AVCampos

Yep, 1 of August: http://shop.lego.com...e-machine-21103

I'm not sure about that one... the large EV3 motors appear quite similar to the ones for the NXT, and those I think are based on the PF XLmotor. As for the small EV3 motor, at appears to be based on the PF M motor. But only after the EV3 comes out we can know for sure.

.That 5 unit limit doesn't apply to all countries: for example, it applies to the US, but not to Portugal. I hope that doesn't happen to the 41999, and there's a per-user (not just per-order) limit on all countries.

I'd say that the question is a bit moot, since most probably the 20000 copies will be sold out well before the typical life cycle of a Technic set ends. Personally, if there is no unit limit per customer, what I'm most afraid is that it gets sold out before I can buy one.

Since the V2 is more efficient, it should give you more power for the same battery life, or more battery life for the same power. Plus, the V1 can't candle two L motors on the same port, whereas the V2 can.

Ah, I knew there would be a thread here discussing techfigs, and I wasn't disappointed! I also thought a few times about them, and why wasn't TLG including them in sets any more. I think the twio main reasons are those already expressed here: the focus of Technic sets is more the machines themselves and not the people operating them, and constraining a model to techfig scale can be hard and limiting the freedom of design. However, they really liven up any Technic layout, and their increased poseability allows for lots more variety than standard minifigs. Speaking of variety, it's a shame that techfigs aren't more modular and the legs/arms/torsos/heads/hairs aren't meant to be exchanged... and the limited number of pre-built variations doesn't help either. Also, a techfig is a complex construction, comprised of many different parts. Surely it weighed (and would still weigh today) considerably on a set's budget, which could otherwise be used for more regular parts. So I'm not sure if it would be a good thing for TLG to relaunch techfigs. I say "relaunch" because the techfig as we know it could seriously use a revamp: at least more modularity to create more variety, and male and female body parts (BTW, that techfig girl looks really cute! ). What do you guys think? If the majority of you think TLG should make techfigs again, can we elaborate on some kind of pitch to forward to TLG to try convince them? Wow, I never though anyone would pay attention to that layout. It had an expanded version earlier this year at my LUG's event (with more area, vehicles, and funny events happening), but unfortunately I didn't take many photos of it and surely didn't film it.

Well, if TLG is considering Baker Island's time zone, they still have, at the time of writing this, more than half a day to make these components available. I too hope they become available soon, the prices at BrickLink are, in a word, demoralising... at least the L motor will soon see some wider availability when the 42009 comes out.

Conchas said on a few moments ago on his live building that the set comes with 12 of the new beams.

In about half an hour (22:30 GMT+1), Fernando "Conchas" Correia will start a live assembly of the 42009, here: http://www.technicbricks.com/2013/06/42009-live-building.html

Being red isn't the only difference: compared to the regular grey ones, those gears don't have friction and slide easily on axles. Red and grey 8T gears have the same relation as grey and black pins.

Still, so far the red 8T gears are only available in this set, and the L motor in only one other set (but a lot more expensive).

According to the EV3 FAQ page, you'll be able to use EV3 motors, but not sensors:

I believe the format they expect is a plus sign, your country code, and your phone number. For example, a number for Portugal would be "+351xxxxxxxxx".

I couldn't help not mentioning the blog I participate in: TechnicBRICKs (whose capitalisation people often get wrong )

Also, the 42009 crane uses an L motor.

I beg to disagree. Granted, it's not very pretty, but the real things aren't either... plus, it has more functions than can be seen at first, and it represents a machine that is very rarely done in Technic.

I'd say either the 9396, the 8053, or the 8043. Definitely not the 8052.

To me, from recent sets, the two ugliest B-models are definitely those of the 8065 and the 8052. Although, in the first case, I guess there wasn't much more that could be done with the parts, and in the second case the aesthetics are actually nice but the functionality is horrendous (and there are quite a few good suggestions for good models). And there are always the "semi B-models", such as the 8466, 8421, 9398, 8110, and the mother of all of them, the 8288.

But you are the first! You have the prototype that started it all...

This is my worst documented creation, Grabber 1, made many years ago. Supposedly it uses one motor (the old 9V visible in the image) to switch the functions of two other, between powering the tracks and raising/operating the claw. It failed miserably mainly because of two factors: the switching mechanism "worked" like a non-synchronised gearbox (like the ones used in the 853/8860/8865) and the gears almost never meshed, and the two claw mechanisms relied on (oh, the shame) worm gears bracketed from only one side. At least I learned a lot about how NOT to build... On case anyone wants the LDraw file for some reason, it's here (the folder isn't public at the time of writing because I just uploaded the above newly-rendered image). I remember watching a video of such a kind of LEGO tank in motion, but can't find it now...

Instead of the small pump, you can use the small cylinder (leaving one of its outlets unused), since, during its extend-compress cycle, it will both push and pull air.

Thank you all! As you may have noticed, I don't post here much (my free time is very short and I have to spread among all the LEGO stuff I do), but I usually lurk around here in the Technic section. While I get acquainted with the LAmb (I use this designation to distinguish from LA ) environment, feel free to post your requests/concerns/whatever to CopMike on EB or me on TBs. And, since Conchas defamed me as a "cat lover" and about 2/3 of comments for one of the review videos I filmed appeared to like the cat better than the helicopter, here he is again. Cheers, Alexandre

I've been asked to forward the requests on this thread to the LEGO Ambassador forums, as well as a direct suggestion via e-mail, which I'm adding here to keep everything together. The suggestion is, just like there is the Technic beam 3x3 T-Shape, Benjamin Eberhard suggested similar, cross-shaped and H-shaped 3x3 beams. I made and attached here some crude mockups of the ideas.

I have one! (a question, not an EV3) Just as there's an instructions app for iPad, will there be one for Android tablets too?

Well, Meccano and Fischertechnik can be considered competition... but I very rarely see the former, and never ever the latter, on Portuguese shops.