The Availabot hates your mommy

This Availabot prototype, as the name implies, is a presence aware, instant messaging buddy-bot whose physical demeanor is meant to communicate the status of your little Internet friends. The Availabot stands erect when your buddy comes online and then drops to the table in a flaccid heap of despair when s/he goes away. The idea here, of course, is to show status in a "fun" and "physical" way. But unlike the cutsie wutsie Nabaztag, the Availabot can be made to look just like you and your creepy friend(s). Just think, a mini community of angry, exercising Sim dwarves guaranteed to haunt you in your dreams. Great.

[Via Pasta & Vinegar]

[Austin @ Jun 27th 2006 9:48AM]

now if only they had one that if you buy two it can do one of those "rock 'em sock 'em robots" things depending on who's chatting more.

[Big Appple @ Jun 27th 2006 10:17AM]

Just one question?
Which IM software has the feature to only show one particular buddy online or offline instead of showing the activities of all buddies?

[Jason @ Jun 27th 2006 10:32AM]

Big Appple, I think you miss the point of something like this.

You could be somewhere else in the room and your PC could have its monitor in standby and you could tell by looking at the little "Dolls" if a favorite buddy was online or not.

Creepy yes, but probably solid gold for the socially dysfunctional and "myspace" crowd.

[z0idberg @ Jun 27th 2006 10:41AM]

funny, could take off, although you would want more than one per USB port. You need a long line of them out of one USB port (maybe if you could daisy chain them or something). No-one is going to buy just one and sacrifice a USB port for their favorite IM buddy are they?

[james @ Jun 27th 2006 10:44AM]

I think "erect" and "flaccid" are dangerous words to use when describing hardware that is linked to your chat program...

[Simon P @ Jun 27th 2006 10:46AM]

This is exactly the kind of thing that technology should be giving us more of. I read this page several times a day and the best posts are always the ones that put a smile on my face. This is great. I want one.....or twelve.

[Yaks @ Jun 27th 2006 10:56AM]

Daisy chain, yes. Thats the only way this makes sense, and having lets say 10 for 30 bucks or so. With different types of bodies might sell.

[Matt @ Jun 27th 2006 11:03AM]

What if he could break dance to the music???

[David @ Jun 27th 2006 11:49AM]

I want one that looks like a dog. Easier than having a real pet.

[josh @ Jun 27th 2006 12:34PM]

This would be an amusing present for a boss to give to all of their employees... one of these that looks like them, so they can all know whenever the boss is logged in to IM... or better yet, in the office.

[n8diggity @ Jun 27th 2006 3:39PM]

it looks like the site says this only works with macs right now... perhaps Windows in the future? I love the idea of having 10 of these things on my desk...

[Charles @ Jun 27th 2006 4:57PM]

I would love for this thing to support when people go afk or brb. So it would work like this:

Online and Active = Erect
Online and busy/brb/afk = semi erect...like a slouch
Offline = umm flacid :-)

Add the daisychain and I would buy 10 right now.

[Cowboy Bob @ Jun 27th 2006 7:18PM]

Even though it sounds like one of the dumbest computer accessories ever, it would be cool to own my own minute army of little usb men waiting to be turned on by one of my 2 available usb ports

[Claudiu Spulber @ Jun 28th 2006 4:13AM]

That's creepy. I wouldn't put any sort of doll/bot like that in my room. Haven't you guys seen Chuckie???

[ironleg @ Jun 30th 2006 10:44AM]

now we know a real use for that 127 maximum for usb devices, i want a whole army of these to make a rave in miniatures

[Brea1510 @ Jul 8th 2006 12:58AM]

I THINK IT IS DUMB BECAUSE YOUR COMPUTER ALREADY SHOWS YOU WHEN PEOPLE SIGN ON AND SIGN OFF. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE BUDDY LIST. BESIDES WHO WANTS TO BUY SOMETHING THAT TELLS YOU YOUR FRIENDS ARE ON LINE FOR EXTRA MONEY WHEN YOU GET WITH YOUR ONLINE SERVICE. HOW DUMB CAN YOU BE LIKE REALLY COME ON I KNOW YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS.

[kat @ Jul 8th 2006 2:25PM]

it's not dumb! it's entertainment! would you rather watch a movie or read a book?! come on, it's cool!

[seth @ Jul 10th 2006 9:55PM]

if u are one of those people like me wha has a few frends (+ daisy chain) it would be very good cuz i have no idea when my friends are on or off.and i will rize as a leader of a army of little toy men who will soon rule the world... muehahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaahhahahahahahahaahahahahahahahaahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[theresa @ Jul 12th 2006 12:22AM]

haha, i think they're charming! LOL