An Idea for new Mindstorm

Hello,

Recently, I had a good discussion (in Russian) about possible ideas for new
Mindstorm products. I think, that these ideas are worthwhile to be published.
Most of thinking is not mine, I just compiled the info.

Basically, there are two principal ideas:

1. Made new RCX brick do not depend on computer. It has to have ability to load
program from some cheap media (flash/ROM memory chip, paper - like barcode
scanner in #8479 or something like this)

2. Along with some starter kit prepare a lot of expansion kits with (1) program
ready to be plugged into RCX, (2) LEGO elements needed and (3) instructions.

With such strategy a lot of benefits are possible:

1. Cheaper starter kit(s). Since computer is not more required, interface to it
may be separate option in additional kit. Starter kit itself may contain far
less LEGO elements for several basic buidings only.

2. Wider audience. To build "standard" robot no programming required at all.
Plug ready-to-load program, attach LEGO bricks as shown at instruction. All
building is not more complex than to make some medium-sized technic model.

3. Another revenue source for TLC - selling expansion kits which are basically
bricks and programs (as far as I know, LEGO didn't sell programs for RCX yet).

With this schema all large kits which we have now can be splitted to many
smaller (therefore cheaper and affordable) kits. Computer is not required, even
program is already prepared and debugged - it will make the kits much more
attractive to many people (a lot of them likes to build with instructions). It
is why I think these kits must be more popular.

All technical improvements are possible - they were decribed in many other
threads and are not principal for this idea.

WBR,
Alexander Horoshilov