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R2-D2 is now a Tamagotchi you’ll forget about
You can play holochess with the Star Wars droid starting on November 11th.
Star Wars-themed Instant Pots look like R2-D2, BB-8 or Darth Vader
While Mandalorian and Baby Yoda merch has disappointed, Williams Sonoma is extending its plot to cash-in on your desire for branded cookware. The latest effort combines two crazes: Instant Pot and Star Wars. The multipurpose pressure cooker is perfectly sized for paintjobs referencing droids and other characters from the series, and come in three size options. The BB-8 styled Duo Mini 3QT can be had for $79.95, while a six quart version comes in three different paintjobs for $99.95: Darth Vader, R2-D2 or Storm Trooper. The Star Wars Instant Pot Duo 8QT is the largest one with a Chewbacca look, and it costs $119.95. Need any more reason to pick one up? They also promise custom recipes on the packaging. Darth Vader's Beef Stew BB-8™ Shrimp Pasta Dark Side Deviled Eggs R2-D2™ Rotisserie Herb Chicken Chewie's Chili They're available for pre-order now, and are scheduled to arrive in stores on December 13th.
Lego 'Star Wars' droid kit teaches coding with R2-D2's help
All Lego Boost kits have the power to teach kids (and kids at heart) how to bring machines to life with coding, but the latest one has an edge over previous sets. The new Star Wars Boost kit has the adorable R2-D2 in its corner, supported by two other recognizable machines from the franchise: the mouse and the Gonk droids. It comes with 1,177 pieces that can be used to build the three droids, as well as a Bluetooth Move Hub that kids can insert into the figure they want to control.
Meet R2-D2 and BB-9E, Sphero’s new ‘Star Wars’ toys
It's been nearly two years since Sphero introduced its app-controlled BB-8, a replica of the cute rolling droid that first appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That toy quickly became one of the most coveted by fans of Disney's franchise, and it wasn't long before the company followed it up with a Battle-Worn Edition, designed to look as rugged as the character does in film. And today at IFA 2017, Sphero announced it is expanding its connected-toy universe with two more Star Wars droids, R2-D2 and BB-9E. Naturally, Sphero worked closely alongside Lucasfilm to bring these to life, just as it did with BB-8. The idea, as you might expect, is to make them as close to the real thing as possible.
Mini-fridge disguised as a life-size, mobile R2-D2 is up for pre-order
Yes, these are full-scale R2-D2s replete with a moving head and flashing lights. They're not loaded with a super-intelligent AI and they don't project holograms, but they can chill your beer and even bring it to you while you put your feet up on the Ottoman. We're assuming you have an Ottoman (a fancy one, even) if you get one, because this mini-fridge costs almost $9,000... and that's not including the fees you have to pay to import it from Japan. According to our friends from Engadget JP, these remote-controlled AQUA R2-D2s made by Haier Asia are now up for pre-order. Unfortunately, you'll need a Japanese address, as you can see on its Star Wars-themed reservation page. If you do have a way to buy one, you might get it just in time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, since units will start shipping out in December 2015. Take note that it can fit a few cans of beer at most, but hey, we doubt you'd even use it all that much as a mini-fridge anyway.
Flying R2-D2 will grace the skies over this year's Comic-Con
Otto Dieffenbach is famous for crafting drones that look like pop culture icons, and this one is no exception. Just in time for this year's Comic-Con, the self-described creator of "Identifiable Flying Objects" has created an R2-D2 model that can fly. From a distance, it looks just like everybody's favorite beeping pedal bin, but in fact it's just a hollowed-out casing for a quadcopter that'll hover over the skies of San Diego. So, if you're hanging out at the show, look up every now and again -- you might see something that'll bring back your memories of Attack of the Clone... actually, no, don't do that.
Adorable new 'Star Wars' droid proves it's not CGI
When the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released, the internet lost its collective mind. Not only were people up in arms over the fact that a stormtrooper could be *gasp* black, but also nobody could believe that this incredible rolling droid, dubbed the BB-8, was actually real. It must be CGI, right? Well, during today's Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, the BB-8 made its first real-life debut by rolling onstage to riotous applause from the crowd. Check out the video below to see the BB-8 and the venerable R2-D2 engage in a beeping, tweeting chirp battle.
