Wall-E Robot Toys Not Quite As Cute As Animated Version
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Friday, 2 of May , 2008 at 11:33 am
It was bound to happen sooner or later… With Wall-E’s theatrical release only a few months off, here comes the merchandise, courtesy Pixar’s parent company Disney. Two Wall-E robotic toys will make their first appearance at Maker Faire this weekend, and all kinds of other Wall-E, uh, stuff, is in the works including “additional WALL·E-inspired robots, action figures, playsets, a role-play WALL·E robot arm, novelties and collectibles.” I’m a little bit leery of this kind of thing, since I can’t help but feel that it cheapens the movie (which isn’t even OUT yet) slightly. But, we’ll see I suppose. Here are descriptions of the two toys:
The Ultimate WALL·E is an advanced robot that truly brings the character to life. Designed and developed through a close collaboration between Disney, Pixar animators and Thinkway, the Ultimate WALL·E features 10 motors, giving it a high level of movement and animation. The remote control makes it easy for kids to program WALL·E’s movements. An innovative touch programming system lets kids direct WALL·E simply by making patterns on the remote’s touch pad. With voice activation and a follow-me mode, WALL·E can follow the sound of a human voice and detect someone entering a room. He also has several emotional states and an easy system for programming thousands of combinations of movements with the remote. Numerous sensors allow him to detect and respond to his environment, including infrared sensors that allow him to detect obstacles and steer around them, sonic ears that detect sound direction, and touch sensors. The Ultimate WALL·E is also MP3 compatible and features built-in speakers. USB cables and rechargeable batteries are included. The Ultimate WALL·E will debut this fall at ToysRUs and www.disneyshopping.com; SRP $189.99.
The iDance WALL·E talks, dances and has animated eyes that move and groove to the music. Its audio in-jack works with any iPod or MP3 player. It features sound activation functionality, action and play. It will be available at ToysRUs, Target, Wal-Mart, Blockbuster and www.disneyshopping.com this summer; SRP $24.99.
I’ll be at Maker Faire this weekend, so I’ll make sure and get some pics and video and you can see what you think of these things.
[ Press Release ] Thanks, Brian W.
Category: Toys
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Comment by bla
Made Friday, 2 of May , 2008 at 2:45 pm
another 22 second animation
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wall-e+hula+hoop&search_type=
Comment by scott
Made Friday, 2 of May , 2008 at 4:32 pm
Think they’ll sell any, or just be showing them off at the Faire? Looking forward to seeing some non-publicity shots of Ulti WallE