Technabob » transformers

Transformers 3 Extra Awarded $18.5 Million after On-Set Injury

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:22 +0000

Back in September of 2010, when the Michael Bay helmed Transformers: Dark of the Moon movie was filming, a 26-year-old woman who was hired as an extra was severely injured during a scene. The woman’s name is Gabriela Cedillo, and she was injured when a cable snapped that was towing a stunt vehicle that had no one inside. I remember when this first came to light, I didn’t realize the extent of this woman’s injuries.

The snapped cable ripped through the woman’s vehicle and struck her in the head. The cable moved with enough speed and force to remove about one-third of her skull and a part of her brain. The woman’s legal team alleged that the cable broke due to poor welding process. Apparently, the scene had failed to be filmed the day before, and the legal team alleges the production company was more interested in filming the scene that ensuring the extras were safe.

The injured woman now needs 24-hour a day care, has suffered from hallucinations, memory loss, and has significant cognitive difficulty. She has also apparently lost some of the mobility on the left side of her body, though she can still walk. The court awarded her $18.5 million and part of the award be set aside for monthly disbursements so that she has care for the remainder of her life. Given the fact that the film grossed over $1.1 BILLION, they can probably afford it.

[via The Miami Herald]

Gigawatt the TimeFormer: Where He’s Going, He Won’t Need Roads

Lambert Varias — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:00:17 +0000

Transformers scholars will be quick to point out that there’s already an Autobot that transforms into a DeLorean DMC-12, but let’s out-point them with this point. Which would you rather have: Swindler, a weakling whose most notable achievement is a stint as a pro wrestling manager or Gigawatt, a mighty warrior that can travel through time when he hits 88MPH?

While we’re waiting for Hasbro and Marvel to retcon Swindler out of existence and slip Gigawatt into the Autobot roster, head to Red Bubble and pay about $25(USD) to get yourself this future classic T-shirt.

[via Shirtoid]

Transformers Engagement Ring: Geekery Undisguised

Lambert Varias — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:23 +0000

A quick browse of the gallery of deviantART member Fire-Redhead is enough to find out that she’s a Transformers fan. So you can imagine her joy when her fiancé presented her with this simple but sweet engagement ring. Although I can’t help but wonder why he chose the Decepticon logo. I suppose villains can fall in love too.

Fire-Redhead’s fiancé designed the ring, but it was fellow deviantART member TheBoog17, proprietor of Gipson Diamond Jewelers, who brought it to life. The ring is cast in 14k white gold and has an ~~energon~~ moissanite gemstone.

Congratulations on your engagement Fire-Redhead! May you and your husband-to-be have many healthy Mini-Cons.

[deviantART via Buzzfeed]

LEGO Megatron Turns into an NES Zapper

Conner Flynn — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:28 +0000

Remember that old Megatron Transformer that turns into a gun? Well, LEGO builder Baron von Brunk from New York has outdone that one. His version of the toy has the Decepticon leader Megatron turning into something much more geeky – an NES Zapper gun.

He calls his Transformer Plasmashock. The man has a way with names. Much better than “Crappy gun used only for Duck Hunt.”

If you want to build one yourself, just check out the instructions provided by von Brunk.

His next project should be even neater. He plans to do a similar project involving an actual NES, that would “transforms into a giant robot, much akin to Metroplex and/or Fortress Maximus!” Sounds pretty awesome. Why doesn’t LEGO sell more stuff like this themselves? Oh well, their loss.

[via Kotaku]

Transformers 3 Flash Drives: Metal Head Robots

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:32 +0000

I am a big fan of Transformers – going all the way back to my childhood spent transforming/breaking random Hasbro toys when they were too complex for a child to operate. The films are a bit “meh” if you ask me, but I have seen them all anyway. If you are a Transformers fan too, check out this flash drive.

This isn’t the first Transformers flash drive we have seen, back in 2009, an official flash drive rocking Transformers’ looks surfaced, and then there were some cartoony Mimobot drives too. This new flash drive comes with either the familiar Autobot and Decipticon face logos on it, along with a “TF3″ logo that lights up when accessing data.

The face logos are made of die-cast metal, though the rest of the drive appears to be plastic. The USB connector retracts so there is no need for a cap, making for one less thing to lose. You can even flip the metal face up to find another Transformers logo underneath.

The Transformers drives are available on Amazon in 4GB and 8GB capacities starting at $33 (USD).

[via EverythingUSB]

Transformers v. Transformers: Hasbro Sues Asus Over Transformer Prime Name

Conner Flynn — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:00:08 +0000

Hasbro owns the Transformers brand, and they are now suing Asus over the name of its latest tablet, the Transformer Prime, which clearly has nothing to do with the franchise. Crappy movies are okay, just don’t use two words in the English dictionary that we have previously used, because we own those words. And kindly refer to all flying yellow and black stinging insects as something else Bumblebee is only a cool car, which also belongs to us (and Chevrolet.)

