WowWee RS Tri-bot

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Price: Starts at $99

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Description: Tri-bot is the latest model in the Robosapien line of robots from WowWee. Packed with a Pee-Wee Herman-like personality and radio control car-like speed, it can cover more ground and crack more comments than any of the other WowWee models. Tri-bot's closest competition might be the Elvis Alive robot, which does have quite a personality but thankfully lacks the omni-directional three-wheeled base and blinking LED eyes, which would be a little creepy.

Like other WowWee 'bots, Tri-bot has a guard mode that when triggered causes it to whoop and flash erratically. With its many sensors the robot can also explore and comment on its surroundings in free roam mode. Other modes take advantage of the mobility of the robot. Tri-bot can scoot and spin around quickly on its wheel base and play a pattern, maze or minefield game aided by tilt sensors in both the robot and a remote control.

Tri-bot's personality is based on about 10 minutes in total worth of wisecracks and comments accentuated with pop-out ears, wiggling eyebrows, LED flashing mouth and eyes, and a spotlight that pops up out of his head. If the robot's personality is too much for you, an appropriate action of bopping him on the head will cycle through three volume settings.

All that motion and personality is fueled by eight AA batteries in the robot and three AAA batteries in the remote. We are on our second set of batteries in a month and as popular as Tri-bot has been at my house, I am considering paying the kids their allowance in AA batteries.

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