Something I came across on CNN:

Show and Tell: Rubik's Revolution

Sandy

I think it's hilarious how she thinks it's great that it can't be twisted or turned, because then you can't mess it up and thus don't have to peel off the stickers and put them back on for it to look all nice again.

Wow, I hope I'm not the only one whose blood is boiling after watching that.

To me it seems like if that toy had no mention of Rubik's in the name, they would have a much better chance of selling it (at least in the puzzling community). Even outside the community, I think there could be better ways of marketing it.
Something along the lines of "Simon Revolution" or something like that - after the game of Simon.

-d

that a battery powered game not a puzzle

Why is that?

At least it is good for publicity...

I think he is refering to the electronic game simon says that also had colored lights that you pressed in a certin order it is similar to the rubiks revolution.

I think he's saying that a Simon Revolution would sell better than a Rubik's Revolution because people associate the difficulty they found in the cube with the Revolution, thus avoiding it.

I think the revolution sold well because people associated the revolution with the original cube. This gave the revolution some some substance as a psuedo-intellectual toy that it wouldnt have if it was "just another electronic game"

edit: after watching the video, i realy like how her basic message is that its okay if your an idiot, you can still do this "puzzle." Heck, if she can do it...

I might have nightmares... "HE HE! I don Got peeel no mer sticker any moooor two lok smort" That lady scares me

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh *dies*
I got one for chrismas because my mom had thought it was like the void cube
The best thing about it is that it's shiny.
I really hate the sounds it makes and I wish there was a volume control.

EDIT: Heh, okay

Folks, I think you are being much too insensitive to dummies.

Many poor dummies cannot master the 3x3x3...most probably never will. These unfortunate dummies are attracted to the cube because they find it appealing, colorful, or "iconic" yet they are so frustrated they are compelled to "peel the stickers off" and lie about it. This story has been repeated so many times you absolutely know these dummies exist.

Don't censure the poor, unfortunate dummies. They buy cubes en masse, and that's what makes the cube affordable, yet the cube makes them feel inferior, dissatisfied.

Judging from all the reviews from dummies, Rubik's Revolution gives them exactly what they desperately crave: It looks like the iconic Rubik's Cube yet is easy for them to understand. It holds their attention yet doesn't make them feel inferior. It challenges them yet it doesn't make them peel off the stickers.

It's really a stunning tribute to the power of the Rubik's Cube that such a feeble & obnoxious electronic toy could be this successful just by visually imitating the cube.

They want and deserve Rubik's Revolution. Let the dummies have it, but don't mock them for it.

( )

*barely holding tears*

I think this speech deserves a standing ovation!
The dummies' Revolution has now been established. Now bring to them the... Rubik's Rebellion!!!




Pantazis

OK, so we've all had about 100 people tell us that they used to peel off the stickers (and the girl in the video told us 100 times). I never peeled any stickers back in the 80s (it was so much easier to disassemble and reassemble), but I have peeled stickers in the past few years either to replace worn stickers or to build a mod from an existing puzzle. My observation is this: If the stickers in the 80s were like the stickers today, then everyone who says that they peeled the stickers is lying. Either that, or they have mad sticker-peeling skillz. The stickers that I have removed from these puzzles are usually not is a state where they can ever stick to anything again once I finally get them off. And then I have to use goo-gone to get all the residual goo off. Not to mention that putting all the stickers on straight, one at a time, is no small accomplishment. Really, it would be easier and less time-consuming to just learn to solve the cube.

im sorry i even know this, but there is a volume control on the revolution.

hold in the silver and yellow buttons while its turning on

They are not lying.
I had some cubes in the 80s, (Yes, I am that old. where you could easily peel the stickers and put them back again.
I own some old cubes and it is possible.
The stickers were way different from the today ones.



Q

I don't understand the whole thing about telling cubers that you used to take the stickers off... it's sort of like admitting you aren't smart or patient enough to learn, isn't it? I know a lot of younger people say stuff like that too, and for them it's just a matter of using Google to find a tutorial. I'm good at math, for example, and although I do get people telling me they were terrible at it whenever I mention it (well hey, I forgive them, not everyone IS good at it) I don't hear a lot of people outright telling me that they used to CHEAT at math. It just seems rather silly to me that cubing is something where it's considered acceptable (or even cool) to walk up to someone who's good at it and, for no reason, tell them how bad you are I don't think, if everyone walked up to a soccer legend and said "Man, I always sucked at that sport, I used to always cheat by throwing the ball when people weren't looking" or something like that, they would appreciate it either... I think there's actually some kind of anti-intellectualism thing, people expect to like you more if you have normal intelligence, and being able to actually solve it is too weird, so maybe people are trying to 'bond' with you by finding a common experience (although of course if you can really solve it you aren't going to be peeling the stickers off) and hoping you aren't as weird as they thought. It's a really strange phenomenon.

I think also that for some people, it's a way of lowering yourself so much that you're not competing. If someone walks up to me, and tries to legitimately solve my rubik's cube and they can't do it, then they seem stupid and inferior, but if you say, oh i could NEVER do one of those! ever! I have to peel the stickers off! then they are putting themselves on such a low level and putting you on such a high level, that they no longer have to try to keep up on your level. Just an idea, it is a weird thing that people do. I can't think of anything else where people do that though...

Rubik's Revolution is good for getting publicity to the cube i guess but as most cubers will say, it's irritating because sure, it looks like a cube, but the logistics of playing the game have nothing to do with the original. It's almost like it's bashing the cube that we all love

How did someone that idiotic (listen to her voice just once and you'll hear the valley girl crying out to say the work "like" everyother word) get a job at CNN!? "Now I don't have to peel the stickers off." Just from that you can tell she is a quitter, a cheater, and has no patience. ARGH!

so how did she get the job at CNN?

I didn't mean to imply that she's stupid for saying what she did about peeling the stickers off.

What I was referring to is the fact that most cubers think the Revolution is a rip off because it can't be twisted. And here she has found a way to promote this thing with exactly that fact. She used that same argument, turned it around and presented it as an advantage.