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Yes, the VIDEONOW COLOR was named 'Best Toy of 2004' and 'Ultimate Electronic Entertainment Toy of 2004' this past weekend during the first annual Ultimate Toy Awards Show. The toys were voted on by consumers and the American toy press.

I find it odd, that a very simple (or as I like to call things, GARBAGE) "portable media player" won as the best toy. Maybe Microsoft, Archos, and all the other companies in this space should have just built a media player that is made out of cheap plastic, slapped a tiny 1.85 x 1.45 inch backlit display, used a codec that doesn't play back on anything other than that device, limit format to only 25 minutes and sell it for $70.

I'm getting into old Nixie Vacuum Tube Digital Clocks and came across this wristwatch version. Luckily, it's out of stock and costs $495, otherwise, you'd be able to spot me a few hundred yards away at night.

The wristwatch was designed using surface mount components, and miniature NOS (1968 vintage) Nixie Tubes. They managed to squeeze all this into a 2.75"L x 1.5"W x 1.2"H case.

FUN FACT:
The Nixie Wristwatch does not have a microprocessor, or programmed components. Standardized low-power CMOS logic drive the nixies in DC mode. A number of different circuits were considered when designing the watch. I eventually settled on the simplified logic approach, similar to the circuits used when LED digital wristwatches were entering the consumer market around 1970. Of course, I couldn't place the circuitry on one IC chip as they had done.

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<% rating = 4 %>This isn't new technology, but well worth mentioning... TDK has released a new line of printable recordable DVDs (DVD-R, DVD+R). What makes the "PrintOn" line different from the rest is that they come in four different print surfaces; PrintOn DVD Photo Quality, PrintOn DVD White Matte, and PrintOn DVD Color Matte.

All you need to print on these discs in an Epson Stylus R200 (MSRP $99) and you'll have one professional looking DVD collection...

TDK PrintOn recordable DVD media will be available in fall 2004. Estimated street prices are as follows: PrintOn DVD Photo Quality, $19.99 5-pack; PrintOn DVD White Matte, $9.99 5-pack; and PrintOn DVD Color Matte, $9.99 5-pack.

I wish I remembered how to play the piano, 'cause if I did, I'd own this cool little roll up piano by HECSAN. It plays 100 different tones including piano, organ, trumpet, harp, electronic sounds and runs on only 4 AA batteries (included). The Rollup Piano also comes with an AC power adapter, instruction book and a carrying case. This musicial wonder can be yours for one easy payment of $149.95.

When I was a kid, I was never suppose to put anything that glows into my mouth. Times are a changing, Lick’Em Lights, the patented glowing popsicle from Poppin’ Glows, Inc., is now available nationwide through local participating 7-Eleven stores. It has been featured on "The Food Network" and in USA Today. So you probably are wondering how they make the popsicles glow... Well, the handle of each ice pop is hollow and a traditional Glo Stick is activated and pushed inside the handle. "The ice captures the glow in an eerie, iridescent light that surrounds the popsicle with a halo of light." And now we have it... an edible, glowing popsicle.

<% rating = 3 %>Don't waste your money on an over priced Portable Media Player... instead buy a GameBoy Advanced or SP for about $100 and the $24 GBA Movie Player that uses Compact Flash for storage. I haven't checked it out for myself, but it seems like it would work. With this little cartridge, you can watch movies, listen to music, look at photos, and even read a book... the best part, when you get sick of media overload (and looking at that little screen), just remove the cartridge and plug in a GBA game... The package includes Windows software to convert or create the content and since it's based on Windows DirectX, whatever your PC can play, can be converted to the GBA. As an added bonus, Lik-Sang is including a new multi-lingual packing and exclusive Demo CD-ROM with 450mb movie files.