Hapori Tohu

LEGO has had their augmented reality kiosks in their stores for a while now, allowing a small number of sets to be experienced through a computer screen when the box was held up to it. Now they have gone a step further and added in gesture recognition, which allows one to scoop up the set and hold the digital version in the palm of the hand. The latest software also now has a full database of every set available, <a href='http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/lego-demos-augmented-reality-boxes-with-gesture-recognition-20110919/' target='offsite'>Geek.com reports</a> (with a video) and recommends trying it out the next time you visit a LEGO store. View the full article

News has been really easy to do on Sundays with all these sales Toys 'R' Us keeps having. This time, from now until Saturday, September 24th, if you buy two LEGO sets you can get a third of equal or lesser value for free. Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean are unfortunately excluded. Still, it's not a bad deal and works to be about 33% off if all three sets cost the same amount. View the full article

Almost a year ago we noted that a secret projected named "LEGO Octopus" had appeared online, accessible only to a mysterious few with acceptable LEGO IDs. About ten months later, there seems to be some movement on that page - the logo of the page is now "Rebrick" and features a green-lensed flashlight shining a white light. Folks in the know can <a href='http://octopus.lego.com' target='offsite'>log in</a>; the rest of us can only wonder. View the full article

Between now and October 8th, Toys 'R' Us is having an 'only at TRU' sale, showcasing their exclusives. No LEGO sets are being discounted, but if you buy a TRU exclusive set you can get a Ninjago shrine set for free. You can target="offsite">check out the flyer for more details on what sets are eligible. View the full article

Some madman who's Legonym is Iomedes, has constructed an awesomely large and detailed Venator Class Star Destroyer. The SHIP (Seriously Huge Investment in Parts) weighs in at 180 pounds, and has no glue, metal beams, screws, or any other non-Lego elements. Getting something that heavy to stay in one piece is an amazing feat in and of itself, without it being an exact replica of a sweet looking star ship. Disappointed that this isn't a Bionicle news story? Me too, here's an old and epic video worth (re)watching. View the full article

The latest update of LDD came with a nice surprise for Hero Factory fans; many of the new 3.0 parts have been added to the inventory of the Lego Digital Designer program. Some of the new parts include the Hero animal heads, quaza spikes, claw pieces, and more! If Hero Recon isn't for you, then you can open up LDD and design your own elaborate Hero with new 3.0 elements! View the full article

Ninjago has been one of TLG's flagship lines this year, with lots of promotions and tie-ins. It seems that all that work is paying off, based on a target="offsite">press release over at Comic Book Resources. It seems the Papercutz Ninjago graphic novel has already topped 150,000 preorders, and it doesn't even come out until November 8th. In comparison, all of the Bionicle graphic novels have only sold 250,000 copies. Total. I think we can expect Ninjago to return next year. View the full article

There are not too many things scarier than the Forbidden Forest. Sure, the world is filled with clowns, Daleks, and the threat of death by meteorite, but for Harry Potter entering the creepy forest bordering Hogwarts is one of the things he is told to avoid, yet he does it so often. With the release of the final movie, LEGO makes one last forest scene in which Harry encounters the Dark Lord Voldermort. Read on to find out if it is worth your galleon and a few sickles. View the full article

It seems like every week Toys 'R' Us has some sort of LEGO sale, and this one is no exception. In fact, there's several! The buy-one-get-one 50% off sale we reported on Friday has been extended through this whole week, and it applies to all LEGO sets!Next Saturday, 9/17, from 12-2PM you can attend the target="offsite">Ninjago Spinjitzu Camp - check out the site for more information.All Star Wars items (LEGO and other things) are on sale, with some items, such as the LEGO AT-AT, being 30% off!Not specifically LEGO, but if you buy $30 worth of Star Wars products, you can get a free R2-D2 USB drive.I hope some of you take advantage of these awesome savings. View the full article

Let us not forget what happened a decade ago today. We were here at Kanohi-Power and BionicleZone back then, and we all lived though 9/11/01 as a community. Ten years later, we are still here, members are still here -- and the site, the members, and the world are just a little less innocent because of that day exactly ten years ago. Although the forum are not online, we're still a community that has lived through a difficult time and it is important to remember all those who lost their lives. View the full article

I bring you another review today from our prolific Forum Assistant Sisen. This time he takes a look at a smaller set from the Star Wars line - the Clone Trooper Battle Pack. Should you pick up one (or more) of these to augment your clone army? You'll just have to read on to find out! View the full article

Toys 'R Us offers us good things once again: For the remainder of today and tomorrow, <a href='http://view.ed4.net/v/RSIDBT/PEH74/1OSZYTV/USI4NK/MAILACTION=1&FORMAT=H?csm=221419770&csc=1506769&csa=220474122&csu=1509691&camp=CME:20110908_Em_TRU_Roto%20Reminder' target='offsite'>this ad</a> promises all and any interested consumers the chance to buy one LEGO construction set and get any of equal or lesser cost 50% less than you would have paid for it. (They also add the incentive of a free exclusive LEGO HP Trolley set with ANY LEGO purchase of $30 or more - if you're interested, take action!) View the full article