Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

  That’s Eichi Sato who’s real leg doesn’t work. He demonstrates the robotic leg as he walks across a stage. His knee can bend and he can walk at a decent rate. It can only get better. Also shown are robots who help the elderly walk and get out of bed for therapy. It’s slated for 2013 and hopefully will come at a lower price than all of this looks. (ABC – Toyota)   [youtube]4Nl8Wf2GbcI[/youtube]
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Here’s your chance to understand what the craze is about. She’s a huge star without taking a breath of air. The virtual star will come to life in concert. Hatsune Miku will show in Nine cities. The exact venue will be released soon.     Baltimore, MD; Boston (Manchester), MA; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA Orange, CA; New York, NY – Two locations; San Francisco/Bay Area, CA, Seattle, WA   Here’s a sample below! [youtube]DTXO7KGHtjI[/youtube]
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Digging the two word title? Pixis Space. Obviously it has a tech pixel type of name, and a second word to signify that it’s tiny again? Space. The name is interesting since in Japanese, it’ll be a strange two word mouthful. It’s a tiny car. 660cc engine, so we’re talking just above a go kart, but this is the latest addition to Toyota’s fleet of vehicles and it’s probably going to be popular in the crowded streets of Japan. There’s no need for speed and not everyone will be drifting… Will this be the following Scion car? Is this coming in two years or so, or will this be the next Daihatsu truck that you see cruising around college campuses with custodial gear in the back.  
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I test drove a the new Scion iQ as a part of an intimate blogger gathering of 24 writers. A disclaimer in the second sentence: Are each of us writing something and it’s being tracked by big the disciples of Big Japanese Brother, Toyota? Perhaps. It’s no secret that Giant Robot has done projects with many branches of Toyota. From the Matrix, Yaris and yes the Scion, we’ve been patronized by the world’s largest car company many times. Naturally, reaching out to us makes sense.

The Scion iQ is part of a global movement to be efficient, fun and smarter. That’s what I got out of the half day symposium.

It’s nearly a shame that the Smart Car brought the word “smart” and car together in a strange marriage that eventually was revealed to be an unhealthy relationship. The two co-exist conceptually as a brilliant plan – the DNA of a small footprint and the magic of low price should have birthed something desirable. Maybe it was too early and maybe the needs of the adopters from the Smart orphanages weren’t met. You hardly see these on the road and I’ve heard nothing but complaints.

 

 

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It’s something new that Toyota is teaming up with Hatsune Miku, the huge pop idol that’s actually a virtual star. It’s straight up on their Toyota Corolla site. Does this mean you can buy a show room ready car wrapped Toyota? Probably not, but you will see ads and more. Take a look at the video commercial.What’s with the voice over, it’s a non match. But the concept and ideas of integrating the “Vocaloid” star of Japan into something here is something cutting edge – especially since Miku is still relatively unknown here.

[youtube]E15PE7iGT0U[/youtube]

There’s been previous virtual stars. This isn’t new. Click forward to see a couple more from the past.

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