Kindle
Robot pets may help reduce stress, as recently reported, but they must not sell to well. Yesterday, Sony put their line of Aibo and Qrio robots to sleep for good. From the San Jose Mercury News:
UPDATE: At the MAKE: Blog, Phil Toronne has posted a big photo gallery of QRIO and AIBO cuteness. The AIBOs are his. Link
...Bruce Bender, owns 56 Aibos, which he believes is the world's largest private collection. Bender, who lives in Rancho Cordova, outside Sacramento, noted in a message board posting that although Aibo manufacturing has stopped, ``that doesn't mean Aibo is dead.''Link
Bender said in a phone interview that he still plans to host gatherings for the worldwide Aibo community, such as one he held in late September where 110 dogs danced together in unison. Bender believes Sony's moves wlil bring the Aibo community closer together -- at least in spirit.
``Aibo is a very small department and that is the kind of thing you cut out when you are streamlining,'' Bender said. ``It's a business decision and business decisions don't always make money. But the Aibo community will go on.''
UPDATE: At the MAKE: Blog, Phil Toronne has posted a big photo gallery of QRIO and AIBO cuteness. The AIBOs are his. Link