Transformers -- Engadget

transformers posts

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Armor case and stylus!

by Laura June posted Jul 3rd 2009 at 12:00PM

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got a Transformers Bumblebee Nintendo DS Starter Kit, which includes a protective Nintendo DS Lite Armor sleeve and universal stylus. We'll also be throwing in a Megatron strylus just for fun! Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Transformers Nintendo DS Lite Starter Kit and one (1) Megatron stylus.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
Entries can be submitted until Friday, July, 3rd, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

DARPA's programmable matter initiative strives to make the ultimate Swiss Army knife

by Ross Miller posted Jun 7th 2009 at 10:21PM

Remember Intel's shape shifting matter concepts? Well, those realty-bending cats at DARPA are looking to put their own spin on it with a Programmable Matter program of their own. As is their mantra, the long-term goals are pretty wild: researcher Dr. Mitchell R. Zakin is hopeful they can one day build a container that looks like a paint can and will form universal spare parts or tools such as hammers and wrenches based on the soldiers' needs, using a building material they call "mesomatter" that range anywhere from one hundred microns to a centimeter in size. Currently five months into the program's second phase, there's still another fifteen to go before they move on. By then, the group expect to be able to use the technology and assemble four or five different three-dimensional solids. Best be careful, if this falls in the wrong hands, we'll have more "leaked iPhone" images ever previously thought possible.

[Via Wired]

Transforming Qosmio laptop is actually less than meets the eye

by Donald Melanson posted May 25th 2009 at 4:39PM

Still looking for something else to go with that transforming mouse and USB drive? Then you may want to try to get your hands on this seemingly official Qosmio laptop, which transforms into everyone's favorite cassette-playing Autobot, Blaster. Unfortunately, this particular Blaster can't actually play cassettes, and the laptop isn't actually a laptop either. It is, however, a fully functional four-port USB hub, which makes... sense? Not surprisingly, such wonders are a bit hard to come by 'round here, but folks in Japan (or those willing to go the importing route) will apparently be able to pick one up for ¥3,980, or about $40.

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

Trypticon Transforming Laser Mouse is here to destroy Autobots, carpal tunnels

by Tim Stevens posted May 21st 2009 at 10:27AM

If you missed out on your chance to add a little Decepticon flare to your PC with the Ravage USB flash drive earlier this week, you'd better hurry and put in your pre-order for this Trypticon Transforming Laser Mouse. In disguise he looks like a particularly non-ergonomic way to control your computer, but in just a few seconds he transforms into... well, a pretty sad, skinny looking rendition of the Decepticon command base. He may have lost weight, but he certainly hasn't dropped any perceived value, available now on pre-order for a somewhat pricey $59.99. He also ships in September, and despite his cost we wouldn't be surprised if that "Add To Cart" button transforms into a "Sold Out" button right quick. When oh when will the Autobots show up to save us from these evil USB gadgets exploiting our childhood memories?

Update: We got a comment from awa64 that there are a few other devices in disguise available for pre-order, including a few Autobots. Go get clicking if you want one, but we're holding out for an Optimus Prime uninterruptible power supply.

[Via GadgetReview]

Transformers USB flash drive is ready to ravage your files, bring carnage to your desktop

by Laura June posted May 19th 2009 at 4:44PM

Sure, you already have piles of flash drives scattered around your apocalyptic nightmare of an apartment, but this one's more special than those, right? Because it's a Transformer-- Ravage, AKA Tripredacus Agent. Ravage has outlived the age of cassette and is onto smaller, better things, and he can store up to 2GB of your most valuable data. He's going to run $42.99 when he's available in September, and can be pre-ordered now.

Update: It looks like the pre-order is already sold out! Wonder if the fact that we ordered 1,000 of them has anything to do with it?

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

Production Chevy Volt interior and exterior spy shots leaked?

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 29th 2008 at 6:23AM

We've seen GM's carefully managed Volt PR campaign, but that hasn't stopped our friends at AutoBlogGreen from combing the net for a better look, resulting in these apparent snaps of the center console and the production exterior rolling along the set of Transformers 2. The shiny, rounded all white center console with touch sensitive interface? You're probably thinking what we're thinking. At least the exterior shot -- which shows off a "Volt" badge on the A-pillar -- is a bit more clear. Of course, this might just be a movie-only iteration and any number of things could change before those batteries get out of Malibus and into proper rolling stock... but we'll just sit back and keep our fingers crossed, at least until 2010.

Read - Chevy Volt Interior
Read - Chevy volt Exterior

All Spark Cube gets turned into a talking USB hub

by Terrence O'Brien posted Apr 13th 2008 at 8:58AM

All Spark Cube gets turned into a crappy USB hub

That USB missile launcher you had to have is one thing, but a giant 4 port USB hub in the likeness of the All Spark cube the Transformers movie? Did we mention it talks, spouting off classics like "We must protect the All Spark Cube," every time you plug in a device? This surely-authorized product will run you about $35 US, although the toll on your dignity may not be calculable.

