Hasta La Gadget!

With real-world dolls getting LEDs installed and embedded into their gowns, it was only a matter of time before Barbie upgraded her own wardrobe to include these futuristic digital threads.

Barbie might have taken a back seat over the last few years, but she’s fighting to get into the spotlight once again. Keeping up with the times and with her Hollywood counterparts, Mattel has decided to dress Barbie up in a digital dress that’s as futuristic as dresses can get.

The dress incorporates the latest in LED and touchscreen technology, allowing girls to choose which digital designs they want to appear on the front of the dress. They can either choose from pre-programmed graphics, draw their own designs, or watch designs respond to sound and music stimuli.

The Barbie Digital Dress doll will be available this August for $49.99 (USD).

[Mattel via Pocket Lint]

Well, Mattel finally went out and did it. Open a Barbie-themed cafe, I mean. It’s located in Taiwan and is, as expected, fitted with furniture in various shades of pink that’ll drive any man crazy and any Barbie-loving girl equally nuts.

The Barbie Cafe serves up dainty little crustless finger sandwiches with tiny pink flags stuck into each one of them. The waiters wear pink aprons, while waitresses flit about in pink tutus like the ones that the Barbie dolls on the table have on.

So why Taiwan? A rep from Mattel explained that theme restaurants have been very popular and successful in the state.

Just looking at everything – from the sticky sweet food and decor to the people and ambiance – is enough to make me go into a diabetic coma. To push that point further, here’s a video featuring the Barbie Cafe in all its pink splendor. Boys, avert your eyes.

[via Eater]

I hate clowns. Never liked them when I was still a kid, and I still don’t. Ronald McDonald used to be an exception. I say ‘used to be’, because after seeing these super-sized McDonald’s figures with their evil faces and transparent abdomens, I’m not really sure how I feel anymore.

Cute? In a way, I guess it is. Weird? For sure. Scary, creepy, and other similar adjectives? Yes, definitely.

The creepy face with the devilish expression isn’t the most off-putting thing about this character. Rather, it’s all in its transparent tummy that shows two as-yet-undigested cheeseburgers. I guess we don’t need to ask or wonder what Mr. McDonald ate to make him gain all that weight.

The Super-Sized McDonald’s figure is available for 9,475 yen (~$116 USD) – at least until McDonald’s lawyers see it.

[via Inventor’s Spot]

A pregnant baby doll that has its own pregnant baby? This ‘toy’ would probably become every mothers’ worst nightmare, if it actually existed. Aside from that, the whole concept is just plain wrong and twisted.

Fortunately, it’s not really a toy.

Rather, the ‘Baby’s First Baby’ doll is actually an art piece by Darren Cullen. With this project, he wanted to make a statement on teen pregnancies, consumerism, and how each gender is prepared for adulthood, by way of the toys that are being made for them.

Stretch marks? Water that really breaks? Darren really didn’t hold anything back. Maybe that’s why a lot of people were outraged when they thought that this was actually a real doll. Then again, creating an actual listing for the doll on Etsy probably made a lot of people think that it was actually for sale.

The doll is going to be displayed at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland, UK from October 26 to January 12, 2013 as part of a group show called Moral Holiday.

Did someone run over your bike? Did your boyfriend (or girlfriend) cheat on you? Did you tell your kid brother not to mess with your stuff, only to come home and find him reformatting your laptop?

Before anything else, don’t throw a fit. Don’t get angry, don’t scream, don’t yell, and don’t bang things on your way out. Instead, go up to your room, take out your Dammit Doll… and let all hell break loose.

I know stress balls are supposed to calm you down when you’re steamed, but how are you supposed to release all that anger and frustration when you’re supposed to squeeze those darned things?

The Dammit Dolls are better because they let you vent your anger so you can face the situation dead on in a more calmer way. And if you’re still feeling antsy after a couple of whacks, then feel free to whack your Dammit some more until you feel better.

A lot of people attest to the effectiveness of the Dammit Doll. It’s so popular that it’s currently sold out on the Spoon Sisters, but expect it to be available by August 22nd. The Dammit Dolls are available in an assortment of designs and are priced at $13.50 (USD).

[via Incredible Things]