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WowWee's Lightstar flying blade reviewed: a cheap thrill
Looking for something to pass the time, scratch that robotic itch and come in at under a Jackson? Look no further than WowWee's Lightstar, the latest and greatest addition to the outfit's growing FlyTech family. The robot lovers over at RobotsRule were able to get their grimy hands around this here flying blade, and while they weren't expecting much for just $20, they came away delightfully enthralled. Essentially, there's no way to steer the chopper, but you can vary the acceleration and bounce it off of walls in order to keep your brain stimulated and a grin on your face. The real excitement kicked in when all the lights were flipped off and the Pink Floyd was cranked to 11. For a look at what we mean, check out the demonstration vid just past the break -- looks like $20 well spent from here.
WowWee FlyTech slams into Disney, out pops hovering Tinker Bell
It's true -- we're suckers for anything that simultaneously satisfies our lust for robotics and brings back childhood memories of passing the day with Disney films. To that end, we couldn't resist the opportunity to swoon over WowWee's latest stroke of brilliance, the $39.99 FlyTech Tinker Bell. Entirely more rad than that soulless Bladestar, this here fairy promises to posses that same spirited sassiness as the Disney character, and the flower wand remote control really caps things off. She can buzz around and delight guests for 4-minutes on an 18-minute charge, and her "crash-resistant materials prevent her from getting into mischief." Oh wait, it's appropriate for Earthlings ages 6 years and up? Huzzah!
WowWee's FlyTech Bladestar can govern your home autonomously
Indoor flying toys aren't hard to come by these days, but WowWee's hoping you'll still be willing to drop a little bit of coin on indoor aerial supremacy. First introduced at CES, the $50 FlyTech Bladestar has helicopter-like blades for hovering, and built-in infrared sensors to avoid obstacles. You can control the Bladestar with the included remote, or stick it in autopilot mode to watch it avoid obstacles and even "push" it yourself by walking up to it. If it's war you're after, you can put the toy in "dogfight" mode to use the infrared signal as a weapon against an unfriendly Bladestar: three hits and you'll be testing WowWee's claims of crash-resistance. The Bladestar is available now. Cheesy Saturday-morning advertisement is after the break.
Disney, WowWee, and Thinkway Toys team up on cute killer bots for the ironic uprising
Need some irony with your angst-battered diet this morning? Swell, try some of this. Disney and Pixar are set to release their latest animated blockbuster, WALL-E, this summer. The premise of the film finds WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter - Earth-Class) cleaning up the Earth's trash after rampant, unchecked consumerism made the planet uninhabitable. So how do they promote the film? You got it, they launch a new line of plastic WALL-E robots developed in partnership with Thinkway Toys which no child could possibly live without. Ultimate WALL-E will list for $190 when launched sometime this summer and feature 10 motors, a remote control, and plenty of sensors to avoid obstacles, respond to touch, and feel the mocking satire of its own existence. The bot will be joined by a $25 iDance WALL-E (think i-Species) and a $40 WowWee FlyTech Tinker Bell when they make their May 29th debut in San Mateo at the Maker Faire.
WowWee Dragonfly bots being hunted by hawks
We wouldn't have believed it, either, but the WowWee Dragonfly is attracting some unusual attention -- owners are reporting their bots are being attacked by hawks. WowWee says 45 people have reported hawk attacks in the past two months, and there's even a few pictures of the birds with their robotic prey out there -- like this one taken by fifth-grader Danny McGorry. We always knew the Dragonfly was fun, but this takes it to another level -- all we need now is a remote squirt gun mounted on the thing and we'll be ready to go. Check the whole article below. %Gallery-16649%
WowWee introduces Mr. Personality, Rovio, and Flytech Bladestar
WowWee's CES robot lineup is here, so let's get to it. First up, you've got the Flytech Bladestar, a slightly crazier take on the indoor RC flying gig actually intended for duels with friends. The Bladestart has two spinning wings and stabilizing rotors to keep it steady while aloft, as well as wall and ceiling IR sensors.Rovio is a "home exploration and telepresence" robot (meaning it doesn't do very much), featuring WiFi, a remotely-controlled directional webcam capable of streaming audio and video, self-docking and recharging, and "NorthStar" AI navigation (which WowWee describes as a micro-GPS like system that makes Rovio aware of its surroundings with "pinpoint accuracy").If neither of those caught your fancy, we think the ironically anthropomorphized Mr. Personality might meet you in the middle. Featuring an LCD facial readout, downloadable personalities (via USB and SD), Ruxpin-esque story and joke telling and "conversation", as well as the usual IR and audio sensors.%Gallery-12641%
Flytech showcases waterproof K790 all-in-one PC
We've definitely witnessed a waterproof display being put to the test, but an all-in-one PC getting a bath is certainly less common. Nevertheless, the folks at Flytech were apparently so sure that its K790 could withstand liquid while Windows hummed along in the background that it set up an overhead shower to demonstrate. Apparently, the lineup can be had with your choice of Intel processors, up to 2GB of RAM, displays ranging from 12.1- to 19-inches in size, a 2.5-inch hard drive, four USB ports, Ethernet, audio in / out and built-in speakers to boot. No word on price, but be sure and check out another look after the break.[Thanks, Big D]
Wowwee's FlyTech Dragonfly in action
While the Robosapien, Roboreptile, and basically all of Wowwee's gizmos demand an (understandable) level of respect, the FlyTech Dragonfly (quite literally) takes this "robotic toy" gig to another level. While the FCC got its paws on the fluttering animal not too long ago, it now appears that citizens over at T3 got a chance to give it whirl, and the results are indeed impressive. Relying on "brute flapping-power to remain airborne," this creature reportedly worked "amazingly well," and the rechargeable battery pack will purportedly keep it in flight for "around 15 minutes." Although the bug should draw a crowd at next month's CES, there's no need to wait around to get a sneak peek at what this tombo is capable of, as the kind folks at T3 are delivering a hands-on video (after the break) to make us all green with envy.
