LEGO Computer Case!

I've personally always wanted to have LEGO make a computer case.  But this guy didn't wait!  Mike Schropp created a LEGO computer case out of...well...LEGO's!  (And, it's a pretty sweet computer too!)

(You can see the rest of his pictures on his entry here)
"3x Motherboards
3X CPUs
3x CPU Coolers
2x GPU (Only 2 of the systems needed video, the third is remote operated)
3x Power Supplies??
3x Computer Cases??
Multiple Hard Drives and SSDs"


This is the list of parts he made that were going into the case.  Amazing!

jojoguy10

LEGO Cuusoo: the next big thing?

Hello LEGO fans!

This just came up!  LEGO Cuusoo (translated from Japanese "LEGO Wish") may be your biggest wish!  Have you ever wished you could sell your own official LEGO products to people?  Well, with LEGO Cuusoo, you can!

OK, that may have sounded a bit commercialized :-)

Basically, all you have to do is:

1. "Create a project, share your idea and see what other people think."
2. "With more than 10,000 supporters, your idea will be reviewed by LEGO for a chance to become an official LEGO product."
3. "If the project passes the review, it will be produced and you as the idea owner will receive 1% of the sale."
[Quoted from the official Cuusoo website]


YAY!  So, not only will you possibly become popular and get to play with your own set, you get a little bit of cash!  The site is currently in a beta stage, but you can ask for an invite on their Register page.  All you have to do is, in one sentence, explain why you should be invited to Cuusoo.

You can read a full write-up by BrickJournal HERE(link).

jojoguy10

P.S. First, if you found this, congradulations!  I'm sure you highlighted this page on purpose ;-)
Second, hopefully I'll get some podcast ideas going and possibly have one coming soon!  YAY!
[via TechnicBRICKS]

8110 Unimog parts list!

Hello everybody!

TechnicBRICKS just got a hold of the 8110 parts list!  Check them out!YAY!  More new parts and they're bringing back the pneumatics system!  I can't wait for this to come out!

jojoguy10

Mindstorms Testing in North Carolina!

LEGO Mindstormks is holding a Toy Testing event in Raleigh, North Carolina!  From what they say in the latest Mindstorms News story, it looks like they will be testing new Mindstorms products.  People who want to join can download THIS PDF file and send it in to the Toy Testers team and they will choose a number of people to help the  out.

Looks like lots of fun!  Too bad I don't live in North Carolina :-(

jojoguy10

New set! 8110 Unimog U400!!!!

YAY!  Coming soon form Technic is the new Unimog U400!



Said to cost around $275 ( :-( ), the U400 will have over 2000 pieces including:

• Pneumatics


• New HUGE tires ("94.3 x 38R")


• Looks to be about 12 Technic Panels (5x11)


• And MUCH more!

This Technic model is a 1:12 scale of the original U400.  It also is going to have at least 1 motor and 1 battery box.

The U4oo also supports 4-wheel drive and coil-spring articulating solid axles, plus a powered winch on the front of this beast!

TechnicBRICKS gives us some pictures with drawings to give us a better idea:

 

 

"

• Green: I had this suspicion before, but not I'm pretty sure it is confirmed. With 2.048 parts the Unimog should be quite heavy and thus requiring stronger suspension or shock absorbers.
  The spring coils used on the Unimog look different from all those ever released in the previous LEGO Technic models. The coil pitch looks quite larger than usual, likely meaning stronger springs and consequently heavier suspensions.
  Bet it might open some new possibilities (e.g. for the heavier TrTr vehicles).


• Red: This doesn't seem to match with anything known to date. Maybe a new kind of frame similar to 64178 or 64179. A new C-Shape frame would be highly appreciated and it seems to fit nicely in this application (an articulated solid axle).


• Yellow: Still quite fuzzy but the hub gearboxes behind the portal axles might be here...


• Blue: It looks the PF M-motor with its multiple functions. The pneumatic pump seems running from a single pump cylinder!? The only strange thing it is the way it looks positioned. Just behind the motor, i.e. in the opposite direction to the motor shat output...Or is it another cylinder for the pneumatic "dump" bed!? Don't think so...
  Also this pneumatic dump bed feature, came to puzzle the way I have imagined the Unimog controls should work. 
  
