UGOBE's Pleo enters production, software updates already promised

With just weeks to go until Americans everywhere lose their minds in the holiday shopping rush, UGOBE is announcing that its long (long) awaited Pleo is finally hitting the production line. Furthermore, the company insists that those who pre-ordered the dinobot directly from UGOBE will receive a 30-day shipment notification "before Thanksgiving," and those who placed their order with "any US retailer" will have their new toy before December 25th. In case that's not enough to win back your heart, you can also look forward to a revamped website next month that will allow owners to download a "surprise mode" for their creature. Speaking of downloads, those wondering if this thing really will be able to "learn and develop a unique personality based on how it is raised" can anticipate "free software updates" aimed at enabling that feature (and possibly others) sometime next year. Hang tight kiddos, Pleos are being hatched as we speak.

[Ryan @ Nov 6th 2007 5:31PM]

Yey! I pre ordered mine.

[Rainier @ Nov 6th 2007 5:48PM]

Me Pleo not toy, me Pleo King!!

[Sirocco @ Nov 6th 2007 5:49PM]

Please, no software updats. It's perfect just the way it is.

[azoneben @ Nov 6th 2007 6:11PM]

Reminds me of a Chao in the Sonic Games...

[ugg.tryptophan @ Nov 6th 2007 6:27PM]

i for one welcome our prehistoric robot overlords that blend while playing doom

[Tom @ Nov 6th 2007 6:57PM]

omg shut up

[Anthony @ Nov 6th 2007 6:44PM]

Can someone explain to me why Engadget is covering the Pleo so closely? I feel like I've read a lot of stories about it & none about, say, tickle me Elmo.

[CommanderROR @ Nov 6th 2007 7:04PM]

Well, I must admit that I don't see the point with Pleo...
Aibo was kinda cool, but the slow movements and (if you are really honest) pretty weak AI combined with the high price were always a dealbreaker for me.
Pleo looks a lot LESS advanced from what I've seen in the vids and read in various (Engadget)articles.
I really wish I could go to sleep and have somebody wake me when the newest breakthrough in robotics is an AI pet that you can actually take outside for a walk or at least one that does not need half an hour to move from one tablecorner to the next.
Pleo might look cute, but that's about it for me. Almost none of the videos show it actually walking, and whenever it does it looks extremely slwo and cumbersome...

[applefreak @ Nov 6th 2007 7:08PM]

slow is not spelled 'slwo'
(i love picking on negitive people :)

[Anthony @ Nov 6th 2007 7:54PM]

To Applefreak:

Really? What about *negative* people?

I love picking on people who pick on people.

[Syd @ Nov 6th 2007 7:55PM]

That's "negative", not "negitive".

Sheesh.

[applefreak @ Nov 6th 2007 7:04PM]

I first saw this in Popular Science mag, like, 8 months. Just from the tech spec side, this is pretty cool.

[applefreak @ Nov 6th 2007 7:09PM]

months ago ,i mean

[CommanderROR @ Nov 6th 2007 7:12PM]

how about negative instead of negitive?
;)

[applefreak @ Nov 6th 2007 7:37PM]

wow, ill admit, i'm schooled
not that I'm negAtive or anything, i;m just really tired, LLLOOONNNGGG day
thanx L:)

[Patrick @ Nov 6th 2007 7:27PM]

so how exactly do you update it? usb? that conjures mental images of where you might have to plug the thing in...

that being said, i still want one.

[MickeyMoo @ Nov 6th 2007 8:38PM]

There's an SD slot on the bottom where the battery bay is. Hope they figured out the paint issue...

[Frida @ Nov 7th 2007 8:56AM]

I would like to have such one too))

-------------------
USA homes

[Wolfticket @ Nov 7th 2007 1:48PM]

Littlefoot is OK, but a Petrie bot would rule.

[macona @ Nov 7th 2007 2:29PM]

surprise mode = dinosaurs with lasers on their heads?

[Axton @ Nov 7th 2007 6:06PM]

I admit, Pleo looks awesome and i would love to own one. But i was read elsewhere that it only has 1 hour of battery life and takes 4 hours to completely recharge.