From the makers of the popular NERF blasters comes the revolutionary LAZER TAG system, combining the power, precision and excitement of live-action blaster battles with the high-action, strategic, augmented reality game play of traditional video games.

Players download the NERF Lazer Tag app and then slip their iPhone or iPod Touch into the slot on the NERF Lazer Tag blaster. The App uses augmented reality to give users virtual targets to shoot via lazer, as well has a heads up display for tracking remaining power/rounds, scores, and health. There’s single player and two player mode and the lazer has a virtual range of up to 250 feet. There’s also a world wide virtual leaderboard that ranks each player’s profile and, with every successful mission, players will gain in-game access to upgradeable attacks, missions and gear.

The blasters will run about $40 a piece or $70 for a two blaster set. The App is fee for download at the iTunes App Store. Available late summer/early fall. Ages 8 and up.

Hat Tip – Engadget

If you’re not familiar with the Big Bad Bow, it’s basically a NERF NStrike weapon toy meets a compound bow. It comes with a trio of oversized foam darts which fit on the end and are propelled by a air emitting chamber that are look like they are powered by the twin casters on either end. Sadly, those are only cosmetic, but they sure look sweet and intimidating!

And although you can’t fire the darts with a bow string like a real compound bow, there is a trigger mechanism that powers the air piston that shoots the dart. It shoots the foam darts as far as about forty feet. Which isn’t really much if you’re Hawkeye trying to take down one of Loki’s henchmen, but still worth fun for playing pretend Avengers. There’s a target scope to help take careful aim at targets and the foam darts are great for knocking over tin cans to practice your accuracy. And if you’re really serious about your Nerf-archery, there’s modification videos on YouTube that will help you increase your range (one guy claims over 95 feet).

Cost is about $29, some assembly required.

Hat Tip –

The Personal Pitching Coach takes the standard pitchback design and adds a few things that help hone your pitching form. In addition to the 9 sector strike zone, it also has a high tech radar system which measures pitch velocit (from 20-99mph), calls balls and strikes, and even pitch counts for up to two different pitchers over the course of an inning. The Personal Pitching Coach will also tally strikeouts, walks, and total pitches, and it can be adjusted to handle both Little League and Major league strike zones. It’ll even measure for fast pitch softball so the girls aren’t left out. Made from durable 16-gauge steel with stainless steel hardware, the PPC is foldable and is powered by four D batteries that provide up to 100 hours of power.

But at $400 (compared to the low tech $20 model), it’s a bit pricey. But it’s Hammacher and that’s just how they roll.

Hat Tip – The Ferret

“Dual Snowboards were invented as a way to bring the best of both skiing and snowboard[ing] together. You have the fun and ability to ride like a snowboard with comfortable boots and bindings, but now your feet are not locked together so you have the freedom and mobility of skis without the bulky size and cumbersome poles.” – CEO Scott Rickett told Gizmag,

ISPO Entry Dual Snowboards from Nemesis73 FX on Vimeo.

Dual Snowboards frees up the feet of the snowboarder by essentially cutting a snowboard in two and letting the athlete essentially skate on the snow. But more than that, it gives extreme athletes even more freedom to innovate tricks that were impossible with a conventional snowboard. Imagine a 900 helicopter split where the feet are widely spread apart with a grab of the footboard then popping down on both feet from 20 feet above the half pipe? Or maybe amping up the degree of difficulty with sticking of a single foot landing?

And it also ads some even more speed to downhills snowboarding competitions as well. It sure looks like fun, but then again, it’s always fun until someone breaks a leg!

Hat Tip – Gizmag

Previewed on their NERF Nation Facebook page, the new Firefly technology is being launched with the NERF Vortex Lumitron and the conventional NERF Rayven shotgun style pistol, which has an extra long, 18 shot dart clip. The clip itself is battery operated because it’s also LED lit, while the Vortex discs and the conventional darts are glow in the dark to give your game play a kind of tracer round like feel.

