If you can find a bit more change between the couch cushions, and are in the USA, then RadioShack has the RoboQuad on sale for $59.99 if you can find one in a local store. It seems to be catching a bit more attention as a newer product.

 http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2857705

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

I had robo pets head sitting on my RSV2's shoulders a while back, I was going to intergrate him to RSV's head movements. I may put it back on the other shoulder and time it with his laser cannon. M'mmmm.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

I would reccomend the Roboquad because he is filled to the brim with personality and he is so hillarious.  But if you feel he is too expensive you have two choices:

1. Buy something smaller and cheaper like robopet or roboreptile
2. Wait another month or two for the RQ's price to drop  (right now he is $60.00 at Radio Shack)

See if this helps.  I got RQ for $80.00 at Toys R Us but right now Radio Shack has the deal.  Only $60.00.

Again let me warn you,  if you want a personality filled, highly autonomous, funny robot......

I suggest Roboquad. 

Keep the robotic dreams,
-BG
http://www.robocommunity.com/article/12811/Cool-Programs-To-Use-For-Roboquad-...

Ya, he can stand up from a fall, or from laying down purposely. Because of the waist joint he can do a complete roll over "trick" as well, including a little wiggle while on his back like he's rolled over to scratch his back on the carpet. Fairly amusing stuff, for a robot :) Sometimes after playing dead he'll fail to right himself on the first try. Then he'll just lay there a few seconds and try again, which usually works and he's off and running again.

Watch out, don't step in the anthropomorphization.

Doesn't need to get back up?

Hmmm... where's that community thread..... got it.

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

Ouch!  Not once, but Twice!  I played with one of these little guys for a while and I never had that happen.  Though I admit, it would be rather irritating.  I wonder if it was a manual move that the person holding the controler did that caused it to be off balance?  Like, taking both the front legs out without adjusting the back legs as well?  Either way... Ouch!

RoboPet's no slouch. It's got different capabilities than some of the other bots. Some better, some not.

For instance, it tries to detect edges of drop offs, so that it doesn't wander off table edges or top stair steps. I don't think any of the other bots tried to implement that.

Like many of the WowWee features, it's not foolproof. I've heard tales of the little pup detecting an edge near a corner of a table, and then backing up until it fell off the other edge of the corner. Oops!

Then there's the ability of the RoboPet to right itself if it does tip over. The RSV2 has the ability to get up if it's on its back. When it falls face down, and it does often enough on uneven terrain, it can't move at all.

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

RoboPet's fairly amusing in that he'll confuse himself often. Several times a chair leg is right between his "eyes" and he'll walk in place. Reminds me of the turtles we have. He'll also stand there and *ping* the wall, walk into it, back up, ping, walk into it... six or eight times. Reminds me of my mother's dog (kinda stupid).

Sidenote; Seems RoboPet vs RoboQuad is kind of a touchy debate.  You've got your hardcore, no other 'bot will ever come anywhere near X kind of people (on both sides), and some middle-of-the-road folk who'll like anything with motors. Similar to Dog People vs Cat People I guess.

I like RoboPet, I'm sure I'll like a 'Quad when it shows up too. They each have their own style and "mannerisms". I'm along the same lines as GWJax, I can't think of any hacks for a 'Pet, whereas the 'Quad has huge potential, while still being a really slick robot in it's own right, before any mods are made.

I can't say for certain either is _better_ though, as I only have a 'Pet available to me right now, and 'Pet vs 'Quad seems (to me) to be another Apples vs Pizza comparison anyway.

Crud... Sidenote ended up longer than not-the-sidenote. 

Watch out, don't step in the anthropomorphization.

MrScott said: Oh, darn. If we're not going to be allowed to do anything that isn't blessed by the manuals, I guess we better stop pushing the limits of what our little mechanical friends can do...... .....or NOT!  

Keep the robotic dreams,
-BG
http://www.robocommunity.com/article/12811/Cool-Programs-To-Use-For-Roboquad-...

Manuals are a fine thing. They provide guidelines for the new user. WowWee has generously made them available online for all their robots, so we can shop for features before buying a robot. I've read through most of them, and always read it thoroughly before buying a WowWee robot.

I encourage anybody who is looking for a new purchase to read through the online manual first. It costs you nothing, and can help separate the fact from fiction of what you might read in reviews. 

Having said that, manuals are only as good as the person who wrote them, based on the product specs they were given. They don't always reflect the reality of what the robots can, or can't, do. 

I only brought up the real life example of the roboquad limitation, so that the claim of "Roboquad doesnt need to get back up since he is so stable." could be tempered with realistic expectations.

You might have noticed that I was the person who first suggested the RoboQuad as a good alternative in this thread. I've got nothing against any of the robots.

I'm pro-fact, anti-hype.

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)