Just in time for Christmas commercial bonanza, WowWee unveiled the latest robot in its Robosapien line: RS Tri-bot. The little guy seems to sport Rovio-ish ‘legs’ but also an interactive talking feature that is sure to amuse your little sister – or, for our ‘grown up’ peeps, your cat. The whole thing is controlled via a tilt-sensor equipped remote that gives users complete control over their underling. Instead of controlling the robot manually, the RS Tri-bot can be unleashed in a given room, and using built-in sensors, navigate and even comment about its surroundings. Head over to WowWee’s website for all that the RS Tri-bot can do or you can just pick one up at major retailers for $99 right now and find out for yourself. 

The production Rovio launched a few days ago and RobotsRule.com just uploaded a few videos that showcase the little guy’s key features. So, if you are still unclear what the Wifi remote control webcam robot thingie does, check out the one above and the two after the jump.
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Just think of what you could do with the Hammacher Schlemmer Anywhere Home Sentry, or as we know it by and are going to refer to it as, the WowWee Rovio. You have full control over the $299, three-wheeled bot via an internet-connected browser and can even interact with those in sight of the Rovio thanks to a 640 x 480 video cam and a microphone / speaker setup. The three-wheel alignment allows for nimble movement and the camera rides on a boom that can be extended up for better viewing. The battery should last about two hours and when it needs a charge, the Rovio can navigate back to its charger. 

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Available now for $50 from retailers like Toys R Us, Amazon, Target, and WowWee. I wonder if I have one in the office.

I think something inside me died. If you think this is clever, however, feel free to read the full review over at robotsrule.com. Now I have to go change my shirt.

It flies like a real butterfly! I was actually quite surprised at the build quality on this thing. Usually these sorts of things blow into a million pieces on the first day but the Flytech butterfly withstood quite a few crash landings during our trials. The dog also bit it a few times, which is usually the kiss of death for toys like this.

Who is going to buy one now that $250 have been knocked off?

TOP 10 RANDOM (UNSUGGESTED) ALIVE ELVIS USES:

1. Ward of burglars with Elvis’ infrared sensors
2. Take the HOV lane to work with Elvis as your passenger
3. Forget beauty school, all you need is a comb and hairspray to practice
4. His leather coat makes a nice shrug or bolero jacket
5. No need to go stag at your next high school reunion
6. Save money and skip hiring a band for your wedding
7. Scare your husband/wife by slipping him into your side of the bed
8. Freak out Priscilla from the audience of Dancing with the Stars
9. Feeling down? You know who to turn to for a quick make-out session
10. Give the Weekly World News, the “World’s Only Reliable Newspaper,” a reason to begin printing again:

WowWee Store

So, out on Long Island some kid’s FlyTech Dragonfly was snatched out of the air by a hawk that mistook it for actual prey. Either the hawk is really stupid and/or blind or WowWee’s flying robot is the technological marvel they claim it to be. I’ve seen it in action multiple times and for anything to fly that isn’t meant to fly, it’s pretty impresive.

After investigating the story below from a local Long Island newspaper, WowWee’s Customer Service Department determined that it has received 45 different calls over the past 2 months about hawks and other bird of prey swooping down and snatching consumers’ FlyTech Dragonfly out of the air.

I’m told they’re trying to get video of this phenomenon. I hope they do.

High res copy