New aibo

[StephanCTR]

How do you like Sony's new aibo?

I was delighted when I first saw it, because it seems like a nod to that time around 2000-2005 when Sony had all the coolest products with PS2, early digital cameras, beatiful hi-fi systems, and aibo of course. It was really sad when they discontinued aibo sometime in 2005. But as I read the materials about new aibo, it turned me off a bit - it is cloud based, so it needs instant connection (GT Sport, anyone?). And since it is equipped with cameras and microphones, seems quite big brother-ish. Anyways, on January 11 it relases in Japan and with really steep pricing: without taxes it is around 1800 USD + mobile and cloud subscription around 800 USD/3 years and service subscription 500 USD/3 years.

 

[sesselpupser]

The original ERS-110 was ¥250,000, that's over $2,245 today - except this was in 1999, which today would be $3306.98.

I work in a museum that recently had a robot exhibition and the cheapest commercial ones we had were supposedly over £8,000 (the Softbank Nao), admittedly it was pretty fancy but it was only about a foot tall. Pepper, it's bigger sibling, was over £16,000... Then factoring in all the maintenance costs, just those two exhibits alone must've cost at least three times their purchase price. I know I spent a LOT of time working on them, I'd guess half of my pay from last year came from working on that gallery alone (and I still couldn't have afforded a Pepper even if I had no other expenses!)

So yeah, robots are expensive! $800 for a 3-year sub to a cloud service is steep, though - are you sure you don't have the cloud sub and servicing backwards?

 

[StephanCTR]

So yeah, robots are expensive!

You are right. I am aware that aibo is not that expensive compared to other hi-end robots or for example hi-end ILC cameras.

$800 for a 3-year sub to a cloud service is steep, though - are you sure you don't have the cloud sub and servicing backwards?

The prices for subscription (Basic plan & Care support) are available on japanese store page, I roughly converted it from YEN to USD.

 

[Robin]

I preferred the futuristic / robotic look of the first few generation aibo's rather than it looking like an actual puppy. I guess this one it much more advanced and has a lot of charm but somehow it doesn't capture the magic of the original. I guess the world is now too used to cutting edge tech.