Lego on and on

The appeal of Lego is so broad, it’s staggering. This one company produces plastic bricks (or variations on that theme), and manages to successfully attract customers ranging from infants to adults. Until recently, though, the older Lego customer was usually a die-hard Lego enthusiast, one who loved the challenge and satisfaction of assembling the models and displaying the finished product. Now, Lego has introduced a new line for teenagers that possesses a high-tech cool factor that should attract fans beyond the traditional base. Lego Technic uses gears, pistons, engines and other realistic working parts to create moving models that can be fully motorized. Each finished product provides a fascinating window into the way machines work, while offering long-term play opportunities.

Along the same lines, Lego has revamped their excellent Mindstorms set, a kit that allows builders to program and control robotic constructions using a slick computer interface. Infused with up-to-the-minute technology like Bluetooth and USB 2.0, the new Mindstorms is an outstanding way to introduce older children to the science of artificial intelligence. The kit includes over 500 pieces, including an ultrasonic visual sensor, a sound sensor, a touch sensor and a light sensor. This is sophisticated stuff, but the interface is simple enough for a beginner and robust enough for an expert.

In other words, we just got a huge shipment of really cool new stuff from Lego. Stop by and check it out.

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