Sunday, January 15, 2012

CURIOUS ABOUT: CUBELETS

The cubes work together to become a robot

This is a news alert and not a review.  If your child likes robots..... watch this video and know that technology never sleeps!

WHAT: Cubelets
DOES: Cubes are snapped together to become your child's robot; functions vary with which cubes are used and how they are snapped together; no programming and no wires
INVEST: $160 for 6 cubes, charger is separate
TOOLS: Have to play with it first but at the very least: Think Like a Scientist/Engineer


I wish I had some of these at home.   Even if our testing budget supported this trial, we wouldn't be able to get our hands on this. Why?

They are so so so sold out.

Eric Schweikardt told Toys are Tools that their first two "beta-test runs were for a total of 7,500 Cubelets, and both runs sold out in less than 24 hours."

When I first checked their site a couple of weeks ago, there was a backorder date of April 17, 2012.  Today, that date is now April 24, 2012.

Message: Wait in line.  All you can do is wait in line.

When I asked him why the limited run in the first three months of 2012, Eric said that it was no trivial task to scale up manufacturing Cubelets.   They are tiny robots and they are complicated.

To me, I am guessing they are complicated because they appear to be very simple to use.  The video describes the cubes to be inspired by concepts in nature (much like the idea of biomimicry as explained in my last post) No programming and no wires?  You get immediate feedback for your imaginative ideas?  Sounds like they are good for kids whose favorite questions start with :  What if.....?




Disclosure: Toys are Tools has not been compensated in any way for the publication of this post.  Permission to post this video was given to Toys are Tools.

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