Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco Will Inspire Your Child’s Imagination

 

At Mint Gadgets, we’re on the hunt for the latest innovative gadgets and gizmos of all kinds, anywhere we can find them. So where do all these great gadget ideas and inventions come from anyway? Well, we like to think that educational toys like the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco play an important role in inspiring our kids of today with the knowledge and skills they need to grow up and create the great gadgets and inventions of tomorrow.

So we think the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco qualifies as a world class toy gadget that will entertain, educate and thrill your kids through the discovery of electronics.  With the Electronic Snap Circuits kit, you can provide your child with an exciting and valuable introduction to electronics. Who knows, you may be paving the way for a brilliant electronics engineering future for your child.

The Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit includes over 60 color-coded electronic circuit components that snap together to create actual functional electronic circuits and devices. The kit is recommended for children 8 and older and right on the package it lists the suitable age range as 8 to 108. I guess that’s another way of saying “suitable for kids of all ages” and that includes the kid in all of us!

The Electronic Snap Circuits Kit includes over 60 electronic pieces and components. With these discrete kit components, you can create over 305 different electronic projects. The kit contents include:

• Snap Wires
• Slide Switch
• Resistors
• Microphone
• Capacitors
• Transistors
• Diodes
• Integrated circuits
• Amplifier
• Lamps
• Audio Speaker
• Antenna Coil
• and more …

And you can build exciting and entertaining electronic projects like …

• Two transistor light alarm
• Voice controlled rays of light
• Space war radio
• Musical motion detector
• Radio music alarm
• Water detector
• Battery polarity tester
• Adjustable metronome
• Laser light
• NPN emitter – motor
• NPN collector – motor
• Lie detector
• Delayed action fan
• Time delay circuits
• AM radio
• Burgler alarm
• and more …

The projects are easy to follow and assemble. Each electronic component easily snaps together on the block circuit grid board, no soldering required and no tools needed. The component pieces are numbered and color-coded to make them easy to identify. And each project includes a large color illustration with simple directions that make learning about the fundamentals of electronics and circuit construction easy, fun and educational.

The Electronic Snap Circuits projects are presented in order of complexity from the most simple to the more complex. This helps kids build their skills and understanding of electronics as they proceed through the manual, step by step. Once kids have begun to master some of the fundamentals and skills, they can actually use the kit components to experiment on their own and build customized electronic circuits and devices. There are also a series of Snap Circuits accessories and upgrades to extend and expand the capability of the kit and add additional projects.

The Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit even has a feature to connect the electronic circuits that you build to your PC computer, and with the supplied software, turn your PC into an “oscilloscope” so you can see the electrical activity between any two points in the circuit. Now  that is very cool!

As a parent, the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the wonders of science and provide an education in the fundamentals of electronics and electronic circuit  design. And you’ll have hours and hours of fun interacting with your child through the creative learning process. It’s no wonder that Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco has won several awards including the “National Parenting Center-Seal of Approval”, “Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products”, and “Dr Toy Best Educational Products”.

Available: Amazon

Price: $30.33

Angry Bird Speakers

 

Millions of people love to play Angry Birds. Well, now you can listen to the Angry Birds sing (or maybe that should be squawk) with these new Angry Bird Speakers. For all those Angry Birds fans out there, these Angry Birds Speakers are a cool way to listen to your favorite music. Just plug these speakers into your favorite device (iPhones, iPods, iPads, MP3 Players, notebook computers, etc.) and enjoy the music audio.

There are actually three different versions of the Angry Birds Speakers. They don’t all work with the same range of devices so be careful and make sure you choose the right one.

Angry Birds Speakers Come In Three Different Versions

• Red Bird: Compatible with anything you can plug a 3.5 mm jack into. That’s just about any music player, any phone, any tablet, and any gaming system. If you can plug headphones into it will work with the Red Bird speakers. The included stand will hold up most devices, but isn’t necessary for the function of Red Bird as a speaker.  ($64.99 at ThinkGeek)

• Black Bird: Compatible with iPod, iPad, and iPhone only (specific models below in specifications). You can dock your iPod, iPad and iPhone device on the included stand and the Black Bird will amplify and play your music. ($84.99 at ThinkGeek)

• Helmet Pig: Compatible with iPod and iPhone only (specific models below in specifications). You can dock your device on top of Pig’s helmet to play your favorite tunes. ($99.99 at ThinkGeek)

The Helmet Pig model is designed for the iPod and iPhone only and comes with a built-in iPod and iPhone dock.

