We have reported on a lot of solar-powered planes before. Like the Solar Impulse, which is capable of a 26 hour flight, then there is the Zephyr, which broke the record for solar-powered unmanned flight.
This is the Cri-Cri, and it is a solar-powered plane that is really only designed for a quick flight. How quick? Try about 15
I usually keep a flashlight near the backdoor of my house, so it's handy if I need it, but this Solar Window Light would be just as useful. Instead of grabbing a normal flashlight when you need a little illumination, you could pull this light off of the window. After hanging out on the window all day long it'll have plenty of juice to keep you from tripping over random tufts of grass in your backyard.
Most toys are powered by batteries, especially those with mechanical motors and lights while emitting sounds for an even more engaging play experience. Well, most parents would also have noticed by now that purchasing batteries over and over again just to feed a particular toy can be quite taxing on the pocket, which is why there is this thing called "rechargeable batteries". However, there are even times when one can forget to juice up a particular set of batteries, and solar power is what we're looking at with the Solar Powered Race Car. This fun solar racer is agile enough to move along at 3m a second, and for £14.95 you get to build it from scratch to encourage thinking and motor skills in your little one. Capable of going up 30 degree slopes without any problem, the solar panel can be adjusted for optimum speed and power. Of course, if you want it to run and there isn't enough solar power to keep it going, you can always rely on a solitary AAA battery to have it move those wheels.
Although you can't exactly switch your entire world of gadgets into solar-powered ones, you can certainly take care of the smaller gadgets. Having some sort of a fan to keep you cool when you're not in the mood for air conditioning requires you to use more power from your car. However, if you picked up this Solar Power Auto Cooler you could easily handle taking some edge off of that heat.
In Namibia, Miss Emily Cummins is known as "The Fridge Lady". This is because she invented a solar-powered refrigerator that is can help many poverty-stricken Africans.
The solar-powered refrigerator works with two cylinders, one inside the other. The inner cylinder is metal while the outer one is wood or plastic. In between these two cylinders is either sand or soil, which can be soaked with water. The sun's rays heat the wet material, and as the water evaporates, the heat is removed from the inner cylinder. This keeps the fridge at a cool six degrees Celsius.
Let there be light – at least, that is what you will be saying to yourself when you bring home the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750. Why so, you ask? Well, this is the first device of its kind – it is a light powered keyboard. This unique peripheral will juice itself up whenever there is light, even when indoors (so you don't have to bake yourself and get a nasty tan when using your computer), doing away with battery hassles of the past. Being the next big innovation where keyboard technology is concerned, even when you leave the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 in total darkness, it has enough juice to work for up to 3 months before requiring some sunshine to replenish its reserves.
Whether you call it soccer or football, this is one strange way to burn up some time. You can't help but love the occasional remote control gadget, but this is probably the strangest I've seen. Instead of knocking in those balls with mini players, it uses oversized shoes. I guess either way it'll do the trick and keep you occupied for a couple of hours.
Are you frustrated that whatever you tell your kids seem to fall on deaf ears? Then the Voice Control Helicopter might come in handy, although it is rather sad that you will need to fork out £39.99 to have a mechanical contraption obey your commands. This ingenious Voice Control Helicopter is smart enough to respond to your commands, and will be able to obey five pre-loaded commands. All you need to do is wear the microphone set (which somewhat resembles a Bluetooth headset) and start sending out commands to show who's boss. You will be able to tell it to start its engines, head up higher or go lower, to hover in mid-air or even move forwards and backwards. Not only that, there are LED lights that make it look all the more cooler, while juicing up the Voice Control Helicopter is a snap. Folks who speak in French or Spanish will also be able to have a go at it, making this a truly intercontinental flight.
I'm sure that you all remember Hot Wheels, and how you can race them on flat surfaces and specially made tracks, with the occasional loop-de-loop.
Now Hot Wheels cars are remote controlled. That's right, Hot Wheels actually made their tiny cars into R/C cars.
I have no idea how fast they go, but they are very unique in their ability to fold up and stash themselves within their own controllers, which are about the size of iPhones. These controllers have the same stickers and colors of the cars, so you know what controller controls what car.
