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WowWee's Robopanda snuggles up to the FCC
WowWee's lovable Robopanda has been making the rounds since CES earlier this year, but it looks like it's just recently wound up in the hands of the FCC, which could possibly signal a US release sooner rather than later. As you can tell by the mugshot above, it doesn't appear to be too happy with its unfamiliar surroundings, but it did manage to pass through with flying colors, and has the test reports to prove it. Also up for your perusal is Robopanda's user manual, which doesn't appear to have any surprises but will give you a chance to familiarize yourself with it in advance, cause you just know you're gonna have to get one.
Hands-on with WowWee's Robopanda: even grown men like bear hugs
Sure we may come across as rugged and ultra-suave, but deep down we're really big softies, which is why WowWee's new Robopanda is such a refreshing change from the vicious reptiles and flamethrowing humanoids that the company's usually pushing out the door. Well we recently got to go hands-on with the cuddly-looking lil' guy, and we were smitten with both its friendly demeanor and tech cred. Featuring several touch sensitive areas as well as an accelerometer to measure speed (move too fast and it freaks out just a bit), RoboPanda offers numerous methods of interaction. We listened to it tell a story embedded on its proprietary, swappable flash chip, and emitted several "oohs" and "ahhs" as it cuddled up with its plush buddy (there's nothing more beautiful and pure than panda love). The best news is that -- contrary to what had previously been reported -- this model is indeed scheduled for a US release, ready to delight and entertain children nationwide. Until then, go ahead and grab a seat along with a few delicious bamboo shoots, and check out the close-up shots in the gallery below... Hands-on with WowWee's Robopanda: even grown men like bear hugs
WowWee: snakes, dragonflies, and bears -- oh my!
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... WowWee: snakes, dragonflies, and bears -- oh my!
