It’s not secret that we’re partially obsessed with all thing “Back to the Future” –  yes, the movie.  Okay, obsessed is a bit of an overstatement, but we’ve long longed for a pair of those self lacing Nike Shoes and a Hoverboard.

But as always, and probably forever (at least in our lifetime) those will probably never become reality.  So, for now, we’ll have to settle with this to scale (looks that way) LEGO version of the town from Back to the Future 2, Hill Valley.  If you look closely you’ll see that the detail is so precise that it even features a LEGO Marty McFly hovering across the water who, just like in the movie, is being chased by a pact of futuristic thugs – this really happened in the movie.

So where can you buy it?  You can’t.  It’s a one off.

Teens these days are finding interesting ways to occupy their time. Two 17-year-old Canadian teens use a home-stitched parachute and some equipment they found on Craigslist to send a LEGO man 80,000-feet into the air. Two weeks ago, Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad attached the small LEGO plastic figurine sporting the Canadian flag to a helium balloon (launched by a football pitch) and sent it into space.  The two captured the entire journey of its decent, which lasted 97 minutes using four cameras. They also attached a GPS receiver to the Styrofoam box that carried the cameras and LEGO man. The entire project took about four months to prepare, where the boys spend every Saturday working on building everything. LEGO even sent the boys a note of congratulations, stating how amazed they are by “the creative ways in which Lego fans” use their products.

Since the release of the LEGO Star Wars line more ten years ago, the lineup has evolved to feature some amazing and out-of-this-world sets that have become popular with not just kids, but Star Wars fans and collectors, as well as LEGO set collectors. Last year proved to be a huge year for the LEGO Star Wars series, with the release of so many innovative and intricate sets from loads of your favorite Star Wars scenes (both classic and new). LEGO dropped 28 new sets, more than any other theme apart from Ninjago. Here’s a list of some of the hottest LEGO Star Wars sets of 2011!

15. LEGO Star Wars Mandalorian Battle Pack 7914

Build yourself a small battle with 68 pieces, as the Mandalorians go up against Clone Troopers. The set comes with Mandalorian assassin with a sniper rifle and three other Mandalorian troopers.

14. LEGO Star Wars Luke’s Landspeeder 8092

Take a joyride in Luke’s Landspeeder that includes Luke Skywalker, Obi-wan Kenobi, C3PO, RD-D2, Storm Trooper (Sand Trooper configuration), and security drone mini-figs.

13. LEGO Star Wars The Battle of Naboo 7929

Get your battle build on with The Battle of Nabo set that comes with eight attle droids with blasters, 2 droid pilots, Jar Jar Binks and Gungan scout figures. It features 241 pieces and is part of the scene of the invasion of Naboo.

12. LEGO Star Wars Sith Nightspeeder 7957

Straight form the Clone Wars episodes comes with a Sith nightspeeder (having 2 detachable pods and flick missile) and three minifigures, including Anakin Skywalker, Asajj Ventress and Savage Opress.

11. LEGO Star Wars Plo Koon’s Jedi Starighter 8093

Here’s another form the Clone Wars cartoons. The Plo Koon’s Jedi Starighter set has wings that move and features a Plo Kloon minifigure as well as a R7-D4 astromech droid.

10. LEGO Star Wars Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator 7961

This set is from Episode 1, The Phantom Menace and features a hatch that opens, a landing ramp and folding wings. There are four minifigures of Darth Maul, Captain Panaka, Padmé and Qui-Gon Jinn.

9. LEGO Star Wars Imperial V-Wing Starfighter 7915

As a craft of the Galactic Empire, battle with rebel forces with this Imperial V-Wing Starfighter set that comes with 139 pieces and includes rotating wings for flying mode and landing mode as well as a working cockpit.

8. LEGO Star Wars Clone Trooper Battle Pack 7913

While it may be a smaller set with more than 80 pieces, but it was still a huge hit with kids and collectors alike. It comes with four minifigs, including a clone commander, a couple of bomb squad troopers and an ARF trooper.

7. LEGO Star Wars Snow Trooper Army Pack 8084

With 74 pieces, this set was a huge hit last year and comes with a battle station with a rotating missile firing gun and gunner seat. It includes a couple of snowtrooper minifigs, an Imperial officer and an AT-AT driver.

6. LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 7958

Christmas is long gone, but this set was a huge hit since it provided small gifts via “secret” doors that had small surprises like various minifigures, including Yoda in a Santa suit.

5. LEGO Star Wars Hoth Wampa Set 7964

Based on a scene from The Empire Strikes Back, the Hoth Wampa Seth comes with practically 300 pieces and several minifigs like he Wampa ice creature, Luke Skywalker and Zev Senesca. It also has a snowspeeder with opening cockpit.

4. LEGO Star Wars Republic Frigate 7964

With more than 1,000 pieces, the Republic Frigate set comes with a movable escape pod and five minifigs that include Yoda, Quinlan Vos, Eeth Koth, Clone Commander Wolffe and a Wolfpack clone trooper.

3. LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 7965

Straight from the scene in Episode IV where the Millennium Falcon escapes from the Death Star comes this amazing set that features 1,200 pieces and six minfigs.

2. LEGO Star Wars Death Star 10188

There’s a whopping 3,803 pieces included in this ultimate set that no collection should be without, which is why it was a 2011 favorite. It has an array of moving parts and comes with 24 minifigurers.

1. LEGO Super Star Destroyer 10221

This jaw-dropping vessel is straight out of the classic Star Wars movies and is the personal flagship of Darth Vader and features more than 3,000 pieces. It measure nearly 50 inches long and weighs about 8 pounds, making it one ultimate collector’s piece.

What’s 19-feet tall and made entirely of plastic?  Probably a wide variety of things.  But nothing – with those specs in mind – will ever compare to this 19-foot model Apollo 11 Saturn V Rocket.  Still not impressed?  Consider the fact that it is made entirely from LEGOs.  You know, the little, iconic bricks that snap together.

