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FT editor Roula Khalaf selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The droid you are looking for
Loyal, dedicated and true, R2-D2 has long inspired the kind of affection that other astromech droids could never dream of matching. When a Los Angeles auction house presented a collection of Star Wars memorabilia for sale in 2017, it wasn’t Darth Vader’s helmet that inspired the fiercest auction ($96,000) nor Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber ($450,000), but a 110cm R2-D2 unit, built from parts used in filming between 1977 and 1983. It sold for $2.76 million.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first collaboration between the Lego Group and Lucasfilm, and this 1,050-piece R2-D2 toy is one of the commemorative releases. It is by no means the first brick-built Artoo: die-hard obsessives will already have the Droid Developer Kit from 1999, the Technic model from 2002, the Ultimate Collector Series and the Construction Set from 2021.
This new version gives our hero a 360-degree rotating head, an attachable third leg and periscope, and adds an information plaque and additional figures of R2-D2 and Darth Malak. “Over time, we’ve tried to create different levels of detail and sometimes added fun Easter eggs to please Lego enthusiasts and everyone else. Star Wars fans,” says Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, creative leader of the project. A 1:1 scale build, made of 27,797 elements, was also presented at the Spielwarenmesse toy fair in Nuremberg in January, and is scheduled to tour Europe and the United States imminently.
The “little brother” vibes that R2-D2 gives off are perhaps the key to his enduring popularity. This was perhaps best summed up by the late Kenny Baker, the actor who played the droid in six of the Star Wars movies, when he told the story of signing an autograph to a visibly excited woman. “I said, ‘Why are you crying?’ She said, ‘Well, when I was a girl, when Star Wars It came out, my parents were going through a divorce and R2-D2 was the only thing that kept me happy. He used to take him to bed with me every night. What about that?” Lego R2-D2 25th Anniversary Model, £89.99
First contact
Some may shudder at the idea of a children’s smartwatch, but it is very well conceived. It has many of the features of a standard smart device (voice calling, video calling, selfies, chat, voice memos, etc.), but it all happens within a walled garden (or “Circle,” as myFirst calls it) controlled by a parent or guardian. So while the device has advanced connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an eSIM for £8.99 a month), there’s no general internet access, just ways to keep in touch with a close-knit group. It doubles as an alarm and music player, and has tracking features (location and activity, including a high heart rate alert) that may activate sometimes or not at all. my first R2 phone, £199.99
Sound of the future
Children’s headphones are subject to a lot of crushing and knocking, and their final destination is the trash. Kibu, however, is 3D printed from post-consumer waste and 70 percent of the components are recyclable, and you are encouraged to take them apart, see how they work, and reassemble them. If they break, the warranty plan encourages you to replace the parts that really need to be replaced and do it yourself (a very simple process). The cans come in soft colors, have a safe volume limit of 85 dB, and can be daisy-chained for group listening, but their selling point, really, is the ethos behind them: encouraging young people to be consumers. considered. kibu headphones, £49
Play again and again
Loog is known for its traditional-style guitars made for small hands, with classic design and simple functionality. The firm now offers an attractive alternative to the loud, loud plastic pianos that flood the market. It has a single sound (a grand piano), built-in speakers, velocity-sensitive keys, and a wooden case covered in red fabric, giving it a distinctive resemblance to a high-end Clavia Nord keyboard. It’s easily portable for vacations and its simplicity is an invitation to musical exploration. New features like a sustain pedal option, octave shifting, and the ability to use it as a MIDI controller may have envious adults asking their kids if they can borrow it for a day or two, or maybe three. log in Piano, $249
Stay focused
A lightweight, robust and self-contained camera for budding photographers. It’s pop-up, bashable, and surprisingly complete, with a flash, front and rear cameras, zoom, panorama, video mode, and a rotating ring that applies colorful filters. The on-screen menus are packed with features, including a music player, games (with time limits for parents), a voice recorder, animation tools, and Snapchat-like lenses. Internal storage is minimal (around 256 MB), but can be easily increased with a micro-SD card (up to 32 GB supported). If some eye-catching shot needs to reach the gray, drab world of adults, it can be transferred to a computer via a USB cable. VTech KidiZoom Duo FX Camera, £64.99