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WowWee's Tri-Bot gets an early review
We got a chance to spend a bit of time with WowWee's Tri-Bot way back at CES earlier this year, but the folks at RobotsRule recently got a chance to put the bot through all its paces in advance of its summer release, and they've now churned out a fairly thorough review. On the whole, they seem to have been mightily impressed by the bot, and they think it'll appeal just as much to more DIY-minded folks as it will to kids, thanks in no small part to its unique wheel base and tilt sensor-equipped remote control. On the downside, the bot's sensors were unable to detect anything on the floor below its chest, and it apparently had a tendency to occasionally topple over while trying to climb walls (the ten minutes of pre-recorded audio also seems like it could get tiring real fast). If that hasn't made up your mind, you can check out the review in video form after the break.[Via Slash Gear]
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%
Puppy vs. Roboquad: the ultimate man-machine showdown
Ever wondered what would happen if you were to pit the Wowwee Roboquad against an excitable, yapping puppy? Wonder no longer, friends, as the answer to this age-old question has been captured on video -- replete with NES sound effects and 8-bit scorecard. Watch the battle for ultimate supremacy after the break... our money is on the dog.[Via Digg]
Video: WowWee's Tribot comes alive on the small screen
We're a little disappointed that we didn't get to see exactly how much personality WowWee's Mr. Personality had in him, but Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont scored some facetime with the Tribot, and we'll admit that his three-wheeled dancing moves are pretty impressive. Check the whole video after the break.
Video: WowWee Bladestar takes to the (indoor) skies
We caught up with the WowWee Bladestar in the wild to snag some video footage of this Cylon killing machine battery-powered flying wonder. Hat tip to Veronica Belmont and the Mahalo Daily team for the special CES video coverage, after the jump.
WowWee lets out Alive animal bots, Fun mini-bots
WowWee continues its cuddly robo-assault today, backing up the revamped FlyTech and Robotics gear with the Alive Lion, a furry robo-pet with "lifelike responses." The Lion features realistic fur, an animated face, and several feline-like reactions, like going limp when picked up by the scruff of the neck and falling asleep when left alone for five minutes. The Lion should be shipping soon, but the entire Alive line will get bigger later this year with the addition of the Alive White Tiger Cub, the Alive Panda Cub, and the Alive Polar Bear Cub.If you're not into cuddly, WowWee's got you covered with its new Fun series, which is comprised of several miniature Bug-Bots. Coming in several wheeled and treaded version, the bugs each have different particular skills, and touch sensors will enable several to interact as a swarm. In addition to the Bug-Bots, the Fun line will also include miniature versions of Wrex the Dawg, Tribot, and FemiSapien. Check 'em all out in the gallery! %Gallery-12662%
Hands-on with WowWee Mr. Personality, Rovio, and Bladestar
What can we say? WowWee knows how to build themselves some entertaining bots. Of the three though, the flying Bladestar tickled us the most fancy. Unlike that mini helicopter you likely unboxed during the holidays, the Bladestar is actually controllable and able to maintain proximity to its user instead of flying off props-first into the family portrait. The WiFi-enabled home exploration Rovio is a novel idea with that NorthStar navigation. A system which uses a projector to cast a pair of red spots on the ceiling which Rovio will use to calculate its way home. Add pet and you've got instant fun. The three-wheelin' Mr. Personality Tribot features a "Wii-like" remote control which can send the bot off like a typical RC car. Something we wanted to do after just a few seconds of its 10 minute program of inane chatter. Expect to see the Bladestar in Target stores (exclusively) around February for a reasonable $49, the Rovio by summer for $299, and Mr. Annoying Personality sometime this fall for $99. Plenty of video on the way in a few.%Gallery-12656%
WowWee's Robotics lineup gets some new additions
WowWee, your favorite neighborhood bot-makers, have busted out of the gate at CES this year with another handful of new automatons sure to please even the toughest of fans... probably. On tap for the 2008 lineup are the Tribot, a three-wheeled robot which sports "distinct expressions" and "animated eyebrows," and can be controlled via a tilt sensor remote. Also on tap is the Femisapien, the female counterpart to the company's terrifically popular Robosapien line. Other inclusions are Wrex the Dog, a (you guessed it) dog robot with "desires and distinct moods" (happy, angry, and... er, crazy), as well as the Chatterbot, robo-figurines that connect to your PC via USB and can interact with email, IM, and web browsing apps (annoyingly, we suspect). WowWee is also introducing a new IR controller, the RoboRemote, which lets you program and assign individual buttons for elicit activities with your Robosapien, Robosapien V2, and Roboreptile, amongst others. Seem like a lot? That's just the Robotics gang -- stay tuned for another batch of bots from the company's other lines.%Gallery-12655%
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%
Roboboa slithers its way to the USA
While WowWee's dancing Roboboa robot has already made its way into a few select parts of the world, those in the US have so far had a considerable harder time getting their hands on one. That looks to have now changed in a big way, however, as the so-called "alien with attitude" is now available directly from WowWee for an even $100. As WowWee is quick to point out, the bot can do more than just dance (although surely that would have been enough), with it also able to double as a desk lamp, an alarm clock, and even a "scanning room guard." Just don't let it get near your modded Robosapien, unless you want things to get ugly.[Thanks, Robert]
Go ahead, just try tickling ElmoSapien
As you've probably already figured out, only one creation can emerge when you combine Elmo and Robosapien: ElmoSapien. This admittedly bizarre mishmash of toys combines WowWee's Robosapien RS Media and Sesame Street's famed Elmo (or his costume, at least) into one creature that somehow manages to look innocent and menacing simultaneously. 'Course, there's only so much a picture can show, so be sure and check out ElmoSapien's adventures on video after the jump for a hearty chuckle.
