Bleeding Edge TV 249: WowWee Alive robot animals, Tribot, Rovio, and Bladestar

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Toys, Videocasts

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Among their plasticky robotic things, WowWee introduced their new Alive line of cubs.  The panda, white tiger, polar bear and lion cubs are actually articulated robots with sensors that detect the angle at which they are being held and where they are being touched.  The Alive Cubs will be available this Spring at an MSRP of $59.

On the plasticky side of things, in addition to the Mr. Personality robot just released, WowWee has three robots on deck: the Tribot, the Rovio, and the Bladestar.  The Tribot is a remote controlled, 3-wheeled robot which features an alarm clock and can move in almost any direction.  Tribot will be available this spring for an estimated $99.  The Rovio is a roving robotic video and audio recorder which can be controlled remotely through its own website.  The website also broadcasts Rovio’s video and audio feeds.  Rovio will be available in the fourth quarter of 2008 for an estimated $299.  The Bladestar is the next generation Dragonfly - a super capacitor powers the wings, and an infrared signal bounces off obstacles (walls, ceilings, exceptionally large headed friends) to make sure Bladestar stays on an unobstructed flight path.  Bladestar will be available in February for an estimated $49.

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Bleeding Edge TV 160: All About the OLPC Project, Look at OLPC XO

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Corporate News, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Toys, Videocasts, Wireless / WiFi

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We speak with Eric Deritis from AMD as he gives us an overview of the OLPC. The One Laptop Per Child project is an important one, and Eric not only shows us a near-final build of the hardware and software, but he also gives us some background on the project itself, and why it’s impact could be so huge. One quote he gave us was that the product isn’t meant to reach the next billion people in the world, but rather it’s meant to reach the last billion people. Powerful stuff.

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Bleeding Edge TV 131: Celestron SkyScout Demo’d

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Design, Features, GPS, Misc. Tech, Toys, Videocasts

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We speak with Celestron about their SkyScout product, an awesome tool used for stargazing that identifies stars, constellations, and planets by way of GPS and gravitational magnets. Great for beginners and pros alike. We love the concept here, and think the SkyScout is genious, as it even incorporates games and trivia once it thinks you have your astronomical bearings down. Seriously, lots of fun to be had here. Check the video for the full scoop.

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Bleeding Edge TV 129: Wow Wee’s RoboPanda

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Design, Features, Toys, Videocasts

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So we have brought you the RoboQuad, Alive Elvis, and RoboDragonfly - but truth be told, many tech geeks out there have a hidden, softer side. Wow Wee recognizes this apparently, as evidenced by the RoboPanda. This cute little guy talks with you, and even requests your loving embrace. Truth be told, it has sensors on it’s hands and belly so that it can recognize touch, and react accordingly. See the full demo in the video above, and let us know what you think. Buying one?

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CES 2007 Video: Wow Wee RS MEDIA Robosapien

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Features, Toys, Videocasts

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While at the Wow Wee booth, we were able to get our hands on the new jacked up Robosapien, the RS MEDIA. This guys records and plays back video, sings, dances, talks, throws things, and a whole lot more. He even has multiple personalities that can be stored on separate memory units or on a PC. We talk to Wow Wee, and the RS MEDIA itself, in this episode. Watch for the dancing - this guy is a dancing machine. Get it? Heh. Yeah.

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CES 2007 Video: The WowWee Remote-Controlled Dragonfly

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Features, Misc. Tech, Toys, Videocasts

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While we were walking the show floor, we caught a glimpse of a robotic dragonfly flying above our heads. We followed it back to it’s home, which was the Wow Wee both, and chatted with them about this fun little flying robotic device. Oh, and it’s cheap too - all this fun for just $50 USD.

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CES 2007 Video: Wow Wee Alive Elvis and Roboquad

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Features, Toys, Videocasts

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Last week at CES, Wow Wee gave us a look at their Alive Elvis singing robotic bust, as well as their new Roboquad. Check out both robo-beings in this video, and be sure to check back, because we have a more in-depth look at some of Wow Wee’s other new robots in just a bit.

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Bleeding Edge Byte 008: WowWee Roboreptile Interview

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Design, Features, Toys, Videocasts

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WowWee demonstrated for us their new Roboreptile, a “quicker, more cunning” version of their Roboraptor. We must have missed the memo explaining that “quicker” and “more cunning” were now euphemisms for “spastic” and “utterly stupid.” Suffice to say, this interview was a brilliant exercise in professional courtesy, as we had to try our best not to break down and laugh as the pathetic, over-priced, and bizarre robotic toy (which we wouldn’t pay $20 for at Radio Shack) nearly flailed itself right off the table in a fit of white, melodramatic, plasticy rage.

This all makes for a very stark contrast to the Ugobe Pleo, a dinosaur-based artificial life form that features three times the sensors, intelligence to keep it from walking off a table, and the ability to communicate with other Pleo’s, along with a ton of other innovative features.

When asked about a successor to the sorry, largely pointless Roboreptile, we receive a “no, not really anything planned” which made the interview all the more special.

We can’t quite grasp what would encourage someone to throw away $120 at a crappy plastic dinosaur that doesn’t really do much but seize and fall over, but perhaps there’s a market in people who don’t really know any better. Stay away from this novelty at all costs.

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