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Last year CBS announced that one of their new Star Trek licensees was Dream Cheeky, the maker fun computer accessories. Dream Cheeky revealed their first Trek Device, a USB TOS communicator, at the recent CES show in Vegas. Today TrekMovie has more details and high resolution images of the first ever official Star Trek VOIP/Skype communicator, plus we have news on what is next from Dream Cheeky.
One to beam down to your computer
The Dream Cheeky Star Trek USB Communicator allows you to talk to your friends Captain Kirk style, with a replica Star Trek The Original Series communicator that hooks up to your computer via a USB cable. The device will work as a VOIP/Skype phone as well as with AIM, MSN, Yahoo and Google voice chatting (on PC), and AIM, iChat and Yahoo voice chat on Mac.
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Dream Cheeky USB Star Trek Communicator (click to enlarge)
The device has a built in microphone, speaker, volume control, mute control and various indicator lights. There is also a Velcro patch so that you can attach it to your computer (or your uniform, if you prefer). It even has sound effects and sound clips from TOS.
Dream Cheeky USB Star Trek Communicator (click to enlarge)
The USB Communicator should be available by late April or Early May (hopefully by the time the new Star Trek movie opens), and will be priced around $49.99. They will be sold at ThinkGeek.com and other retailers. TrekMovie will provide an update when they are available for pre-order.
Dream Cheeky USB Star Trek Communicator fact sheet
(click to enlarge)
More star Trek items for later in 2009 – including Bluetooth communicator
The USB Communicator is just the start for Dream Cheeky, they are currently working on a number of other electronic Star Trek devices, including:
- Bluetooth TOS communicator
- Web cam (shaped as the USS Enterprise)
- LCD photo key chain (shaped as Starfleet badge)
All of those sound cool, but the Bluetooth communicator sounds the coolest. Such a device would not only work like the USB communicator (above), but with the added benefit of being wireless. This means you can use it with both Bluetooth enabled computers, but also with any Bluetooth mobile phone, enabling you to use Kirk’s old communicator as you real phone as you go out on your own landing parties. No pricing yet, but will likely be a bit more than the USB Communicator. TrekMovie will have more details on these devices when available.
For more on Dream Cheeky, visit DreamCheeky.com. (Star Trek devices not yet on the site)
Hmmmm. Not sure I need this.
It has begun. We are now in the future. We should start calling 2009 twenty oh nine.
I want a truly wireless communicator. Why don’t any major wireless providers make these available? Surely there are enough trekkies/trekkors that would buy them…
Not a red shirt…did you read the whole article?
Yikes… sorry, Anthony. I got so excited about it, I skimmed recklessly! A must-buy.
I can barely read the MAC properties on the package. Does it not work with Skype on MAC?
I don’t need this but I’m buying it.
(4)
Nope, he did not.
He’s now first to beam down.
Remember, Red Shirt, stand between Kirk and the acid-spitting rock creature.
HA!
Neato! I like! Wish they made a cell phone like it…
The bluetooth one sounds tempting :)
I hope the Linux community will hack this and make it work on ubuntu!
Drapera
RE: Mac properties…well it is laid out in the article and the sheet says ‘click to enlarge’ underneath it
but no apparently it doesnt work with Skype on the Mac…i dont know why
#6, According to the box, it does not.
Nerd-gasm! …must have Bluetooth version!! =O
Bluetooth communicator…sweet. I’ve seen those made online but too expensive, look forward to seeing this one.
Bluetooth is ok, but why not just make a cellphone? Mine right now is much smaller than the communicator, it can’t be too hard to mix the tech. I’m willing to forego a camera phone for a communicator. It should all be workable though…
Cool. Can’t wait to buy one and actually put it in a communicator replica that doesn’t look like crap!
Fun stuff! Count me in for the bluetooth version.
It would be so ridiculous to see someone actually using one of these as a cell phone! Cool idea, but I challenge anyone here to bear the social ostracism that would come along with public use of the bluetooth communicator. That should be included in the price.
