UGOBE "shocked and appalled" by destruction of Pleo at Maker Faire

Uh oh, it looks like we've got a full-fledged robot controversy on our hands. At the heart of it, as you might have guessed, is the recent obliteration of a harmless Pleo by a so-called ComBot known as Vicious Verdict at Maker Faire 2008. According to a UGOBE rep posting on the PleoWorld forum, the company is having none of it, saying that the "stunt" was done without its authorization or approval, and that there was "quite a ruckus" about it in UGOBE's office after they learned of the incident. The rep went on to add that many people, including the UGOBE reps at their Maker Faire booth were "shocked and appalled" by the act, and that they "make emotional bonds with Pleo too." The rep did seemingly confirm that the Pleo in question was in fact provided by the company, however, saying that, "it is perhaps a small consolation to know that the Pleo destroyed was a factory prototype." A cuddly, cuddly factory prototype.

[Via Tech Digest]

[justin @ May 9th 2008 12:56PM]

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE PLEO!?!?!?!

[Blackstar @ May 9th 2008 1:05PM]

Until someone puts kittens, baby seals, or human children in that ring, I wish the over sensitive people would get a grip about the one toy robot that broke the other toy robot.

I see potential in T-Shirts featuring:

"The Pleo Broke, Get Over It."

[Langdon Alger @ May 9th 2008 1:37PM]

Don't kid yourself Justin. If a Pleo ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about!

[Technex @ May 9th 2008 1:58PM]

@Blackstar. It wasn't a toy robot, I would love to see you stick your hands on the rotating blades....

[Blackstar @ May 9th 2008 3:46PM]

@ Technex. Yes, it was a toy robot. It did not wish upon a star and become a real dinosaur.

As for placing anything in the ring, you first.

[TomFox @ May 9th 2008 5:52PM]

@Blackstar, Technex was refering to the remote controlled lawnmower that took out the toy dinosaur.

[Blackstar @ May 9th 2008 9:31PM]

@ Technex That one isn't building cars or performing heart transplants either, so yes, that one is a toy too.

[Anonymoose @ May 9th 2008 12:57PM]

i'd be shocked and appalled too if'n my robot performed so poorly in a death match. get some cojones, pleo. get some gosh darned cojones.

[Blackstar @ May 9th 2008 1:09PM]

I could see people getting upset maybe if they did that to Wall*E. But that would never happen because EVE would come and kick that robot's a**.

[Brian @ May 9th 2008 4:46PM]

LOL!! +1

[Craig @ May 9th 2008 12:57PM]

Burn the people who did this! Make them suffer!

[fred @ May 9th 2008 12:57PM]

It's not a real animal, UGOBE. Just have the Chinese make more.

[Allan @ May 9th 2008 12:58PM]

So they provided the Pleo and didn't give authorization for its destruction? OK, I could see being a bit miffed about it. Shit happens. I don't know if "shocked and appalled" are quite the terms I'd use... but whatever.

[Kurian @ May 9th 2008 2:39PM]

I wonder why Sony and MS didn't sue when those dudes took a sledge hammer to their consoles.

[Kurian @ May 9th 2008 2:41PM]

Oh wait, UGOBE isn't suing. Crap, I was looking forward to a battle between UGOBE and a bunch of cool dudes.

[bobbywigs @ May 9th 2008 12:59PM]

its. a. TOY. run to mama and whine that the big bad bully broke your wittle toy.

[Drew @ May 9th 2008 1:00PM]

in 2009.... PLEO SR. The DOOM BRINGER!

[RyoKimball @ May 9th 2008 1:48PM]

I'll buy two.

[F3 @ May 9th 2008 2:51PM]

Pleo Jr. sucks!

[Synthaxx @ May 9th 2008 1:01PM]

Watch for the next pleo to have a self defense option that includes flamethrowers.

I for one etc...

[r3loaded @ May 9th 2008 1:54PM]

To complete your sentence:

"I, for one, welcome our fire-breathing robotic dinosaur overlords"

[eugene @ May 9th 2008 1:04PM]

Reminds me of highschool. A couple of kids took an old piano out to the river bed and destroyed it. Nothing like pointless destruction to prove how angry you are.

[MEAT! @ May 9th 2008 2:29PM]

Nothing makes me sadder than seeing a piano or other instrument destroyed. A Pleo is a toy. A piano is a device through which you can express creativity and produce music.

In other words, bring on the television shows where people turn cuddly toys into vicious killing machines, then pit them against one another. Battlebots except with points awarded for deceptive cuddliness.

[sean @ May 9th 2008 4:55PM]

I guess Meat also gets sad whenever someone breaks a pencil. What a miserable life.

[Ladderless @ May 9th 2008 5:42PM]

What about helpless fax machines?

("Office Space" reference, not that I needed to say)

[MEAT! @ May 9th 2008 6:34PM]

Don't mention the pencils. T_T

[Ridgecity @ May 9th 2008 1:04PM]

well, the combot guys thought this was going to be funny, you know, like jackass and crap like that....

