RadioShack's Vex robotics system

Vex-2 Today, Sam Mahserjian, a marketing manager for RadioShack, came by today to show me the new Vex robotics design system. I don't know much about hobby robotics, but I was really impressed by what I saw here.

The $300 kit, which is already starting to go on sale at RadioShack retail stores, has wheels, spin motors, gears, a programmable microcontroller, servos, a radio receiver, a 6-channel radio transmitter, and tons of Erector-set style hardware for building robots. I like the fact that you are encouraged to cut and bend the metal structural pieces to build you bots. They'll be selling sensors and effectors in the coming months, and the platform will be open enough that lead users will be able to develop and sell aftermarket sensors and components for it.

I want to find out what my garage roboticist buddy, Gareth Branwyn thinks of Vex. I'm going to ask him to write about it for Make.
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