It was built by Ryan McNaught and took hime over 250 hours to snap together 120,000 bricks.  Let’s also keep in mind this isn’t an out of the box creation; Ryan designed and built it himself.   We can only hope that it sports a working elevator and a few more Star Wars characters.

If  you’re truly interested in seeing it in person, the 19-foot Apollo 11 LEGO Rocket will be on show at Australia’s Brickvention next weekend

With Christmas three days away you still have time to grab the latest and greatest LEGO sets for that special collector in your life. Some of these are listed as hard-to-find, but with a bit of hunting down on Amazon or eBay and coupled with overnight shipping, having a few of these hot list sets under the Christmas tree will send LEGO fanatics over the moon!

20. LEGO Winter Village Post Office 10222

LEGO collectors will rejoice getting the Winter Village Post Office as a gift this holiday season! And with 822 pieces, it’ll be built and ready to display by next Christmas.

19. LEGO Winter Toy Shop 10199

Celebrate the holidays with this hard-to-find Winter Toy Shop set that features 815 pieces and will definitely be a collector’s item.

18. LEGO Village Bakery 10216

Another hard-to-find set is LEGO’s Village Bakery set that has 687 pieces and will bright up any collector’s Christmas day!

17. LEGO Pet Shop 10218

Complete a collector’s LEGO city with the hard-to-find, highly detailed Pet Shop what has 2,032 pieces and will make a fabulous gift for that LEGO fanatic in your life.

16. LEGO Grand Emporium 10211

As part of LEGO’s Modular Buildings series, collectors will light up to find the Grand Emporium under their tree Christmas day! With 2,182 pieces, this set features a very detailed three-story department store with lots of special building techniques and rare pieces.

15. LEGO Fire Brigade 10197

Complete a LEGO lover’s collection with this Fire Brigade set that is a must for any LEGO collection. It has 2,231 pieces and is on LEGO’s hard-to-find list!

14. LEGO Volkswagen T1 Camper Van 10220

As an ultimate LEGO gift, this Volkswagen T1 Camper Van with 1,332 pieces will make for a Christmas treat for that collector in your life.

13. LEGO Tower Bridge 10214

Make Christmas even better with this Tower Bridge under the tree! With 4,287 pieces, the set is modeled after the famous Tower Bridge of London, England and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, making it a great set for a collection.

12. LEGO Shuttle Expedition 10231

Blast off into space by giving the Shuttle Expedition as a gift this Christmas. With 1,230 pieces, the set stands 17.5” tall and 10” from wing tip to wing tip. With realistic and detailed features, this set will make any collector’s Christmas!

11. LEGO Technic Bucket Truck 8071

The Bucket Truck that’s part of LEGO’s Technic series will definitely be on a collector’s Christmas wish list! It features 593 pieces, doors that open and close, and more!

10. LEGO Ninjago Skull Truck 2506

LEGO’s Ninjago series has become quite popular and the Skull Truck is one of the 10 must have LEGO sets for the holidays! Any collector will want to add this to their Ninjago LEGO arsenal.

9. LEGO City Space Center 3368

For a collector building the ultimate LEGO City receiving the new Space Center set will make their Christmas! With only 494 pieces, this set comes with four minifigures and features rocket, control center, launch platform, satellite, countdown clock, vehicle, spacesuit, fuel tank and tool station, which all combines for an amazing gift!

8. LEGO Master Builder Academy: Kit 1 Space Designer 20200

Practice makes perfect and for any LEGO builder, perfecting their building skills is a must, which is why they’d appreciate the Master Builder Academy: Kit 1 Space Designer as a Christmas present. This kit will help boost their galactic building skills and help them improve their mastery of LEGOs.

7. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean The Black Pearl 4184

Everybody loved Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies and builders will love getting The Black Pearl set under the tree! With 804 pieces, the set includes six minifigures (including ack Sparrow with compass, Will Turner, Joshamee Gibbs, Davy Jones, Maccus and Bootstrap Bill with assorted weapons) and hours of building fun.

6. LEGO Alien Conquest Earth Defense HQ 7066

Help that special collector in you life fight against intergalactic beings with this cool Alien Conquest Earth Defense HQ set! It has 879 pieces and includes six minifigures with accessories (alien trooper, alien pirate, pilot, 2 alien defense unit soldiers and toxic cleanup scientist – plus alien clinger), as well as four 4 vehicles (mini UFO, interceptor shuttle, mini rescue vehicle and Mobile Launch Station with detachable lab trailer).

5. LEGO Architecture Robie House 21010

Any ultimate LEGO builder will love unwrapping the Robie House set that’s a replica of the Frederick C. Robie House, located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. With 2,276 pieces, this set will be a great piece for their LEGO Architecture collection.

4. LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 8547

LEGO lovers will want to start building their Mindstorms NXT 2.0 robot set as soon as they unwrap it Christmas morning! EGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 combines the unlimited versatility of the LEGO building system with an intelligent microcomputer brick and intuitive drag-and-drop programming software, allowing builders to create one cool ass robot!

3. LEGO Star Wars Republic Frigate 7964

Straight from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the iconic Republic Frigate has 1,022 pieces and is a great addition for any collection! features a detachable escape pod, opening cockpit, rotating turbo-laser cannons, proton torpedo launcher, retractable undercarriage and includes Yoda, Eeth Koth, Quinlan Vos, Clone Commander Wolffe and Wolfpack clone trooper minifigures.

2. LEGO Star Wars Millennium Flacon 7965

Any Star Wars fan or LEGO lover will be excited to unwrap the Millennium Flacon set that features 1,254 pieces and is a vital piece for any collection! It includes six minifigures: Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, Princess Leia Organa and Darth Vader with assorted weapons.

