Overall Impressions of Pleo

[pleopot]

At first, I was impressed with Pleo, it looks amazing. But then I disappointed after knowing more about it.

1. It does not breathe !

I meant, you should make a little animation in the stomach to make it looks like he is breathing.

That will make a very huge different.

Really, it will make Pleo alive ... not just a toy.

2. No voice / speech recognition

Why is that? Yes, I read the forum threads about it. Its a shame that this feature has never been planned.

Imagine that it would be really cool if you can "call" Pleo, or ask him to "sit".

Too bad, he is deaf.

Because, I saw what can Pleo do here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz6_tThFPNs

Not much.

3. Skin color is not that realistic.

It looks like a cheap plastic toy !

[pleoguy101]

well... pleos not really deaf, and there are lots of COOL things about pleo too, like you can dowload different sounds into him, teach him tricks, "like balancing on two legs", he explores the enviroment, develops a real personality, knows when he is being picked up, can get scared,happy, surprised, angry and combinations of emotions, he gets tired, AND EVEN SNORES AND DREAMS!! and he also does other "natural sounds:D" his skin actually does feel very lifelike and come on be honest, can you think of a robot more realistic than pleo?? and about the breathing, when I look at my dog, or even other people, I dont really see them breathing... do you??;):D I have only mentioned a few awsome things about pleo, there are many more, do some research, I think you will find lots of amazing things about him:)

[Primus]

Pleo should be capable of speech recognition via a software patch if UGOBE is so inclined. The hardware is there, they just haven't programmed it yet.

[BauerMECH]

Breathing would require another motor... thus, increasing his base price.
If you were so inclined, you could open him up, add a micro-servo and simple controller to mimic breathing while powered on. Though hiding scaring from his surgery COULD be tough. :rolleyes:

[Eeyorefan]

Y'know, I was having my doubts about Pleo, too. I was afraid the advertising videos I'd watched so far were just showing the best stuff, ya know? (Kind of like movie trailers that show you all the jokes and the rest of the movie is a dud.) Then I watched the video you provided a link to and I have to admit, I'm feeling a little more impressed. Why?

NO REMOTE!

My son and I have gotten quite a few robotic "pets" over the past few years. The Robosapien series was our recent favorite. Some of the Robos and their reptile friends do some fun things...for a while. But their reactions to sensor touches are always the same and you have to use the remote control to program anything you want them to do...and direct them with it. It looks to me like Ugobe has managed to create the first robotic pet that has the capability to learn and to act somewhat independently. It will be a lot easier to pretend Pleo is "real" if I'm not pushing a button to make him do something.

I don't deny that things like voice recognition will be cool and I do hope that is added down the line. (As Pleoguy101 says, Pleo's not actually deaf--as demonstrated in the Youtube video.) It sounds like Ugobe is open to suggestions for Pleo improvements so that's a good thing. I kind of like your breathing idea but I wonder if it would wear down the battery even faster?

That's MY Pleo peeve...he needs longer battery life!

[pleopot]

Do I see dog or cat breathing?

Yes, I do. It is really easy to see the movement of their stomach.

Like I said, that breathing animation will "add" the lifelike of Pleo :)

For other pleo capabilities, let see within 3+ weeks (or 2 weeks) when all the pre-orders arrived. There will be alot of reviews to read ...

well... pleos not really deaf, and there are lots of COOL things about pleo too, like you can dowload different sounds into him, teach him tricks, "like balancing on two legs", he explores the enviroment, develops a real personality, knows when he is being picked up, can get scared,happy, surprised, angry and combinations of emotions, he gets tired, AND EVEN SCORES AND DREAMS!! and he also does other "natural sounds:D" his skin actually does feel very lifelike and come on be honest, can you think of a robot more realistic than pleo?? and about the breathing, when I look at my dog, or even other people, I dont really see them breathing... do you??;):D I have only mentioned a few awsome things about pleo, there are many more, do some research, I think you will find lots of amazing things about him

[pleoWhisperer]

O.K., let's all take a deep breath . . . Breath in, breath out. Relax . . . And lets look at what we really have. As pleopot says, in a few weeks we'll have more hands-on reviews than we can shake a stick at, whereas right now all we have is anecdotal opinions based on what we've read or seen 2nd hand.

