Sony's Rolly gets official, yet we still don't really get it

The Sony Rolly SEP-10BT "Sound Entertainment Player" is here, people, and yet we're still just as unclear as ever as to exactly what it's utility is. Not quite a domestic robot, not quite a portable audio player, not quite a boombox, the Rolly flutters about, dancing and playing MP3, ATRAC, or AAC tunes via either Bluetooth with A2DP / AVRCP or its 1GB of internal memory. In fact, not only does Rolly dance to your music, apparently you can also choreograph it and share your Rolly moves with pals over the internet. A full charge gets you five hours straight music, four hours of dance and music, or three and a half hours dancing, music, and Bluetooth use together -- fantastic news for people with a clean desk and tons of time to kill. It'll run you about ¥40,000 (about $350 US) when it lands in Japan September 29th. Video after the break.

Gallery: Sony's Rolly gets official, yet we still don't really get it

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[Via Engadget Japanese]

[wezred @ Sep 10th 2007 12:16AM]

i could use it as a guard dog...

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 10th 2007 12:55AM]

Or you could watch the video and try to guess what it really does..

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/rolly/products/IntroMovie.html

[Zak @ Sep 10th 2007 2:49AM]

I will buy one..Glue a stick on the front with handlebars.

There you have it a Musical Segway. Bit of Red hot Chilli peppers and groove your way down the street.

Pimp that ride if you can.Blue tooth the same song to 5 of them and you have an automatic dance troop.

[Zak @ Sep 10th 2007 5:16AM]

Oh God its tiny! I thought it was huge. The size of a large dog. Now that would be more fun, something that spins around and rolls fast and knocks down old ladies to some blink 182 tunes.

[404error @ Sep 10th 2007 12:18AM]

$350 to watch something spin around in circles...wow. Sony does it again. This is revolutionary.

[Will @ Sep 10th 2007 12:33AM]

Sony had a chance if they had charged 100 bucks for it, at $350 for 1GB it wont go anywhere.

[akijikan @ Sep 10th 2007 12:49AM]

You are correct sir, spinning in circles is revolution-ary.

[ark_v2 @ Sep 10th 2007 1:32AM]

Yeah, for us is really weird, but I bet that the japanese will love this thing...

@ Will
Well, at least it has A2DP

[Will @ Sep 10th 2007 12:19AM]

Looks... useless...

[Andrew H. @ Sep 10th 2007 4:44PM]

...but for some reason i still want one.

[3rdsun @ Sep 10th 2007 6:29AM]

If Engadget is giving away one one these I will be honoured to receive. looks cool. I for one welcome our Rolly music playing robot overlords

[Galls @ Sep 10th 2007 12:21AM]

you do realize the japanese are gonna eat this shit up like its bad karaoke and pokemon combined into one single retail item.

[Common Core 2 Duo!! @ Sep 10th 2007 12:26AM]

Yes and like the Japanese Pokemon and Karaoke, so will the Americans.

[greatslack @ Sep 10th 2007 12:27AM]

The Rolly: If you have to ask, you'll never know.

[Fruition @ Sep 10th 2007 12:36AM]

HAY GUYZ GRAET PARTY I BROT MY ROLLY!!1

^I'm sure you can make a lot of friends this way.

[airibis @ Sep 10th 2007 12:37AM]

Hmmmm, I guess if you are drunk enough you may wish to hard-hack a mic onto it, and utilize the AD2p to make phone calls.....


^^;;

[doniel @ Sep 10th 2007 12:39AM]

I just have one question: why does almost every new gadget Sony rolls out look like something designed for kids???

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 10th 2007 12:44AM]

you could make one with a simple >$1 audio chip 9the ones they use for 10 led equalizers, a pic, and 2 motors..) the question is, even for $10 of parts, why would you?

granted the cheapmans would lack bluetooth, and only have a $20 1gb mp3 player inside.. but again, $30 or $300, .... why... ?

can i just get a cat instead?

my ferret dances around to music (sort of...) and he also triples as a back scratcher and food in the event of a nuclear winter.
can sony do that?

[medic3160 @ Sep 10th 2007 12:45AM]

Well, after browsing the official Sony Japan website for the past hour, I'm come to several conclusions which may or may not be brought on my extreme fatigue: 1) The Rolly is actually kinda cute. It may not seem so at first, but wait till you see that thing move; and 2) Sony has officially suceeded in making a website that is more cryptic and confusing than that Hanso Foundation website they made to promote the TV show LOST last year. Overall its pretty cool though. Theres several different methods of control which include touch and movement. It will also sync up with your bluetooth phone or other device to play music and it will even function as an alarm clock. Now we just have to hope it doesn't bomb too badly in Japan and makes its way over to the US.

[Zadillo @ Sep 10th 2007 12:50AM]

For some reason this thing really reminds me of the Haro robots from Mobile Suit Gundam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haro_(anime)

[Typhoid Mary @ Sep 10th 2007 12:57AM]

Out of the box it sounds utterly useless to me but I am sure people will hack the shite out of it and make it actually worth a 2nd look.