Angry Bird Speakers Specifications

• 2:1 stereo speakers, each speaker rated at 30 watts
• Adjustable volume and bass tone controls
• Stand for your phone, mp3 player, or tablet included
• Choose from three different versions
• Red Bird: works with any device that supports headphones with a 3.5mm jack.
• Black Bird: Only works with iPod, iPad and iPhone.
• Helmet Pig: Only works with iPod and iPhone
• Compatibility
• iPhone, iPhone 3G/S, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S
• iPod mini, iPod Classic, iPod with video, iPod Nano (1st-5th), iPod Touch (1st-4th)
• iPad, iPad 2 (Red Bird and Black Bird only)
• The Angry Birds Speakers are officially licensed Angry Birds collectibles

Available: ThinkGeek

Price: $64.99 to $99.99 (price varies by model, see above)

 

Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver

 

Do you ever find yourself getting frustrated over little inconveniences like figuring out a way to connect your iPhone, iPod or other MP3 player to your home stereo or home entertainment so you can listen to music that you keep on your mobile phone, iPod, MP3 or other portable media players? To alleviate this inconvenience the Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver makes it possible for users to listen, play and control their music media from their favorite audio sources wirelessly.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver connects to your home stereo or entertainment system through the standard audio cables provided. Then you’re able to stream your favorite music, podcasts and other media from your iPhone, mobile phone, iPod, MP3 player or any other portable media player over a standard wireless Bluetooth connection and play the audio straight through to your home stereo or home entertainment system.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Receiver is a convenient, small footprint portable device that measures 1.875 inches across and about 0.25 inches thick. This is roughly the size of a the lens cap for an SLR camera lens. And the Kanex device is attractively styled with a smart, soft-touch matte black finish.

You can wirelessly control your favorite playlist or podcasts anytime, anywhere through your vehicle, speakers or home stereo as long as you are within the Bluetooth transmission range of 33 feet. You simply connect the Kanex Airblue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver to the audio system using the 3.5mm audio cables (or mini USB connector) and then pair your media source (iPhone, iPod, MP3 player, mobile phone, etc.) with the Kanex AirBlue Bluetooth receiver. Then, you’re able to receive streamed audio with the same audio output via the analog audio connection.

And the fidelity is quite good. The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Receiver employs a Bluetooth v2.1 receiver with EDR which enables the highest music fidelity and premium sound over a Bluetooth connection. The device is also easy on the battery and is able to deliver an average of 10 working hours on a full charge. The internal rechargeable battery is easily recharged using a simple USB connection and cable and you can also use the device while it is charging.

The Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver is a handy portable, reliable, and convenient wireless solution to stream your favorite media for use at home and when you’re on the go.

Available: Amazon

Price: $49.99

Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus Speakers – The Ultimate Audiophile’s Speakers

 

Here at Mint Gadgets, we like to present the full range of great gadgets that you can find out there. Now bear in mind, many of the finest gadget innovations are not necessarily the most expensive items to buy. In fact, most of the gadgets we talk about fall within the more affordable price range of the spectrum.

However, some gadgets that we feature actually do come in as some of the most expensive innovations that you can find. And most assuredly, these audio speakers from Wilkins & Bowers are definitely an example of the latter. In the spirit of the “best of the best”, the Wilkins & Bowers Nautilus Speakers come in at the “top of the top”, the absolute most sophisticated audio speakers money can buy.

And yes, I did say these speakers are expensive! But it’s fun to look, right?

