There’s something special about the gadget that “just works.” Technology can open opportunity for those devices but also complicate and weigh down products that have done just fine without things like sensors and software.
So when a product like the beloved Rubik’s Cube gets stuffed with wires, processors, and rechargeable batteries, there’s demand for it to be not just on par with the original—but markedly better.
The Cubios Rubik’s WOWCube successfully breathes fresh life into the classic puzzle, but it’s also an example of when too much technology can cannibalize a gadget’s main appeal.
Credit: Scharon Harding The WOWCube showing off one of its screensavers. The WOWCube showing off one of its screensavers. Credit: Scharon Harding
The WOWCube is a modern take on the Rubik’s Cube, an experiment from Hungarian architecture professor Ernő Rubik. Rubik aimed to make a structure composed of eight cubes that could move independently without the structure collapsing. The Rubik’s Cube became a widely distributed toy, an ’80s craze, and, eventually, a puzzle icon.
The Rubik’s Cube did all that without electronics and with a current MSRP of $10. The WOWCube takes the opposite approach. It’s $399 (as of this writing) and ditches the traditional 3×3 grid in favor of a 2×2 grid that can still do the traditional Rubik’s puzzle (albeit on a smaller scale) and perform a host of other tricks, including playing other games and telling the weather.
Cubios Rubik’s WOWCube Specs
Resolution Per Panel: 240×240 (5760×240 total)
Panel Type: 24× 1.4-inch IPS panels
Weight: 3.58 ounces
... continue reading