[rokerovakero @ Sep 10th 2007 1:09AM]

yeah, and Sony will release firmware updates daily so people can enjoy the out-of-box experience of flapping its wings.

[Typhoid Mary @ Sep 10th 2007 4:27PM]

True Sony might try to stop the hacks like Apple does. But you dont have to update. Secretly I am sure Sony would love the homebrew community hacking this thing, its great free publicity that keeps the buzz going long after the initial hype has died. Hell, it works great for Apple.

[ryan @ Sep 10th 2007 12:59AM]

looks neat, I think...maybe...what is it again?

[friko @ Sep 10th 2007 1:13AM]

give it to me!

[ark_v2 @ Sep 10th 2007 1:27AM]

Oh, now you know exactly how we felt when you first posted this :)

[Tony @ Sep 10th 2007 1:38AM]

i think it rolls?

[Paul @ Sep 10th 2007 1:59AM]

I would get it if it's one of those alarms clocks that run away from you making you find it/chase it down to turn it off.

[Nelson @ Sep 10th 2007 2:23AM]

Maybe you can kick it and it will snooze for 10 minutes. That would be neat!

[Hudson Pridham @ Sep 10th 2007 2:27AM]

If it was at a dance party I'm sure it would get stepped on by the end of the night. dancing people + booze + dancing robot = robot carnage

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 10th 2007 2:54AM]

so it's a football with bluetooth?

[Alex @ Sep 10th 2007 3:12AM]

i rolly don't get this device... it looks like some sort of bomb that a secret agent could roll down a hallway or around a corner... that or a football.

[Eduardo @ Sep 10th 2007 3:20AM]

Es de estos cacharros que compramos y después de una semana están en un rincón olvidados. Pero por 350 dólares y tener el escritorio limpio, creo que paso.

[scolen2 @ Sep 10th 2007 3:28AM]

Does it roll? Cuase if it does, i want that it!

Accually, what i really want is the Disco song. Does anyone know where that is from?

[Richard John @ Sep 12th 2007 6:51PM]

It's the Justice remix of Skitzo Dancer by Scenario Rock

[tony @ Sep 10th 2007 3:38AM]

looks like Aibo turd.

[Deluxe @ Sep 10th 2007 3:39AM]

Zomg I want one!!

[sinn @ Sep 10th 2007 3:54AM]

This Sony is a copy!

There is already a pioneer; the limitlessly same thing

ZMP
http://miuro.com/

[imnotfatimheavybreasted @ Sep 10th 2007 5:08AM]

somebody in the bay area will get this because they will think "oh if i get this everybody will think um "uber" forward thinking and fast company'ish and trendy and maybe somebody in my non profit startup will think im ready for that promotion and ill feel cool, sophisticated, white, simple, blank and utra forward thinking like the look of the commercial"

[bharatk12 @ Sep 10th 2007 5:42AM]

SKITZO DANCER....JUSTICE REMIX !!!!

[bharatk12 @ Sep 10th 2007 5:50AM]

Is that dude practicing how TO GRAB HIS WIFE'S ASS WHEN SHE DANCING WITH ROLLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LordFarkward @ Sep 10th 2007 6:25AM]

that's one exclamation mark too many

[giuliop @ Sep 10th 2007 6:59AM]

Out of the market in 12 months, 18 tops. I'm accepting bets.

[ChrisP @ Sep 10th 2007 7:18AM]

hmm brb just need to go catch my MP3 player......

[andrew @ Sep 10th 2007 7:20AM]

cooler then the ps3.

Kidding, Kidding.

But seriously, that thing is real stupid. $350?!

[xumdeo @ Sep 10th 2007 7:37AM]

it is not exactly useful, but good for branding, they're turning concepts you see in anime and sci-fi movies into reality. don't expect it this to sell any better than the Aibo, but when aibo is not around, this kind of cliche product might be essential for their image. if sandisk can come out with the sansa shaker, why can't sony make their rolly?

it actually looks pretty cool on video, when it dances
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070910/sony2_2.htm
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070910/sony2_2.wmv

[Andr? @ Sep 10th 2007 7:41AM]

This thing is awesome.

[Zut @ Sep 10th 2007 7:51AM]

They cut out the part of the video where it bursts into flames and tries to kill the family!

[loaloa @ Sep 10th 2007 8:20AM]

Believe me, that thing is going to be a big hit in japan with the japanese teens - that's the target , the asian teens .

but i agree that , view from occident, it's hard to understand why they've create something like that which seems to be totally un-useful

[loaloa @ Sep 10th 2007 4:34PM]

I've never say that asian teens are dumb ( and they are not ! ) , i just said that it's the kind of product they will like, that's all. And, right, specially the japanese teens because of their love for robotic.