Sony Gets Cute With New Aibo

Even a pet can get a facelift--if it's a robot, that is.

Just 11 months after the launch of its pet robot, Aibo, on Wednesday Sony unveiled a new version that offers improved speech recognition and a lower price.

The new Aibo, Sony's third and arguably cutest model yet, comes in two variations: the ivory-colored ERS-311 named "Latte," and the gray-colored ERS-312 called "Macaron." Modeled partly on a bear cub and partly on a puppy, each has its own personality, with Latte programmed to be adorable and Macaron to be mischievous, says Aki Shimazu, a spokesperson for Sony.

A Talking Pet

The speech recognition function has been expanded to 70 words from 50 in the previous model. Aibo now has the ability to learn its own name and that of its owner.

In addition to words, Aibo can now recognize special sounds, which are supposed to be broadcast over television, the radio or Internet. The first application for this system, called Medialink, will be in a new Sony-sponsored animated cartoon. Called Piroppo, the cartoon will feature the two new Aibo cubs and run on Japan's Fuji Television Network.

Good news for prospective owners is that the new models are also the cheapest yet in the Aibo family. Sony plans to begin selling them in Japan on September 22 for about $823, one-third lower than the previous generation, the ERS-210, and much cheaper than the first-generation ERS-110.

The lower prices are part of a company strategy to increase ownership by extending the range at both the low and high end. The numerous inquiries received after Aibo played a leading role in a Janet Jackson music video convinced Sony that a large potential market exists among teens if the price could be lowered, says Yoshinao Kambe, assistant manager of international marketing at Sony's Entertainment Robot Company division.

The price tag of the new models may still mean they remain out of the hands of all but the wealthiest teens, but Sony is going for a different audience. "They are aimed at women in their 20s and 30s," Shimazu says. "We wanted to widen the market segment."

The robots will also go on sale overseas. Sony is planning to start taking orders in the United States and Europe in October, where they will carry respective price tags of $850 U.S. dollars and 980 Euros. The U.S. and European versions will not have the special personalities, however, says Shimazu.

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