It's alive!

(Credit: James Kim/CNET Networks)

Boy, November is most certainly a hot month for gadget and gizmo birthdays. In addition to welcoming the Nintendo Wii, the PS3, the Zune, the Archos 604-WiFi, and the Samsung BlackJack, among many others to this rough and tumble consumer world, I'd like to welcome De-botz (the name given to the Lego Mindstorms NXT-based robot I recently built).

The $250 robotics kit (for ages 10 and up) gives you the tools necessary to build and program a variety of brick-based robots. I decided to go with the humanoid, patiently assembling what seemed like a thousand pieces, and that was just the legs (in reality, the kit comes with 577 pieces). Three servo motors, four sensor modules, plus the main 32-bit NXT CPU and a few substitiute Lego pieces later (my review package was missing a few), De-botz awoke at 12:34 a.m. last Monday.

After connecting De-botz to my Mac via USB, I used the Mindstorms application to script some dance moves. OK, dance he didn't, but he managed to walk across the table, turn, say something, then flash his big heart on his LCD. The NXT can be programmed without a computer and can be controlled via a Bluetooth phone. Amazing stuff. I have not the heart to take him apart. Watch out for De-botz in the next Crave videocast.

[chrisl42]

TAKE THIS BLOG DOWN!!!

C'mon guys... show a little class... take the blog down. At the very least change the DISCUSSION title....

[TechXpert]

Tribute To James Kim

Don't take this down as it will serve as a great memoir James. I have started a new post as a tribute to James at http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7595_102-0.html?forumID=71&threadID=221976&messageID=2334181

[junglepop]

Leaving a Legacy

I agree that this post, as well as James' other posts, should remain here as a tribute to him. It is not poor taste to allow people to see the contribution he made to the world. My prayers are with the Kim family.

[Taitmema]

James Kim, 12/06/2006

May God Bless his Family .. now and for any amount of time they will need to heal. No one may ever know what they all had to go through to come to the decisions that they made... they all paid the ultimate price... for the rest of thier lives.
My Heart goes out to all of the family, personel and work. The Family... faced some very difficult decisions, and as an Oregonion for 40 yrs.. I would have made some of the same decisions... under those circumstances. No one can judge them.. not being there with them! God was there... in ways we do not understand. My own family had planned a vacation time there in early September.. we cancelled due to weather.... But we live here.. and know how bad it can get in those Mountains.
God Bless the Kims....... May God give you the strength, you.. may need and the sustance to feel. Strength to feel. Our whole State.. feels for you. I .. am sorry that God's Country....... Took A Father and Husband Home.
Mr Kim.. Gave of himself.. to try to save those he loved. A person can do no more than That.~~
Always look up.. with a Smile for That James!! He will certainly be smiling back! God Bless

[Jivedaddy]

We will so miss you James...God bless your girls.

I'm amazed at how much I liked this guy, I've found myself in tears for the past two days now whenever I think about James and what he went through. Perhaps it's because I have a 4 month old baby girl now, and know how much he must have loved his. I will always remember you James, and I dedicate my Zune I'm expecting on Christmas to your memory. God bless your wife and beautiful little girls, until you meet again in the sky.

Steve W.
stevenweiler.com
Nashville, TN