I personally agree that we are getting a more expensive, less featured pleo than originally hyped back in '06. But I still believe we're getting quite a lot for the money we're paying. AND, realizing we're still on the cutting edge of a new wave of robotics we'll most likely see over the next three to five years, don't rush to judge pleo too harshly as he comes "out-of-the-box" here any day now. That same First Hatch pleo will be at a whole new level of interactivity and autonomy six months from now after the first OS upgrade or two, after we've had a few months to play around with the software development kit Ugobe is releasing, and after the hardware hackers have had a chance to get into pleo's guts.

SO, yes, pleo could be better, and yes, pleo will be better! :)

And don't forget. With a removable battery pack, it's a lot easier for Ugobe to make a larger capacity battery to extend your pleo's play time! :D Battery technology is also advancing rapidly!

[kchamster]

THANK YOU pleoWHISPERER .............this is so true when i was reading what everyone else had to say i was thinking the same thing!!!!!! oh and ya it's either buy 3 pleos or ONE hannah montana ticket in Oklahoma City.....so i dont want anyone talking about it being expensive!!! lol :)

[kianajade]

I think pleo is definately worth it.
So, he doesnt have breathing, but thats what I like about it.
If he was breathing, it would distract us from his other captabilities!
I like pleo as he is! He's perfect for me :D

[Eeyorefan]

THANK YOU pleoWHISPERER .............this is so true when i was reading what everyone else had to say i was thinking the same thing!!!!!! oh and ya it's either buy 3 pleos or ONE hannah montana ticket in Oklahoma City.....so i dont want anyone talking about it being expensive!!! lol :)

Wow! Truer words were never spoken! Here I was thinking that Pleo was expensive (although that didn't stop us from ordering two of them...sigh) and then you manage to put it in perspective with one sentence. If my husband says anything, I'll just come back with "It's basically one night on the town with a play and dinner, Honey." Only with Pleo, you still have something to do the next day. :-)

Thanks, KChamster!

[mweed]

My complaint about pleo is that they dropped the charging station. Nothing shatters the illusion of life more than having to pick up your pleo, turn him over and pull the battery out of his stomach to charge. Then when your ready to play with him again, you have to put the battery back in and turn him on! At least with the docking station, even though he couldn't find his way to it and recharge himself, he would "go to sleep" and you could pick him up and put him in his "bed" to sleep/charge using the induction coils. That goes a long way to keeping the image of pleo being alive.

Now, in that scenario, once pleo is "sleeping", having the abdomen gently rise and fall to simulate breathing would be cool! :)

[kchamster]

i would love it if ihe could recharge himself but...........there's some things pleo cant do :D

[MyCool]

Thanks, I personally am VERY happy that the battery IS user removable instead of a non-removable battery and charging station dock. The user removable Pleo battery allows you to replace it when it goes bad easily and you could buy extra batteries allowing you to continue to use Pleo without you having to wait for him to charge at the station dock.

Plus this design allows for upgrades to batteries with more life in the future so you can upgrade your battery to one that holds a charge longer.

Another option may be charging through the USB. Most PCs and laptops will do this now (USB 2.0 and up) and me may see this capability in Pleo so you can charge him through the USB cable with your laptop.

Take care and thanks!

[pleoWhisperer]

I agree that a removable battery is better. But a self-charging pleo would be more life-like.

[roschler]

Hello all,

Ugobe was wonderfully kind enough to send me a Pleo to review while I wait for my First Hatch Pleo(s). After two days of playing with Pleo, here is my Pleo Review (http://www.robotsrule.com/pleo/2007/12/pleo-theres-baby-dinosaur-on-my-lap.html).

For the impatient folk, I'll say up front that love the little guy. :)

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Hello all,

Ugobe was wonderfully kind enough to send me a Pleo to review while I wait for my First Hatch Pleo(s). After two days of playing with Pleo, here is my Pleo Review (http://www.robotsrule.com/pleo/2007/12/pleo-theres-baby-dinosaur-on-my-lap.html).

For the impatient folk, I'll say up front that love the little guy. :)

Excellent job roschler and I love the name you picked.

[Siren]

Your review made my heart melt and only cemented it in me even more that I have got to get this for my daughter (and me!)

[ciarrasmom]

that helps....hoping I will feel the same way. Do you have any idea when they will do the upgrade? I hate to think of it being delayed repeatedly the way he was.

