Growing up as a kid, I loved Viewmaster. It took you to places you probably would never go to and give you 3D memories so you could live vicariously. It was really cool (especially the NASA Apollo reels, they were the best). Every kid I knew had a Viewmaster and we would not only watch them, but we would also trade and borrow each others discs. It was a great toy for passive playtime. But as the world moved from analog to digital, Viewmaster was faced with it’s own extinction, and evolve or die was the watch word.

So, by partnering up with Spatial View, Fisher Price is going to evolve and offer Viewmaster Digital 3D, over a century stereoscopic images that can be viewed on your mobile devices and also through your 3D capable HDTV.

“The View-Master archive is a virtual treasure-trove of 3D imagery capturing over 100 years of history and culture,” said Peter Snajczuk, Vice President of Marketing for Fisher-Price. “We’re thrilled to be working with Spatial View to make these spectacular images available digitally for download from ViewMasterDigital3D.com to a variety of 3D mobile devices and Internet-connected 3D TVs.”

Beginning sometime in the first quarter of 2012, iPhone 4 users will be able to turn their device into a digital Viewmaster thanks to Spatial View’s innovative 3DeeSlide accessory which will then let them view the images in 3D without the need of glasses. Support for Android 3D smart phones, Windows PCs, and 3D TV platforms will soon follow. The 3D images, which will initiallyinclude a selection of titles consisting of national parks, travel, nature, and history, will be sold in the classic package of 18-21 images for $1.99 at the Viewmaster Digital 3D website.

For more information or to be notified when the View-Master 3D images will be available, please visit www.viewmasterdigital3d.com.

Family Fun Magazine has named Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Toy of the Year for 2011. Other honorable mentions for the year include Meon Deluxe Animation Studio (which uses animation strips and light to create art), Perplexus Epic & Rookie (rotating puzzle balls), LEGO Alien Mothership set #7065 and the Razor BoGo PogoStick.

Our kid testers loved reconfiguring the obstacles and tracks while tester moms appreciated that the brackets adhere with 3M Command Strips, which don’t damage walls and can be easily replaced when the stickiness wears off. – Staff of Family Fun Magazine regarding Hot Wheels Toy Tracks

The Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Starter Set won appreciation from both kids and moms for it’s ease of construction, near infinite combinations, and simple cleanup. And at a price of $30 for the starter set and $17 for add on sets, Wall Tracks is a very affordable way to start your Hot Wheels collection or add to an existing one.

I think this is an excellent choice (although the color-able cardboard pirate ship has a certain play with the box vibe I like) for Toy of the Year, but I think they should break out into sub categories of girls toy of the year and boys toy of the year. As it stands, the top 10 toys (which also include the LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet, and Richard Scarry’s Airport) are all very male centric. Although I also am surprised that the Hot Wheels Video Racer didn’t crack the top ten, either.

What do you think should be the 2011 Toy of the Year? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I love it when kids conquer their fear by taking things into their own hands. This kid had a bad front tooth and needed to pull it. So he went for his NERF Big Bad Bow toy and did some pullin’!

“Is this gonna hurt?” – Kid
“I don’t know, you’ll have to tell me afterwards.” – Dad

From the YouTube video below, it looks like the kid looked like was handing the tooth extraction all by himself (I especially love how he cocks the Bowcaster with his foot to prime it for firing). He’s got the tooth tied with string, and then he placed the strings on the business end of a NERF dart. Aims. But then he hesitates and asks “Is this gonna hurt?” But you can tell he’s not afraid, just more scientifically curious. He then fires and the tooth flies right out of his mouth.

“It worked!” cries the kid. And then he shows his proud dad who captures the entire thing on video. Now some will think that this is an example of bad parenting. But come on. Dad is supervising. And since we don’t see the kid tie it off, I’m betting dad did the knot. And is it any different than when we used to tie a toaster to our loose teeth as a kid? This looks way more fun. But kids, don’t try this without dad looking on and getting it on tape.

Next stop … under the pillow for the Tooth Fairy!

To get started, just head over to the Image3D website. You’ll have the choice between the personal (celebrate) and the professional (business) options. Click and select “Build a Reel” from the menu bar. You’ll need to register (it’s free) and name your reel. Then upload your images. You have enough room for 7 images, plus a center image. Once loaded, you can click on each image to edit them, add text, background, crop and reposition. Then drag and drop them into the frame. Once you have them done, you can load the virtual Viewmaster and preview the reel.

Once you’re happy with your disc, you’re ready to order. The cost for the first set is $29.95 but that also includes Reels: a reel with 7 of your photos with 3D captions & customized center of reel, a ViewMaster style Viewer style in your choice of Red, Black, Blue or White; and a glossy gift white box. Additional sets costs $15.00 a set, with price breaks at each multiple of 25. If you just want the reel itself, that’s $22 for the first and $12.50 for each additional one.

For more information, check out image3d.com.

Hat Tip – GizMag

In 1920, nearly 50 years before I was born, the top toys for Christmas were the Teddy Bear, Erector Set, and Lionel Trains. Noteworthy facts about each, the Teddy Bear was named after former President Teddy Roosevelt – who refused to shoot a black bear while on a hunt. and Lionel Trains is now owned by musician Neil Young.

Then, in my era, the hot toys were Rock’em Sock’em Robots, Barbie, GI Joe, and the introduction of a little juggernaut known as Star Wars action figures. It also marked the beginning of what would soon come to dominate the toy world, as video games like PONG were the obsession of every kid willing to forsake outdoor play for watching a little white dot bounce back and forth across the screen.