Hasbro filed the superfluous lawsuit last week, saying that the tablet’s name is too similar to its Transformers brand. It wants damages and a temporary injunction on the device, while sane and level-headed people just want Hasbro to shut up and churn out toys for the holidays.

Forget the fact that Transformers toys these days are pretty low quality and unimaginative too. I guess they would rather spend their time suing over something silly than offering a quality product, or insisting on a decent movie from their licensees. Merry Christmas from the folks at Hasbro.

I’m not really a big Transformers fan, but I think this is just stupid. What do you guys think? Is Asus really in the wrong here?

[via Geek.com]

KOBOT Transformable, Smartphone-Controlled Cars: More Than Meets the Eye

Conner Flynn — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:00:45 +0000

Japan-based Kowa Tmsuk is building some very cool toys. And by toys I mean awesome transforming E-cars. This electric vehicle concept is called KOBOT: half robot half mini-car.

This car can make itself smaller than it already is with the push of a button. That’s pretty convenient for parking in tight spaces. They can also be controlled by smartphones. Just push a button on your phone and it will fold up.

Three prototypes were built to showcase the concept at the Tokyo Motor Show 2011 and hot girls were found to toy around in them, because that’s what people expect at trade shows. The transforming act isn’t just about space constraints, it’s also about security. The seat folds up, the wheelbase contracts, and the panels are hidden. That way, one will make off with your mini-transformer when you are in the store buying a candy bar.

I really hope these things end up on the street someday. They look awesome and are super practical for congested cities.

[DigInfo.TV via TechCrunch]

Transformers Bumblebee Xbox 360 Slim Casemod is More than Meets the Eye

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:23:11 +0000

If you are a fan of casemods, the Transformers, and the Xbox 360, you had better get ready to have your mind blown. A dude named Mark Bongo has created a very cool casemod for his Xbox 360 Slim console. The dude gutted the console and put all the innards into the body shell of what appears to be a big remote-controlled version of Bumblebee from Transformers.

The car is a bright yellow Camaro with black stripes. The CD tray for the game discs slides out of the grill. The back window of the car is a little LCD so you can see menus and other things. Mark also customized the controllers with Autobot logos and custom yellow paint.

Unfortunately, there are no build photos that I can find on how he pulled this off. I want to know if the car still has the motors and batteries inside so it is still remote controlled. Probably not. What do you think, is this the coolest mod or what?

More photos here.

[via Major LeagueMods]

Autobot Ukulele: Strumbot in Disguise

Technabob — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:33:08 +0000

If you know someone who’s a Transformers fan, and who also knows how to play string instruments, I think I just took care of your entire Christmas list for you. Yep, it’s a ukulele, fashioned in the shape of the Autobot’s symbol.

This awesome ukulele is crafted from Ipe and Maple hardwoods, and is handmade by Asheville, NC’s Celentano Woodworks (who also made the equally geeky Pac-Man and Snailshell ukes.) The only thing better would be if he combined the concept with Brian Chan’s Folding Ukulele, so it could actually transform into a truck or something.

Transformers fanatics can get their grubby little mitts on this ukulele over on Etsy for $550 (USD). Keep in mind that since each one made to order, it’s not likely to be something you can put under the Xmas tree this year. Still, you could order one and put a photo under the tree, then just blame the Decepticons for the delay.

Blaster Transformer Speaker Booms His Way into Our Hearts

Technabob — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:35:11 +0000

If you’re a fan of Transformers, you probably already known that Blaster is an Autobot who spends his days disguised as a boom box. This handmade version of the Audiobot Autobot looks like he’d fit in quite nicely on my desktop.

This Blaster Autobot actually has tiny speakers in place of knees, and can be plugged into the 3.5mm audio jack on any computer or media player. Blaster was crafted by Etsy artist SUPER SOCK (aka Polyester10), and was lovingly assembled from children’s building blocks, angle irons, epoxy, paint, and various other bits and bobs.

His creator says that you can rotate Blasters arms slightly, but that he is sort of delicate, so you don’t want to really do much more than admire him sitting on your desktop, and listen to some tunes blasting out of his kneecaps. You can’t really see it here, but there are also tiny little LEDs under the speakers which light up when powered on.

All told, Blaster measures in at a substantial 15.5″ tall, or as SUPER SOCK describes him – “as tall as a pet cat.” For some reason, I think my cat would run and hide from this thing. If you’re ready to intimidate your own cat with a wooden Transformer, head on over to Etsy now, and be prepared to pony up $275 (USD) of your cash.

