Maeda's SIMPLICITY

The Laptop That Walks

My new XO arrived just in time last week to gift to a close friend. I ordered a bunch more as I am so impressed with the build -- there's still time until December 31 to buy the neatest little laptop available today. And you also help out a worthy cause.

For around the same amount of cash as an XO give-one-get-one deal ($400), I got myself an xmas present in the form of the new Pleo robotic creature. Now, I didn't own a Tamagotchi, nor did I own a Furby, I did have a couple of Aibos on loan from my friend who used to work at Sony but never really got into them, and I don't do the online pet thing either so you can consider me a naysayer when it comes to artificial life forms. But Pleo is really different. I actually feel ... attached ... to this little fella. It's extremely well thought out. From its open-source model, to its sophisticated range of behaviors, to its cute little sounds -- okay I'm a bit in love with this thing and I'm definitely embarrassed.

At the Media Lab and other research institutions around the world, we've been talking about the transition from "personal computers" to "personal robotics" as one day happening for real. I feel it for the very first time. Urooowoowooo (simulated Pleo-ese for "Happy Holidays!").