George was advertised as a voice-controlled truck to which you could shout instructions and George would dutifully obey. The kids in the advert clapped their hands with glee as it obeyed their shouts of “left”, “right”, “forward” etc . . . Too cool!
The reality, however, was somewhat different – Having removed the technological marvel from the box, inserted the 37 brick-like batteries and switched it on, there was invariably a stinging realisation that the world is a cruel place . . .
The ‘voice-activated’ George actually had a tiny wheel in the middle which moved 90 degrees clockwise every time any noise over 100 decibels was made – about as controllable as a supermarket shopping trolley!
Related Posts
Klackers/Clackers/Klick-Klacks Also known as Clackers, Klick-Klacks, Whackers, Ker-Knockers, Whack'os, Bangers, Poppers, Bonkers, Clack Clacks, K-Nokkers, Mini Poppers, Rockers, Super Clackers, Whak…
Toobin' Years before Extreme Sports hit the mainstream, there was Atari’s Toobin’, one of the oddest and most dangerous sports to…
Odyssey Before there was Atari, before there was even Pong, there was the Odyssey. We take it for granted now, of…
Tank Into a world of Pong clones rolled a pair of tanks, firing artillery shells that rocked the arcade game world.…
Micronauts In 1977, Martin Abrams of the Mego toy corporation was in Japan negotiating with a company called Takara for the…
Pet Rocks The Pet Rock was probably the biggest toy fluke of the 20th century. Can you imagine people today buying a…
Action Jackson The Mego company got its start as an importer of toys and household novelties but in the early 1970s, they…
Billy Blastoff He may not have looked as space-ready as Major Matt Mason, but don't let Billy Blastoff's cherubic little face fool…
The reality, however, was somewhat different – Having removed the technological marvel from the box, inserted the 37 brick-like batteries and switched it on, there was invariably a stinging realisation that the world is a cruel place . . .
