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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:04
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

I, too, am glad to see IFI pick this one up. They did great with the Edubot, then came the Vex line, which was a great improvement in both cost and user-friendliness. (After all, when everyone has the same controller, life gets so much easier...and besides, the Mini RC alone is $250. Fifty bucks more for a radio and a bunch of hardware is a steal.)

I can't wait to see what all those crazy Texans will do next--but whatever it is, I bet it'll be awesome.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:09
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

Seeing as how the state of things were with VEX and Radioshack, I think this is one of the best outcomes of the whole situation. I am curious to know how much the prices will fluctuate, if at all, but regardless I'm glad there will still be a supplier after Radioshack sells out their stock of VEX stuff.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:11
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

i am very happy that the vex line is not going to disappear. this will help out my grandfather's/friend's robotics class at their school, now that they have a reliable dealer for parts.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:17
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

Quote:
GREENVILLE, Texas (April 17, 2006) – Innovation First, a leading provider of robotics products for the consumer and education markets, today announced it’s acquisition of the Vex® Robotics Design System brand name and trademark registrations from RadioShack Corporation. Innovation First, developer and licensor of the technology powering Vex, partnered with RadioShack in 2005 to develop the award-winning product platform.

“Gaining ownership of the Vex Robotics brand ...
RadioShack sold the VEX brand. IFI already owned the design/technology, which they developed. I guess if IFI had wanted to sell the same stuff under a new name, they might have avoided paying RS for the brand? Anyway, I hope the right to call the stuff "VEX" instead of something else didn't cost IFI too much.

There are probably many customers (e.g., my team) who will be very glad that these kits are going to be available from IFI. I'd buy one regardless of how they were branded.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:29
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

It'd be nice if IFI started selling Vex controllers by themselves too... (goes back to scheming)
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:36
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

Quote:
Originally Posted by lukevanoort
It'd be nice if IFI started selling Vex controllers by themselves too... (goes back to scheming)
Way ahead of you!
http://www.vexlabs.com/vex-robotics-...it-parts.shtml
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Unread 17-04-2006, 14:42
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

Yeah!
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Unread 17-04-2006, 15:39
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

(just to put this out there, IFI does not have the Vex name now, Innovation First does. IFI is the supplier of FRC which is owned by Innovation First. The Vex name belongs to Innovation First and Vex Labs.)

Well, im glad that vex no longer belongs to radio shack......maybe now ill buy a vex kit
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Unread 17-04-2006, 17:00
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

All,
Let me try to answer a few questions. If I miss anything, feel free to post; we will try to get everything answered as quickly as possible. We are happy to share this good news with the FIRST community.

Pricing:
The current pricing listed on VexLABS.com will not change in the near future (i.e. $299 for a starter kit).

Availability:
All Vex product will be available through VexLABS.com web sales.
Those items that are currently out-of-stock will become available ASAP.

As mentioned in the above announcement, other options of distribution are being considered. No matter what, you can count on VexLABS.com to remain a source of Vex products.

Development:
With this announcement comes the green-light to start development on the MANY new ideas we have for the future of Vex. I don't know exactly what is coming, but I'm excited about the potential. (Yes, hopefully they'll let me spend some time on new super-robots).

Web Presence:
Some have noticed that vexrobotics.com is now a link to a RadioShack.com product page. This will change in the future; the entire web layout for Vex is going to be revamped. We now own the URL vexrobotics.com, and intend to expand ASAP. There is a lot of potential there, and we intend to include as much as possible. (Open community forums, advanced tech support, published designs, revamped vexcad.com, all are ideas on the table.)

Personally, I think this is great news. I'm glad we've gotten the chance to share it with all of you. I think this is an exciting time for the Vex program, and we'll hopefully see a very bright future.

-JV
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Unread 17-04-2006, 17:20
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

I am very happy that Vexlabs continues to sell Vex Robotics products.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 17:21
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

I've been a LEGO robotics coach for a few years and have really been bitten by the robotics bug. I've been working with the Vex hardware/software for a few months (have to do research for our future Vex team) and have been really pleased.

This news about Innovation First acquiring Vex sounds great (puts the vision in the hands of someone close to the robotics hobbyist community). I also like what I have heard on this forum. One thing I haven't heard discussed is how this is likely to effect Intelitek and EasyC.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 17:31
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

In order to get a bona fide robotics curriculum into every high school in the world, it will take a partnership between some school book publishing company (tbd?) and the "new" makers of VEX, Innovation First.....

Maybe all of us in the FIRST community can brainstorm such a curriculum and then the folks at IFI can develop the actual course content. I'd love to go into the schools and teach a course curriculum built-up around the VEX technology! Think of it as college-level mechanical and electrical engineering taught at the high-school level.....

Then, lastly, ala Apple Computer Corp., the folks at IFI will have to flood the school systems with VEX hardware at discounted prices.

VEX must become the backbone of a solid robotics curriculum to get science back into the forefronts of our high school programs......GO....
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Unread 17-04-2006, 17:46
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

i hope they come up with a Canadian source to sell the products. I have about $400 worth of vex stuff coming up this weekend via my sister (to save on shipping and taxes). Maybe I can start my own business and start selling kits and accessories here
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Unread 17-04-2006, 18:08
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

Curriculum.....

There is some of that "stuff" in the Inventor's Guide and more of it at CMU's Robotics Institute website. I was also a part of a group that plugged Vex into a new course being taught at the two high schools in the Lower Merion, PA district next year. The course comes directly from "TEAP" and is called Innovation & Invention. This is structured for PA, but it's applicable to any state with a little work.

Basic framework of the course we are using is found here:
http://www.teap-online.org/publicati...innovation.htm

I've been involved in several curriculum/standards/robotics projects in the last year and I'd be more than happy to work with anyone interested in developing a course. Given the curriculum cycle in most places, it's more than likely any full-blown new courses would have to be approved next year for inclusion in 2007-2008. We began the process for next year's course approval back in the fall. Our district process includes a two-step written proposal, presentation to the school board, and final board approval. By the time our group advanced to the presentation phase, we had kids demonstrating actual Vex robots while our Technology Ed staff did the presentation. It's unlikely you could squeeze that whole process in for next year at this point, however there are plenty of ways to encorporate the Vex system into existing courses as well.

Please email or PM me if you have further interest.
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Unread 17-04-2006, 18:41
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Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack

VEX is an excellent platform to tinker and experiment with, and I am very pleased that IFI bought up the VEX brand, platform, etc. Great news!
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