  Somehow I still doubt on this information about a pneumatic dump bed.

"

Well...I don't know about you, but I'm going to start saving NOW!  I will (hopefully) buy it and give an X-view on it!

Stay tuned!

jojoguy10

[via TechnicBRICKS and Brickset]

New Mindstorms NXT Promo!

WOO HOO!  Have you been wanting a new NXT 2.0 set, but needed more of a push?  LEGO is having a new promo for the NXT 2.0 set!  Buy one and get a free Bluetooth Dongle free!  Head there NOW!

jojoguy10

Want something that you wish LEGO would do?

Have you ever wanted to ask TLG something, but don't know how?  Maybe you wanted them to make a new piece, but didn't know where to tell them?  HERE's the place for you!  Submit ideas!  If we have enough, TLG will see them!  Go out and spread your ideas!

jojoguy10

Mindstorms NXT Official survey!

LEGO Mindstorms is holding a survey for all who want to share about online interaction.  Fill it out HERE(link).

jojoguy10

How do the Linear Actuators work (both new and old)?

Hello everyone!  The Techinc designers have posted something new on the Technic blog!  You can see it HERE(link).  I will write a quick summery for you!

This is the old fashion way of doing a Linear Actuator: (1) You would turn the worm gear which would rotate the (2) 8t gear and moving the (3) gear rack back and forth.

The old LA (the longer one), for me, worked pretty well.  But it wasn't able to lift heavy loads without the clutch engaging.  Here's how it works: The user puts an axle in the orange clutch mechanism (1) and the turns the white threaded tube (kind of like the worm gear up above)(3) and that pushes the threaded piston in and out (4).

The new LA (I don't have yet :( ) looks really nice!  Here's how it works: The user attaches an axle on the orange axle end which is also the "worm gear" in this example (1).  Then, the piston goes in and out (2).  This LA has a clutch system as well (3).

Thanks for reading!

jojoguy10

P.S.  I'm thinking of some more ideas for the 7th LEGO-X podcast!  So, if you haven't already, fill out this quick poll to see what I should keep from podcast 6 and what I shouldn't keep.  Also, who should i interview?  Fill it out HERE(link)!  If you don't...I won't have another podcast!  (just kidding :) )

2H2011 Sets announced! WOO HOO!

WOO HOO!  The 2H2011 Sets are already known!  It looks like the Unimog U400 is going to be the biggest one, but the others are still great!  I will post more updates as they come!

jojoguy10

LEGO MINDSTORMS wished everyone a Merry Christmas!

From The MINDSTORMS News Page:

We thank you all for a very creative and inventive year. We look forward to seeing all your fantastic robotic creations NXT year and wish you all a happy holiday season. Let’s make next year “The year of the robots” by creating and exploring more awesome robotic inventions together.

Play well,

The LEGO MINDSTORMS team

Merry Christmas everyone!

jojoguy10

Firefox logo - made of LEGO!

WHOA!  AWESOME!  Guess what...your favorite browser has just been LEGO'd!  Check out the guy who made this masterpiece: His Blog Post

jojoguy10

P.S. The podcast is coming along slowly but surely.  Stay tuned!

BrickCON 2010 update!

Just got back from my trip to BrickCON 2010 up in Seattle, Washington!  It was amazing!  I saw lots of ridiculously-awesome creations (both Mindstorms and regular LEGO).  Here are some pics:

[caption id="attachment_507" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Big Technic seaplane!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_520" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Part of the 4-NXT Ball "Factory""][/caption]

I have LOTS more at my Picasa album.  Check them out:

Link [http://picasaweb.google.com/Jojoguy10/BrickCON201002#]

jojoguy10

P.S.  Username obiwanjr also made a public Flickr album of BrickCON which you can see here:

Link [http://www.flickr.com/groups/nwbrickcon/pool/with/5046497382/]

Heading to BrickCON 2010!!!

WOO HOO!  I'm really exited today!  I will be at the BrickCON LEGO convention in Seattle, WA!  Are you coming?  Join the fun!  Only $7 a ticket!

jojoguy10

Farming equipment gone LEGO!

