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The Onion on AIBO 28

Hamlet of Elsinore writes "The Onion takes a whack at Sony's AIBO robot dog. Why is the dog so cool? Check it out "
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The Onion on AIBO

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  • Posted by Scott Francis[Mechaman]:

    I mean, really, I could use a dog that spoke in metallic British tones and could disintegrate those dogs that keep knocking over our garbage and chasing cars.
  • They forgot to mention that those things will probably be running Linux in the next month...
  • I'm occasionally surprised by the cultural references that the Onion pulls out of it's a**. As a longtime Phillip Dick fan, that was a pleasant nod to a modern master.
  • Good writing that ranges from the perverse to the esoteric. The Phillip K Dick reference came out of the blue, yet fits right in there with the rest of the cheap shots at the dog. It's amazing what that editorial staff has done with it...
  • is AIBO subject to asimov's 3 law of robotics?

    :|
  • Put a mop on it, and presto: Muffet the Dagget.
  • How's about:

    18% Really enjoy banners advertising robot that sold out weeks ago

    [Note: percentages may sum to more than 100]

    spawn_of_yog_sothoth

  • follow the auctions on eBay. Looks like the real value of the things is about $ 4,000. Some people are making quite a nice profit speculating on the thing.

    D

    ----
  • > but why in the bloody hell would anyone pay $2500 for a stupid robot dog? IT ISN'T REAL PEOPLE.

    What are you talking about? It's perfectly real. It's not a dream. It's not a hologram. It's a 100% genuine robotic dog. In this case, what people are paying for is "robotic", not "dog".

  • Is this bit of information exposure too much for you to pay? Perhaps you'd prefer punching in your credit card number. Besides, the stupid robot dog is kind of cute, actually, if not $2500 worth of cute.
  • > Don't forget, they could be the first self-
    > propelled Beowolf cluster...

    Don't you mean Beo-woof! :)

    *** PLEASE moderate this lame joke down :) ***

  • Don't forget, they could be the first self-propelled Beowolf cluster...
  • Yes a nice reference to good old Phil. While were on the topic what does everyone think of these new Bladerunner++ books? Bladerunner 3 was a bit icky.

    just my little mumble

    -eman
  • Shallow Grave comics (http://www.polyn.com/) had a robot pal in today's strip, albeit a much scuzzier and less marketable one than AIBO. Must be a popular trend these days.
  • The $500 is for the performance pack to teach it new tricks. The original was $2500 but is now sold out.

    Why the hell we still see the ads for AIBO in the blockstackers banner on the top of slashdot, I have no idea.

  • I don't get it either. For that amount of money I could get a sweet trained German Shepard that could rip a hole in the side of a Honda on command.

    This thing probably couldn't scare away a mouse should it invade my home...
  • I've owned 7 budgies over fifteen years. One of them died in May. It's happened so many times, you'd think I'd be used to them...but it was sad because someone had returned him to the pet store and I got him for free. Buddy would sometimes sit by himself in his little house, and I knew he was sad. But then he would get happy when I walked up to the cage and held up his favourite mirror. The other bird misses him, but has suddenly become tame. He lets me scratch his head.


    Even if they came out with a robot bird, I wouldn't buy it. I had a clockwork cat when I was a kid and it was satisfying enough. But how you can you "program" the love and affection from a robot pet?

  • Part of the enjoyment of a pet is the daily challenge of just keeping it alive and happy. I guess that was too challenging for those Sony guys in Japan.
  • AIBO has long dreamed of electric sheep [sf.org.nz]

    Let Phillip Dick [author of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep -- alias Bladerunner] have the last word...from Deckard "Replicants are like any other machine - they're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem."

    AIBO is not a hazard. Therefore it's not a problem. It's the ultimate frivolous technology plaything which allows us to marvel at our cleverness, return to our childhood, and feel that we're pushing the envelope. It's fun to take the piss out of ourselves although not if the stream is comprised of caustic battery acid.

    I doubt that AIBOs are capable iof much dreaming per se but i'll do a little of my own dreaming of electric AIBOs.


I THINK THEY SHOULD CONTINUE the policy of not giving a Nobel Prize for paneling. -- Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988.

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