My Pleo is now orphaned, its parent company Ugobe went bankrupted.  That means no more software updates or any new functionalities or a newer generation~ nothing at all~  It wasn’t the smartest business plan – built a company that relied solely on a $350 robotic toy~ It might survived in boom times, but now it’s not a huge surprise that it goes under.  Back in the days Sony has money to burn but still wasn’t able to sustain their $1000+ Aibos.  Does it mean there’s just no hope for smart robotic toys that are automated?   I guess for now, there really isn’t any hope.  It is still too expensive to build a robot for consumers! Aibos were the standard and really showed how the technology can go, but for $1000+, it’s just not possible for average people to get one.  Pleo on the other hand tried to bring the price down by using less sophisticated parts (in comparison, but still much better than many “toys” in toy stores), but it just came off as too much compromise and either the price-conscious people nor the techno-conscious people were satisfied.

I still like my Pleo, it still roam around my room from time to time, making silly noises, or simply sleeping in my arms.  But I am still looking forward to the day where a real smart robotic pet that can run as good as a real pet without all the messes~

Related posts:

1. When Pleo meets dolphins
2. I finally got one!
3. Norby
4. iPhone Art
5. Apple and WallE

Tagged: Pleo · Robot