1. LEGO Star Wars Death Star 10188

As an ultimate piece for any collection, the Death Star set will be an ultimate Christmas gift for any LEGO collector. It boasts 3,803 pieces and comes with numerous minifigurers, including Includes 24 minifigures and droids, plus all-new Dianoga trash compactor monster! It also comes with six new and exclusive minifigures and droids only found in this set: Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper outfit), Han Solo (Stormtrooper outfit), Assassin Droid, Interrogation Droid, Death Star Droid and 2 Death Star Troopers, and features Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin™, Emperor Palpatine, 2 Stormtroopers, 2 Emperor’s Royal Guards, R2-Q5, and mouse droid.

Christmas is only days away, so if you have any last minute gifts to grab, you better do it ASAP! For those that have Star Wars fans on their gift list, we’ve compiled some of the geekiest gifts for those that can’t get enough the sci-fi saga. From small stocking stuffers to LEGO Star Wars sets for diehard collectors, we’ve got something for Star Wars fans of all ages!

25. Star Wars Wampa Rug

Fight your own Wampa just like how Luke Skywalker did (in the mountain caves of Hoth) with this unique Wampa Rug. Great for any bachelor pad or collector’s room!

24. Han Solo Star Wars Bobblehead

A true Star Wars fan will appreciate any gift relating to the sci-fi saga and this Han Solo Star Wars Bobblehead would make for a great stocking stuffer!

23. Star Wars Han Solo Carbonite Chocolate

Give any Star Wars fanatic (or sweets lover) a rich and chocolate Han Solo Carbonite Chocolate mold. The officially licensed Star Wars edible delight is a great stocking stuffer or zany gift to give this holiday season.

22. Star Wars In Your Pocket Talking Keychain

Because being a Star Wars fan means taking the force everywhere you go, this Star Wars In Your Pocket Talking Keychain is a must for any diehard fan! With six classic Star Wars sound bites from an array of characters, fans of all ages will appreciate such an awesome stocking stuffer come Christmas day!

21. Star Wars Vader’s Dark Side Roast Coffee

There’s nothing like waking up in the morning and having a great cup of Joe that’s (unofficially) endorsed by Darth Vader. A pack of Star Wars Vader’s Dark Side Roast Coffee will brighten any caffeine junky who is in tune with the force’s day.

20. Star Wars Cookbook

Learn to cook Star Wars style with this cookbook of 25 recipes inspired by the Star Wars movies…great for that Star Wars chef you know!

19. Star Wars Limited Edition Moleskins Notebooks

The world’s best notebooks have met the force! Each Star Wars Limited Edition Moleskins Notebooks comes with a mini poster reproduction of the OG movie poster, making this gift a two-for-oner!

18. Kotobukiya Star Wars: Darth Vader “Final Battle” ArtFX Statue

Based on the finale of Return of the Jedi, this Kotobukiya Star Wars: Darth Vader “Final Battle” ArtFX Statue recreates Vader’s armor, costume and lightsaber to the “T!” It also features multiple light up parts like LEDs in his chest, waist and lightsaber!

17. Fathead Death Star Wall Cling

Not sure what to give that Star Wars collector in your life? Well fret no more by gifting them with this super big Fathead Death Star Wall Cling that they can place anywhere they’d like.

16. Star Wars Lightsaber Pen

Even thought it’s just a set of pens, the fact that they’re Star Wars Lightsaber Pens will make them a keepsake they will hold on to for as long there’s ink! The pens are available in green, blue and red and come in a collector’s box.

15. Custom R2-D2 Xbox 360 by Major League Mods

What Star Wars gamer wouldn’t love a custom R2-D2 Xbox 360 by Major League Mods?! This baby will be an ultimate gift for any diehard gamer!

14. Star Wars Mimobot Thumb Drives

Any Star Wars fan will rejoice unwrapping the cutest storage devices in the galaxy with these Mimobot Thumb Drives that feature various character favorites from the movies. The 4GB thumb drives are compatible with any OS and you can choose from a variety of characters like Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett and more!

13. Star Wars Rebel Pilot Headphones

Designed to look like real Rebel Pilot headgear, these Rebel Pilot Headphones feature the exact colors and insignias from those in the movie. The lightweight headphones are compatible with most MP3 players, iPods, and portable and console games with their standard 3.5mm audio jack.

12 LEGO Star Wars Motorized Walking AT-AT

The All-terrain Armored Transport from the Star Wars movies can now walk back and forth into battle thanks to a new Power Functions Systems, making it the perfect gift for collectors!

11. LEGO Star Wars Mini Alarm Clock

The digital clocks with posable arms and legs will be truly appreciated when opened on Christmas morning for any enthusiast. The adorable LEGO Star Wars Mini Alarm Clocks come in Darth Vader, Boba Fett and a Stormtrooper.

10. Darth Vader USB Hub

The 4-port Darth Vader USB bust will help connect your gadgets to the Dark Side and make a wonderful gift for that Star Wars geek in your life.

9. Darth Vader Bread Imprinting Toaster

Make Star Wars part of your breakfast with the Darth Vader Bread Imprinting Toaster! Features include adjustable toast temperature setting, standard two slot pop-up action and a Darth Vader impression on your toast!

8. Custom AT-AT Walker Bag

The chick messenger AT-AT Walker Bag would be a great gift for that Star Wars fan who is in desperate need to carry around their computer in something as cool as this bag.

7. Star Wars Surround System Mod with Death Star Subwoofer by Major League Mods

Another from the creative minds at Major League Mods for the ultimate Star Wars fan who wants to have the coolest audio equipment in the galaxy comes their Star Wars Surround System Mod with Death Star Subwoofer. The custom set’s coolest part has to be the Death Star subwoofer. The pair of Tie-fighters each has mid-range and dome tweeters and the Darth Vader iPod holder is a must!