Every Christmas has the one item that will be red hot like the Cabbage Patch Kids or Tickle Me Elmo. This year, it could easily be the Dave the Funky Shoulder Monkey.
You can watch a video of it after the jump of how it works. It can attach to shoulder with a button and a velcro strap, and it is just like having a real monkey on your shoulder, but cleaner!
The user can make it act like a monkey with a remote control. You can go into a conversational mode by having it nod its head. It can then beat some imaginary drums with its arms.
Desk Pets International (HK) Limited might not be a name that most of you out there are familiar with, but they are actually the creator of interactive micro-robotic toys and gadgets that offer big-play value. Well, the company has just announced its latest addition to the market which is known as the Trekbot, a special hubless micro-robotic racer. This unique toy will be accompanied by a signature patent pending 5-function USB remote control that basically enables racers to perform sharp turns, headstands, and full flips without compromising on the speed at which it zips around. Features include a built-in USB charger for the Trekbot to get juiced up just about anytime, anywhere without having to rely on a specific type of power outlet.
Just because you're an adult now doesn't mean you can't indulge in having toys of your own, right? After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and in this case, man. Heck, the Motion Sensing Remote Controlled Jet that you see on the right could prove to be just the tonic required for a healthy father-son bonding time, as it is full well capable of responding to the motion of its master joystick in a similar manner as that of the yoke in an actual cockpit. A slight tilt to the left and right will turn the jet in flight, enabling young pilots to better imagine themselves at the controls of a military aircraft. It might just spark off a lifelong interest and fuel little Johnny's ambition of joining the Air Force in the long run. Whenever you squeeze the throttle trigger, speed and altitude will increase. Those who are less familiar can always be guided by the traditional manual stick method. Bear in mind that there is a 150 feet range to this, leading us to wonder what happens when the jet flies beyond that range, will it just drop to the ground? Propelling along at a maximum speed of 25 mph, a half hour charge will result in up to 10 minutes of flying time. You can bring home the Motion Sensing Remote Controlled Jet for $69.95.
Here's something that you might want to check out – the Bigtrak Jr programmable vehicle that allows you to release stress after a particularly long day at work simply by "driving" it around the home. Those who spent their childhood during the 1980s will definitely know of the Bigtrak, as this space rover thrilled kids and adults in their household back then, the Bigtrak Jr intends to bring back those nostalgic memories for their young progeny. Retailing for £29.99 a pop, this desktop version will deliver all the functions of its larger sized predecessor. Not only that, Bigtrak Jr will also be accompanied by a cool 'memory save' function that enables you to write programs and save them for use sometime down the road. In addition, its 'active accessory port' will accommodate various forthcoming accessories such as a webcam and foam rocket launcher.
It seems that expectations of the upcoming Tron Legacy movie is pretty high, especially when you consider what kind of hype it must live up to when compared to the original classic. Needless to say, the chances of making a huge splash in terms of merchandise are pretty high, which is why there is the Tron Zero G Light Cycle which will tie in with the movie. Retailing for £34.99 a pop, this bike will work like the one in the movie, as the Zero G Light Cycles emit trails of light (or 'jetwalls' as you call it) which will cause your opponent's vehicle to fall off the wall or ceiling if crossed. All action can be controlled via a stylish twin toggle infra-red transmitter which doubles up as a charging unit for your Light Cycle's rechargeable battery.
Introduce your little one to the world of remote controlled toys with the Baby's First Ducati R/C Motorcyclefrom ThinkGeek. Why is it special to us? Well, for $39.99 a pop, it will not only offer the thrilling experience of an R/C vehicle, but packaged in such a way that even little ones can play without running the risk of choking on small and tiny parts. For your geekling, this model looks like a real motorcycle, boasting an actual rider. Not only that, its remote control also comes with large, easy-to-use buttons which you can use to drive the bike forward or backward, while turning left and right whenever possible. Boasting its own range of sound effects for added ambience, it will work in tandem with the way you accelerate your bike. Being able to handle the stress of a 2-year old's hands is also another miracle, all going for less than $40.