Google makes world a playboard for Legos

SAN FRANCISCO -- Google on Tuesday began letting Lego lovers build with virtual color blocks in its Chrome web browser and then give creations homes in online maps of the real world.

 "There's something pretty amazing about being able to piece together your ideas with just a collection of colorful bricks," Google product marketing manager Adrian Soghoian said in a blog post.

"Well, we think the creative freedom of Lego bricks shouldn't be limited to plastic bins -- which is the idea behind Build with Chrome."

The browser application was originally built as an experiment by a team in Australia, but was opened to the public on Tuesday in an apparent tie-in to "The Lego Movie" due out in February.

"More than one million builders have explored the new world of Lego creations downunder and published 66,000 builds, demonstrating the possibilities of the web as a creative canvas," Google said at its official blog in Australia.

Versions of the Build application have also been tailored for Android-powered touchscreen smartphones or tablets with high-end graphics capabilities, according to Soghoian.

source: www,abs-cbnnews.com

LEGO Unveils Totally Insane Sopwith Camel Model

Though the bulk of Geekosystem’s LEGO coverage has been dominated by licensed sets from properties that are near and dear to our hearts, LEGOs are pretty amazing in their own right. Take the recently announced set number 10226, the Sopwith Camel. Why would anyone be interested in an 883-piece replica of a fighter plane from the first World War? Because it’s amazing, that’s why.

Designed for older LEGO builders as part of the Creator line, this Sopwith Camel has a number of new pieces that are designed with the LEGO modeler in mind. If you’re the kind of person that needs just the right color or just the right shape, this is a set for you. It’s also a hefty and impressive looking rendering of the famed fighter plane.

But by far the most impressive part of this model is that the control surfaces actually move, and are controlled by the model’s tiny joystick. What’s more, it does this not with gears or motors, but closer to how the actual Sopwiths were controlled: With string. Sure, it’s a bit of a needlessly pedantic addition, but if you’re going to make an over-the-top model you (obviously) need to go all the way.

Of course, a set like this won’t come cheap. It’s slated for a June release at $99.99. For those of you less interested in the full scale version, an adorable mini version will be released around the same time to promote its big brother.

source: geekosystem.com