Refresh Roundup: week of March 19th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
The droid nobody was looking for: an R2-D2 MP4 player
We all know the story of how Artoo braved the sands of Tatooine to deliver Princess Leia's message to old Ben, but we never guessed that he encoded it as an MP4. Leave it to Toys 'R' Us to set the story straight: R2-D2 was a music player, C-3P0 was an overcomplicated set of earbuds, and MPEG-4 is apparently a galactic standard music format. Who knew? According to the droid's product page, it can hold up to 500 songs on 2GB of internal storage. There's also a questionable image (we're looking at you, Empire Photoshop brigade) promising video playback, photo storage, extras, settings and some sort of recording feature. We aren't sure if this choppy image can be trusted, but we're thinking about sending out some Bothan spies to investigate.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 5, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Verizon was spitting out new refreshes left and right this week, as we saw Gingerbread begin to roll out as OTA downloads on the Motorola Droid 3, HTC Droid Incredible, and -- get this -- even the Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Interestingly enough, Android 2.3 for the Droid 2 Global was already getting pushed out, but was pulled just a couple days later after a Microsoft Exchange encryption issue was discovered. We've been told the updates will resume "soon." [via Droid-Life] Finally, Verizon also pushed out one other software upgrade -- this time on its 4510L LTE MiFi. (Thanks, Matt) HTC continues to expand its bootloader unlock tool to more phones, region by region. This week the company enabled support for the EVO 3D in Canada and Europe. [via Phandroid] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery The Motorola Droid 3 and Droid X both now have access to an SBF -- System Boot File -- to act as a safeguard for anyone who manages to brick their phones. [via Droid-Life (1) and (2)] Recently we heard about the Honeycomb ROM for the HTC Flyer getting leaked by MoDaCo, but no screenshots were available at the time. This week, however, someone successfully grabbed a few images to share with the world (shown in the above image). The ROM appears to run on Android 3.2 with HTC Sense 1.1 for tablets as the featured UI. [via AndroidBugle -- thanks, Dennis] Let's talk a little more about leaked Sense ROMs. We've already seen Sense 3.5 working on the Desire HD, and now we have another device to add to the list: the EVO 4G. [via XDA] The first kernel for unlocked bootloaders on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is now waiting for your download, so head over to the link for instructions. [via XDA] If you've been waiting and hoping for CyanogenMod 7 on your HTC Sensation or EVO 3D so you can shed the Sense UI, that time may be very close at hand. According to a member of the CyanogenMod team, an early alpha build for both devices may be available by the end of this weekend, so keep an eye out. [via Phandroid] Other platforms Two new unofficial ROMs -- one for Windows Phone Mango and another for NoDo --are now available for the Samsung Omnia 7. The Mango ROM improves the device's radio, camera drivers and motion sensors, in addition to a few other enhancements. [via WPCentral] Refreshes already covered this week Vizio rolls out Tablet software update, promises performance boosts aplenty
Star Wars Operation lets you get to the bottom of the R2-D2 booster rocket debate
Let's face it kids, you weren't going to be a doctor. Time to give up on that dream. But what about the equally exciting and significantly less bloody world of droid repair? We all know that robots will soon have a major presence in our society, piloting our spaceships and mingling with our Wokiees (good luck getting into our cantinas, though), so it's probably best to get a jump on these job skills at an early age. With future job markets in mind (ones oddly similar to those experienced a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away), Hasbro is launching a new edition of the popular board game Operation, swapping out the red-nosed Cavity Sam for everyone's favorite rolling trashcan, R2-D2. The game can be pre-ordered now for $27, and it'll start shipping in September, so if you need an early-autumn kid birthday gift for under $30, this may be just the droid you're looking for.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: hybrid hydrogen hovercraft, amphibious ice cream, and the transparent solar touchscreen laptop of our dreams
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Solar energy supercharged our power grid and gadgets this week as Inhabitat showcased a hot solar laptop set within a transparent case that allows sunlight to shine straight through it. We also saw a team of Japanese engineers' shoot for the moon with plans for a lunar photovoltaic plant, while back on earth Seoul officially launched the world's first solar-powered floating island. Scientists also used sunlight to create the perfect cup of joe with the Helios 4 solar coffee roaster, and now that the weather is finally heating up we couldn't help but share this sexy solar bikini -- which just hit the market! In other news, green transportation set sail this week as Volkswagen unveiled a hybrid hydrogen-electric hovercraft and the world's first amphibious ice cream truck cast anchor in the Thames. Meanwhile, a new mini electric Humvee was spotted just a few streets away in London, students at the University of Adelaide unveiled a crazy electric di-wheel car, and a group of scientists unveiled plans to harvest Helium-3 from Uranus to help propel interstellar travel. Enerkam also took a big step towards transforming municipal waste into fuel by securing a $60 million investment, and we took you for a ride on 14 of the world's most amazing subways. Last but not least, this week we officially unveiled 40 stunning finalists in our Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition - from a gorgeous geometric chandelier made from cut and folded Tetra Paks to a living LED light that doubles as a terrarium and a brilliant lamp made from a broken blender. We were also shocked to hear the World Health Organization declare that cell phones may cause cancer, so we rounded up 5 ways to protect yourself from cellphone radiation. Finally, we showcased a steampunk R2-D2 made from recycled materials, and if you're stepping up your exercise routine to hit the beach this summer you won't want to miss the S770 Pinnacle Trainer -- an energy-generating exercise machine that produces watts while you work out!