6. Star Wars Wii Darth Vader Sensor Bar Holder

Trying to place that Wii sensor bar can by tricky, but for a Star Wars fan it’s easy with this Star Wars Wii Darth Vader Sensor Bar Holder. Darth Vader’s lightsaber gently holds up the sensor bar while maintaining its full range.

5. Star Wars Force FX Lightsabers

No Star Wars fan should go without their own lightsaber and these authentic ones that are licensed by LucasFilm will do mighty fine!

4. Star Wars Science Death Star Planetarium

The table top Death Star Planetarium opens up to become a planetary projector that displays the cosmos on the ceiling, with many viewing options that include Earth’s own night sky or the many world that make up the Star Wars galaxy.

3. LEGO Star Wars Millennium Flacon

This LEGO set is a must have for any collector and is based on the Death Star escape scene of Episode IV: A New Hope.

2. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Platinum Edition for PlayStation 3

Every Star Wars gamer should have this Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Platinum Edition for PlayStation 3 wrapped under the tree. The Collector’s Edition has a few extra goodies, including a collectible steelbook, 3 exclusive challenge mode levels, exclusive Ralph McQuarrie concept “Deak Starkiller” skin, exclusive lightsaber crystal, Starkiller 2GB flash drive designed by Mimobot and digital art book.

1. LEGO Star Wars Death Star

This LEGO Death Star is an ultimate piece for any collection and features 3,803 pieces, making for hours of LEGO fun! It’s one ultimate gift for collectors of all ages.

The holiday season is in full effect! As many start decorating for the season, Christmas trees are erecting all over the world. But instead of going for the traditional evergreen, some have decided to build something a bit more unique. Here are some of the craziest trees we’ve discovered!

11. GE Lighting Tree

Made using only lights (using green-colored OLEDs) by some researchers at GE Lighting, this unusual tree is super bright.

10. Recycled Bike Tire Tree

As a very eco-friendly tree, the Recycled Bike Tire Tree that’s displayed in Bermondsey Square in London is made out of 35 wheels from old bikes that was designed by Sarah Wigglesworth Architects.

9. Water Bottle Ice Tree

Made from 200 upcycled water bottles, this tree is featured in the storefront of Montreal’s furniture store. All the bottles hand from the ceiling and are illuminated to provide a very ethereal effect.

8. Lobster Pot Tree

A tree made from lobster pots has become a yearly ritual in Provincetown, Massachusetts, as local lobsterman allowed the artist to borrow them to build this massive decoration.

7. Recycled CD and Cassette Tape Tree

A huge tree made entirely using old cassettes and CDs is not only pretty cool and crazy, but puts your old CDs to good use.

6. Shopping Cart Tree

Built by Anthony Schmitt (from Santa Monica, CA), the Shopping Cart Tree is a pretty unique alternative to your traditional evergreen one.

5. Swarovski Crystal Christmas Tree

In Hong Kong, China, this Swarovski Crystal Christmas Tree illuminates the night and brings a very luxurious touch to Christmas.

4. Godzilla Christmas Tree

A tree in the shape of Godzilla complete with lights and smoke makes for quite a sight!

3. Heineken Bottle Tree

An enormous tree made using 1,000 beer bottles stand high in Shanghai, China. This is definitely a Heineken fan’s dream tree!

2. Pac Man Tree

A larger-than-life Pac Man Christmas tree was erected in downtown Madrid, featuring an interactive display that was made using thousands of LED lights.

1. LEGO Christmas Tree

Taking two months to build and 600,000 bricks, this monstrous LEGO tree displayed at St. Pancras International Station in London features LED lights and some cool ornaments that actually sport a QR code which apparently fills you in on the tree’s deets along with info about a treasure hunt competition.

Christmas trees are a dime a dozen this time of the year.  Just slap one up, wrap it in lights, adorn some ornaments and you’re all but swimming in holiday cheer.  Safe to say, a few of these trees are down right barf worthy, especially when they go up in early November.   But we’d gladly leave this LEGO Christmas tree erect year round.

It’s composed of 600,000 bricks and took two months to build.  172 branches have been hung with over 1000 LEGO like ornaments, so it’s nothing to sneeze at, that’s for sure.  And no Xmas tree is complete without lights, so they’ve outfitted it with LED awesomeness and some sort of ornament that sports a QR code which apparently fills you in on the tree’s deets along with info about a treasure hunt competition.

To checkout the LEGO Christmas tree you’ll need to head to St. Pancras International Station in London…as in England.

The holidays are here! It’s time to get cracking on your gift list and checking off who has been naughty or nice in your life. Not sure what to get that Star Wars fanatic or ultimate LEGO builder in your life? Why not some stellar Star Wars LEGO gift sets that will make any collector beam with The Force after unwrapping! Here are some of the top sets for 2011 that any collector will definitely enjoy having!

15. Star Wars LEGO Sith Nightspeeder 7957

Although it’s only 214 pieces, this set will be a valuable edition to any collection! With three mini-figs (Anakin Skywalker, Asajj Ventress and Savage Opress), you’ll be able to build this in no time, which means faster display time!

14. Star Wars LEGO Mace Windu’s Jedi Starfighter 7868

Mace Windu’s Jedi Starfighter is ready to repeal the droid ambush! Minifigs include Jedi Master Windu, astromech droid R8-B7, all-new Tactical Droid TX-20 and two battle droids and features retractable landing gear and a cockpit you can open and close.

13. Star Wars LEGO Naboo Starfighter 7877

Blast through battle droids as you attempt to stop the invasion of Naboo with this unique set that features 318 pieces, five minifigs (Anakin, Naboo pilot, R2-D2, and two security battle droids) and a realistic cockpit that opens.

12. Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar 7958

Launch your holiday countdown with this unique and stellar Advent Calendar that features 24 galactic gifts from the Star Wars universe. It includes 8 minifigures, one being an exclusive edition of Yoda not available anywhere else.

11. Star Wars LEGO Hoth Echo Base 7879

A new set from LEGO’s 2011 collection is this 773-piece Rebel base set that includes 8 minifigs, including Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and more.

10. Star Wars LEGO Ewok Attack 7956

Ewoks are cute, but not when they’re attacking you. This 166-piece set features a whimsical scene as Ewoks battle a scout trooper on his Imperial speeder bike.

9. Star Wars LEGO Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba’s Podracers 7962

Race like it’s the final lap of the Boonta Eva Classic Podrace with this 810-piece set with Anakin and his bitter rival, Sebulba. The set includes five minifigs with podracers that measure more than 13”long.

8. Star Wars LEGO Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator 7961

Darth Maul is on a mission to defeat Queen Amidala’s protectors and he’s on his way to the queen in his own Infiltrator. The 479-set features four minifigures, including Darth Maul, Padme Amidala, Captain Panaka and Qui-Gon Jinn.

7. Star Wars LEGO Republic Frigate 7964

As the vessel of choice for Jedi Knights and clone heroes, the Republic Frigate is from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and features Yoda, Eeth Koth, Quinlan Vos, Clone Commander Wolffe and Wolfpack Clone Tropper minifigs.

6. Star Wars LEGO Tantive IV 10198

This set comes with five mini-figs like Princess Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2, Captain Antilles and a Rebel Tropper and has 1,758 pieces. The Tantive IV features an opening cockpit, rotating and elevating turbo laser cannons, rotating radar dish, removable roof section and interior command center.

5. Star Wars LEGO Republic Dropship with AT-OT 10195

This set has two Star Wars vehicles in one, making it a two-for one gift set practically with 1,408 pieces total! Dropship features an opening cockpit, rotating front and rear cannons, auto-firing missiles and armament bay, and a fold-away handle on top. The AT-OT features poseable legs, rotating cannons, crew compartment with weapon racks, and folding cockpit and boarding ramp.

4. Star Wars LEGO Imperial Shuttle 10212

Now you can build this iconic Star Wars vehicle in true minifigure scale for the first time with the 2,503-set. As an ultimate collector’s item, the set includes 5 minifigures: Darth Vader™, Shuttle Pilot, Imperial Officer, Stormtrooper and Luke Skywalker. It features an opening canopy, detachable landing gear, a stand for display in flight or landing modes, a labeled display plaque, and gear-driven folding wings with removable activation keys.

3. Star Wars LEGO Millennium Falcon 7965

Prepare for one epic battle as you take its 1,254 pieces and build the massive Millennium Falcon that’s straight from the Death Star escape scene of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. The all-new set features amazing details and includes Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, Princess Leia Organa and Darth Vader minifigs.

2. Star Wars LEGO Super Star Destroyer 10221

With 3,152 pieces, this jaw-dropping vessel is Darth Vader’s property. Build the massive dagger-shaped ship and get ready for one hell of a mission. It measures nearly 50” long and will be one fantastic gift for any collector!

1. Star Wars LEGO Death Star 10188

This set features 3803 pieces and should be at the top any collector’s holiday gift list! As the ultimate Death Star playset available, the set includes 24 minifigs (think EVERYBODY!) and will defintely be one enjoyable mission to build.

If the thought of slaughtering Bambi and adhering it to your wall it just too much to bear…well, then you need to grow a sack.

We kid. Seriously, though, killing a dear, cutting off its head and mounting it to the wall isn’t for the faint of heart.  Nevertheless, sometimes the idea is better than the reality.  So test out your penchant for animal trophies in your living room with this Taxidermy Deer LEGO Kit.  Unfortunately, it’s not life sized, but who cares, it’s made out of sourced LEGOs.  Some new, some old.  Its maker, David Cole, has also managed to include some hand drawn instructions.  Whether or not he draws each set is unknown, but if so, we’d gladly pay twice as much for what might soon turn into a collector’s item.

Got plans to get one for Christmas?  You’ll need to order this $12 item before the 5th, otherwise there is no guarantee that it will reach you in time for gift giving.

Lay your eyes on any LEGO figurine and all you’ll see is a cold, hard plastic exterior.  Sounds about right to us. But imagine a world, a LEGO world for that matter, where all the mini-figs were stuffed full of blood and guts.  That’s just what artist Jason Freeny did.  This is in fact a 7.5-inch hand sculpted version of the classic LEGO figurine we all grew up loving.  So keep dreaming if you think you’ll see this in a toy store sometime this holiday.

While this 7.5-inch LEGO sculpture isn’t up for sale just yet, Jason has managed to sell a 9-inch anatomical Mario in the past, though we don’t know the price.  But based on the other figurines for sale, we’re assuming it could fetch an asking price of $1500-2000.

Dedication is just the tip of the ice berg when it came to erecting this life sized Halo Sniper Rifle, otherwise known as the Sniper Rifle System 99 Anti-Matériel.  And get this: it’s made from LEGO!

Its builder, Nick Jensen, is no stranger to LEGO gun builds, but none before have been so large.  In fact, its size caused him to break the weapon twice before completing it.  On one occasion he hastily picked it up before all the pieces were in place, where upon it fell to the floor.  On another occasion the front grip collapsed due to the weight.  But despite dropping it multiple times, he managed to complete the 5.5-foot LEGO gun, which weighs 10.5 pounds and features a removable magazine, sliding bolt and moving safety.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t fire anything and God knows how many LEGO piece it took to make.

Who would have thought a child’s toy like LEGOs can become a deadly weapon? Well not deadly, but they can sure cause some serious bruising and can definitely take out an eye if not careful.  For master builders, a pack of LEGOS can become virtually anything and some have even created working guns from the plastic building toys that shoot small lego blocks, rubber bands and more! One such builder is Jack Streat, who has documented quite a few LEGO gun builds on YouTube. They all are quite life like and built to mimic the actual gun. Check out some of his coolest LEGO guns that are anything but  simple play toys!

