Christmas is fast approaching, the trees and decorations are going up and everybody is shopping like mad to get all the presents they need for Christmas day. If you need an idea for a boy’s gift this year then the Cyberman Voicechanger Helmet could be the perfect solution. The cheapest I could find the toy is £29.99 from lxdirect.com which is quite reasonable compared to the price other stores are selling it for.

The Cyberman Voicechanger Mask is a replica Cyberhead from the Doctor Who series and has three buttons that all have different functions, one plays phrases spoken by the Cyberman, another changes your own voice to the tones of the Cyberman and the final button makes weapon sound effects. For Doctor Who fans this is the perfect gift and could be a great toy to play tricks on the family at Christmas. The Toy Retailers Association have placed this as one of their ‘Top Toys 2006’ and it is set to be one of the most popular Christmas gifts this year.

Ultimate Buzz Lightyear was a summer announcement for Disney and followed in the steps of the Ultimate Wall-E from the year prior. Ultimate Buzz features 7 motors, multiple sensors and over 100 sayings in Tim Allen’s Buzz voice. The sometimes-delusional Buzz can also walk, play games and otherwise be directed by kids via 15-button remote.

Getting Started with Buzz

Buzz comes in “Try Me” mode and a demo set of batteries. It’s important to switch to new batteries, as Buzz will partially function, leading parents to think he might be broken. This is noted in the manual, but I mention it here, as most of us don’t start with the manual. On the battery front, Buzz loves them. He needs 14 total batteries, four AA in each leg, three AAA in his back and three AAA batteries for the remote. Buzz is relatively gentle on them though, we tested for a few hours on rechargeable batteries before needing to swap them out.

Using Buzz

The Buzz Lightyear robot is pretty advanced in terms of the embedded technology. The unit has three sensors to help make him more interactive. The level sensor lets the robot detect is he’s fallen over, which does happen from time to time. The positioning sensor is used in programming Buzz and there’s also a touch sensor in his right palm which is used in some of the games.

There are also several ways to interact with Buzz. There are direct activation buttons on the robot, the remote control, a voice command mode and a programming mode. The depth of control is pretty impressive and as robust as any robot we’ve tested.

The other fun thing is that Buzz has two personalities, the Space Ranger Buzz and the Toy Buzz. It’s pretty fun for kids who are familiar with Buzz’s story to be able to flip him between the two modes. Kids can change his mode by using the remote or they can use the voice commands “You’re a toy” and “Space Ranger.” It’s worth mentioning that not all of this is obvious outside of the 20-page manual. The manual is easy to manage though and is a worthwhile time  investment to read it.

• Twist screen for self-portraits
• 5 Megapixel Resolution
• 128MB of internal memory (no external storage)
• 2” LCD
• Adjustable flash
• 4 x digital zoom
• Disney PhotoFriends feature

Disney Pix Twist Off the Shelf

Out of the Box

The features of the Pix Twist were designed with a tween in mind.  From the twist feature that allows the photographer to take a self portrait easily to the Jonas Brothers branding and the ability to add Disney PhotoFriends, this camera was made for fun.  And, the wrist strap and sturdy plastic housing make this camera easy to take with you.

The Flix Jr. video camera by Disney is a functioning digital video recorder for children ages three and up.  Able to record up to 30 minutes of video in two minute increments, the Flix Jr. comes in three varieties: Cars, Toy Story, and Princess.  I reviewed the princess version.

Disney Flix Jr. in Box As My Friend’s Daughter Spotted It

Out of the Box

Framed in pink and purple, Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle are ready to join any little princess on a documenting adventure.  The camera features a rubberized, non-slip grip and simple to use buttons.

Disney Flix Jr. Princess-View

There’s a small LCD screen (about 1 x 1.25 inches) on which young directors can view their masterpieces as they film, and a red light on the front alerts their subject to the fact that film is rolling.