By the 1990s and 00s, video games were well entrenched as kids have wanted Game Boys, Playstations, Nintendos and XBoxes. Yeah sure, kids have wanted action figures like Power Rangers and Buzz Lightyear, LEGOs and Transformer Dolls (and remember POGs?), but it’s clear that kids trends have gone from imaginative play and building things, to virtually blowing stuff up while networked with other kids all around the world. For a peak into the evolution, check out the timeline here.

The Marines have been collecting Toys for Tots since 1947. Semper Fi!

And it’s grown far beyond and extra curricular activity for off duty Marines. In 1995, the Secretary of Defense approved making the annual Toys for Tots drive an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve. Over the last 62 years, the US Marine Corps Reserve have distributed over 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation has added to the toy collections by purchasing nearly a half billion dollars in toys to insure that no child gets left behind at Christmas.

And this year, as with any year, the campaign needs your help. You know the mission – pick up an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl and look for one of those dashing jarheads sitting next to a collection box near the entrance to the store. Or, you can Swing by http://www.toysfortots.org/ to make a cash donation to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation. While at the site, you can find more information on a toy collecting center in your area.

Semper Fi and Merry Christmas!

Setting up Hot Wheels Wall Tracks is pretty simple. You affix the 3M Command Strips to the wall, and then add your track. The Starter Set comes with a collection of parts including a diverter switch, flap-ramp, steep drop ramp, and even a 360-degree loop make up this base set. You can set it up by your own design, or use the included template to guide your track placement easily to the correct positions. And there are several additional sets you can add to your Starter Set to make your entire wall a vertical speedway! Check out the Daredevil Curve Track, the Downhill Flip Drop Track, and the Triple Loop Action Track. And there are several more that will enable kids to transition back to the floor. But that’s dark territory for dad’s feet!

What’s in the Box
Hot Wheels car, wall tracks set, seven 3M Command Strips, six brackets, spare rubber band, and full-color hanging instructions template.

Ages 5 and up

This slick, Anglo variant of the classic board game, gets fans to travel with the 11th Doctor and all his companions (Amy Pond, Rory Williams, and of course, the doctor’s wife and assassin – SPOILERS – Professor River Song). The board is classic monopoly with a Doctor Who overlay that includes stops at Torchwood, Gallifrey, and many more – as well as dealing with several of the doctor’s enemies including the Daleks, the Cybermen, and those dreaded Silence!

But if you’re ever possessed of a bunch of free time and want to play a game with The Doctor, we recommend Doctor Who Monopoly. Updated to reflect the beginning of Season 6, you’ll find lots of fun tidbits about the 11th Doctor and his enemies, including The Silence.

OK, that’s almost as cool as a Fez or Stetson, but here’s the problem … it comes with the TARDIS as a game piece, but the rest are your basic Monopoly pieces! What’s up with that?! You could’ve at least included a Dalek piece, a Cyberman piece, perhaps the 3rd doctor’s model A car? Instead, you’ll have kids (and adults, most likely) fighting every time you play over who gets to fly the TARDIS! That’s a huge fail. But still, the fact that they have it is SWEET!

Cost is about $50 over at Think Geek. Ages 8 and up.

Hat Tip – Nerd Approved

The creator, Casey Hw, created the 3 minute long video showing a 1/64th scale model running along a 2,000 feet long powered Hot Wheels as it sails up and down two flights of stairs, through 14 rooms of the house, around the perimeter of the house, into the back yard and even sporting a free jump over a hot tub. Amazing video huh? Well, it’s actually an illusion. Just a clever piece of editing and an effort that spanned over 6 months as Casey built and videotaped it with his two sons.

Casey only has 150′ of track, 8 power units, 8 curves, and 6, loops (about $250 worth). He then proceeded to set up each segment of track and film the scene on his Flip Video camera. The result is a clever story of a tiny 1/64th scale Hot Wheel traveling over about 24 miles of scaled distance. Is it a rip off that it isn’t a complete track? Well, you could look at it that way. But then again, so is every car chase on the silver screen. And it sure is entertaining. In fact, the only thing that would make it cooler is for the racer to be one of Hot Wheels video racers which could get everything on video from the car’s perspective!

But while this is a very cool video to watch (I’ve seen it 3 times) it’s important not to lose track of what Casey made the video for … to raise money for MDA research. To that end, help a brother Hot Wheels fan out and visit HopeForGabe.org to make a donation. You’ll be glad you did.

You can dig through your child’s toy box and dig out his MPH set – every kid has one, right? Or, you can pick up this cool pirate themed Mr. Potato Head Halloween Pumpkin Push Ins by Jekyll and Hyde Props. The toy, which sells on Amazon for about $16, comes with the standard MPH ears, eyes and nose, * ands and shoes, and his trademarked eyebrow, teeth and moustache. And to make your Jack-o-lantern all piratey, matey, you can add the skull and crossbones pirate hat! All you need is to add your own pumpkin. The pieces come in a themed plastic bucket.

But hey, why stop there? You could have a Star Wars themed R2D2 Jack-O-Lantern by using the Star Wars Mr. Potato Head Artoo-Potatoo set. Or how about a Jack-O-Trooper with the Spud Trooper set? Or maybe Elvis, or Buzz Lightyear … with the Mr. Potato Head line, the skies the limit. And your little one has the fun of being able to make them with a simple push of the piece into the flesh of the gourd!