Bowers & Wilkins is a world class innovative audio research, engineering and manufacturing company located in England. Innovation is a premier hallmark at Bowers & Wilkins, and the research and development project that led to the Nautilus speaker product took over 5 years to accomplish. The engineers at Bowers & Wilkins explore every avenue in the relentless pursuit of true and accurate sound, borrowing many lessons directly from nature to achieve the pinnacle of audio loudspeaker design.

The result is an audio loudspeaker technology that continues to shape the direction of the audio industry today!

Place these loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins in your listening room and you’ll be in good company with some of the world’s top-end recording studios including Abbey Road Studios that have used the products since the late 1980′s.

The Nautilus Speakers enable the unparalleled experience to hear music exactly as it was recorded. Every nuance and detail of the music shimmers with vibrant realism. The Nautilus Audio Speaker technology results in the full power and impact of the sound to propagate unencumbered by speaker distortion or cabinet diffraction. For these reasons, the Nautilus is recognized as the first speaker in the world to truly achieve near zero cabinet coloration.

The four-way speaker design provides the clearest three-dimensional sound stage performance available. The Nautilus Audio Speakers accomplish this optimal sound quality by eliminating cabinet coloration which is the unwanted sound that radiates from the back of a speaker driver. Another key innovation is the mathematically precise, tapering wave-guiding tubes that house each speaker unit’s one inch and two inch tweeters as well as the 4 inch mid-range driver.

Rear-traveling sound waves are channeled, absorbed, and dampened, which results in the purest sound emanating from the front while virtually eliminating the distracting and distorting sound radiation from the rear of the speakers. And talk about fancy audio technology, the pattern of sound vibration is engineered to a precision tolerance that falls within 1/3000th of a millimeter using laser-doppler velocimetry.

Now, don”t ask me what “laser-doppler velocimetry” means … perhaps something to do with determining the sound velocity by using lasers to measure the doppler shift?  Who knows, but sounds impressive, don’t you think?

Each speaker enclosure has a powerful 12″ bass driver housed in a curved, spiral-shaped tube that permits the sound waves to travel the length of the tube without reflection. The speakers’ active crossover network enables each driver to operate purely in its own frequency band (unlike typical passive crossover designs) for sound that is crisper, cleaner, and more vibrant.

You should note that this architecture does require four separate amplifiers per speaker which are not included. But at these prices, if you can afford the Nautilus speakers, I’m sure the added expense of a few more audio amplifiers is of little consequence.

And don’t forget the aesthetic quality as well. The Nautilus enclosures are each handmade from a combination of fiberglass and reinforced ABS for durability. And the final product is finished with the same paint and lacquer system used for German luxury automobiles, your choice of three colors off the shelf; black, midnight blue or silver. The brochure does indicate that you can order custom colors if you’re willing to wait a bit longer for delivery.

If you would like to review details about these remarkable Nautilus speakers, you can download the Nautilus brochure here.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $60,000 (ouch, I told you these speakers are expensive!)

Tug-Preventing Dog Trainer

Being a dog lover and a dog owner, you have to be a pack leader and let your dog know that you are in charge and they are supposed to listen to you. However, as easy as it may sound, training your dog is not always an easy task. You’ll always want your dog to walk with you instead of running in front of you when you go out for walks. But that never seems to happen even when you use the seemingly painful pronged collar. Before giving up on your dog, you might want to check this Tug-Preventing Dog Trainer out.

Priced at $39.95, the Tug-Preventing Dog Trainer is an electronic device which attaches itself between your dog’s collar and the leash. Everything will be well and dandy until your darling dog decides to be naughty and tug. The integrated speaker will then emit a harmless ultrasonic sound, inaudible to humans, but will irritate your canine. If they decide to tug harder, the ultrasonic sound will be louder. Your dog will then start to learn to walk quietly by your side to avoid that irritating sound.

Don’t worry about the sound disturbing other pets as it is only directed to the leashed pets. The Tug-Preventing Dog Trainer has four volume levels that can be adjusted according to your dog’s sensitivity. You only need two AAA batteries for it to work. With a dimension of 6 ½” x 1 ½” x 1”, this device is compatible with any leash and also suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $39.95

Next Page »