These Refuseniks (which have nothing to do with the Soviet Jews to whom this term is usually applied) usually cite the always-reachable effect of carrying a mobile phone as their main reason for refusing to use one, but sometimes you want to be connected. Jenny Catsos falls into this category, but tells a story in which a mobile phone would have made her life an awful lot easier: Her car broke down on the interstate on the way to surprise her father, and it took her hours to contact someone she knew.

But the best story in the article has to be that of Linda Mboya. Her friend lives on the top floor of a building with a broken buzzer. So to let her friend know she’s arrived, “Ms. Mboya makes noise to disturb the dogs who live on the first floor, who then bark and announce her arrival to her friend.” Sort of like that board game Mouse Trap.

I don’t really have a judgement on those who don’t have mobile phones — but what about you guys? Is it OK to make yourself unreachable? [New York Times]

When I first saw this video, I thought this was the perfectest live 3D animation I’ve ever seen. Then I saw how they interacted with the fog and realised they’re real. But animatronics can’t be that perfect, can they?

Then my half-blinded eyes noticed something obvious: The human legs on the first dinosaur (I’m guessing) is half-puppet, half-animatronics. The other two are completely animatronics. If I saw any of these coming my way in the middle of a dark street, I would run the other way, screaming like a little girl. Which, incidentally, is exactly how I scream all the time. [Dark Roasted Blend]

And on the seventh day, the Tumblr Gods rested. [Dinosaursfuckingrobots.com - Thanks, Dan!]

Each bone segment of the T-Rex snaps together with ball joints. When completed, the skeleton can be installed on a powered platform that brings it alive with stomping and thrashing action. Indeed, if dinosaurs ever roamed the Earth again in a real-life Jurassic Park then escaped to terrorise mankind, chances are the scientist that is responsible will have owned one of these as a kid. [Skeleflex via OhGizmo]

The Triceracopter is subtitled “Hope for the Obsolescence of War,” and I guess that’s why it’s a dinosaur combined with a military helicopter. But somehow I feel like it promotes war. I mean, if the US had dinosaur helicopters, you think they wouldn’t want to try them out? I mean, come on, dinosaur helicopters!

Just don’t say anything like that if you’re looking to acquire this piece of art. The artist might not be down with that interpretation. [Facebook via NotCot.org]

It’s a solar-powered vehicle, so its covered in solar panels. But when you stop for a breather, the panels fan out, increasing their surface area and helping juice up in the sun when its not in use. It’s a smart design and a cool one as well. Cool because it was inspired by dinosaurs. As soon as they start designing minivans with the sleek lines of a T-Rex, minivans will finally be cool. Take notes, car designers. [CarBodyDesign via SlipperyBrick]

“The next generation of airborne drones won’t just be small and silent,” says the multidisciplinary group, “they’ll alter their wing shapes using morphing techniques to squeeze through confined spaces, dive between buildings, zoom under overpasses, land on apartment balconies, or sail along the coastline.”

The researchers behind the project view the pterodactyl as one of the most successful flying creatures to ever soar above the Earth—so, naturally, a robotic version might prove useful in gathering information and maybe even conducting military strikes somewhere down the line. Nothing would strike fear into the hearts of terrorists like a squadron of pterodactyls swooping down and devouring their comrades one by one. [Science Daily]

Sorry, but the T-Rex does not come in periwinkle. Toyota still has you there. [Scare Factory via Nerd Approved]

They’re due to land mid-September, will be distributed exclusively through Ingram Micro and it looks like they’ll cost $449. That may sound a little steep, but the little fella has outlasted the Aibo*, and it’s a dinosaur.

We’ll post more news as it comes to hand. In the meantime, take a trip down Pleo memory lane here.

[Pleo on Giz - Thanks Adam!]

* – I know it didn’t technically outlast Aibo.