Wookiees, witches and (Star) Wars: SWG breaks out Game Update 19
It's a busy day for Star Wars Galaxies, as Game Update 19 jumps to lightspeed with a trio of exciting events. First up is the return of Wookiee Life Day, "a time to reflect on the renewal of life and to remember those who have passed on." Wookiee Life Day was first introduced in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and has become a beloved fixture of SWG since its inception a few years ago. New features to the holiday this year include the ability to plant a Life Tree anywhere you like, four new paintings, a Wookiee Life Day robe, a collectible badge, and an R2-D2 ornament. Game Update 19 also brings the next chapter of the Witches of Dathomir, which began a little over a month ago. Players can travel to the planet of Dathomir and decide which clan of Force-sensitive Witches they'll align with: the Nightsisters or the Singing Mountain Clan. Finally, a new expansion pack to the trading card game is available, titled The Price of Victory. You can read up on Game Update 19 at Star Wars Galaxies, and travel back in the Massively time machine to revisit our chat with SWG's Teesquared on the patch.
C-3PO and R2-D2 invade consumer electronics megastore, get blown off by Roomba (video)
What happens when two of Star Wars' finest wander into a Currys & PC World Megastore? Unadulterated hilariousness, that's what. Hit play on the video below to see what happens with C-3PO asks a Roomba for directions, R2-D2 investigates a pop-up DSLR flash and the pair of 'em attempt to escape enemy fire in a related video game. It's worth the watch, we promise. [Thanks, Dave]
Droid R2-D2 hands-on
Look what landed in our galaxy this morning! You and your friends may be moaning about the recent news that Star Wars will have a 3D theatrical re-relase, but nobody's going to complain about the cute weirdness that is the Droid R2-D2 edition, now are they? No surprises here -- just hit the gallery below. %Gallery-103868%
Verizon Droid 2 R2-D2 Edition lands September 30 for $249
Just how badly do you want Star Wars branding on your Droid 2, eh? You'd better want it bad, because Verizon has just announced that it'll be charging $249 for the privilege of owning an R2-D2 Limited Edition -- with a $100 mail-in rebate on contract, which means that you'll actually be paying $350 up front. Then again, for that dinero you get not just the funky-looking phone but a Star Wars-themed dock and a box custom-designed to look like carbonite (Harrison Ford not included, we presume). You'll also get a variety of custom live wallpapers, sounds, photos, widgets, and a "binoculars app," which we imagine is some sort of digital zoom tool. Conspicuously missing is any sort of indication that this features the rumored 1.2GHz processor from the also-rumored Droid 2 World Edition, so the wait for that news continues. CTIA next week, perhaps. On a related note, other Verizon customers with Android 2.1 (and higher) devices will be able to access a special Empire Strikes Back app and related content for a one-time charge of $2.99, which will include a trivia app to test your muster as a George Lucas fangirl or fanboy. Meanwhile, look for the phone to go live on this Thursday, September 30. Follow the break for the full press release and a couple more pics!
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kit makes emergency landing
It's getting awful close now, eh? Merely hours after hearing that Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kits were splashing down in select Verizon Wireless locations, in flies a foursome of images proving as much. Of course, we still can't promise you that these fellows will be available for the taking a moment before the 30th of September, but if you know someone at Big Red, at least there's a chance he / she may be able to get you a sneak peek starting now. Or, you know, you could just peek the gallery below. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-103247%
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition dummy units force-arriving at Verizon retail?
The little astromech smartphone that could (pilfer your wallet) is now touching down in at least one Verizon Wireless store, according to spy shots via Boy Genius Report. The Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kit contains just a dummy unit, not an extremely well-put together little Droid, so you won't find any lightspeed animation contained within. Still, if it's the faceplate you want see up close and personal, looks like you might get a chance at just that a tinge earlier than September 30th.
Droid 2 R2-D2 boot animation, live wallpapers leak out at light speed
Not willing to wait for the genuine R2-D2 edition Droid 2 later this month? Then it looks like you can now get the next best thing -- the Star Wars-themed boot animation and live wallpapers from the phone have already been dug out from the recently leaked ROM and made available for download. Those include the Millennium Falcon flying through an asteroid field, the always exciting jump to lightspeed, an interactive R2-D2, and everyone's favorite: the space slug. Head on past the break for a pair of videos, and hit up the links below to check out the rest (and download them).
Droid R2-D2 gets docked -- not in a X-Wing
Verizon's teaser site for the Droid 2 R2-D2 edition has been teasing a series of locked spokes, accessible by all as soon as anyone in the community solves the "puzzle." We don't know exactly what the magic code was, but regardless, thanks to David H. yesterday, we've got a new gallery of devices pics and -- oh, lookie -- a special edition Droid R2-D2 dock. We don't see room for a hyperdrive anywhere, nor wings, proton torpedos, or a cockpit for future Jedi to blast orbital space stations. So, let's just call it a vacation home for astromechs needing a respite. Update: As a number of you have pointed out, it's "proton" torpedo in Star Wars canon, and "Jedi" is already plural. We're left with two options here: total retcon the scope of which would put midi-chlorians to further shame, or just fixing the copy. We'll let ya know what we decide. %Gallery-101305%