The result is that kids can get into foamy firefights at night, although NERF is pretty adamant that kids need to play in an area that has been well cleared of obstacles so that they don’t trip and fall in the dark and kill themselves. Check out the video of it in action:

Additionally, there’s a great breakdown of the new extended ammo clips from Tactical Tag and how they affect the Nerf Rayven’s new rear mounted clip feeder:

As you can see, while cool looking to move the clip to the back, if you’re planning on using your drum feed clip, you’re going to run into some mild discomfort as you shoot on the run.

The cost of the new Rayven and Vortex Lumitron are around $29.99, and Target has the Light Up Rayven right now. The Vortex Lumitron will be out by mid March.

Hat Tip NERF Mods and Reviews

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!

The basic premise of the IDA is to use foam constructed radio controlled airplanes and dogfight them, bascially trying to knock them out of the sky. Based in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, the IDA can be seen battling in the skies over Woodley Park, near the 405 Freeway in Van Nuys. Any 2 people can build and dogfight any kind of aircraft they wish, but IDA construction specifications allow anyone in the world to travel anywhere else in the world and dogfight with anyone else in the world and have an equal chance. Which makes a lot of sense. The rules of engagement are simple: Knock the other sky out of the sky without crashing. The winner is the last man flying.

The IDA sounds like a ton of fun! But let’s get back to the radio controlled paper airplane. It’s a 9 Scale (meaning it’s nine times the size of a regular paper airplane) with a radio controlled motor and propeller on it. Also a radio receiver which transmits flying commands to the control surfaces. As you can see by the video, it’s scary responsive.

Hat Tip – Roger Dodger Aviation (via Facebook)

The idea is really crafty. When it’s warmer, riders can switch to Steet mode by affixing the two polyurethane wheels on. This will turn the Scooter into sidewalk scooter for those warmer summer months. But when the snow begins to fall, Winter Snow mode is the order of the day, placing the plastic runners on with just a few turns of a wrench. So in just a few minutes, riders can go from rolling on the concrete jungle, to carving a trail in the fresh powder.

The kit, available at Hammacher and Schlemmer for just under $100, comes with two polyurethane wheels, interchangeable rear-wheel fender brake (for street mode), plastic ski runners, and a rear-ski fork brake for snow. Skiers can adjust the height of the handlebar with a standard quick-release lever. Slip-resistant foot plate provides confident footing whether scooting on smooth surfaces or skiing down a hill.

Think we’ll be seeing this in a Winter X Games event anytime soon? Wouldn’t surprise me.

Ages 5 and up.

Hat Tip – Craziest Gadgets

Aside from the obvious fact that the 18 Dark Drum Mag holds 18 dart rounds, the best thing about it is that is slides into just about any NERF gun that uses a magazine to carry darts. It’s very similar to the dart drum mag used in the N Strike Raider CS35. We bought one of those last year and aside from the fact that the pump assembly broke within a month, rendering it useless, we found that the drum could fit in everything from the Long Strike to the Recon. And we bet it’ll be ideal for users of the Stampede looking to unleash a greater fusilade of darts towards their enemies without having to reload. But if you’re planning on picking one up, you better have a Target store in your area as this accessory is exclusive.

Another cool accessory are the Green “Whistle” darts that come with the Nerd N strike Barricade Blaster. Each rounds makes a high pitch whistle noise when fired, meaning that your enemy will hear it, before they see it – which could make for some confusing fun! Available at Toys R Us exclusively for about $6.

Hat Tip – Nerd Mods & Reviews

The design looks to use surgical grade rubber tubing to power the crossbow. To deploy your icey spheres of doom in a wintery fusillade, users simply load a snowball into the front of the Launcher, pull back the lever, aim and fire. The Cross has a pretty good range, too, able to catapult snowballs as far as 60 feet ( (16 meters). This is largely due to a new and improved launching mechanism which includes a power wrist support handle which makes for an easier to pull load.

The Snowball Crossbow also comes with a vinyl plastic target for practicing when you don’t have an opponent. Length: 17.5 Inches, Width: 14.5 inches, Height: 4.5 Inches, Weight: 2.5 Lbs Cost is a very affordable $39.99 at Smarter Image. Ages 8 and up.