infrared on technabob...

Is that a lightsaber unit in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me? That’s the question your friends will be asking when you whip out this tiny little motorized R2-D2 and he starts tooling around your desk between your coffee mug and your iPod dock.

The miniature R2-D2 doesn’t just sit there. Nope, it can tool around…

Kawasaki’s upcoming 1400 GTR may just be the world’s most technologically advanced bike on the planet, surpassing even the Blue Hawk and the Battle Hopper. Kidding. Expected to be unveiled this coming autumn, the 1400 GTR will be equipped with 2 infrared cameras on its rearview mirrors, giving the rider night vision, which can be displayed either via an onboard…

Nope, this spiky orb-shaped device isn’t some sort of controller for the latest Sonic the Hedgehog game. It’s actually just a universal remote control – in a really weird package, with a really weird secondary purpose.

The cool.con remote control fits neatly into the palm of your hand, and features a bumpy exterior that’s designed to provide a pressure-point massage to…

Sick of losing your remote between the couch cushions? With this bigger-than-a-breadbox remote control, there’s no chance you’ll misplace this one.

The Chunghop RM-A4 remote control measures in at a whopping 8.26″ wide x 11.69″ tall x 1.35″ thick. Or in other words, it’s roughly the size of a ream of paper. With its giant buttons that measure over 1.15″…

So I picked up an HP TouchSmart IQ815 touchscreen computer over the holidays, and discovered something really cool. You can actually use the oversize screen of the TouchSmart PC as a canvas using real paint brushes.

See, the TouchSmart doesn’t actually detect pressure, but uses NextWindow’s infrared optical sensor technology to determine the position of your fingers. With a little…

This robot kit from Japan lets you build your own ball shaped robot that can pull off all sorts of wild and crazy moves as it gyrates around your floor.

While the Tornader robot from Elekit can drive slowly around the floor like most remote-controlled vehicles, the real fun starts when you set the Tornader into one of its insane…

These new devices let you create music by waving your hands in the air. The sensor sticks can detect the position and velocity of your hands as they move in front of them.

Airheads work as a standard MIDI controller, you can connect them to most synthesizers or even a drum machine, so you can play some serious air drums.…

Remote controlled race cars are pretty much a dime-a-dozen these days, so I’m always happy to come across one that’s a little left of center.

Contrary to its name, the Air Hog Zero Gravity Micro R/C car does not defy gravity. However, the car does turn the world on its side by driving not only on floors, but on your…

Got an evil streak? The makers of the infamous TV-B-Gone remote control have come up with an extra-strength version of their gizmo which can turn off almost any television set from hundreds of feet away.

Packaged in a case that’s designed to look like a super-chunky mock iPhone, the TV-B-Gone SHP (Super High Power) can shut down more than 90%…

Ever wanted to know how hot that stove was before you put your hand right on it? Sure, you could use one of those cheap little pocket temperature sensors to tell you the temp, but what are you, some sort of a hilbilly? What you really need is one of these newfangled Splinter Cell-esque imaging cameras.

While it’s not quite…

I’ll start out by telling you that I used to live in the Deep South, home of cockroaches the size of small mice. Oh yeah, did I happen to mention that they could fly? Every time I saw one of those airborne six-legged nasties, it made my skin crawl. No wonder this gigantic flying insect sets my teeth on edge.…

Can’t afford to spend your next couple of paychecks on that Italian sports car you’ve been dreaming about? Why not live vicariously through these miniature motorized Ferarris that just hit the streets? These tiny 1/58th scale Ferraris measure just about 3-inches long and fit in the palm of your hand.

These officially-licensed RealDrive Nano mini racers include Testarossa, F430, 512BB…

These radio-controlled helicopters are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The choppers come in a matched pair that can run on different frequencies, so you can have mini-dogfights with your friends.

Pressing a button on the remote can fire an invisible IR beam at your opponent’s helicopter, making it start to spin out of control. A…

This upcoming remote control from Philips’ embraces the whole “bigger is better” concept with a vengeance.

To me, it looks like the Prestigo SR-M8015 is about the size of three small remote controls smashed together into one larger device. The remote will control up to 15 discrete components, and offers a color LCD screen in the middle that offers access…

This may just look like a cheap watch from China, but it’s actually a fully-functional infrared universal remote control with a touchscreen interface.

This remote control wristwatch can operate most popular brands of televisions and DVD players using a tiny touchscreen interface. While you could probably use your fingertips to change channels on the screen, it’s best operated using a…