We're guessing the naming scheme here was quite intentional, though we'll be the first to say Bandai's Smart Berry has very, very little in common with RIM's stockpile of handsets. Nevertheless, this "mobile communicator" joins the
small crowd of
other tween-centric
chat handhelds with wireless capabilities that enable four of these things to talk to one another "for email, chat and online games within a 10-meter diameter." For whatever reason, messages are limited to 64 characters (and you thought SMS was bad...), and in case that little tidbit grows increasingly frustrating, there's a virtual pet on board to take your mind to a more blissful place. Sure, we can see younger gals being entertained by this for a few weeks or so, but the ¥10,290 ($96) price tag just seems a bit outrageous, particularly when you consider the lack of a color screen. Yeah, for real.
posted Jul 18th 2008 10:58AM
Mylo clone much?
When will Bandai learn that people are more likely to buy products when they're unisex-looking. (That is, unless it's the Pippin.) Pink products are probably more likely to turn off existing potential female buyers than attract new ones.
@high ranks
well, fortunately, that product is mostly blue and white.
only a matter of time before someone changes the hamster into Tux the penguin.
Looks like Sony finally found a market for the Mylo...
12
A Sony Mylo that could become the next crackberry for youths in Japan...?
OMG, DrrN Meerf iz a TTL hawtee LOLZ!!!11!!!
Sarcastic humor fail.
1 meter range? Why not just, you know, talk? At least it doesn't cost $100 to do.
But then you can get two for effective social exclusion!
So, are they implying the "Black"Berry is not as smart as this? Thems fightin' words.
that's racist, dude
I actually *don't* think the naming was an intentional invoking of Blackberry. For one thing, Blackberries are not part of the popular consciousness there - they're not even sold to individual consumers at this point. Just businesses, and most businessmen use their own phones anyway. I have honestly never seen a single person in Japan using a Blackberry, or any references to it in pop culture.
I think it's more likely that this name was taken from "Love and Berry" or some other pop culture reference that has the word "berry" in it. (It's also possible that the word "berry" itself sounds similar to some Japanese word that means something else... that's the case with a lot of "English" words they use in situations like this, although I don't know what word "berry" would be invoking.)
I actually *don't* think the naming was an intentional invoking of Blackberry. For one thing, Blackberries are not part of the popular consciousness there - they're not even sold to individual consumers at this point. Just businesses, and most businessmen use their own phones anyway. I have honestly never seen a single person in Japan using a Blackberry, or any references to it in pop culture.
I think it's more likely that this name was taken from "Love and Berry" or some other pop culture reference that has the word "berry" in it. (It's also possible that the word "berry" itself sounds similar to some Japanese word that means something else... that's the case with a lot of "English" words they use in situations like this, although I don't know what word "berry" would be invoking.)
Whoops... doesn't RIM have some sort of comprehensive copyright on the suffix "-berry" in any electronic device? Hope they don't plan on selling in the US.
Wow...sounds like one company hasn't heard of something called, "Pictochat".
Sorry Bandai, you lose.
Not even the virtual pet that looks like Hamtaro (does Bandai own the rights to that?) can save this one. Looks like a failure to me.
Now it just needs some way to communicate with a Tamagotchi (who remembers those annoying freaks?)
And Bandai owns Tamagotchi, I believe.
This thing is like a horrible fusion between a Cybiko and Sony's Mylo, therefore destined to be a massive flop. :D
Good thing they used a monochrome display, little girls can't see in color anyway.
sweet! let's get those antisocial habits engrained early!
oh good, we found a use for blackberries now that they're all outdated :)
Are we getting so lazy to the point that we can't open our mouths to talk to someone 1 meter away?
Hmm... sort of a child locating device for pedophiles.
Given the 10 meter range, it's probably only for blind pedophiles.
isn't that what the DS is for? its certainly what mine is for!
I want one.