Lego

If you're a regular reader of my Crave stories, you'll know I have a certain adoration (or perhaps borderline obsession) for Lego. As much as it pains me to admit it, the expensive building toy -- despite its many themes and innovative designs -- could use a little more flexibility. Sugru might just be the ticket to reach that architectural nirvana.

A silicone rubber that molds like Play-Doh and bonds to nearly anything, Sugru could greatly change the way people use Lego bricks, in my opinion. Why? Sugru lets you place Lego bricks nearly anywhere, acting as a kind of beacon of freedom for the Lego brick. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Lego! iPhone! The two were made for each other.

iPhone cases are like snowflakes in Aspen at CES 2013, but Belkin's tucked-away iPhone 5 Lego cases found a way to catch my eye. Maybe because they're cute and colorful...and maybe because I have a 4-year-old who likes to make Lego dioramas when we're out at dinner.

I can't help but imagine setting up my face-down iPhone at a table and setting up a Star Wars action scene on it...or building an awkward tower. Or, using bricks to design your own 3D makeshift look. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, start your programming engines: Lego Mindstorms EV3 is here.

The third full generation of Lego's programmable robotics platform, EV3 is aimed at both enthusiasts -- young and old -- and educators, and blows past the previous generation with a long list of new features that add speed and power, intelligent programmability, and more ways to communicate with the robots. Lego expects to begin selling the product, which includes 594 Technic pieces that can be used to make five different robots, this summer at a retail cost of $350. It will also release … Read more

This is heavy: plastic-brick magnate Lego has given the official nod to a fan-built "Back to the Future" DeLorean set, confirming that the nerd-pleasing time machine set will go on sale next year.

The small but perfectly formed toy was chosen to enter the official Lego pantheon after it received more than 10,000 votes on Lego Cuusoo, a Kickstarter-style site where brick-assembling enthusiasts can submit their dream kits to the bigwigs in Denmark.

The final design of the set isn't confirmed yet, as Lego says it's still in talks with Universal over the upcoming product. … Read more

I've tried what I thought were some ambitious Lego builds in my childhood, but I never got close to making anything that could be considered life-size. That's why I'm tipping my hat to the insane quest of the Lego builders who made a life-size Bag End in honor of "The Hobbit" movie.

The Bag End creation is impressively detailed. There's a big round door and life-size characters running around, including Bilbo and Gandalf. If you look closely in one of the photos, you can even see smoke coming out of the chimney. I don't think that part is made out of little plastic bricks. … Read more

Tired of the city and need some more greenery in your life? Real estate blog Movoto calculated the cost of buying a home similar to Bag End featured in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" movie sagas.

Movoto considered Worcestershire County, England, as a reasonable locale for estimating the value of a Hobbiton home since "Hobbit" author J.R.R. Tolkien supposedly favored the lush countryside area.… Read more

Earlier in the year, a "Firefly" Serenity spaceship Lego playset gathered 10,000 supporters on Lego's Cuusoo site. Cuusoo is a little bit like Kickstarter for Lego geeks. Fans put kits together, gather votes, and have a shot at Lego putting their projects into production.

Lego Serenity, however, failed to pass Lego's review process to become reality. One reason Lego gave is that "Firefly" contains content that's inappropriate for its core target audience of children ages 6-11. I wonder what did it. Was it all the cursing in Chinese?

Fortunately, Lego and "Firefly" fans are much more resilient than that. The kit's designer is now offering eager builders an opportunity to buy the kit and make their own 2,186-piece Serenity ships.… Read more

We're going to need a cleanup on aisle 3. There's been a geek collision between the cast of the "The Hobbit" and their Lego mini-fig counterparts. Fans are losing it all over the place.

The cast of "The Hobbit" got their hands on their Lego versions. Even better, the cast members were all in costume when they opened up the little boxes and met themselves. You can swoon over the whole gallery over at the Facebook page for the "The Hobbit."… Read more