10. Accuracy International Arctic Warfare

The popular civilian, police and military rifle that was introduced in the 1980s haw been replicated in plastic cubes.

9. Barrett M82A1 .50 Cal

As a powerhouse rifle, this one is has a long history of offering rapid, accurate firepower and is now become a dominant LEGO gun.

8. FNH M249 PARA

Quite a big gun in real life, its LEGO replica took quite a lot of blocks and pieces to finish, but the final product is a lifelike twin.

7. Franchi SPAS-12

The working SPAS 12 pump action shotgun loads from an 8-brick under-barrel magazine and has a folding stock…all made of LEGOS! Just load pump and shoot!

6. Glock 17

This LEGO Glock holds up to 5 small rubberbands and about 8 regular sized ones, making it one mean machine despite being made from plastic blocks.

5. HK416

A bolt action HK 416 that fires from 10-brick magazines and is said to be a “versatile and reliable” machine, says the creator.

4. HK L85A2

As a British Infantry Rifle, it’s  the most used variant in the SA80 family, with Streat adding a few unique features to his LEGO creation that packs some serious firepower (if it were real, of course)!

3. Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1921 (Tommy Gun)

Invented by Richard Jordan Gatling in 1862, the “Tommy Gun” was the first widely used machine gun that became highly popular in the 1920s by gangsters like Al Capone.

2. AK-47

The most popular assault rifle now in LEGO block form will make you crave the real thing!

1. Lee Enfield Sniper Rifle

Streat considers this baby the “best rifle [he has] ever made.” It’s a working magazine-fed rifle in bolt-action configuration, with detachable magazines, sniper scope and bi-pod.

It’s been an interesting week in the tech world, that’s for sure. Apple announced it’s new 4S iPhone and the tech world lost a great with the passing of Apple’s Steve Jobs. While many mourn the death of Jobs and were quite disappointed by the new iPhone, it is the last day of the work week and you know what that means…the weekend! Before you start your weekend festivities, enjoy our weekly tech videos and gadgets roundup!

8. SYNC by 50 Cent Headphones

50 Cent’s new professional tuned wireless headphones allows you to receive audio wirelessly form up to 50 feet (pun intended) and features 40mm drivers to provide some bangin’ bass and probably an expensive price tag. The SYNC headphones, however, do not come with HD audio, but they do boast passive noise cancellation and comfortable ear pads.

7. Hearing for the First Time

Sarah Churman was born deaf and eight weeks ago, received a hearing implant. The video shows the 29-year-old hearing her voice for the very first time. A very touching and emotional video that makes you appreciate life a bit more.

6. JVC GC-Px10 Digital Hybrid Camera

The newest camera from JVC captures 12 megapixel photos, full HD video and up to 60 shots per second. The GC-Px10 Digital Hybrid Camera also features a 10x optical zoom, a Konica Minolta HD lens, a mode dial for automatic and manual settings, microphone output and a headphone input, as well as a 3-inch touchscreen LCD, HDMI output and 32GB of storage.

5. Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Openers

If you have a bad habit of forgetting to close the garage door, the Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Openers might help since it allows you to close it at the touch of your phone thanks to a wonderful app! It connects to your home’s Internet and allows you to open/close the garage from just about anywhere and even check if you left it open or not, so that you’re not driving yourself crazy trying to remember.

4. FitBit Ultra

Track all the calories you burn with the FitBit, which helps tracks your steps, how well you slept, the calories burned and more. But the fun part is that it packs it all into a game-like website that puts you against other FitBit users/members. The lightweight FitBit Ultra builds on the original device and adds a clock and stopwatch to the display and comes in a new color option. It also comes with a stair tracker (an altimeter that tracks your steps), so you can track how many steps you take a day.

3. Garmin Forerunner 910XT

As the premiere choice for athletes Garmin’s new Forerunner 910XT tracks all sorts of data like heart rate, distance, speed, calories burned and more, but also now logs swimming metrics. This includes swim distance, stroke identification, stroke counts and pool lengths. It’s the perfect companion for hardcore athletes and those just beginning their physical quest.

2. Stainless Steel Ice Cubes

Ice cubes are a drink’s most essential companion, but their downfall is when they water down the alcohol. If this is one of your pet peeves, some Stainless Steel Ice Cubes will definitely do the trick. The 1-inch cubes are filled with a non-toxic gel that freezes and then keeps your drinks cold just like ice. However, your drink will stay just as strong as when you first poured it!

1. LEGO Lancer Assault Rifle

The Lancer Assault Rifle can be found in the video game, Gears of War, and someone liked it so much that they built a recreation of the weapon from LEGOS and even a working chainsaw! While it won’t kill you, the mock rifle just might give you a busted lip or a damaged cornea.

This might be the most insanely awesome LEGO build we’ve ever seen. We ain’t saying the LEGO Death Stars aren’t cool, or that the Brick Gun is anything to snuff at.  This build however takes the game to a whole new level.

The Lancer Assault Rifle is modeled after the same weapon found in the game “Gears of War”.  And much like the real working version, in the, uh, game, this one has a real deal spinning chainsaw, though it probably won’t lope off anyone’s face or finger – it’ll probably leave you with a damaged cornea or bloody lip.  A safety mechanism prevents the gun from misfiring rubber bands into people’s faces, which is the ammo of choice.  A magazine stores the rubber bands, but we’re not sure if it can hold more than one or a whole mess of the elastic critters.  But honestly, we don’t care so much about what this gun can do, but the level of detail and realism its maker has achieved despite being based on a video game.

The linked source page has a whole mess of photos detailing the build.  Unfortunately, the step-by-step process to achieve this level of awesomeness is no where to be found.  Nonetheless, our hats are off.

