Author Archives: Lambert Varias

Soul of Animal GX Go Kitten Super Robot Action Figure: Sweded Voltron

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Taiwanese toy shop Bid Toys won toymaker of the year in my books with its Soul of Animal GX Go Kitten, a parody of the OG Voltron that replaces the Lion Force with cats and boxes. As an olive branch to competitors, the action figure can’t disassemble into separate cats and boxes. Otherwise, all other toymakers would’ve had to shut down and think about what they’re even doing with their lives.

The 7″-tall action figure has articulated arms and wings, and its head can also be twisted to reveal a henohenomoheji.

Those feet cats have to be named 2020 and 2021. You can pre-order the Soul of Animal GX GOo Kitten from BigBadToyStore for $80 (USD). Curiously, the online store mentions that this figure is “[p]art of the Soul of Animal line.” What’s next? A crocodile Mazinger Z? A fennec fox Getter Robo? The possibilities are, well, they’re not endless, but they’re fun to think about.

 

The JingPad A1 is a Feature-packed, Flagship Level… Linux Tablet?!

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An 11″, 2K, 4:3 AMOLED touchscreen. A 1.8GHz 8-core ARM SoC. 8GB of RAM. 256GB of storage. USB-C. An included stylus. Sounds like an awesome tablet right? But the thing that makes the JingPad A1 truly special is that it’s running JingOS, a Linux-based operating system.

The idea is simple – to have access to Linux applications in a slim, light, and powerful tablet. The JingPad is the first hardware product from a company called JingLing. They actually started with the operating system first – a smart move, considering they’re sourcing the hardware components anyway. In fact, you can download JingOS right now. The OS supports multitouch, has basic apps and widgets, and has a desktop mode similar to Samsung’s DeX. Arguably the most important feature of JingOS is that it can run Android apps, although it doesn’t seem like you can simply sideload them. JingLing will have a dedicated app store for Android apps.

As I said, the JingPad A1 comes with a stylus. But it also has an optional keyboard and trackpad accessory. I like the integrated kickstand. That’s a neat implementation.

Here’s the JingPad A1 pitch video:

And here’s a brief demo of the tablet running popular Linux apps:

The touch response seems a bit iffy, but it looks like a polished product. If they can nail the compatibility with Android apps, I think JingLing has a winner in their hands. Pledge at least $549 (USD) on Indiegogo to get the JingPad A1 with the stylus. Pledge at least $699 and you get the keyboard too.

xScreen “Laptop” Monitor Attaches to the Xbox Series S: That’s a Lot of Xs and Ss

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A lot of modders often make console laptops by transferring the gaming machine’s guts to a smaller case and then slapping a monitor on it. But the Xbox Series S is already small and light enough that someone was bound to put two and two together. UPspec Gaming is raising funds on Kickstarter for the xScreen, a display that plugs into the back of the Series S.

The xScreen has a 1080p 11.6″ display and weighs about 1.5lb (700g). It takes advantage of the Series S’ size with its similar length and width. You can just fold it over the console as you would a laptop screen and keep the two devices connected when you’re done playing. Another benefit to this accessory is that it doesn’t require a separate power cable – it gets power through the USB port at the back of the console. And because it gets audio and video from the console’s HDMI port, the only thing you need to connect externally is the Xbox Series S power cable.

As you can see in the photos, the xScreen comes with a pair of side-mounted latches that further secure the screen to the console. The latches will come in a few colors, including green ones, which are exclusive to Kickstarter backers. UPspec Gaming will also release a pair of feet that secures the console in a vertical orientation, effectively raising the monitor.

Here’s a couple of demos of the prototype:

I’m surprised though, that oceanside mansion didn’t have any spare TVs. Pledge at least around $195 (USD) on Kickstarter to get an xScreen as a reward.

[via Kotaku]

eXtremeRate RISE DIY Back Paddles for PS5: Quadsense Controller

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Critics and gamers lucky enough to get their hands on the PS5 often cite the console’s DualSense controller as a true next-gen controller, thanks to its precise haptics and force feedback triggers. However, the previous generation also saw a small but significant addition to gamepads – paddles. They come in various shapes and numbers, but the idea is the same – you get programmable back-mounted inputs that let you keep your fingers on the joysticks and shoulder buttons. Now you can apply that innovation to the DualSense, thanks to eXtremeRate’s RISE Remap DIY kit.

The RISE kit gives you two programmable paddles. By default, you can map everything but the L3, R3, and touchpad to those paddles. However, if you’re willing to do a bit of soldering, you can map even those three inputs to the paddles. The kit comes with everything you need to perform the upgrade, including a new back shell to hold everything in place.

This truly is a DIY affair, though, requiring you to basically teardown your DualSense controller. Im.A.Caveman has a good guide to installation on YouTube.

I spotted about a billion ways in which the procedure would go wrong in my hands. But I know you can do it! You can get the RISE Remap kit from GamingCobra for $40 (USD). It comes in various colors, from plain black or white to textured green and metallic yellow. It’s also on Amazon (affiliate link).

