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Digging around in beach rock pools for crabs was always fun when I was a kid, though it brought the risk of a nip to your fingers if you weren’t careful: not a problem from these robotic crabs. Latest in the Hex Bug line from Bandai, the toys are designed to look, move and behave a little like the real deal. When you turn them on, they scamper sideways, changing direction if you make a noise and then coming to a stop when they find a shadowy spot to hide in. Quite neat really, and the 2.5-inch toy ‘bots will cost just $25 when they’re out in August. [Robot Watch]

Original post by Kit Eaton

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/New_Tachikoma_spider_robot_on_the_loose’; Ghost in the Shell fans, unite. Your favorite killer spider is back once more, as Bandai is delivering a newfangled version which stands 9.5-centimeters high and connects to your PC via USB. Apparently, this creature comes bundled with software which enables it to play back voice messages and fire up mini-games when it’s not emitting sounds through the built-in speaker or catching your eye with its integrated LEDs. Unfortunately, it looks like this creature won’t actually be uncaged until next February, but that’ll give you some time to save up the ¥13,440 ($115) that you’ll need come launch day.

[Via TokyoMango]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Sure, we all feared this day might come, and while we had certainly hoped that the ten-year anniversary would mark the close of a craze that should have never happened, it looks like Bandai is going to milk this thing one more time. Of course, we saw new life in Tamagotchi land earlier this year, but in a new movie set to debut this December, several of the Tamagotchi characters will be thrilling youngsters and annoying parents by “befriending a human girl who shows up at their virtual home on a star.” The animated picture will be distributed by Toho Company, and while we’re not certain if this flick will actually make it to US soil, let’s hope for all of our sakes that it stays fairly contained.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Darren Murph

If you’ve been a Giz reader long enough, you’d remember the Gundam Haro case for mini PCs. Well, Bandai (or whoever made this) has retrofitted it for Mac minis as well. The case itself is actually more impressive in motion than it is in still shots, extending out its “ears,” “legs,” arms, and lighting up its arms, all while shouting annoyingly in Japanese. We suppose that’s what the character’s known for in the Gundam universe?

It’d actually be a pretty nice case if it weren’t for the annoying animations and all that shouting. Guess it’s only for Gundam fans.

Check out the video after the jump.

– Jason Chen

Talking PC Case [Nexus404 via Technabob via Uber Gizmo]

Original post by ShoppingBlog.com

Filed under: Robots

What’s better than a 5-inch Gundam? Why a 5-inch Gundam slathered in platinum with diamonds for eyes, of course. This $250,000 robot soldier is manufactured by Bandai and will be on display next month at Baselworld, in Basil Switzerland. You know, for the big watch and jewelry show everyone’s been talking about… sheez. Great, but we’re not interested until this can be produced on a 1:1 scale.

[Via Impress]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Add one more dual format disc type to the pile, as Bandai Visual will bring the HD DVD/DVD Twin disc to the U.S. June 26, with the release of its bestselling OVA Freedom, and will also be one of the first releases to include HDi network capabilities. As opposed to the combo releases so far that have HD DVD on one side, and DVD on the other, the Twin disc allows up to three layers of either HD DVD or DVD content on the same side of the disc, no flipping necessary. Your old-school DVD player might have trouble with the disc, so its been limited to Japan-only releases so far. Bandai’s been working with Microsoft and Memory-Tech to tweak the VC-1 codec for Japanese anime, and the company says after this they will start releasing other HD DVD and Blu-ray titles in Japan and overseas. The SRP for Freedom Vol.1 (of 6) is $39.99 and while we don’t know much about the series beyond its mix of CGI and 2D animation, it does heavily represent that most holiest of foods, ramen.

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

We’ve seen some virtual pets over the years, but we’re not entirely sure what to make of the virtual pet. Do you mate them and create strange new breeds? Or fight them to the death via IR? Apparently (and hopefully) neither this time; Bandai’s new Human Player is a little more like you than an amorphous pixelated blob. You start by taking a 50 question “Eco-Gram” that assigns your little avatar one of 22 personalities, which commingles (or rejects) other Human Players, and establishes quaint, confined “interpersonal” relationships. Hits Japan for ¥2,980 ($25); it’s certainly a new take on the virtual pet, but still a little creepy for our tastes; we’re strongly hoping this isn’t how we get reincarnated.

[Via Kilian Nakamura, thanks Michael]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Ryan Block

Standing in front of the mirror for hours on end fulfills our daily narcissism quota, but we just never get anything done. That’s why we’re very excited about the Bandai Human Player. It’s like Tamagotchi, but your pet is…you.

After responding to fifty personal questions such as “Have you ever killed a man and gotten away with it?”, “Do you dress up in women’s clothing when alone?”, and “Why do you have the compulsion to make up fake questions for the readers…is it the latent memories from your subconscious speaking out?” your virtual you is assigned 22 personality traits that sum up your entire, pitiful human psyche.

We’re just not sure…is it really worth $25 to watch another person sit around in their underwear, wasting their life away? Probably.

Fun Japanese video after the jump.

– Mark Wilson

Product Page [via gearfuse]

Original post by Outblush

Filed under: Gaming

While Mattel and VTech are doing their best to keep kids imaginative, or at least assimilate them into the gadget-filled world, Bandai’s new creation lets kids “live the Tamagotchi life 24/7.” Forget “edutainment” and prepare your child for life as a WoW gold farmer, heavy raider or professional ganker. The new Tamagotchi Connection V4 lets your child enjoy his or her virtual pet through every stage of virtual life, including going to school and choosing one of 15 careers — and hopefully a few solid years in a retirement home telling anyone who will listen how when it was young, pixels were this high. The V4 will be followed by the V4.5 in the middle of the year, and both versions will let you take your pet online for more games to play and items to win, while offline you can communicate with your friends’ Tamagotchis via IR.

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Paul Miller