T.A.R.D.I.S. Prime T-Shirt: More than Meets the Time

Lambert Varias — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 13:23:12 +0000

It’s Tardimus Prime! The Sonic Screwdriver will be the least of the Time Lord’s enemies’ worries if the TARDIS actually transformed into Optimus Prime. It’ll still be bigger on the inside though.

Gotta love the bowtie. Jason Casteel came up with the art after ~~seeing a Police Box transform~~ ~~being beaten senseless by a Dalek~~ a discussion with his brother about making a TARDIS Halloween costume. You can get the shirt for only $10 (USD) at GraphicLab T-shirt. Or you might not, because as of this writing there’s only a few more hours left before the shirt goes off sale.

[via Shirtoid]

Hasbro KRE-O Transformer Construction Toys Hit Stores

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:26:55 +0000

We are all big fans of LEGO bricks around here for building things. I especially like when someone takes the bricks and builds something gigantic. I am more the buy a kit with instructions and build what it shows sort of guy. You might recall back in February I mentioned that Hasbro was rolling out a new line of Transformers themed construction kits.

Those construction sets have now officially landed in stores like Walmart. They are available right now and are a tie-in with the new flick that hit theaters last week. There are a number of sets and they range in price from $7.99 to $59.99 (USD) depending on the complexity of the set and the number of pieces. The good news if you have a bunch of LEGO bricks already is that KRE-O bricks are compatible with other bricks like LEGO.

The kits will also build other play sets than the robot or vehicle. The only thing that bothers me about these kits is that the transformation process from car to robot requires you to take the kits apart and then rebuild them.

I Wish These Special Edition Transformers Razer DeathAdder Computer Mice Could Transform

Hazel Chua — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:00:24 +0000

I’m a huge fan of the Transformers movie franchise. Truth be told, I actually had to be dragged by my sister to the screening of the first movie. I probably said something to this effect then: “I don’t want to see a movie with robots that start out as cars with a leader named Optimus Prime.”

After the first twenty minutes though, I was hooked.

The third movie in the Transformers franchise, Dark of the Moon, is now out in theaters. To commemorate the release, Razer themselves rolled out some colorful, Transformers-themed versions of their precision DeathAdder mouse. The specs are exactly the same as the versions that rolled out earlier, with the exception of the design, of course.

True-blue Transformers fans might either find these computer mice to die for–or to gag over, depending on their personal tastes, of course. I personally like the silver one the best.

Each of these mice is priced at $69.99 (USD). Aside from the DeathAdder mouse, Razer has also released dual-sided mouse mats that go for $44.99 and laptop sleeves priced at $49.99, all to celebrate Transformers 3.

[via Engadget via Slippery Brick]

Mimobot Classic Transformers Series: Flash Drives in Disguise

Lambert Varias — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:28:25 +0000

With the impending release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, it must be quite irritating for many hardcore Transformers fans to see their beloved series be twisted the way it has been for the past three movies. Fortunately Mimobot and Hasbro have teamed up to remind us of the beauty of the classic Transformers designs with their brand new flash drives.

The series features the more iconic versions of the leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons, Optimus Prime and Megatron. Just pop off their cap to convert them into flash drive mode and you’re ready to transfer data. Mimobot’s drives are significantly pricier than other flash drives, but if you get either of these products you’ll be glad to know that aside from their cool designs you’ll also get your money’s worth with the bundled software extras, like digital comics, videos, wallpapers, desktop icons, screen savers and avatars.

Roll out and get the Mimobot classic Transformers flash drives at Mimoco’s online shop. They’re available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB versions, with prices ranging from $23 (USD) to $60 depending on the storage capacity.

[via ZiggyTek]

2,000-Pound Transformers Cake: Autocakebot

Range — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:10:27 +0000

While Transformers cakes are nothing new, there’s got to be something strange going on in the heads of people behind this humongous cake. This gigantic Transformers cake was made to celebrate Michael Bay’s upcoming Tranformers: Dark of Moon movie, which comes out in a few days. It weighs about 2,000 pounds and is shaped like a Chevy Camaro.

Here you can see Bumblebee poking out of it. It was designed by Buddy Valastro, best known for working on TLC’s Cake Boss. The cake was so huge that it was impossible to bake it in a bakery. His team had to bake it outside. It’s not the largest cake (or autobot) I’ve ever seen, but it has some neat features like a flaming blaster and wings that move.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

It makes you wonder how many people this cake will feed, and if it will taste any good.

[YouTube via DVice]

Thai Sculptor Transforms Scrap Cars Into Massive Transformer Sculptures

Range — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:24:54 +0000

What is it about Transformers that gets people so juiced up? I don’t know, but maybe it’s all of those hours watching the animated series back when we were all kids. Check out these massive Transformers sculptures that measure between 8 and 19 feet-tall.

