Best of What's New 2011

Gadgets

Sifteo Cubes

Blocks buster

Gadgets 11 of 11

Sifteo Cubes

Equipped with 1.5-inch screens, the Sifteo Cubes are the first interactive blocks. Each cube emits its own wireless signal, so they can “see” where the others are, and accelerometers sense when the cubes tilt, rotate, or turn upside down. From these blocks come many complex games. One, for instance, has players roll a marble around an obstacle course that reveals itself as the cubes move. Currently users can download any of 14 games, which load through a wireless link to a computer, but anyone can use the freely available open-source code to create more. $150

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Tested

Remember playing with blocks when you were little? Sifteo Cubes, one of this year's Best of What's New honorees, are like those, except with a few negligible changes. Like, you know, LCD screens. And accelerometers. And touchscreens and wireless communications and downloadable games. But otherwise basically the same. Read more