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Sony to Publish Aibo Specifications
teambpsi writes: "According to this CNN news report... 'In addition to the new hardware, the company has also begun publishing details of Aibo's system architecture on the Internet in an attempt to get developers to work on independent software for Aibo and generate more interest in the products.' This from the same company that used the DMCA as reported here on slashdot last fall to shutdown one fan/hack site."
I think initially they were worried about loss of control/dilution of their product. Now I think they realize just how powerful having open specs on their product can be. Instead of having to hire dozens of progammers/managers/support personal, they can rely on the opensource community. :)
Now if they had a program where by developers got cheaper units, in return for producing code...... that would catch like wild fire, for the shear coolness factor
Good to see the fact that they are opening up their architecture reported in a mainstream story, but this is really a repeat of an earlier posting that had some really good links to the developer site and some of the hacker sites:
Teach An Old Aibo New Tricks
My next sig will be ready soon, but friends can beat the rush!
I'm going to write an Aibo virus that should prove quite profitable... here is a brief rundown of the algorithm for those interested.
1) Direct Aibo to pick up its things (manuals, charger, etc)
2) Walk Aibo from owners house to my house carrying its things.
3) Take picture of itself and post a listing on ebay.
4) Wait for auction ending and payment.
5) Walk to new owners house.
6) Repeat.
If you're looking for Sony's motivation in opening the specifications, I believe it's here. In the absence of additional software sales, Sony sees opening the platform as a method for selling additional hardware.
With the new approach, you can sure bet that Sony is going to put off the price drops that had been part of the plan for the second generation Aibos for some time. There's good money to be had in finding a new audience at the current pricing before Sony tries to earn new customers with a price break.
Says the RIAA: When you EQ, you're stealing bass!
finally, now someone can program the aibo to play counter-strike with me and it can replace my 7 year old brother
This from the same company that used the DMCA as reported here on slashdot last fall to shutdown one fan/hack site."
:) So, screw 'em!
I wouldn't critisize them for taking a turn for the better. On the other hand, how many chances should mega-corps get.
Ansi's and stupid tricks!
How do we know that they won't try to shut down someone doing something that they don't expect or like later?
Fool me once, shame on you....Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fight Spammers!
The reason why I don't hack an Aibo is because I cannot afford one, not because I don't have the API specs. Reverse engineering hardware is not hard, if its cost is so low that one doesn't mind risking breaking it.
"So, how are the sales of the Aibo?"
"Lousy. People finally figured out that paying thousands of dollars for a toy dog that doesn't do very much is a losing proposition."
"Hmm.. How can we create buzz and get people with too much money to buy it again?"
"I KNOW! We'll open-source it!"
www.eFax.com are spammers
When a powerful company such as Sony feels that a grass root movement will cut into their profit, they automatically take legal actions against them. Yet in the same token, because they are all-so powerful, they can just turn the other cheek and for those who has suffered from the legal battles, now they are asked to come back and help them to raise interests in a product that they originally were discouraged from using?
I think this could be described by the lyrics of Naughty by Nature: Everything gonna be alright:
Drop that, and now you want me to rap and give?
Say somethin' positive? Well positive isn't where I lived
I say eat this Sony! I'd like to see some form of apology!!!
The Celine Dion CD is from Sony. I was not aware of this and I stand corrected. If you have moderator points, please do me a favor and mod the stupid crap that I wrote above right down into obscurity.
Lets see,
- sample some large dog (presa canario, ouch, sorry about that) barking and turn it into a real nasty sounding guard dog.
- get it to fetch your newspaper (you have to train it to go outside and look for the thing and then pick it up and return), that should be an interesting project.
- attach a gps unit to it and have it give you directions while driving (two woofs means left turn ahead, three mean right).
- teach it to go into CompUSA, attach itself to a PowerMac, and download software.
- and finally, two words, beowolf cluster!
Sony, as a record company, is still using things like the DMCA to force destructive and damaging music cds into the consumer world. Sony is one of the biggest backers of "copy protection" schemes... the same ones that can be "anti-copy protected" by marking the outer track of the CD with a sharpie marker.
Just because Sony is swinging one way in regards to their doggie, who's specs were already freely available through reverse engineering, doesn't mean you should sway your opinion of them and think that they are a changed company. Sony is a VERY dangerous company... Possibly fourth behind Microsoft, AOL-Timewarner, and the Bells.
Ever need an online dictionary?