These gigantic Autobot art pieces were created from recycled automobile and truck parts by Thailand-based Anchalee Saengtai and her team for Ripley’s Believe it or Not. They’ve already unveiled a Bumblebee statue in San Antonio, while the Optimus Primus statue is currently in San Francisco. Throughout this summer, more sculptures will be added to the New York City, London, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Jeju Island locations.

You’ll be able to see these sculptures at various Ripley’s attractions around the world this summer to coincide with the release of Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon.

[via Wired]

Transformer Costumes Look Cool, Still Don’t Impress Bumblebee

Technabob — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:46:53 +0000

At a recent Nokia Symbian X7 event in Hong Kong, a couple of unlikely visitors showed up on the scene. These two costumed Transformers may look cool standing up….

But wait until you see Optimus Prime actually transform into a truck and and one of the Aerialbots (Silverbolt?) turn into a jet in the video clip below:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While I think these transforming costumes are pretty cool, I have to say that I’m still more impressed by the incredible original Bumblebee transformation that made its way around the web a while back:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

What do you guys think? Do you think you could make a more impressive Transformer costume, or should we leave it to the professionals?

[via WinandMac] (Thanks for the tip, Ghost!)

Geeky Motorcycle Helmets Look Great, Might Not Save Your Life

Range — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:32:17 +0000

While I agree that these motorcycles helmets that Tigerpause444 created look pretty cool, all of his creations aren’t road legal, so no one will be starting a geeky biker club anytime soon. Still, they are interesting and distinctive.

In addition to Iron Man, Tigerpause has created helmets from Star Wars, Halo, and Transformers. While some of them look a little flimsy (especially the Transformers helmets), the Iron Man helmets look pretty awesome. The Master Chief helmet is also pretty cool. Tiger typically uses parts from costumes and kids toys to decorate an underlying motorcycle helmet structure.

I can just imagine modders who’ve customized their motorcycles riding around on their bikes with these helmets on. Too bad these helmets would have to stay on a pedestal or your garage if you don’t want to get pulled over by the cops.

Scroll down for a couple of video clips of Tigerpause showing off his creations:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I wear a motorcycle helmet everyday, but I don’t think I’d get one of these, even if they were legal. I prefer a stealthy style that’s not too loud and garish.

[via Geek Alerts]

The Periodic Table of Robots: 2 Haro + 1 Big O Mechs Water

Lambert Varias — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:15:34 +0000

We’ve featured a couple of geeky takes on the periodic table of elements, and I’m sure there are more lurking around on the Internet. But this version is a bit more special than the other ones I’ve seen, and not just because it features my favorite Sci-Fi staple – robots! – but also because the unknown hero who made this tried his best to find robots with names that also fit the acronyms of the actual elements.

As you can see the mecha-Mendeleev who put this together used characters from several media – cartoons, movies, anime and of course video games. Unfortunately the task involved putting in other characters that are not technically robots, hence the disclaimer title. It also meant skipping out on other famous robots. For example, Proto Man and Cutman are here, but not Rock Man/Mega Man. Also absent are Voltes V and Voltron, but that octopus attendant bot from Combattler V gets a slot.

Those oversights are by no means insignificant, but it’s still awesome seeing all these characters in one place. If you guys know who made this table please tell us in the comments. Meanwhile fellow robot fans looking to burn some time can view the full-sized table here and try and name all of the characters used.

[via Sankaku Complex] (Link NSFW)

Full-Scale VW Bumblebee Project: Kickstarter Transformer

Technabob — Fri, 20 May 2011 02:32:43 +0000

Can I say that I love Kickstarter? It’s such a great place for new ideas to get off the ground which would have never otherwise happened. It’s also a place for outlandish ideas to get funded by geeks like us. Here’s one of those wacky ideas…

Rick Prince of Nashville, Tennesee hopes to raise $7500 in order to build a 1:1 scale Bumblebee sculpture out of the parts of not a Chevy Camaro, but he wants to go old school and create the Transformer to look like a Volkswagen Beetle. He was inspired by the Giant Gundam statue in Japan, but since he plans on building Bumblebee from an actual VW, I can’t imagine he’ll be as tall as the 60-foot tall Japanese masterpiece.

Still, the idea of a car-sized Bumblebee on the streets of Nashville sounds cool to me. Rick has experience building animatronics and large-scale characters for theme parks like Disney World, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens so he’s definitely the man to pull off such a feat. Support the full-scale Bumblebee project bye heading over to Kickstarter now and making your pledge. If Rick manages to raise sufficient funds, he plans on unveiling his creation at the GMX (GeekMediaExpo) that takes place in October in Nashville.

If just 750 of you pledge 10 bucks, this wondrous thing will be brought to fruition, and you’ll get an 8×10 photo of it – suitable for framing. And besides, Nashville needs more Autobots.