New AIBO - Meet the ERS-7

ejtttje writes "Sony announced today (also here) the ERS-7, the third generation of the AIBO. New specifications include more computational power, improved sensors, and, last but not least, built-in 802.11b WiFi standard! Additional information from the Japanese Flash promo includes this flash video. (8MB, mirror - sorry, no mpg). Sony will also be releasing a new version of the OPEN-R SDK to continue support of third party AIBO developers. (self plug ;) Pre-orders start October 10, and ship early November, for $1599 (in the US)."

Comments

Be sure to change those WEP keys..

[Anonymous Coward]

Be sure to change your WEP keys regularly (You are running at least 128-bit WEP, changing it weekly, right?).. You wouldn't want someone spying on you with that built-in camera..

What exactly is the point of an Aibo?

[Wonderkid]

It doesn't do anything at all useful. If people want a pet, far better to own a real animal that will teach the owner about responsibility and patience - after all, you cannot turn a puppy off. The type of robot that IS useful is the Roomba (spelling?) that vacuums the floor and from reviews, appears to do a good job too. Anyway, I'm a pussy man.

Re:What exactly is the point of an Aibo?

[pubjames]

What exactly is the point of an Aibo?

Well, at the moment, there isn't much point, other than entertainment.

But I think it represents increadible long term thinking on the part of Sony. They are getting experience in developing and marketing domestic robots. There must be $$$ of R&D going into this, and I expect that Sony isn't making a profit on it. But all the functionality that's going into Aibo - I bet within ten years Sony will be able to create a human size human robot that can perform simple actions from voice commands - i.e. "pick that newspaper up off the coffee table and bring it to me". There might not be much of a market for Aibo at the moment, but imagine the market for a robot that can do that -- great for older people and the handicapped, as well of a million other uses we'll probably only think of once domestic robots are commonplace.

When this type of domestic robot is possible, Sony is going to be years ahead of any other company in the technical development, manufacture and marketing of them. Respect to Sony.

What kind of crummy video is that?

[NaveWeiss]

8 megs and it just shows the bot walking and fetching a bone? Come on!!

It kinda cute how it notices the bone and wags its tail after picking it up, but stil.. for the ultimate experience, you should get a real dog..

Here's an idea: You can use the bot to train the dog. For example.. guard the sofa so the dog won't sit on it and stuff.

Re:I don't like my aibo

[Rogerborg]

Um, quite. I always got the feeling that the difference between an Aibo and a cheap knock off was this:

• Aibo knock off: Cheap plastic full of dumb technology.
• Genuine Aibo: Cheap plastic full of smart technology that they promise will actually do stuff in the N+1 version.

Re:Amen

[SnowZero]

Got to love Slashdot: $2500 Gaming rig = great, but a $1500 programmable robot = dumb investment. Being unhappy with an Aibo you don't get new programs for (or write them for free) is a bit like being depressed with a game console that you didn't buy any games for.