leia

Dark Side coffee maker: How not to do 'Star Wars' merchandise

I've been a sucker for "Star Wars" merchandise ever since I had to get a second C-3PO action figure as a kid because I wore all the gold color off of my first one. My first kiss was with a friend named Arnie, who made my nerdy young heart beat with a sweet collection that included an X-Wing Fighter. My brother and I had matching stuffed Ewoks.

I still get a kick out of "Star Wars" swag today because of the creativity that goes into it. Fans almost always get it right when they do things like build a carpet-covered AT-AT cat condo or custom-painted Stormtrooper My Little Ponies complete with helmets and belts. These things have heart.

But this brings me to the limited-edition $120 Nestle "Star Wars" coffee makers that will be available only in Japan. You can choose between a Dark Side coffee maker with Darth Vader on it or a Rebel Alliance coffee maker with C-3PO on it. Pretty much all Nestle did was slap on some graphics and change up the colors on its regular Barista coffee machine.… Read more

Could 'Star Wars: Episode VII' feel like 'Return of the Jediatrics'?

Some would consider Disney's announcement of acquiring Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) for a little over $4 billion epic enough as is. Disney stunned sci-fi fans further with the additional announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII would arrive in 2015, causing many to wonder who would direct the movie, and more importantly, who would star in it.

It might take awhile to find out who the actors in "Episode VII" will be, but at least we know that the most cantankerous of the bunch, Harrison Ford, is onboard with participating in the highly anticipated follow-up to "Return of the Jedi," according to Entertainment Weekly. … Read more

Luke and Leia battle the Empire in Angry Birds Star Wars trailer

Angry Birds fans anxiously awaiting the new Star Wars version can grab a quick look at the action in a new 57-second trailer.

The first half of the trailer teases you with scenes of Angry Bird Luke trying to impress Angry Bird Leia with his light saber skills. But after Leia yawns in boredom, the galactic action finally revs up.

We're first taken to Luke's home world of Tatooine where he attacks the Empire's evil pigges with his light sabre. Next we travel to the ice world of Hoth where Leia takes down one of the giant … Read more

'Star Wars' coins let you pay in Yodas

Following up on last year's popular launch of official "Star Wars" currency, the New Zealand Mint revealed a new set of coins featuring Queen Amidala, Yoda, Darth Maul, and Anakin from the epic sci-fi prequel trilogy.

The colorful 1.6-inch diameter coins work as $2 legal tender on the tiny South Pacific island country of Niue and individually contain one ounce of .999 silver. A ripple in the Force indicates that few people would probably actually spend these collectors' items, and if they do, they may get clubbed over the head by Yoda's cane. … Read more

Han Solo and Princess Leia rings for 'Star Wars' fan love

Thank you, Etsy, for bringing us such gems as a Zelda fireplace insert, Wonder Woman running gear, and, now, Han Solo and Princess Leia matching rings.

When I first heard about these rings, my imagination thought they might have images of the two "Star Wars" lovebirds emblazoned on them somehow. When I actually saw the design, I smacked my forehead and exclaimed, "Of course!"

The adjustable aluminum his-and-hers rings each sport an inscription. One says, "I love you." The other says, "I know." … Read more

Princess Leia hoodie brings the buns

Princess Leia hair maintenance isn't an easy task. First, you have to grow enough of it to wrap up into double buns. It has to be brown. You pretty much need an expert to get it into the right shape and place.

Forget all that trouble. Just pick up a Princess Leia Hoodie. The $49.99 officially-licensed hoodie at ThinkGeek is made from a poly/cotton blend. I'm guessing that fabric will help it hold up to the rigors of the garbage chute. It's also likely to be a lot more comfortable than Princess Leia's metal bikini outfit.… Read more

Princess Leia headphone covers: What took so long?

Princess Leia's famous head buns are joining forces with your favorite headphones through the power of Etsy.

Since George Lucas has an Imperial Army of lawyers at his disposal, however, the official name of these headphone covers on JacquieLongLegs' Etsy page is "Galactic Princess Headphone Covers."

The $24 covers are made from synthetic hair. That's not surprising. Headphone covers made from real Carrie Fisher hair would probably fetch about $500,000 on eBay.… Read more

Australian study on hearing implicates iPods and other portable players

"Justin...Justin...JUSTIN!!!"

This happens at least once a day...I'm at my desk, typing up a review or blog post on my computer, when all of a sudden someone sneaks up behind me and unintentionally make me jump 10 feet in the air with a simple tap on the back. How do I allow this to happen? Am I deaf? Well, not right now, but it's quite possible that I might be if I continue to constantly blast music out of my Princess Leia headphones.

A recent report out of Australia titled "Is Australia Listening?"Read more