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The Rubik’s Cube is one of the most iconic toys on the planet, estimated to have sold around 500 million units since its inception in 1974. And after decades of brain-busting dominance, it looks like the gadget is finally ready for a shakeup. The Rubik’s WowCube is launching later this year–giving you an interactive 2×2 cube that can play a variety of games, launch different apps, or simply serve as a piece of home décor.
Rubik’s WowCube
Pricing TBD
The Rubik’s WowCube doesn’t have a firm price or release date yet, but most of its other details have been made public. At a glance, it looks like a small, 2×2 Rubik’s Cube. But get a little closer, and you’ll see that each cube is actually comprised of tiny interactive screens. These can be used in a variety of ways. You can play games like Space Invaders and Cut the Rope, display apps that highlight information like text messages and the weather, or simply launch a relaxing scene to use it as a display piece on your desk.
The cube still rotates like a traditional Rubik’s Cube, but because of its many screens and built-in gyroscopes, there are countless ways you can use the WowCube. It’s earning a lot of praise from folks in the tech industry like Steve Wozniak, and it looks like a wild new take on the traditional Rubik’s format.
Gallery
What might be most exciting about it, however, is that the WowCube is an open platform. That means any number of developers can create their own programs, software, and games for the device, which could lead to truly unique experiences in the future. Its library will probably be quite limited at launch (so far we’ve only seen a few games and apps on the device), but it could grow exponentially as folks get their hands on the cube and its devkit.
At the very least, it’s exciting to see a new take on the iconic puzzle game.
Preorders are not yet open for the WowCube, but you can sign up to be notified when they go live. It’s expected to arrive later this year–and since this is the biggest thing to happen to Rubik’s Cube in years, we have to imagine it’ll become a hot commodity. Until then, you can bide your time with something like the GoCube Edge, which teaches you the basics of how to solve a cube, or stick with the original and grab the traditional Rubik’s Cube for just $11.84.
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