Wowwee Alive Elvis
© 2007 WowWee USA, Inc.
If there's a rash of Elvis sightings, it may be due to the Wowwee Alive Elvis, a $350 animatronic bust with infrared eyeballs and lips that synch to music. This Elvis can look you square in the eye, tilt his head and croon Love Me Tender through the clear speakers in each shoulder -- a bit creepy, but very entertaining. Just be aware that he can spook preschoolers, who tend to grab onto the nearest adult when they see his eyes move. This is Wowwee's (www.wowwee.com) second robotic bust -- the first was a chimp released last year -- by inventor George York, who used forensic reconstruction techniques and feedback from Graceland to create this Elvis in his prime. According to York, the Chimp was a "stepping stone" for this Elvis, who has more motors and a more durable paint job (the Chimp's paint tends to peal when touched). Beneath the rubbery skin are nine motors (the chimp had seven) for head movements and facial gestures, including four levers dedicated to the upper lip for that signature Elvis snarl. A remote control lets you adjust volume, choose tunes or toggle between between talking, singing and the "alive" modes of operation. The package includes one plug-in cartridge with eight songs and 37 phrases voiced by an Elvis impersonator. The bust is powered by either eight 'D' batteries or an AC adapter (included). There are three audio jacks, either for playing music through the speakers or to patch in a professional microphone (not included) -- just in case you want to sing along and perhaps work on your own lip snarl. So what did our testers think? As you might expect, Elvis has a very high novelty effect that fades quickly. When in Alive mode, he can become annoying, making you want to set the default mode to Off. Also, you'll definitely want to have your Elvis near a power outlet, because he burns batteries. Testers also noted that the power switch, located in the back, is very difficult to find. They would have liked some way to activate the bust with the remote. Finally, Elvis often is not responsive. Unlike other Wowwee robots, he does not respond to changes in light or sudden motions, and we would have liked his eyes to do a better job tracking you. He could easily be the star attraction in a music class as a fun prop to get children singing. In terms of educational value, Elvis offers an opportunity for Karaoke; and he could be the hit of a party.
$350, Smart Toy
Teaches: music history, singing (Karaoke)
CTR Rating: 78%