Apr 29

Adafruit explains how to build your very own HAL 9000 for less than $100

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Adafruit explains how to build your very own HAL 9000 replica for less than $100

It may be 2013, but 2001 will forever hold a special place in our hearts, in no small part due to the that lovable, red-eyed supercomputer known as HAL 9000. ThinkGeek has given us a couple ways to purchase HAL for our homes, but for folks who’d rather build their own, Adafruit’s got you covered. User Phillip Burgess has posted the full instructions on how to craft one, provided you’ve got access to a laser cutter and the requisite soldering, spray painting and sanding chops to complete the task. Adafruit’s version will have you making HAL out of an oversized arcade button and a sheet of acrylic — and if you want your HAL to talk (and really, why wouldn’t you), you’ll need to build a voice box from an Arduino Uno board and an Adafruit Wave Shield. Total cost: just shy of $100. Check out the video of it in action after the break, and head on down to the source link for the full how-to. Oh, and feel free to whistle Sprach Zarathustra while you work.

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Source: Adafruit

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Jan 11

HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica

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Fans in the realm of science fiction, we play harbingers of good news today – delivering word that you can now bring the terror of early computing right to the comforts of your own home. Who knows, one of the $499.99 HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica could actually malfunction and be the malevolent ghost in the shell that scared the heck out of many all those years ago when they watched Space Odyssey? Touted to be the most accurate HAL 9000 replica ever created, it was constructed from the 1967 blueprints and image files.

The HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica might not usher the end of humanity, but what it does would no less send chills down the spines of those in the know. It can speak 15 different phrases, and respond to voice and most IR remotes, now how about that? The red LED eye will definitely be part of its physical make up, and it comes with a 2-minute auto-shutoff feature to save battery life.

[ HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Jan 07

ThinkGeek offers $500 HAL 9000 replica, makes you answer to ‘Dave’

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ThinkGeek offers lifesize, $500 HAL 9000 replica, makes you answer to 'Dave'

It was a little over a year ago that ThinkGeek gave folks a chance to add a bit of 2001 to their home with the IRIS 9000 iPhone dock, but it’s really gone the extra mile this year. The retailer has today announced its new HAL 9000 Life-Size Replica, a $500 device that’s said to be built using the original 1967 blueprints and image files. What’s more, while it isn’t exactly “fully functional,” it is able to respond to voice commands and most IR remotes with a variety of suitably unsettling phrases (yes, including a rendition of “Daisy Bell”). The downside is that it will set you back considerably more than the $60 of its smaller counterpart — ThinkGeek is asking a full $500 for this conversation starter, each of which is “hand-assembled to make sure they are perfect.” Would-be purchasers can get a taste of what’s in store in the video after the break.

Continue reading ThinkGeek offers $500 HAL 9000 replica, makes you answer to ‘Dave’

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Source: ThinkGeek

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Oct 16

HAL 9000 replica does not come cheap

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Let us assume that you are in the market for a used supercomputer, surely you will need to pony up a huge wad of cash just to own one of these puppies, right? Well, assuming you have a love for all things HAL 9000, then you might be interested to hear that a well built replica of the HAL 9000 is now available for pre-order at a whopping $499 a pop. Sure, it will not be able to make short work of you, but it sure as heck will vaporize half a grand from your bank account in the blink of an eye. Your order is tipped to arrive sometime in December this year, making it ideal as a Christmas present.

Just to recap, HAL 9000 is a psychotic computer, and has been rated as one of the most memorable villains in cinema history – ranking 13th overall. HAL 9000 sported a calm, confident voice that is a surefire way to guarantee you that everything was going according to plan, while assuring you that you will need to kiss goodbye to your life. The replica HAL 9000 is made out of CNC-machined aluminum, and was recreated directly from the original 1967 studio blueprints, while sporting an optical-grade glass with its lens copied from the original prop. There are also 15 different phrases included in the HAL 9000 replica that can be activated through a handful of user-selectable modes.
[ HAL 9000 replica does not come cheap copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


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