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The Virtual Menagerie: A look back at our techno pets
Pets are great. But if you're too lazy, busy or overcome with allergies for the real thing, you have a host of digital alternatives. They've found homes on our computers, in addictive little eggs and even housed insemi-realistic representations of actual animals. Their souls may be entirely digital, but that hasn't stopped consumers from coddling and caring for these code-based creatures. Join us as we take a look at some of the digital, virtual and robotic pets that have captured our hearts over the years.
Gadget Rewind 2005: Nabaztag
If robotic rabbits could multiply, we'd be overrun by "kawaii" (the Japanese word for "cute") by now. Thankfully, Violet's 2005 Nabaztag robo-bunny has kept its socializing strictly to the digital realm. This adorably designed, WiFi-enabled techno-pet was created as a hub for delivering streams of user data through color, motion and sound. In fact, interaction with this "smart object's" ambient notifications and playful exterior aimed to provide a relaxing and peaceful experience. Did we mention it was also programmed to perform Tai Chi (with its ears)?
Karotz connects to Facebook and Twitter, waits for Godot (video)
Nabaztag has died many a death, but that quirky rabbit's legacy still lives on in lil' bro Karotz. The desktop-friendly bunny, which just launched in the US today, is what parent company Violet is calling the "first Facebook hardware." It's a strong claim to make, but that superfluous moniker is actually better applied to the device's social networking integration. When connected to the internet, the unit's voice recognition software (processed by external servers) can execute commands to snap photos -- taken via built-in webcam -- and upload them to Facebook. You can even have it read your Twitter feed, in addition to the weather. The company's also released an app, available for Android and iOS, that gives users the ability to send typed messages through the unit -- resulting in a talking Karotz -- or simply manipulate its ears. It's a fun exercise in uselessness -- at least, that's how one rep on the showroom floor put it. Can't decide if you've got $129 to burn? Then check out our video below while you ponder the merits of this pointless tech.
Karotz hits the US, has a lot of catching up to do on Twitter, Facebook
After a rather graphic trip to the FCC, we suspected that Nabaztag's more pronounceable, if largely aesthetically identical successor Karotz was slated for arrival here in the US any day now. The time has finally come. The WiFi-enabled lagomorph is now available on our shores, bringing with it boatload of friendly connectivity, including Facebook and Twitter integration and the ability to send messages, audio files and pokes directly to the rabbit. And if you really want to get your friends' attention from afar, you can move its ears and change its colors remotely. You can pick up one now for $130 from Karotz's site and a number of online retailers. Video of the rainbow-eared white rabbit in action after the jump.
Nabaztag robotic rabbits rise from the ashes at midnight
Twas a sad day when Mindscape was forced to shutter the online service used by its collection of Nabaztag robotic rabbits -- as the tale goes, the domain's demise left the tiny, Linux-running hares inanimate, mute and nearly useless. But just five short months later, things are starting to look up. Via email, the company has confirmed that nabaztag.com will come (back) alive on midnight of December 24th (a timezone was not specified), allowing Nabaztag users to communicate with their coney comrades. "At midnight you can turn your rabbits on without changing anything," writes the bunny builder. That's not all. The company is promising to "enrich" the devic's modules with "community contributions." If you're a Nabaztag owner, step away from that eggnog and put on a pot of coffee... Christmas is coming a full 24-hours early.
Nabaztag successor Karotz cracked open by the FCC
We haven't seen anything this heart-wrenching since Pleo last made its way through the FCC. There's just something depressing about watching an adorable little animal robot get torn down in the commission's sterile government labs. Karotz, the successor to Nabaztag's friendly WiFi-enabled throne has followed Pleo down the FCC rabbit hole, getting poked, prodded, and pulled apart, to assure that it won't be shooting any harmful bunny death rays at you, the consumer. Also of note: the strangely ominous "Your New Life With Karotz" user manual cover.%Gallery-130021%
Mindscape pulls the server plug on Nabaztag, hands source code to developers
Mindscape's ambient hare progenitors are officially headed off to that matrix briar patch in the sky. Turns out a battle with the server's host has left the company in a sticky financial situation, effectively shutting down support for the WiFi-enabled bunnies. In a recent YouTube announcement, CEO Thierry Bensoussan addressed the community's concerns, offering up source code that ensures a homebrew future for the Little Linux-Bunny Foo Foo forebears. Hobbyists hoping to snag that Nabaztag.com domain for themselves will instead have to accept a url redirect, as the site remains firmly under the software publisher's lock and key. But don't mourn your news reading, weather-forecasting buddy just yet, you can always replace it with the discounted love of lil' bro, Karotz.
Karotz to start shipping, Nabaztag to return from dead for Easter
Cadbury aside, nothing says Easter quite like a good resurrection tale, and this story's got it -- starring a rabbit, no less. Owners of Nabaztag, the email-reading / weather-forecasting / and generally adorable WiFi-enable desktop buddy, have been reporting a massive die-off of their beloved ambient bunnies, a tragic end due to a recent server move. The rabbits' manufacturer tells us that the network issues should be resolved by next week -- something of a belated Easter celebration. The rebirth is also perfectly timed to welcome Nabataztag's second coming as Karotz -- those who pre-ordered should start seeing the glowing woodland creature in their mailboxes next week.
MindScape's Karotz continues the proud Nabaztag lineage
It's been a while since we've heard anything on the Nabaztag front. Violet, the company that built the original "ambient" bunnies, went bankrupt but was snapped up by MindScape a year ago. Now MindScape is ready to show off the latest addition to the Nabaztag family, dubbed "Karotz." The WiFi rabbit runs on Linux, with a 400MHz ARM CPU, 64MB of RAM and 256MB of storage, so it should have plenty of headroom for that vibrant hacker community that sprung up around the first two Nabaztags. Karotz can also run off batteries or be plugged in via USB, and has the same RFID reader functionality of the Nabaztag/tag. The biggest new feature is a webcam, which will purportedly have face recognition (to be paired with Nabaztag's existing voice recognition), along with allowing you to check up on your home from a smartphone app. Karotz will retail in France starting in November for €150 (about $210 US), followed by the UK in December and February in the US. Hopefully Karotz can find a bit more market success than its ill-fated predecessors. %Gallery-105157%
