Anybody seen this? FIRST - VEXrobotics?

[Rombus]

AHhhh, looking at the domain whois makes eveything MUCH Clearer. Also for those who think it might be a fake registration SPOILERS: (Select to read)
RadioShacks corp location matches the registration of the website

So a bit of revising of my orginal SWAG:

This may be a replacment to the FLL or a sister compition. What im thinking is a KOP much like a erector set. Open to alot more teams. I bet eveything will be very simmilar to the Mindstorms kits due to the price. Your likely going to be looking Auto only kit. Reason for all of this and the possible partnership: This partcular company has had a good sucess with there x-mod races. For those who dont know: The Xmods are a step up from your average zipzap style car. The races are limited to parts avaible at Radioshack....oopse i just let the cat out of the bag!... in any case, i hope i get a chance to go to nationtals!

[ahecht]

The real news here is the new slogan on the "Go FIRST" Page.

FIRST: It's the Hardest Fun Ever

Personally, I love it. It really describes FIRST in a nutshell.

Also, did anyone else notice the copyright statement in the lower right of the page?

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by Rombus

:

This may be a replacment to the FLL or a sister compition. What im thinking is a KOP much like a erector set. Open to alot more teams. I bet eveything will be very simmilar to the Mindstorms kits due to the price. Your likely going to be looking Auto only kit. Reason for all of this and the possible partnership: This partcular company has had a good sucess with there x-mod races. For those who dont know: The Xmods are a step up from your average zipzap style car. The races are limited to parts avaible at Radioshack....oopse i just let the cat out of the bag!... in any case, i hope i get a chance to go to nationtals!

I thought it was a scam too. Even that copyright of Innovation One looked really hokey and a ripoff of Innovation First. Aparently the trademark of Innovation One is related to radio shack.

[Kyle]

I cant wait to see what this is all about, maybe if Radioshack is going to get involved with FIRST all the kids involved with FIRST can get discounts on stuff at the stores, that would be cool.

[Tom Schindler]

Just a thought,

Judging by the domain registration, it seems like this could mean some really heavy national exposure for FIRST...

This could be the breakthrough we have been waiting for to get FIRST into every high school.

Tom

[pathew100]

Originally Posted by Rombus

Your likely going to be looking Auto only kit

Ah, but on the Vex website under "Vexview" it says, "The Vex Robotics Design System will give you everything you need to design and construct radio-controlled robotic devices..."

Sounds like a great idea for expanding the FIRST message to schools who can't get large sponsors. And they just have to go to their local RS store to pick up the kit!

[Joe Matt]

This sounds like that RadioShack announcment that was supposed to happen, about how RaidoShack was going to partner with FIRST to do something (more than just allowing us to buy parts from them that is). Personally, I can't wait. This is really interesting, almost like an add-on to the FIRST program, kinda like Battlebots IQ and how they tie in what they do with school.

Originally Posted by Ted Boucher

I think that this is connected directly to FIRST, just like how FLL is.

The starter kit (about $299 on the VEX website) seems to be cheap and would be perfect for teams that could not raise enough money for the FRC competition. I also believe FLL will be dropped in the coming years since Lego has major money problems to deal with. I don't know if this is all true but it all makes sense.

FLL won't be dropped anytime soon from what I have seen and heard, FLL is like FIRST x10 in terms of size, spread, and adoption. Don't take my word for it, but I think we'll see FLL in it's current form stick around. Just if they use legos or not, well, that could change.

[Joe Johnson]

All,

Sounds like a cool product and a cool competition. I'm glad that FIRST is in the game instead of on the sidelines. Making it easier for folks to compete in robot competitions is never a bad thing in my book. If I had time, I'd get involved.

JJ

Brandon,

I suppose you might as well start a VEXrobotics Forum now. It will save you the bother later. While you're thinking about it, is there any way to let folks register with VEX team numbers or some other way to designate VEX team association? If TANDY (i.e. Radio Shack) is involved, this could get big in a hurry.

Joe J.

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Joe Johnson

If TANDY (i.e. Radio Shack) is involved, this could get big in a hurry.

Alas, the Tandy Corporation of my youth no longer exists. RadioShack, inexplicably without a space, is now the corporate moniker, and their ticker on NYSE is RSH.

*sigh* I worked for Radio Shack (with the space) for five years in my ute. They paid for two college degrees, and I sold CB radios, stereos, and TRS-80 Models 1 through 4. Seems like a fair trade.

[Greg Needel]

i got the scoop today from some people higher up then me.

the vexrobotics is a kit that assembles quickly and allows you to program. this will be an in between comp between Lego league and FIRST. i was told FLL is going to be moved to a elementary project and vex is going to be middle school while FIRST is still for high school.

the other part of this that is cool is that this kit will be available in every radio shack nation wide.


i trust my source but it is still a rumor till we know for sure

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

i got the scoop today from some people higher up then me.

the vexrobotics is a kit that assembles quickly and allows you to program. this will be an in between comp between Lego league and FIRST. i was told FLL is going to be moved to a elementary project and vex is going to be middle school while FIRST is still for high school.

the other part of this that is cool is that this kit will be available in every radio shack nation wide.


i trust my source but it is still a rumor till we know for sure

Greg, this is quite interesting.

From the way your source described it, where would the VEXrobotics kit fit in relation to, say, a Mindstorms or Robovation kit in terms of programmability or build options?

[Greg Needel]

the way it sounded it sounded like a car kit where the mecanical stuff is there for you and there is more of a focus on the programing

[Jon236]

Originally Posted by Travis Covington

Nice site. Seems to be FIRST related.. what is it though? Anybody come across this before?

www.vexrobotics.com

As I understand it, its Radioshack mass-marketing the Edubot as a kit for $300.....now all the kids will have one!

Jon

[Zing]

This is brilliant and I love it.

But I wonder what they mean by "just like everyone else, only smarter".

[Lil' Lavery]

I may or may not know what it is, but I already have one of their cool shirts (which has the FIRST logo on the right sleeve!)!

Greg Needel may be half correct....


No....Im not a mindless pawn.....