Toy OTD: Hasbro Transformers Real Gear Robots: Spy Shot 6, Longview

This is a recent line that was released with the Transformers movie. I like the concept of everyday belongings that are also secretly little robots! The design work is a bit uneven, but there are some really nice ones - here's two of them:

Sure Shot 6 transforms from a digital camera and back again. It looks cool - there's a small bit of translucent plastic in the top of the head that channels light to its eyes, making them appear lit. A simple trick, but really neat!

SS6 transforms well, and looks great in both its robot and camera forms. The biggest minus is the one I've had with the entire line since its inception - the toys look fine, but aren't very posable as action figures. I've never been much of an articulation guy, but the dynamic poses on the packaging are a pretty misleading tease!

This is design is so good, it makes me wish that Takara would run with it and make a working digital camera that could transform into a posable metal robot. It wouldn't be as affordable as these toys are, but c'mon - I'll bet there'd be plenty of older fans who'd snap it up!

Longview is an even better-looking design that turns into an even cooler robot! I love the colors and the shapes of both modes. Again, the articulation is somewhat skimpy, but it is a pretty good toy for the eight-dollar price point.

I would think that making the binoculars work would be easier than the camera, but maybe incorporating even a poor set of lenses would be prohibitively expensive. Again, I'll bet a higher-end version (camping binoculars - maybe with a camouflage pattern?) would sell well to older fans. Put a sound chip in there with the 'transforming' sound effect on it, and you're good to go!

Both of these toys are really easy to pick up - you can either get them at your local Toys 'R' Us or Target for about eight dollars each, or buy either of them at toysrus.com for $7.99 + shipping. Have fun!

The Long And Winding Road (To A New Memory Card)

I finally received the new memory card for my camera today! It took a lot longer to get than I'd hoped...

I ordered it from one retailer, and waited quite a while before finally calling them (I had to call information to get their phone number - ominously, it wasn't on their website). As it turned out, they didn't have the card that I needed in stock, and they'd canceled the order. They said that they'd informed me by e-mail, but I never heard from them. I started over.

I found another website that sold the same card, called them, made sure that they had it in stock, and ordered again. I waited and waited. Still nothing. So I called them back. Apparently, there was something wrong with my billing address. I got the necessary email contact, and sent the correct information to them.

Again, supposedly I was notified, but I don't recall seeing anything. If the emails went to work, maybe they got caught in a spam filter or something. I did get an email notifying me that the problem had been corrected, though, and that the order was now processing.

I've popped the new card into my camera, and happily my theory was correct - the camera works fine - it was the card that was faulty. Now that I know that, I might buy another card so I can keep the camera even longer - not to mention having a backup in case my new one fails.

Olympus C-3040 - R.I.P.?

My digital camera really started giving my guff this morning - I can't reload the memory card without getting error messages. I was getting infrequent ones before, but now it just won't load properly no matter how hard I try.

I've ordered a new memory card in the hopes that the card is the problem and not the camera. I think the set-up's at least six or seven years old, so maybe its time has come. Hopefully not, because I really like shooting with it - I know its quirks and how to get good pictures out of it.

I shot a few new toy photos yesterday, but until the new card arrives, that'll be it for a while. Stay tuned!

UPDATE (1/3/08): Still no memory card. I called the place in New York where I ordered the replacement (there wasn't a phone number on the website - I had to track it down through information... uh oh), and was informed that they no longer had it in stock. They'd sent me an e-mail, apparently, but I never got it.

So I found another website (memorysuppliers.com), and called before ordering to make sure that they had the card in stock. They didn't, but I was assured that the Samsung card would work just as well. Okay...so I ordered it. I doubt I'll get it before the break ends, but hopefully I'll at least get this one!

So...add Soho Electronics to your list with Toy Tokyo on it - the one of companies that you call before ordering anything, because they don't update their websites very well.