Brian Braiker files this report from NEWSWEEK's CES Blog:
What
is it?
A new line of interactive robots
How much will it
cost me?
$100-$300, depending on the model.
Who makes it?
WowWee
Why should I
care?
Because they're robots! Befriend them now before they enslave us
all.
How would you describe it?
Mr. Personality has a color LCD screen where his face ought to be. It tells
jokes, plays games, and has a personality you can reprogram through a USB
connection. If the writer's strike is still underway by the time Mr. Personality
hits the market this summer, you'll be happy to plunk down the $250.
The
three-wheeling Tri-Bot also yukks it up--at half the price ($100)--with
eyebrows that jag up and down as he tells his goofy jokes. He also plays games that
require you to maneuver him in certain patterns. The Tri-Bot takes a page out of
the Wii playbook: you steer him with a motion-sensitive remote control that that
you simply tilt from side to side.
Also slated for release this summer
is the Femisapien, the voluptuous fembot. At just $100, she'll be marketed to
women and girls--especially women and girls who dig wicked bellbottoms, platform
shoes and Daft Punk. She
responds to voice commands and even dances when she hears music.
Slightly
more sinister looking--and definitely much cooler--is the Rovio ($300), a
surveillance bot with a video camera, microphone, and Wi-Fi capabilities. The
three-wheeled Rovio can stream video from its camera to remote locations with a
broadband-connected Windows PC or smartphone. Unfortunately it's not invisible,
so it's unlikely your mark won't notice he's being spied on.
When
can I get my hands on it?
The full line of robots will be on sale
by late summer.
What's your verdict?
Good clean pointless fun.
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