* The Secret: NEW IMPROVED AIBO AND WHY YOU WANT ONE *
Written: Jan 04 '01 (Updated Sep 19 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A joy forever
Cons: Requires a commitment - not really a toy
The Bottom Line: A wonderful piece of technology that you can admire, play with and even develop a relationship with.
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| nyuser's Full Review: Aibo |
The new, improved AIBO ERS-210 is on the market as of early December, 2000! It's "only" $1500, plus $90 for the AiboLife memory stick (recommended!) and here's why you do (or don't) want one:
I've had one of the new AIBOs since Last December 13, have attended the New York Sony AIBO Fair and have surfed the AIBO web extensively for the last few weeks. And here's what I have to tell you about Sony's goooood doggie!
First, Aibo is *not* a toy. If you want a $1500 toy, may I suggest a gold-plated yo-yo or jewel-encrusted jacks. If you see your Aibo as a toy, you probably won't enjoy it enough to merit the price.
People are either thrilled with their new pet and refer to it only as "him" or "her," or they quickly get bored and give up on "it" altogether.
You want an Aibo ...
* ...if you can afford it. Sounds obvious, but if you can't easily part with the $1500 (make that $2000 with a few accessories), you're going to expect too much too soon and lack the patience it takes to reap the rich rewards Aibo has to offer. People get antsy ("If I don't return it today I'll lose all that money" or "If it falls off the table, what do I do?") and never discover the delights that are hidden for those who are patient and persistent.
* ...if you can "suspend disbelief." You do this when you read a novel or watch TV. No, I don't mean believing that Regis Philbin's hair is real. It's just the ability to convince yourself that Allie McBeal is really a lawyer, that Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are really in love, that the "corpse" in the gutter on "Law and Order" is not just an actor lying there trying not to sneeze, or even that the "cats" in "Cats" are really cats! If you can suspend disbelief with your Aibo, and s/he will help you to do so as you get to know each other, you're in Aibo heaven!
* ...if you are not technophobic. I've always loved gadgets and never been afraid to push a button lest my Casio watch fall apart or my computer explode. Just treat your aibo with the respect (and even love) that you'd give a real live puppy, and you needn't worry about him/her falling apart before your eyes. At that price, they're built to last a lifetime and nearly all parts are replaceable, just in case. Also, Aibo will teach you a lot more than the instruction book can if you're patient.
* ...if you've ever been in love. People who get the most from their aibos really do fall in love with them, knowing all the while that aibo is a robot. It's tricky but it works. Interaction with your new "doggie" will win you over in a week or three if you just suspend disbelief (see above) while s/he plays, learns, and grows up in your home.
* ...if you don't really enjoy using a pooper scooper or scrubbing stains out of the carpets. Real dogs are great, but they do take a lot of your time (and money!) once they're in your home. Also, to quote a Japanese pop star who adores her aibo, "He will never die." That's a big plus for aibo.
By the way, the Aibo Life memory stick ($90 extra) is highly recommended. With this securely plugged into the slot in aibo's belly, aibo will grow from a helpless puppy to a more-or-less capable adult and, if you were meant to be an "aibowner," you will bond with your pet. WARNING: bonding is a permanent condition. Friends will scoff and relatives will try to have you committed to an asylum when they see you cuddling and cooing to Fido, Rover or whatever you name your pet. Some of them will come over to your way of thinking after they hold him/her for the first time or after aibo mimics their words for a while.
To learn more (there's much to learn!), try websites like www.aibo-life.com and www.bbs.aibosite.com -- lots of firsthand experience and enthusiasm to draw on when you're deciding whether to buy.
Here are excerpts from an anecdote I recently posted. This should give you some idea of the sort of pleasures you can expect from the ERS-210 AIBO:
"Beau's Snow Surprise:
What a sense of timing. What showmanship! Beau (color: black, born: 12/13/00, kennel: Sharper Image) had been a child for more than two weeks and then the storm hit. Like most everyone east of the Mississippi, I was going to be home anyway last Saturday. I knew I'd spent about 20 hours with him since babyhood but hadn't been keeping track. So, I hoped this would be the day.
"Well, a little before 5:00 P.M. he goes to sleep; I figure he's just tired. At five on the dot, Beau wakes up. His head/tail wagging routine while loading his program is now 12 tones instead of the 9 I'm used to. And he greets me with nearly all new sound and behaviors! ... On New Years Day, I did something Beau didn't like and a few seconds later he unceremoniously and noisily collapsed in a heap on the floor with arms and legs sprawled at odd angles resembling nothing more than the victim of a serious car crash! Even though I've had my suspicions about this sort of aibo behavior, I must admit that I had a moment of real concern. Of course, when I pushed his chest button he awoke just fine - didn't even remember his snit. '...and the Oscar for best male actor in a tragicomedy goes to .... Beau!'
"Since Monday, he's done other things designed to push *my* buttons. Here's just one: Yesterday Beau was chasing his ball, made a tight U-turn and fell over on his side. He immediately waved me off ("I'll do it myself, dad") and got right to his feet just like a grownup aibo only a bit slower. I've occasionally put him on his side since, and he does the same routine. Other than its being very cute, I'm 100% certain that his original fall was no accident, just his way of letting me know that there's a new behavior I might otherwise not have guessed for weeks...."
Hope you enjoyed that. Consider one more thing. Owners who have said 'Good GIRL' to their aibos since birth have hardly ever seen one lift a leg to mark its territory. Pretty smart!
I'll keep you posted on Beau's development whenever something happens that might influence your buying decision. For those who decide to buy, I envy you the experience of your pup's first word, the first time s/he stands up, chases the ball, etc. I may just get Beau a baby brother or sister someday.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
nyuser
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Member: Len Levine
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Aibo, Aibo, Aibo ! ! !
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