One more device too far
The design team probably doesn’t see things that way, but they may have created the laziest toy ever. A recent news clip showed us the improved version of the Rubik Cube, that incorporates technology derived from things like the touch screen and eschews the mechanical foundation of a toy that has shown great longevity. A toy that doesn’t even require a player, because it has an autosolve mode.
I have never succeeded in solving the cube, even with the help of a book. My patience gave out long before the final three planes were brought into homogeneity. My solution was more mechanical; I used a small screwdriver to prise up the corner brick, and then disassembly and refit took only a matter of minutes. The other solution of ungluing and replacing the coloured squares seemed pedestrian in comparison.
However. There are still millions hundreds of people that take pride in their ability to beat the clock. Twist, turn, rotate, compare. The cube is eminently solvable, as long as someone else doesn’t reglue the squares into randomness. Why then, would a company want to research, develop and market this?
I don’t foresee this as a future purchase, unless I get a really great deal on one of those days where all my debts are in order and I have no hunger pangs. The device strikes me as similar to a robotic apple peeler, or a read aloud book. Limited use in my current lifestyle. Now, if they add in the ability to watch videos or walk the dog, my appreciation might increase.