LEGO-X has got a special post for a kid that's gone all around Oregon to show off his farm equipment.  He's 17, and he has about 3 RCX 1.0 bricks, 1 buggy motor, about 3 buggy motor battery boxes, about 10 pneumatic cylinders, and more!  I went to my town's library, and this guy was showing them on tables.  He let me touch them too :-).  It felt like a privilege to play with creations such as his.  Check them out, and you'll know what I mean...

New rumors for the 1H2011 Technic sets!

Woo Hoo!!!  I think it's time for some new LEGO sets, don't you?  While the 8043 Excavator was "The Big One!", these other sets may "trump" that.  Check 'em out:

January:
#8065 - Mini Dump Truck
#8066 - SUV
#8067 - Mobile Mini Crane - Edit: Thanks Bazmarc!
#8068 - Rescue Helicopter
#8069 - Backhoe

March:
#8070 - Super Car

YAY! I can't wait!  What set are you looking most forward to?  For me, it's the 8069 Backhoe!  But, I think the 8070 Super Car may be 1H2011's "Big One!".

jojoguy10

Service pack for the 8043 Excavator!

YAY!  For those of you who bought the 8043 Excavator before they took it off S@H, they now have a number you can call to get a service pack for that set!  WOO HOO!  The number is: 1-800-838-9647.  Call now!

jojoguy10

Excavator is BACK!! And, crane truck?

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="178" caption="Crane truck is back?"][/caption]

Wow!  This has been a weird year for LEGO.  First, the Crane Truck went "Out of stock", then the Excavator went "missing", then it came back...and now, the crane truck is back too!?!  WOW!  Well...you can see the product pages by clicking on their pictures.  What do you think of all this?  Maybe they'll bring back the 888O Super Car!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="178" caption="Excavator is back too!"][/caption]

*Update!* Excavator coming back from vacation

*This is an update to the previous post about the 8043 Excavator*

We now know the piece that was faulty: the boom Linear Actuator.  Apparently, there was too much strain on it, so that's why it didn't function properly.

"Our Quality team have investigated and it appears that the digging arm itself (specifically the ‘linear actuator’), which works perfectly well in our other sets, is not strong enough to lift the arm of our Motorized Excavator 8043. The piece itself is not faulty or unsafe, but gets too strained in combination with all the gear-wheels used in this particular set."

-LEGO

For the people that have already bought this set, you have two options:

"you have the option of returning the set for a full refund or credit with Shop @ Home. If you’d like to do that, please get in touch with us and let us know."


"However, we also realize that this is a unique set and so you might not want to return it, you just want it to work properly. Because of this, we have created a second option: We are having a new replacement part made which we will send to you as soon as it’s ready. We’ve only just started the design and production of this new piece, so it may not be available until early October. "

"In the meantime, if you choose not to return your set but to wait for the replacement piece, we'd like to offer you a GBP 10.00 credit with our apologies and we will send the new part as soon as possible."

-LEGO

This has been an update for the missing Excavator.  This is jojoguy10, signing off.

[via Brickset]

Excavator coming back from vacation!

YAY!  The 8043 Excavator decided he was gone long enough, and wants to come home.  There was a new official communication to the LEGO Ambassadors saying

"The LEGO group and the LEGO Technic product team are aware that a number of consumers have been experiencing problems with the recently launched 8043 motorized excavator, which was not identified during the intensive testing of the product before launch. Consequently, we have been testing this model over again and learned that a specific element is causing the error. The LEGO Technic team has corrected the error and is now in the stage of producing a replacement part which will be distributed to those consumers, who experienced the fault with the model they have purchased.

There is no safety concern regarding the faulty element!

It's really important to us that our products are of the highest quality and we sincerely apologize to consumers who have had an experience with this product that does not live up to their or our expectations.

We are currently doing everything we can to solve this issue as quickly as possible. As soon as new replacement parts are available, our Consumer Service will distribute a Service Bag with instructions and new elements to those consumers who experienced the problems."

I hope it comes back soon!  And, it appears that they ARE in fact going to send a service pack to all the consumers.  Also, it is unknown at this point what that faulty piece is.  Welcome back Excavator!

jojoguy10

[via TechnicBRICKS]