This topic contains 3 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by 
Olivier 6 months, 2 weeks ago.
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Looks like a plastic inverted cookie cutter. “3D printing… on an iPad! For the kids!” appears to sum up their model.
Seriously, all I see are linear extrusions and extrusions by rotation about an axis. This is a decent skill to learn, but nothing useful is going to get done unless you can build upon that. And it doesn’t look like they can. They say you can interface using a PC w/Octoprint but don’t really give details. So who wants to get their kids a $500 toy they’ll quit using because they can’t make anything useful with it? You can get LEGO Mindstorms plus another $150 of sets for that kind of money.
Other than that, the real reason I’d never back this is the lack of key technical info like minimum layer height, extruder nozzle diameter, etc. Also, they fail to provide any even faintly high-res pictures so we could inspect the surface of their prints and, implicitly, the robustness of their 3D positioning structure/steppers. If your product performs great, you would show it off, so when stuff like this is MIA I generally get skeptical.
Looks like we’re in a 3D printer bubble, honestly. IMO this product should not have gotten any money without print close-ups and much, much more technical detail.
I agree with @physicsmajor. I’ve seen this proprietary hardware (iPad only) as well and also noticed the lake of detailed print images. I don’t have kids, but I guess up to a certain age, they don’t mind if the prints are not that precisely layered. But later on, they will notice it (or get noticed by someone else pointing it out). The way they draw their creations is fun for kids. That and the bright colours in the KS project appeal to kids (and their parents). But soon it will be put in a corner and collecting dust.
I chose the Robox out of all other 3D printers because of it’s claimed precision, layer thickness, the ability to print various materials AND - most of all - the replaceable head (so hopefully in the future I can cut stuff).
Totally agree with both of you, I do have to confess I forgot the 100 smiley behind this post as I find it cute but it is where I stop.
In all honesty, even if you have the most interested kid he will have the same reaction as us after hours of watching it print something
Beyond that I do believe a kid that reach the age of being interested, the mindset to grasp the benefit and potential and the attention span to actually do something will prefer a well made micro manufacture, this is where I see my Robox, it will be a learning curve for me and my nephew (6yrs), my daughter has no interest in the technology as she is way past the age to spend time on it, and my son, although old enough, doesn’t have the attention span to find it interesting
However, I believe there is a market for it, simply by looking at the cost of “toys” these days, that fill our kids pockets: laptop, tablet, smartphone, game console, and so many more.
..:: I'm possible ::.. :: http://roboxing.com
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