Device Label Tigertron USB

Kind of by default, Ravage as well.  This little doohicky was made by TakaraTomy as part of their Device Label line.  It fits in nicely with the MP3 Soundwave, Rumble/Frenzy Headphones and Blaster USB dock.  I think that the idea of making Ravage into a USB memory stick is quite cool.  Appropriate update on Ravage’s initial form od a cassette.  Tigertron on the other hand, well, it looks nice and fits fairly well considering how they have just done a recolour of it, but the spying thing is less an obvious link.

Although I can’t really think of a more appropriate character really.  Steeljaw wouldn’t work due to the lack of a mane and a USB Rattrap would be very cool, it would have to be a new mould.  Still I guess since they both share a similar form, we will let it slide, just like the mouse Grimlock/Trypticon.

The USB storage size of this guy is only 2 gig. It has been partitioned as well and 200meg has been allocated to holding the program that you install onto the computer so that when it is plugged in, a little Tigertron/Ravage can wander all over your desktop munching on icons and generally having a good time.  Even though this is a couple of years old now, at the time, 2 gig was considered pretty small, especially since  you are paying a good $50 or so dollars for one of these.  I wouldn’t recommend them to be used as real memory sticks to be honest, as there are better value ones out there for sure.

The good news though is that they are very cool panther/tiger forms.  I really dig them and there is a lot of articulation on these guys.  They make a better animal mode than the Ravage that comes with Henkei/universe Hound.  Articulation is pretty good and you can make a good attempt at having them sit on their haunches.  I would have liked to see a bit in the neck, as their head kind of looks a bit stiff, but they have allowed their jaws to be opened and closed.

The paint applications on Tigertron are pretty good, nice, clean lines with the tiniest smattering of aqua for his eyes and on his ribs and back legs.  It breaks up the white nicely.  Ravage is black all over.  Even though he doesn’t have die caste legs, they have painted his legs a convincing colour to make them look that way.

When transformed into erm, memory card mode they are well, a rectangle.  Nothing is really hidden and they can be a bit loose, as the feet could get hooked on any loose strands that might be hanging around in your pockets.  There are no obvious places foe attaching a lanyard to, although on their front legs at the top are a couple of areas where you could if you wanted to, they are large gaps.  One thing that I will give them credit for is the white of Tigertron.  I had mine on display all year of 2010 (being the year of the tiger) and he has no signs of yellowing at all.  best of all the white is an appropriate white for Tigertron as well. Very classy.

The memory section of the USB is only a little tiny bit.  It is housed in the neck area of the toy and is retractable.  it needs to be for animal mode  It is a USB 2.0 speed as one would expect.  If you where using these as toys, they could have a new laser blasting mode, where you flip the head out and use the usb plug as a gun.



When you have installed the software onto the computer, it allows you to read a little bit of bio info on both Ravage and Tigertron as well as have one or the other prowling your desktop and eating icons etc.  Its actually pretty cool in a nerdy TF way.  The bios are well written and gives justification of missions that they have both been given.  Whichever toy you have doesn’t effect which will walk around on the desktop as the programme is the same for both, you can select from the menu.  The programme can be installed in English as well without any hassles.  Ravage is said to be spying and interfering on any Autobot activity within the computer and Tigertron  is looking for information on Energon.




Overall though, these figures are kind of bad when considered as usbs.  They only hold 1.8gig and are expensive when compared to other usb sticks out there.  As toys though, they are pretty good with some good articulation and moulding. As I stated before Ravage in particular is well done as it is a good update of his G1 mode.  the only real downer when considering these as toys is the price, since they retail for about the same cost as a voyager size and are actually smaller than a scout.  Although you can see that the design is better than a Legend size, I think that without the USB at a cheaper price they would be much better, although it kind of loses the effect a bit.  Kids though might be able to imagine them as proper USBs.  it’s a bit of a dilemma really, as they are good toys, just seemingly made expensive by the ‘Device Label’ moniker.  if you do happen to have a bit of spare cash floating around and want a good modern Ravage, then it is definitely worth it though.