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Lego Mindstorms is one of the best toys-for-overgrown-kids out there, and now Lego has one-upped themselves with the announcement of the Mindstorms NXT, the next generation Mindstorms featuring a new 32bit brick, new sensors (including sound and touch), and Bluetooth support. The product is due out in the fall of 2006, so you have a few more months to get work done before your productivity takes a scheduled nosedive. Oh, and here's the best part, Lego is looking for 100 users to join the Mindstorms Users Panel, lucky individuals who will get their hands on the NXT four months ahead of the rest of civilization.

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Fantastic! I never did buy the original Mindstorms (too slow of a processor & small of a feature set), but after visiting Legoland and giving a speech in Toastmasters last week about 'Visiting Mecca' for kids...I might just have to get this!

# Posted By Ryan | 1/9/06 10:33 AM

now if only there was some way to link Web service / CF / and Mindstorm...I'd be in business...especially since i've started my top secret Artificial Intelligence project with CF...but shhh i'll tell you about it later ben :)

# Posted By Derek P. | 1/9/06 11:38 AM

Would it just need a Bluetooth Gateway for CF to connect to?

# Posted By Peter Boughton | 1/10/06 4:29 AM

Uh, but what happened to those red and white building blocks that you could use to build a million different houses or figures or spaceships with? Isn't it just a bit perverse to have such a product line as a toy? My nephews are always keen to get the latest gadgets from Lego because it is Lego, and there is no way any normal parent can finance that, and Lego just produces more specialised and more expensive toys. Yeah, I know, it does look like fun.

# Posted By andrea c. | 1/10/06 8:53 AM

You-All don't remember using Fischertechniks in High school? http://www.fischertechnik.com/ I had this technology course, kinda like metal shop but better. We got to play with all kinds of stuff. "Yes Public School" One of the many items along with our Stress Tester and Aluminum CNC engraver, were Fischertechniks. Man those were sweet. They ran off this stupid If this Then do this Dos logic crap but back in the day "92" it was the shit for passing the time in class. We made things like Marble sorters which could tell the difference between colored and clear marbles.
--

http://www.fischertechnik.com/

# Posted By Casey Dougall | 1/11/06 9:10 PM

I went to get Mindstorms for my daughter and Lego had quit shipping them this year. Instead I got the VEX Robotics kit. A little bit expensive, although I bet the new Mindstorms is too, but was it ever worth it.

# Posted By Mark Forsberg | 1/12/06 11:36 PM

More info about the new Mindstorms in this article:

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,69946-0.html?t...

It's an amazing product - nobody is going to be disappointed with this update.

Jake
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team

# Posted By Jake | 1/24/06 8:09 AM

It sounds brilliant!
I just hope I get selected for the developer trial so I don't have to wait until August to see what of great things I can do with it. :)

# Posted By Peter Boughton | 1/24/06 8:24 AM

Blogs (mine included) are popping up on the NXT:

www.nxtclub.com
www.nxtbot.com
www.bnxt.com
thenxtstep.blogspot.com

# Posted By Jim K. | 2/3/06 3:19 PM

Here is a new article about the NXT including 6 pictures & a reference to 'Bill Tinney, a Seattle-area Flash software developer' who is on their new testing team.

http://news.com.com/Lego+robot+builders+unite/2100...

# Posted By Ryan | 3/7/06 5:33 PM

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Next Generation Lego Mindstorms Announced