The EXO Giga Bike is a Custom PC in a Bicycle: BMX On

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If you’re a PC enthusiast, you might have noticed that boutique manufacturers are actually making open-air chassis that are not meant to be test benches, but for showcase builds. Well, how’s this for an open-air chassis? Russian-based shop Yolenzo worked with Red Bull, Intel, and Gigabyte to create the Exo Giga Bike, a rocker bicycle that’s equipped with serious gaming horsepower.

It’s a bit sad that most of us can’t even get our hands on any current-gen GPU, yet these guys slapped one on a bike. But the project’s cool factor does soothe the sting. The Exo has an Intel Core i5 11600K CPU, an RTX 3070, 32GB of RAM, 2TB NVME SSD, and a Z590 motherboard.

Here’s the Exo in action… as a bike:

Open-air, small form factor, portable. What more could you want?

[via Aorus]

Otterbox Xbox Series X | S & Xbox One Rechargeable Battery Pack: Triple A Solution

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Across console generations, Xbox controllers have always used AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable one. It has its pros and cons, but Otterbox has found a solution that combines the best of both worlds. The company’s Xbox Battery Pack gives you two rechargeable packs that you can hot-swap. A third tiny battery clips into the controller via a cage. This battery stores up to 30 seconds of power, keeping the controller on while you swap packs.

Each battery pack lasts up to 10 hours per charge. The Xbox Battery Pack also comes with a charging dock. a cage that works with the Xbox Series X or S controller, and a cage that works with the Xbox One controller.

You can order the Xbox Battery Pack from Otterbox for $60 (USD). It’s also on Amazon (affiliate link).

[via Uncrate]

Heykube Electronic Puzzle Cube Teaches You How to Solve It: Kompanion Kube

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You can find dozens of tutorials and tips on how to solve a puzzle cube, but a company called Heykube figured out a way to build the guide into the cube itself. The eponymous toy has LEDs at the center of each side. When you begin turning part of the cube, one of the LEDs will light up and will rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise, implying that you should do the same to that side.

The cube comes with a companion app that extends the cube’s “modes”, thanks to different patterns that you can try. It also has a timer. If you want, you can even turn off the LEDs and solve the cube like a regular one. The company also made Heykube’s Python library open source. If you have a Raspberry Pi, you can play with the cube’s lights and sounds, and even create your own puzzles.

You can buy the Heykube straight from the company’s online store for $100 (USD). It’s also on Amazon (affiliate link).

[via The Gadgeteer]

Fools Paradise Lowfool Steel of League Figure: Mobile Scrum Gundam

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Prolific designer toymaker Fools Paradise is releasing a beastly figure that sees a rugby player wearing parts of the RX-78-2 Gundam as protective gear. The figure is called Lowfool Steel of League Team 01-GD. Yep, the toymakers are saying it’s for a robot rugby league, despite the face mask. It’d be silly to draw the line there right?

The long name implies that there will be other figures in their league. I hope they plan on making a Super Robot Wars-style universe. Head to Fools Paradise’s blog starting on 06/28/21 to pre-order. There’s no word on price as of this writing, but based on Fools Paradise’s previous releases, this will likely cost more than $350 (USD).

Custom Watercooled Gaming PC Combined with a PS5: Play Everything

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PC builders have toyed with incorporating entire consoles into PC cases before – Origin even made some – but the folks at Modding Cafe came up with something that’s truly a sight to behold. The Vietnamese builders made a custom ITX build that watercools both a PC and a PS5.

As you might have expected, the build uses a ton of custom made parts, including the chassis itself. Modding Cafe also designed and made the watercooling components for the CPU and the PS5 motherboard using Bitspower components as the basis. The PC is powered by an Intel Core i9 11900K and an ASUS ROG Strix 3080 GPU. The PS’s Blu-ray drive is also in the build.

Truly a sight to behold. If you want more custom watercooling goodness, check out Modding Cafe’s standalone watercooled PS5, which actually led to the 2-in-1 build.

Funko Turbo Man Action Figure Reissue: It’s Scalper Time!

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Someone at Walmart slipped up, and Christmas has come early for toy collectors. A few lucky shoppers were able to grab what appears to be a 2021 reissue of the Turbo Man action figure from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic holiday movie Jingle All the Way, in which the action star plays a dad who goes to great lengths to obtain the fictional (and shortly real) toy for his son.

According to The Toyark, this Walmart exclusive is 13″ tall and sells for $35 (USD). Curiously, toy store Stop N Shop Funko Pop has a listing for a Turbo Man action figure, but the listing says it’s 10″ tall and will go for $30 this October. Whatever the case, a few units of the reissue have inevitably popped up on eBay, including the picture above, from seller austinamaya, who is asking for an eye-watering $299. That’s a lot of cookies.

[via The Toyark & Reddit]