the ones we see in the photo – though the shot of a toddler using a cellphone does add some shock value.
The Zeki is said to be made of materials completely harmless to the body and incorporate an anti-electromagnetic device, so it is safe for children. While the phone is currently only available in Korea and is selling for around $105, I’m not sure how well this will take off. What the Zeki does, however, is provide a precursor to a near future when kids may begin using cellphones at a very young age.
After numerous delays and release-date changes, the robotic Camarasaurus from California-based robotics manufacturers Ugobe has officially been launched. The robotic toy-pet was designed by Caleb Chung, co-creator of the Furby, which could be considered one of the earliest forms of virtual-pets. The Pleo features lifelike movement and sound, and according to Ugobe, each Pleo will “learn” from its experiences and environment through a sophisticated artificial intelligence and develop an individual personality. The robot is software-upgradable via SD card or USB interfaces and comes with a $350 price tag.
Equipped with a full Vader suit and red light saber, the sensor inside the mask sends signals to a wireless receiver inside the saber to illuminate it when the user is concentrating. If the user thinks specifically to keep it lit, it says lit. If the user thinks to shut the light off, or if the user’s mind wanders, the saber shuts off. The demonstration, while basic and incredibly gimmicky, is only a precursor to the more sophisticated devices NeuroSky says they are working on. NeuroSky says teaming with SEGA Toys will allow them to bring their ThingGear bio-sensing technology to more possibilities with SEGA’s creative and innovative capacity. Read the official NeuroSky press release 