[Via Everything USB]

Paramount officially Blu-ray (again)

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 21st 2008 at 3:17AM

Michael Bay can breathe easy, Paramount (Dreamworks included) has officially gone Blu-ray. Two and a half years after announcing itself purple, and exactly five months after becoming HD DVD exclusive, this move makes all six major Hollywood studios Blu. Don't make space for that Blu edition of Transformers in your DVD rack just yet, as the company plans to "monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly", but with PS3 sales up and BD Live on the way, we can't imagine it will take very long. The Hollywood Reporter expects to see Universal and Paramount new releases hitting Blu-ray and DVD at the same time by late spring or early summer, when we can forget this whole thing ever happened -- unless of course you picked up an HD DVD player for Shrek, in which case we have a few ideas on what to do next.

[Thanks to Robert and everyone who sent this in]

Autobot flash drive probably isn't licensed, doesn't care

by Darren Murph posted Feb 4th 2008 at 2:41PM

We know how you Transformers aficionados roll -- you'll spend your very last dollar just to ensure your collection stays complete. That being said, we'd probably recommend skipping right over this Autobot 1GB USB flash drive, unless you dig (likely) non-licensed gear cluttering up your pristine heap, that is. If you're still letting your heart cloud your mind, riddle us this: what legitimate piece of Transformers kit requires you to purchase 12?

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

Bumblebee spotted on CES floor

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jan 10th 2008 at 6:01AM

The Transformers' Bumblebee showed up on the CES show floor this year, though we have to say he was more than a little worse for wear. According to reports, he'd been out drinking all night with David Caruso at the Bellagio, and couldn't find his keys when he woke up... which we're sure you can imagine is a major problem for him. When we requested an interview, the alien robot claimed he wasn't feeling too well, and asked if we had a swimming pool and two gigantic Alka-Seltzer tablets.

Honda's transforming Rose Parade float in action

by Evan Blass posted Jan 2nd 2008 at 10:34AM

With all of yesterday's excitement over the availability of TV converter box coupons, we totally spaced on the annual Rose Parade, featuring that crazy ASIMO-piloted, transforming Ridgeline float from Honda. Well luckily a member of the YouTube nation was able to (rather shakily) capture a full transformation sequence on home video, which you can catch in three parts after the break. Our take? Pretty impressive for a parade float, but pit this achingly-slow changer against any one of the Decepticons in a ROBO-One-style deathmatch, and Honda would have a lot of truck-plane pieces to sweep up after the carnage.

Continue reading Honda's transforming Rose Parade float in action

Giant ASIMO replica to pilot Honda's transforming Rose Parade float

by Evan Blass posted Dec 30th 2007 at 1:48PM

Generally we're a little too, um, preoccupied on New Year's Day to bother with such trifles as opening our eyes and watching the annual Rose Parade from Pasadena, but with Honda planning an ambitious float for 2008 that will feature a gigantic ASIMO replica riding a transforming Honda Ridgeline, well, at the very least we'll be setting our DVR. According to American Honda, which provides the Tournament of Roses with hundreds of vehicles and has won numerous awards for its entries in the past, its generators will cause "the hood of the truck to fold forward to become an aircraft cockpit, the doors and sides of the truck to unfold outward to become wings, the wheels to tuck under the body, and the bed of the truck to open and take on the form of an aircraft tail section, complete with rocket engines - and even real fire." Giant robots piloting huge fire-breathing truck-planes? If this truly is a "Passport to the Future" as Honda claims, you can sign us up! Lots more pics in the gallery below, and a full seven-part, behind-the-scenes mini-documentary after the break.

Gallery: Honda's 2008 Rose Parade float

[Via The Raw Feed, photos and videos courtesy of Honda]

Continue reading Giant ASIMO replica to pilot Honda's transforming Rose Parade float

Michael Bay "drinks the Kool Aid," now supports HD DVD

by Thomas Ricker posted Aug 22nd 2007 at 2:49AM

Ha, so much for standing up to the boss-man. Michael's latest post now says that, "I drank the Kool Aid" blah blah blah "so I think I might be back on to do Transformers 2!" Whatever, wuss.

Takara Tomy's Transformers MP3 player gets photographed

by Darren Murph posted Aug 21st 2007 at 12:14PM

Yeah, we've got a soft spot for all things Transformers, and while Takara Tomy's Transformers MP3 player isn't the most advanced DAP on the block, the fun factor is undeniable. Thankfully, the folks over at PrimeDiary were able to wrangle one of these bad boys up for themselves and snap a few photographs. Needless to say, we're envious, but go on and click through for a couple more shots of the MP3 player fanboys just have to have.

Continue reading Takara Tomy's Transformers MP3 player gets photographed

Michael Bay responds to Paramount's abandonment of Blu-ray: "No Transformers 2 for me!"

by Thomas Ricker posted Aug 21st 2007 at 5:59AM

So by now you've heard that Paramount has dropped support for Blu-ray right? Good, so has a notable Hollywood director. Michael Bay -- the man behind "Transformers," "Bad Boys," "Pear Harbor," etc. -- just threw down with Paramount in his personal blog. In a forum post titled "Paramount pisses me off!", he states, "I want people to see my movies in the best formats possible. For them to deny people who have Blu-ray sucks! They were progressive by having two formats. No Transformers 2 for me!" That's right Mike, aim your PS3 right at their coffers!

Update: Ha, so much for standing up to the boss-man. Michael's latest post now says that, "I drank the Kool Aid" blah blah blah "so I think I might be back on to do Transformers 2!" Whatever, wuss.

[Thanks, Pilam69 and Carl G.]