Don't get us wrong, we're completely enamored with the idea of having a real laptop-style keyboard in a pocket-friendly form factor, but based on our quick look at a very rough mockup of the device today, we're not so convinced that CTD's "crossfolding" Dragonfly MID will be the one to bring it to market. We spoke with Edward Bullister, an MIT grad with a PhD and some Intel connections, who is hard at work on the device, and while we admire his enthusiasm and DIY ethic, we'd say he seems a little overly optimistic when it comes to the tech necessary to pull this off.

His plan is to stick a Moorestown chip inside, with Windows XP as a primary OS, but perhaps a dual-boot option to Moblin. He's totally serious about the two fold-up LED backlit LCDs, though he admits the dual-sided screens depicted in the renders will have to wait for a later generation. More incredulously, he claims the device will have "all day" battery life, and be ready to ship by the end of the year. Yeah... we doubt it. No manufacturer is lined up currently, and he seems pretty distant from even having a working prototype. Still, we can't deny how great the form factor would be for pounding out a writing assignment on a plane, or wowing friends and family members (though we're not stoked about his ideas for using an external mouse as a primary input). So, best of luck Edward -- we'd love to be proven wrong on this one.

Make no mistake, our hearts were fluttering when we finally witnessed WowWee's FlyTech Dragonfly buzzing about, but there's just something about this creature that really wins us over. Designed and constructed by James G. Watt, this robotic insect reportedly includes a number of solar cells which provide enough power in sunlight to make the critter's wings flap. Granted, we aren't told whether or not it's mighty enough to deliver loves notes in math class, but we're digging the concept, regardless.

[Via MAKE]

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.

We've followed Wowwee's fluttering Dragonfly bot from FCC to hands-on to review and finally to the obligatory release, so it only seems fitting that we publish a photo of one whose owner sliced it in half. Not exactly your classic dissection -- we like lots of gory pics -- but it still gives you a good feel for what's going on inside your $50 toy. Big bonus points to the first commenter who posts the complete list of parts visible in the picture.

[Thanks, Leif]

We've already seen some first impressions of WowWee's newly-launched FlyTech Dragonfly "toy," but PC Magazine has now thankfully provided a slightly more in-depth review for those of us more curious about the little critter's capabilities. As you might expect, they found it to be "loads of fun," with easy to use controls and a surprisingly durable design, which helped the unit withstand a number of head-on collisions with the walls and floor. The unit's downsides are also about what you'd expect, with a wide open space with no wind pretty much required to fly it. They also found that it took a bit of effort to extract the charging cable from the Dragonfly's body, which you'll have to do fairly frequently as you'll only get about seven minutes of flying time on each charge. We somehow doubt that'll be a deal-breaker for most, however, especially given that it only costs fifty bucks.

And now, back to Wowgadget's comprehensive coverage of all things WowWee. The tricky Robosapien folks chose not to display some of their hottest bots at CES Unveiled -- probably because they won't be released in the US for the forseeable future -- but we managed to sweet talk them into hooking us up with some images and a few deets about this unannounced swag. First up is Robopanda, a Teddy Ruxpin-like doll for tots four-and-up that sports "many advanced sensors" along with a head-mounted IR sensor and stereo sound. Besides the usual back-and-forth we enjoy with WowWee's products, 'panda also reads bedtime stories (we hear that it's fond of Bearinstein Bears), interacts with a MiniMe version of itself, and of course, delivers mad bear hugs to love-starved tykes. Also on the docket is Roboboa (we like "Roboa" better, but whatevs), a companion snakebot that performs the varied functions of "smart desk light, wake-up alarm, room guard, disco marquee, roving tank, safety light and playful cannon." Hey, we've always wanted a toy like that! Snakey will be available somewhere in the world, sometime this year for $119, while the roboteddy is expected to retail for $229. Check out the gallery for pics of both of these fine new additions to the robotic zoo, along with a few images of the RS Media, Dragonfly, and that Roboquad spiderbot we saw yesterday...

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.