The toy is made by Bladez Toyz’s as part of their “Pump & Play remote control” line and is known as the RC Jumbo Inflatable R2D2. It’s 26-inches tall and will foot pump, and a wireless remote. And it scoots around pretty fast as well. The RC Jumbo Inflatable R2D2 is scheduled to come out this fall and should cost around $60. Bladez also says that with it’s licensing deal with Lucasfilm, there will be more Pump and Play remote control toys coming out in time for Christmas. That would be cool. What would you like to see? Personally, I’d like to see an XWing/Tie Fighter duo for R/C dogfighting, or the Millenium Falcon would be a must! I think that C3PO would be cool, but would be very tall and probably difficult to operate due to center of gravity. Course, you could get more astromechs, but once you have R2D2, why would you want anything else?

Hat Tip – Pocket Lint

I know what you’re thinking … there goes James, showing his age talking about slot car racing again! Well, I can’t help it. Slot cars were HUGE when I was a kid. We gave my dad a slot car racing set for his last Christmas, and he just smiled because he knew it wasn’t really for him, it was for us. But he didn’t care as long as we did things together. So why am I waxing nostalgic about slot cars again? Because if you have a Delorean Slot car racing on the track to the right, there’s a good chance you can go back to time … they’re that fast.

The video below looks to be from Germany, perhaps, and gives us a look at the hyper competitive world serious slot car racing. The kind with standings and pit crews and leagues. Now when you watch the video, you’re going to want to fast forward to about 90-120 seconds in. The first part is a bunch of guys who live in their mom’s basement putting the final touches on their hyperslot cars. Note there’s no girls there that I can see. But once you get to race time, you can’t help but be blown away by how fast these guys are driving these slot cars!

What cracks me up is the peanut gallery actually trying to follow their favorite car by moving their heads as they sail around the track. Seriously, they’re going WAY too fast to keep track of any particular car, you’re better served just hanging on and hoping for a positive ending! Or a car that wipes out, which also happens.

Now to be accurate, the report comes from D’Vice, which we reference a lot and the reporter seems convinced it’s a fake. He points to a lot of mispellings in Japanese, and the fact that the e “Japan Institute of Technology,” doesn’t exist. He also says that the video was actually produced by SONY Entertainment, which will be releasing a video game next month called WipeOut.

OK fair enough. But if it’s a fake, it’s a damn good one (check the video below for yourself). I mean, who wouldn’t want levitating race cars that can zoom around a track getting faster as it’s pushed by some electromagnets. Toss in that liquid nitrogren “fuel” additive, and you’ve got Bill Nye or Beakman written all over it. It won’t change the world, but it would sure be a blast to play with! So come one, BanDai … get to work on this, will ya?!

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)

What really sells the illusion is that the cockpit on the radio controlled airplane is highly detailed including working digital displays for altitude and air speed. The modeller also took a decaptated action figure and strapped it in, using it as a mount for the tiny video came. And with servos connected to it, and a wireless TV transmitter, the result is that the pilot can “look” where he’s going and fly by first person with 360 degrees of freedom. The camera also pans, and rotates for more realistic points of view. The pilot/designer also added a pair of LCD video goggles so that he’s really immersed in flying the jet, and even is experimenting with real droppable sidewinder missiles to shoot off the wing.

Check out the video:

And when you couple it with the birds eye view of your surroundings, the result is a true flight experience. You can almost feel the Gs pressing you down. I can see this becoming a tool for flight instruction where the high costs of flying true military hardware may have to be pared back since military budgets are always a favorite target of political compromise. But it’s also just plain fun. I know I’d love to fly it.

Hat Tip – OhGizmo

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has joined forces with Health Canada and issued a product recall on Blade mCP X helicopters and blades for potential laceration injury. Around 17,000 helicopters, made by Horizon Hobby, Inc, have been recalled due to the potential of the blades fragmenting and causing lacerations to bystanders upon impact.

Since it’s release, the mCP X has caused 312 reports of the main rotor blade coming off the helicopter. Twelve reports resulted in laceration injuries, prompting the recall to be issued. The recall affects the following models and replacement parts:

* Bind-N-Fly Helicopter, model number BLH3580
* Ready To Fly Helicopter (transmitter included), model number BLH3500
* Main Blade Grips with Bearings (replacement part), model number BLH3514

The helicopters were sold starting in March 2011. If you’ve purchased one of these models, you are encouraged to stop flying it immediately and should contact Horizon Hobby at (877)-504-0233 or visit the website at www.bladehelis.com/MCPX, for free replacement rotor grips and instructions on how to replace the faulty blades.

Hat Tip – Consumer Reports

Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s R/C SuperHero! How’s this for a cool toy? The R/C superhero is a 1 to 1 scale model of a flying superhero. And if any toy screamed to have merchandising rights on it, it’s this baby. Especially with Green Lantern coming out, Iron Man being a major league movie series, and a new version of the Man of Steel on the horizon!

Check out the video below and you’ll see lights coming off his feet, giving it that Tony Stark vibe of rocket jets in his boots. And what’s really cool is that although it’s made of flat surfaces, from a distance, R/C Superhero looks like a real flying man!

The R/C superhero is a kit you can built and is made of balsa wood. It comes in two versions, the 57″ and 75″ model. Fans can purchase the PDF files to cut and build themselves, for about $20, or get the full scale kit, complete with laser cut foam, substructure materials and control surfaces for about $300 (motors and electronics are not included). It weighs about 3 pounds due to using foam, balsa and carbon fiber parts. It has about 6 pounds of thrust and can take off vertically.

Hat Tip – CG

All Lego construction sets and games are also going for Buy 1 get one at 50% off. Nerf toys, 25% off. BOGO50 deals on all baseball equipment and trading cards. Nintendo DS games 2 for $50. $25 off Microsoft Kinect and 2 Video games. BOGO50 on Thomas the Tank Engine Toys, $20 off bikes, BOGO50 on dolls. You’d be hard pressed to NOT find a deal on the toys you’re looking for as just about everything is on sale.

So hitch a ride on the Jeffrey Soul Train and shop early for Christmas! Sale ends Sunday.

With summer coming up, this may be one of the funnest R/C toys for staying cool. That’s because it streams water like a fire hose! The R/C truck has two different speeds and can get up to 11 miles an hour. The water gun streams out of both sides of the hood and a central port on the grill for total coverage.

THe truck also has super bright Xenon lights, front and rear suspension with chrome rims and rubber tires, and cool sculpted design, and a super fast battery charger. It’s controlled by a 9v ergonomic hand controller. Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Cost is $80 from the Sharper Image.