We know what someone is gonna be this Halloween.

When I played my first “LEGO Star Wars” video game, I thought that was fun, but I missed the sensation of actually building something with my hands.  Last Christmas I got my son “LEGO Creationary” – for those that have never played it, it’s basically pictionary, but with LEGOs – and while we still play it regularly, I’m a technophile, and really wanted something electronic in the box.  Well now LEGO has gone and done it; they’ve coupled a digital experience with a physical one – and it looks amazing.

What the “Life of George” is, is a game that’s played both on a physical mat, and with an Apple iOS app at the same time.  Players are shown pictures of things that George (find out more about George on his “I am George” Facebook page) has created, and they must recreate those pictures with the included bricks.  The player builds the model on special mat that works in much the same way a “green screen” works in television.  When it’s built, the player then used their iOS device with the EyeCue software (LEGO’s new brick recognition software) to scan it, and then they are ranked according to speed and accuracy.

While there are twelve levels, each level has ten different models to build plus two different difficulty levels – so there’s a lot of content here already – but you can also go into “My Life” mode, and create and share your own models for others to solve.  I have to say, that I am extremely intrigued by this whole idea, and extremely excited to get my hands on one.  You can be sure that as soon as I do, you’ll be able to find a full review right here.

Life of George will be available on October first from LEGO stores everywhere, and from the LEGO online store for $29.99

Star Wars fans are no joke. They live, breathe and would eat all-things Star Wars if they can! In 1999, LEGO started to make Star Wars sets and figures and since then, these sets have become hot items for collectors. For the past 12 years, there have been more than 200 sets, and some of them have pretty high price tags, selling for well over $1,000. Since there are too many to list, we thought we’d feature 22 of the coolest Star Wars LEGO sets around!

22. LEGO 7153 Jango Fett’s Slave

From Star Wars Episode II comes this 360-piece set that came out in 2002 at only $50 and has soared to being a hot commodity on eBay and Amazon for collectors.

21. LEGO 7128 Speeder Bikes

With only 90 pieces, the Speeder Bikes set includes two Speeder Bikes, plus two Scout Troopers and Luke Skywalker. While not as big as the other sets, your collection will benefit from this awesome set, as will your wallet (it’s under $50)!

20. LEGO 4480 Jabba’s Palace

No collector’s set will be complete without some Jabba the Hutt in the mix! The 234-piece set isn’t as tough to build as some of the other sets so you can easily knock this one out in no time!

19. LEGO 7191 X-Wing Fighter

The 1,304-piece LEGO X-Wing Fighter is a serious investment…both time and money! But once you get your hands on it, you won’t regret investing in a very highly sought after play set.

18. LEGO 7257 Ultimate Lightsaber Duel

Anakin faces off against obi-Wan Kenobi and you get to control the action! The Lightsabers really light up, too.

17. LEGO 7662 Trade Federation MTT

With 1330 pieces and 20 minifigs, this set is a score! The set also includes tons of hatches to open and a secret storage rack to deploy a legion of battle droids.

16. LEGO 10129 Rebel Snowspeeder

This out of production set contains 1457 pieces and will cost you some serious cash to obtain. Serious collectors only!

15. LEGO 10018 Darth Maul Bust

Don’t forget this bad guy to your Star Wars LEGO collection! Very detailed and realistic, get ready to drop some serious cash on this villain because it’s also a collector’s item.

14. LEGO 7181 TIE Interceptor

The rare LEGO TIE Inceptor has 703 pieces  and an adjustable stand that allows your to display a vital piece for your collection.

13. LEGO 7104 Yoda

Build the ultimate Jedi Master with 1075 pieces. Test your LEGO-building magic with all the little tan, brown and green pieces to see if you can master the 14-inch Yoda…LEGO style that is!

12. LEGO 8129 AT-AT Walker

As one of the most iconic vehicles form the OG Star Wars movies, you have to have the AT-AT walker as part of your collection. Released in 2010, the 815-piece set comes with 8 minifigures like Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, Han Solo in Echo base gear, Rebel Trooper with P-Tower laser cannon, AT-AT pilot, 2 Snowtroopers, General Veers and Imperial Officer.

11. LEGO 4504 Episode III Millennium Falcon

While not as big as the 10179 Millennium Falcon, this Episode III one is still a great addition for any collector. With 985 pieces, if you get your hands on one, you’ve got a very rare set since it’s now retired and hard to find!

10. LEGO 10019 Tantive IV Rebel Blockade Runner

As a retired item that consists of 1748 pieces, this baby will run you well over a $1k. This is definitely one for those die-hard collectors!

9. LEGO 7127 Imperial AT-ST

It’s the third set to EVER have a Chewbacca minifigure, so you know this set is a classic! Released in 2011, it includes a total of 107 pieces.

8. LEGO 8038 The Battle of Endor

The Ewoks were some fierce little warriors and now you can build that epic battle on the forest moon of Endor with this 890-LEGO piece! You get 12 minfigs, including Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2 (classic deco), 2 Rebel commandos, 2 scout troopers, Death Star Trooper, and 3 Ewoks.

7. LEGO 7139 Ewok Attack

While only 121 pieces, how can you resist those cute little Ewoks! Still a great addition to your LEGO Star Wars collection!

6. Lego 10123 Cloud City

Recreate the Cloud City scene in Star Wars Empire Strikes Back with tis 698-piece collector set that also comes with 7 minifigs, such as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Boba Fett, Stormtrooper and the all-new Lando Calrissian.

5. LEGO 10179 Millennium Falcon

As one of the most spectacular LEGO Star Wars sets out there, the Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Flacon has 5195 pieces! Minifigs included are: Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa! Han Solo’s famous smuggling starship never looked so good!

