2XL is a teaching toy from the 1980s. It used 8-Track Tapes system to allow its users to interact with it. It had five buttons that allowed multiple choices. The person whom made these tapes add lot of amusing choices and reactions to bad results.
2Xl was hilarious! My brother was playing with a demo model in the store when the toy first came out. It told him, “If you are a girl, press 1. If you are a boy, press 2.” My brother pressed 3. 2XL then said, “Oh, oh! You don’t know if you are a boy or a girl!”
Missed it completely. 2XL arrived when I finished my first degree and began life as a poor musician with no toys, and was gone by the time I learned how to turn on a computer in 1989.
It’s not a robot. It’s Commander Pike from the original Star Trek series. He was injured ( those are the scars on his face) and was totally paralyzed and unable to communicate until Kirk made it possible for him to exist in some kind of virtual world with the woman he loved – I believe it was Anne Francis. Pike also appears in the new Star Trek – they have him in a wheel chair in the last scene.
I hope Pab wins this time! The software mentioned has a faint similarity to the very early version of artificial intelligence that my BF had with his first Tandy machine. Most of the “responses” were a repeat of the word unless they had already been pre-programmed. That was around the time I taught myself to program in “basic”- and I was in my 30s and was totally new to computers.
grapfhics over 13 years ago
Too bad the movies don’t put in as much effort as the reviews.
pschearer Premium Member over 13 years ago
Does anyone recognize the robot (or whatever)?
Colt9033 over 13 years ago
2XL is a teaching toy from the 1980s. It used 8-Track Tapes system to allow its users to interact with it. It had five buttons that allowed multiple choices. The person whom made these tapes add lot of amusing choices and reactions to bad results.
cdward over 13 years ago
Had to look up the 2XL - I was a teenager when it came out - guess I was too cool for it (snirk) because I don’t remember the thing. Still, looks fun.
librisleo over 13 years ago
2Xl was hilarious! My brother was playing with a demo model in the store when the toy first came out. It told him, “If you are a girl, press 1. If you are a boy, press 2.” My brother pressed 3. 2XL then said, “Oh, oh! You don’t know if you are a boy or a girl!”
Pab, this arc is fabulous!
6ryph0n over 13 years ago
2XL hit the Sears Catalog in 1978, but close enough.
ChiehHsia over 13 years ago
Missed it completely. 2XL arrived when I finished my first degree and began life as a poor musician with no toys, and was gone by the time I learned how to turn on a computer in 1989.
eimac4 over 13 years ago
It’s not a robot. It’s Commander Pike from the original Star Trek series. He was injured ( those are the scars on his face) and was totally paralyzed and unable to communicate until Kirk made it possible for him to exist in some kind of virtual world with the woman he loved – I believe it was Anne Francis. Pike also appears in the new Star Trek – they have him in a wheel chair in the last scene.
eimac4 over 13 years ago
oops - I didn’t notice the added character in the last panel. Sorry.
runar over 13 years ago
I missed the 2XL completely. I went directly from having no electronic toys as a kid to designing video games.
Pab Sungenis creator over 13 years ago
Her Maj is once again nominated for “Best Webcomic” by the Washington Post! Go vote now and vote often! http://wapo.st/hcYmct
MisngNOLA over 13 years ago
I’m working on making TNAQV number 1 (since it don’t cost nothin’).
vldazzle over 13 years ago
I hope Pab wins this time! The software mentioned has a faint similarity to the very early version of artificial intelligence that my BF had with his first Tandy machine. Most of the “responses” were a repeat of the word unless they had already been pre-programmed. That was around the time I taught myself to program in “basic”- and I was in my 30s and was totally new to computers.
CoBass over 13 years ago
@Pab My copy of “Meet the Royals” hasn’t shown up. Guess it didn’t get forwarded to my new address.