Hope they make a tirannosaur PLEX and rips apart this kids robots...

[Ian @ May 9th 2008 2:31PM]

wow i love you retro boxing picture. that game is badass

[Marty @ May 9th 2008 1:05PM]

Ok, all hippy-feel-good-save-the-whale-lets list to some emo-ness aside... it really was kind of a jerk thing to do.

Take away Pleo and Vicious and you have one guy pissing all over another guy's product.

Just put yourself in their shoes... you've built something you're proud of, and someone else comes and just stomps all over it. That's not cool.

[EricR @ May 9th 2008 1:05PM]

how about some kevlar skin, a steel skeleton and a powerful drill (mounted on the head) along with that flamethrower...

[Jake @ May 9th 2008 1:06PM]

Oh get over it, you whiny treehuggers. It's a dang toy. I once carried a dying family dog back to the house from the road after his snout was broken off, but still dangling by a piece of skin, after getting hit by a car.

[Mike D @ May 9th 2008 1:26PM]

... treehuggers?

[jefffaucher @ May 9th 2008 1:31PM]

Wow. thanks for ruining my afternoon.

[eugene @ May 9th 2008 3:12PM]

It's not about the toy, it's about the behaviour and the mentality of people who think of these sort of immature violent outbursts as 'cool'.

[cowboy_k @ May 9th 2008 1:10PM]

Still think they should have found a "Tickle-Me-Elmo" to put in the ring - would have been much more satisfying to watch.

[Technex @ May 9th 2008 1:59PM]

Agreed!

[Anthony @ May 9th 2008 5:57PM]

What about the new Elmo? That thing is seriously creepy.

However- I have a question: What's so cool about the Pleo? I like toys & have a toddler. Why are people buying these?

[Marty @ May 9th 2008 1:13PM]

I think the people whining about Pleo are doing it tongue-in-cheek really.

Your kid builds a lemonade stand. Innocent and sweet enough.

Then a Coca-Cola truck comes crashing through and runs over your kids' stand, the whole time the driver hanging out the window, pointing and laughing,
"Haw Haw!"

Well don't be upset, it was just a bunch of f****** lemons. F*** you kid too while we're at it. Suck it up.

Besides, Vicious isn't even a true robot. It's just big-ass remote control car. Give me some money and I'll build you the same piece of crap. When these vehicles are able to battle it out without having some fat slob behind the remote, then I'll be impressed.

[Anonymoose @ May 9th 2008 1:56PM]

right, great analogy. except to make it work better, you should mention that you gave the lemonade stand away to the coca cola company and that your kids hate you for making them slave away in a lemonade stand to raise funds to buy you a book that will teach you how to construct proper analogies. OH YEAH, I WENT THERE.

[JamesR @ May 9th 2008 1:19PM]

I can see why UGOBE is a bit upset. If Apple gave someone a factory Mac Book Air at a computer show and they just smashed it to bits on camera I bet Steve would be a bit miffed too.

[Mile @ May 9th 2008 1:52PM]

James is right! UGOBE isn't the only wimpy company out there! Let's not forget APPLE!

[r3loaded @ May 9th 2008 1:57PM]

Steve would have such a person..............dealt with. The Apple faithful know this all too well.

[TomFox @ May 9th 2008 6:00PM]

Steve would enter a rage and blast that robot away with his laser eyes :D

[Will @ May 9th 2008 6:22PM]

But would Steve cry because he had an emotional bond with it? No.

[Kizorblade @ May 9th 2008 11:59PM]

I'm sure the MBA can take care of itself... it's almost thin enough on one side to be a makeshift axe. Just sharpen it down a bit.

[nebulus @ May 9th 2008 1:21PM]

I'm looking forward to Pleo's children with fire breath, lasers for eyes and titanium claws to kick that overgrown lawnmover into touch...

[Hacksaw @ May 9th 2008 1:23PM]

Grimlock! Avenge PLEO's death!

[Rob Schoenfeld @ May 9th 2008 1:25PM]

Alas Poor Pleo,

If you prick Pleo, does Pleo not bleed?
if you tickle Pleo, does Pleo not laugh?
If you poison Pleo, does Pleo we not die?
and if you chop Pleo into bits in a show of robot supremacy,
shall Pleo not revenge?

Oh wait it's an overly priced piece of plastic, that rich people buy their snotty children. Shouldn't the tree huggers be more upset about the large carbon footprint it probably takes to make just one of these buggers.

[NHAnimator @ May 9th 2008 1:34PM]

1. Authorization and/or approval are not needed. Sorry.

2. Before the match (and backstage), I would have carefully slit open the skin in a few places and dropped in some deep red liquid pouches. Then when it got ripped apart by Vicious... well... you know.

[frank @ May 9th 2008 1:37PM]

I can't believe there hasn't been a 'will Pleo blend?' comment yet. There is now.