4. LEGO 10143 Death Star II

After you’ve conquered the first Death Star, try your skills at the second version! With 3441 pieces you’ll spend even more time trying to construct part two!

3. LEGO 10188 Death Star

The amazingly detailed battle station features loads of moving parts and minifigs that will have your Star Wars heart racing with joy. And with 3803 pieces, you’ll be able to spend a lot of time and devotion to the ultimate Death Star playset.

2. LEGO 6211 Imperial Star Destroyer

The famous Imperial Star Destroyer is by far an incredible vehicle and the Lego version is no different! It features 1367 pieces and a ton of minifigures like Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, Imperial Officer, two Stormtroopers, two Emperor’s Royal Guards, Imperial Astromech Droid, and Mouse Droid.

1. LEGO 10221 Super Star Destroyer

Released in this year, the Super Star Destroyer is a classic Star Wars Ultimate Collector’s Series set that boasts a whopping 3152 pieces! It includes a redesigned IG-88 and Dengar and a new minifigure, Admiral Piett, along with a Darth Vader minifigure. Weighing in at 8 pounds, this set will definitely be a gem in your LEGO Star Wars collection…but it will cost you, as it’s selling for $500 and up!

Honorable Mention: Star Wars Celebration III Venator Star Destroyer

Built by LEGO Master Builder Erik Varszegi back in 2005 for the Star Wars Celebration III, the Venator Star Destroyer is a little over 8-feet long and 44-inches wide, weighing in close to 150 pounds. It was the largest LEGO model most had seen at the time, which means Varszegi had to use glue and incorporate a steel frame into the LEGO creation. But now six years later, another LEGO fan has built his own version of the Venatir, but with 100% LEGO elements and no glue. Talk about devotion!

When President Barack Obama was inaugurated as this nation’s 44th President, he not only made history as the country’s first African American president, but history was also recorded using a special gadget called the Gigapan. The Gigapan is a computer controlled rig that can allow photographers to remotely shoot high resolution images or take time lapse stop motion video over long periods of time.  Sadly, the real McCoy is pretty pricey at about $900.  Unless, of course, you’re Lego obsessed, like photographer Jim Catan, and can create something very similar with a pilot of plastic bricks and Mindstorms interface at a fraction of the cost.

The rig was designed and built by Lego fan James Catan, who spent three days piecing together a rotating rig from varous Lego sets including the computerized Lego Mindstorms, which comes with a keypad interface for programming what you build to make simple movements in sequence.  The rig was built as part of a commission for a site Catan contributes to called Hacked Gadgets. But it wasn’t easy for Jim to get it right.  But being a prototype engineer with over 15 years of experience, Jim was able to lean on the familiar ground of trial and error.  With something as complex as programming movement, he had to put together and take apart his design several times in order to ensure both a snug fit of all the necessary pieces and to make sure the pieces stay together during the start and stop of the program sequence. But that was the easy part.

Once Jim had the basic design dialed in, he had to write the program which would cause the pan and tilt rig to move precisely and stay within the focal range of the lens he was using.  If off by even a few millimeters, there would be a gap in the photo which would necessitate reworking his program to cover the blind spot.  In the end, for about a quarter of the cost of a real Gigapan (about $250 in parts), Jim had a bonafide home built tilt and pan photo system that rivals its manufactured cousin in both photo and video quality.  Check out these videos of the Lego Pan Tilt in action:

The videos were shot using 500 still frames over the 40 minutes with a frame rate of about 16fps, moving and shooting every 30 seconds.  And it not only shows just how robust and flexible Lego builds can be, but how much you can do with what amounts to a simple toy.  And with some experience, it shows that you can save some money with them to boot.

Star Wars and LEGO are both iconic brands that have stood the test of time.  Star Wars first shot to popularity in the May of 1977, where as LEGO has enjoyed an even longer run, first launching its interconnecting bricks in 1949.  Through the years we’ve seen a variety of mashups between the two brands, which include video games and a variety of toys.  But none have been so instrumental as the LEGO Star Wars Death Star.

This $400 toy is no toy at all.  It’s a collector’s item for any self respecting Star Wars or LEGO fan.  We’re actually surprised to see that it’s still in stock given the shear amount of detail that has gone into this replica (like there is a real one) Death Star.  In addition to including its very own TIE Advanced starfighter, there is an array of minifigure-scale scenes, moving parts, characters and accessories from episodes IV and VI.  It even boasts 6 exclusive minifigures and droids and 24 minifigures and droids, plus all-new Dianoga trash compactor monster. Say what!?

Battle inside the Lego Star Wars Death Star (10188)! Recreate the action and adventure of the Star Wars movies with the ultimate Death Star playset. This amazingly detailed battle station features an incredible array of minifigure-scale scenes, moving parts, characters and accessories from episodes IV and VI on its multiple decks, including the Death Star control room, rotating turbolaser turrets, hangar bay with TIE Advanced starfighter, tractor beam controls, Emperor’s throne room, detention block, firing laser cannon, Imperial conference chamber, droid maintenance facility and the powerful Death Star superlaser, plus much more. Swing across the chasm with Luke and Leia, face danger in the crushing trash compactor and duel with Darth Vader for the fate of the galaxy.

This set contains a whopping 3,802 pieces, so you’ll need to preclude yourself from any events involving friends of family  to complete the assembly.  In fact, just quit your full time job, though that might prevent you from justifying the exuberant cost.

The LEGO Death Star weighs 18lbs and measures 16-inches wide and 16.5-inches tall.

This to scale LEGO Porsche 911 is absolutely insane.  The roof is not only retractable but motorized, the hood can be opened by pulling a lever from the interior, the doors have real locks and that’s just barely scratching the surface.  Your best bet is to checkout the YouTube video embedded below.  We should note that this model is completely custom made, and doesn’t use any actual LEGO pieces.

Via: Dailypicksandflicks

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