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Monday December 10, 2007
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The news is all over Engadget and the UK version of Gamespot [the image at left, meanwhile, came from an issue of Stuff Magazine]: A new Sony AIBO robotic dog called the AIBO PS is on its way and it's designed to work with Sony's Portable PlayStation and PlayStation 3. If true, this would truly be a resurrection, since Sony killed its robotics division (including the AIBO and humanoid QRIO) in the fall of 2006. I'm skeptical, however. Many of the new features breathlessly reported on blogs and Gamespot existed in previous AIBOs, including wireless control, built-in camera, motion sensors and facial recognition. The big deal is that it can stream video over WiFi to your PSP
That's cool, I guess. I used to be able to control my AIBO wirelessly via my PC. If this product is real, Sony simply ported existing AIBO Mind software to the PSP platform and, I assume, the PS3 platform as well. I'd love to believe that, but Sony's not saying anything and the company ultimately ended up treating AIBO like an unwanted step child. Plus the whole idea that AIBO can somehow rescue the PSP is utter nonsense. That platform will live or die on its own steam.
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December 11, 2007 3:42 PM
I spoke with the editor of Stuff magazine today and the picture IS NOT a genuine shot, even of a prototype. It is a 'concept rendering' commissioned by the magazine of what the 'Aibo PS' could look like. The article was created after rumours from several sources came to the attention of various Stuff magazine staff members. Hence the listed 53% probability of it appearing in 2008.
Also, Sony's CEO has indicated that the Aibo will not be returning to production.