I wonder what the sound quality will be like? Guess I’ll just buy one and find out.
Ok. Im A Total Geek. I want One. I shall have him. Ok. the Phone and USB. This is so great. Anthony. You Da MAN!!!
I’ll hold out for the bluetooth one, but yeah, I think I might have to have one of those :)
The Bluetooth Communicator will be a must-have — assuming it’s reasonably priced (say, $60-75), and has good speakerphone capability.
But the USB Communicator just seems utterly pointless. Who wants a cable-tethered communicator? It totally defeats the purpose.
Of course, what I _really_ want (and what we all really need) is a standalone WiFi VOIP Communicator with voicedial. That would rock, and would sell like hotcakes.
Make it so, Dream Cheeky!
Bluetooth Communicator?
I like it alot.
Does the moire disc spin? It’s gotta spin before I buy one.
Well, Dream Cheeky is on the Cebit next month. I’m there on bussiness, so maybe I’ll be able to check it out there.
#12
I’m pretty sure it’s possible to get it to work, it might just need a few tweaks.
It took this long for someone to put out so much as a USB mic in the shape of a Communicator?
It’s no wonder the Chinese are beating us.
The BlueTooth Communicator looks like a Must Have !!
The USB Communicator could be great fun too.
Must. . . . fight. . . . . urge. . . . .to. . . . . buy……..
Nice detail.
Been making these for nearly 3 years now….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJe_luMt4J0
Hrm… I think I’m going to hold out for the Bluetooth one because that would be sick to have for my phone…. although the girlfriend will probably just sigh when I whip that baby out in public and say “Kirk here, go ahead.”
Bluetooth TOS communicator as cell phone extension: I say thee, “Aye!” Much cooler than those earsets – those make us look like the Borg. Resistance will prove futile as far as trying not to buy this item is concerned.
It’s cool, but is it really that useful?
If I need to use my phone, I use my cell (iPhone).
If I want to talk to people using Skype, chances are you want to use a headset to remove echo.
Apart from it being a communicator, I see no practical use for it.
The Bluetooth one, maybe.
I finally understand why Scotty spoke into the mouse in Star Trek IV: The One with the Whales.”
Scott B. out.
Woah, I’d totally take a bluetooth one. Though I’d rather somehow retrofit my razr, or skin it somehow, to be a communicator. Its flip action is similar enough (and certainly inspired by the original).
The Blutooth communicator looks bomb. I can use that to contact my friends at the con.
The bluetooth one will be great for using at home, I wont have to tak the phone off the charger
This will work with any computer people.. its just a usb speaker\ microphone.. dont worry!
And YES it will work on linux (Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex user here!)
After a while I start skimming comments… The USB one won’t work for me b/c I don’t have home internet. The Bluetooth seems pretty cool but didn’t someone do that allready?
A few years back I heard about someone making a communicator phone, even signed up to be e-mailed when they were done. No news yet.
Have to admit,…this is something I really would have liked to have had ten years ago. Especially just as a phone. As big a geek as I am it seems a little redundant right now. Ah, the things I yearned for as kid but were’nt available. It’s all finally caught up….30 something years late, albeit.
The Future… Is Now.
Using this will make calls cooler and bring a smile to my face.
I have got to get me one of those !!!
I wonder what the price for the bluetooth device will be vs the one Illogical makes(of which I am not sure the price), which is sweet! Thx for the youtube vid link there Illogical.
I’m so getting those !!
Skype is awesome. We actually have it as our main home phone! We pay like around $20.00 every three months for complete home phone service. It is great. I might have to check into this!
I want the blue tooth communicator. Cool!
Sold!
I love it! I like the old TOS communicator the best.
But…people won’t recognize it after the new movie comes out. They’ll wonder why it isn’t white and gray plastic with a porthole on the front of it.
I’ve been talking about making the bluetooth one for over a week since I discovered the $300 one at Parksabers: http://parksabers.com/startrekcommunicator.html
I am so glad that Paramount/CBS/Desilu finally licensed the thing out to be made! I am soooooooo there!