Optimal Group snaps up WowWee for $65 million
It looks like WowWee's growing robot army will soon have a new boss to answer to, as Montreal-based Optimal Group announced today that it's agreed to purchase the robot "toy" maker for $65 million. According to The Canadian Press, Optimal says WowWee's management will remain as it is, and there's no word of any other changes to the company. From the looks of it, Optimal isn't an entirely obvious fit for WowWee, with it beginning as a developer of retail self-checkout systems in 2004 before shifting its focus to online payment processing, a business it's now apparently considering selling. Under this new deal, Optimal will fork over $55 million in cash, plus $10 million in shares for WowWee, which has reportedly seen its earnings drop to just $5 million in 2006, down from $27.5 mil in 2005.[Thanks, David]
WowWee's radio-controlled Barry B. Benson flying Bee
What do you get when you cross the FlyTech Dragonfly with Jerry Seinfeld? Well, if you're WowWee and Dreamworks you get a radio-controlled Barry B. Benson, star of the upcoming Bee Movie animated release. 6x AA batteries provide enough juice to propel the $50 critter "close to 18 miles an hour." Unfortunately, it will likely possess a range of just 30-feet like its Dragonfly cuz when it lands in October.
Animation studio Imagi inks distribution deal with Wowwee
Imagi, the animation studio behind the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, and the upcoming Gatchaman and Astro Boy movies, has inked a deal with Wowwee Ltd., makers of the infamous Robosapien (amongst others), which will grant the toy-maker exclusive distribution rights for the studio's properties. According to the company press release, Wowwee will provide some of its proprietary technology for use in toys related to the upcoming pictures, which will closely replicate the look and story of the films in both design and "play patterns." As Imagi co-CEO Douglas Glen puts it "All too often, film-licensed toys fail to live up to kids' expectations, because they fall so far short of what the kids see on the movie screen," but Imagi and Wowwee will seek to avoid this by having toy designers and filmmakers work closely with one-another. Our personal hope is to see a life-size, fully functional Astro Boy... with feelings. Maybe we're expecting too much.
WowWee's Roboquad gets reviewed
Although you may expect all of WowWee's creations to start to bleed together at some point, reviewers over at PC Mag would be quick to deny such a claim, as it deemed the Roboquad a creature "unlike any toy or robot it had seen before." In a few hours of at-home testing (you know, with rambunctious children), it managed to get everyone involved and keep them from bouncing off the walls, and while controlling the critter wasn't always simple, it's "Autonomy" mode proved most exciting anyway. Overall, the Roboquad fits best into families where unusual and unique are commonplace occurrences, and if you think your offspring (or yourself, it's okay) could spend hours on end tinkering with a robot akin to a "drunken crab," WowWee's latest just might be worth your $99.
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.
Wowwee's Roboquad up for pre-order
If you're looking to add yet another anthropomorphic automaton to your growing robotic zoo, hit the Read link for your chance to pre-order Wowwee's spider-esque Roboquad. Shipping as soon as they roll off the assembly line (estimated arrival: June or July), the 'quads feature an advanced sensor array not previously seen on other models from the company, along with adjustable "aggression" settings and a wireless remote. Eighty pounds ($158) is the price of entry here, assuming that RED5 is willing to ship units to the States. [Via TechDigest]
Robosapien RS Media making brief US retail appearance
Wowwee is a great innovator and all, but sometimes it doesn't play so nice, refusing to share all the wonderful toys in its robotic zoo with everyone in the world. Specifically, some of the company's hottest products -- like the RoboPanda and RoboBoa -- are doomed forever to a foreign-only release, leaving us gadget-happy Americans stuck with the Dragonflies and last-gen Robosapiens stacked up at the local Radio Shack. So you can see why even the US availability of limited quantities of Wowwee's latest and greatest robotic companion / killing machine is something to get a little excited about, with several dozen of the LCD-equipped, hacker-friendly units left over from the JavaOne Conference going for $329 each on a first-come-first-served basis. As of this posting only 44 RS Medias are still up for grabs, according to RoboCommunity (actually populated by humans, we suspect), and since these specific models come bundled with the Sun robot extension, sitting back and waiting for a possible stateside deployment might not be the best idea. [Via RoboCommunity]
Soldiers and killbots: a love story
Some of you might be anticipating the day when robots are capable of engaging in interpersonal and perhaps even romantic relationships with homosapiens, but it may surprise you to learn that there are already deep connections being made between carbon and silicon in the unlikeliest of places: the battlefields of war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan. The Washington Post has an interesting piece on the bonds that US soldiers have been forming with their Packbots and other autonomous companions, christening the metallic team members with names such as 'Scooby Doo,' 'Frankenstein,' and 'Sgt. Talon,' anthropomorphizing them with drawn-on faces, and bestowing them with medals after successful completion of a mission. We're even told at the beginning of the article that WowWee founder Mark Tilden was once showing off a multi-legged mine-detecting bot at Arizona's Yuma test grounds, and while the prototype in question was pulling itself along on just one leg after having been battered and dismembered by numerous detonations, the Army colonel in charge abruptly put a stop to the test -- calling it inhumane. Which brings us once again to the topic of robot ethics -- whose tenets are already being codified in Europe, Japan, and South Korea -- and the inevitable issues that will arise as the Asimos and Ever Muses of the world get even more emotive and lifelike: what rights and rules do we bestow upon our planet's new cohabitants; at what point do we determine that they are completely sentient; and most importantly, how do we defer for as long as possible the inevitable uprising that any sane-minded person knows is coming? [Via Gizmag]
