For such a company as Apple, with a name that so many are familiar with, it’s still a great claim to be on top of the “brand” pile. You can be known as a brand for good or bad things, and overall, people are saying they put Apple in the number one spot even though they have had a few things try to slow them down.

Brandjunkie.com claims that with six out of ten questions, Apple stays on top of the rest as a name that people believe in when buying products.

They point out that innovation is of huge value to those surveyed, along with reliability and simplicity. Read up on the results over on the site and you’ll see other brands mentioned like Microsoft and Nike. I enjoyed reading this article and seeing how brand names impact our society so much.

Popularity: 20% [?]

I love robots as much as the next gal (maybe even more) but I doubt I’d ever trust my kids with one. To get a glimpse of our future, lets turn our attention to Japan where department stores are introducing cute robots to babysit rambunctious kids while mommy shops. Physorg says parents visiting the Fukuoka Aeon Co. department store can drop off their kids with the kid-size machine that can track kids thanks to a special coded badge. The robot uses these badges to identify kids by their name and age, and chats with them despite its limited vocabulary. The robot also uses its eyes as projectors to beam advertising messages or still images it captured with its bionic eye–both great tools to brainwash the future consumer.  Robots are becoming increasingly popular in Japan, so by using robotic babysitters, the Japanese believe they are training their kids for the future.  

Popularity: 28% [?]

Now isn’t this a hoot - a behemoth like the Hummer H3 being converted into a remote controlled car? This is definitely no toy, and it sounds almost as though it was plucked from some sort of future James Bond edition (remember the remote controlled BMW 750?). Touted to be the ultimate “boy’s toy”, this remote controlled Hummer H3 retails for a whopping £26,495. If you have a deep enough bank account and don’t really care about what happens to the environment, then purchasing one for your man will definitely win a lifetime of brownie points. Trust me on this. Just make sure he is holding down a job that can afford to pay for the fuel on this monster though.

Source: Luxury Launches

Popularity: 22% [?]

Wish you could rock out just like all those rock stars you see on MTV? Enter the Silverlit VBeat Air Guitar that could help you realize your dreams.

This motion-sensing electronic guitar simulator is perfect for wannabe guitar heroes who’ve graduated beyond air-guitar and tennis rackets, but haven’t quite got to grips with the real thing yet! Pre-programmed rhythms and an instructive guided learning feature will ensure great sounds in no time at all. So, raise your fist in the air and rock out with the V Beat Guitar for super shredding solos and raucous rhythms!

The Silverlit VBeat Air Guitar retails for £29.99 a pop, and comes with free style mode as well for you to annoy/impress your fellow housemates.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Kids love playing, and so do adults but the latter tend to find less and less time due to a whole host of other commitments. The SmarteBear range of children’s playthings are capable of reading stories, playing games and keeping your little one entertained by even singing songs - all these can be accessed at the press of a paw. I guess this is one toy that you ought to bring during those long road trips in order to avoid the traditional kid question, “Are we there yet?”. The SmarteBear range is also multi-lingual, so it would be great to pick up some Francais as well for both parent and child. This nifty little toy retails for $80 and above, depending on the type of add-ons you choose (sounds like some fast food joint to me).

 Product Page via Red Ferret

Popularity: 31% [?]

Kids have it great these days with tons and tons of different toys to capture their imagination. All I had back then was some scraps of paper and a pencil, the rest was up to me. I know I would’ve died to own a KOTA - a soft walking triceratops dinosaur where tiny tots will be able to ride ala Turok. The manufacturer, Playskool, claim that the KOTA makes authentic dinosaur roars - no idea how they figured that out. KOTA will react to eleven areas on its body, and it ambles along while playing jungle songs and adventure-themed tunes at the flick of a button. Apparently the KOTA will snack on leafy greens as well if you give it, but don’t worry about its digestive system as the only waste it produces are half a dozen D batteries required to power it. The KOTA will be made available this fall for $300 a pop.

Source: Coolest Gadgets

Popularity: 25% [?]

OK, so this post might not contain any references to circuitry or electronics, but I’m pretty sure a fair amount of science and hard work was put in to get the Aloha Blooming Tea come out right each time you pour some hot water inside. The tea bloom itself will definitely bring images of a grass hula skirt to anyone who sees it in action, while the white Jasmine belt infuses a rich flavor for those cosy afternoons with your girlfriend. Each bloom costs $3 and there are many other blooms to choose from if the Aloha bloom is not your cup of tea (pun not intended). Looks like a pretty good Valentine’s Day gift idea to me.

Product Site

Popularity: 23% [?]

It’s Friday, and it wouldn’t be right to send you off to a fun Super Bowl weekend without a good laugh. The guys over at Absolute Gadget spotted something every kilt-loving, gadget-having man should have. It’s called the workmen’s kilt, and it has plenty of pockets to hold all your electronic gizmos, and then some. Blaklader makes the manly kilt, which you can find at TheNewWorker.com or about $119. Continue Reading

Popularity: 46% [?]

We just uploaded a bunch of wallpaper for your iPhone and your computer so you can give your gadgets a nice Techie Diva makeover. We’ve also re-uploaded our wallpaper with a black background, which is very soothing on the eyes. We like pink, but black is better. To get yours, just click on the image or link, and do a ‘Save As’ to your wallpaper folder. Hope you like it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/techiedivaz/2235806981/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/techiedivaz/2236597224/sizes/o/in/set-72157603835179450/

Popularity: 42% [?]

Gizmodo spotted three new friends to the original lime green Spykee Robot which can be used to Skype your friends in a fun way. The original robot was enabled with a webcam, microphone, and speaker and could be controlled via your computer. Now his new friends, Spykee Vox, Miss, and Cell do more than Skype, as the robots come with an iPod dock that supports the iTouch, a video surveillance camera, VoIP phone, microphone, loudspeaker, and MP3 player. I really like Skype Miss all dressed up in her pink and white robo-suit awaiting her Skype orders. You can find Spykee robots over at Erectorusa.com

Popularity: 38% [?]