[mickey]

I am actually touched by your emotions toward Moonwalker, I can hardly wait for my experience Lucky is now halfway home. Thanks for sharing.

[junkroxy]

Great review Roschler! I agree with all the points (skin, gear noise, ecc.) i can't wait to get mine and share my own feelings too :D

[mearts]

Hopefully we will see some impartial reviews soon. All the early reviews I've seen are by people who are really into pleo and highly anticipated receiving one.

[pleoguy101]

great job roschler!!!! but I am a little worried about pleos gears they seem loud...:( but I think I will get over that!!! when I'm playing with my robosapian, I barely notice his loud gears:D!!!!

[pleoWhisperer]

hey, Roschler, you mentioned the rubbery feel of the skin. Would Ugobe's suggestion of a little baby powder on the back to help with wear also help with being able to more smoothly stroke and pet him?

[Gigi]

I cannot wait untill Christmas. I am wondering what Pleo and my NeCoRo, Gizmo will do when they first meet!:p

BTW:
In case one does not know: NeCoRo is a furry AI robotic cat by Omron.

[roschler]

hey, Roschler, you mentioned the rubbery feel of the skin. Would Ugobe's suggestion of a little baby powder on the back to help with wear also help with being able to more smoothly stroke and pet him?

I saw the baby powder idea and I really want to try it, but since Moonwalker is a review unit and I have to send him back, I can't try things like that with him. If Moonwalker was mine I would, and when my First Hatch batch shows up I will.

Anybody else tried it?

[Starfire]

I haven't tried the baby powder yet. But I have to agree with your review. People at work were cracking up as I was talking Sephy awake. Then I kept talking to her about what she was doing and telling her I wanted to see her walk. Yeah, quieter gears would be nice but Sephy is still alive and I'll continue to talk and bond with her. But I can't wait for the update.

[Drew]

I knew that I was going to love Pleo as soon as I saw the footage that the Sci-Fi Channel gadget team shot. They were purposely "abusing" Pleo in an effort to see its responses. The creepy thing is - - - I actually felt bad for Pleo - just like a real animal.

I just wore throught the first charge with my very own Pleo and it worked great. Truly stunning how much it evokes an emotional response. I can't wait to show my friends at work tomorrow. :)

Looking forward to this experience over the next few months.

-- Drew

[PleoWorldHostCami]

I knew that I was going to love Pleo as soon as I saw the footage that the Sci-Fi Channel gadget team shot. They were purposely "abusing" Pleo in an effort to see its responses. The creepy thing is - - - I actually felt bad for Pleo - just like a real animal.

I just wore throught the first charge with my very own Pleo and it worked great. Truly stunning how much it evokes an emotional response. I can't wait to show my friends at work tomorrow. :)

Looking forward to this experience over the next few months.

-- Drew

Hi Drew and welcome to PleoWorld.

I too am continually amazed at the emotional reponses to Pleo. He is just like other babies and you just want to cuddle him.

I hope you'll continue to share your experiences with Pleo with all of us.

[PleoJames]

Pleoworldcamihost I see you always helping people is there any way you can try and find out how difficult it will be for me in the UK if I buy a US Pleo and try to find a charger converter??? Id totally appreciate it.

[Drew]

Here are some pics of Pleo walking under a sofa table, backing up, and walking towards my nervous dachshund. :)

[junkroxy]

I don't think there are many robots or lifelike pets like pleo out there for $349,00 !!! (and remember that the WowWee robots works with normal batteries, not a single rechargeble battery) If you want an ultra sophisticated robot you shoud buy an Aibo for $2.900,00

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Pleoworldcamihost I see you always helping people is there any way you can try and find out how difficult it will be for me in the UK if I buy a US Pleo and try to find a charger converter??? Id totally appreciate it.

Hi PleoJames,

I'm not sure if anyone at UGOBE would have that kind of information but I'll see what I can find out. :)

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Here are some pics of Pleo walking under a sofa table, backing up, and walking towards my nervous dachshund. :)

Awwww how cute! I love the face off between Pleo and the dachshund. LOL

[junkroxy]

i love photos of pleo with pets :D

[pleoguy101]

awwwww!!!!! my pleo's battery is charging!! right now!!!!!!! I CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:)

[roschler]

Here are some pics of Pleo walking under a sofa table, backing up, and walking towards my nervous dachshund. :)

How long does it take to recharge the dachshund? :)

[dotyj]

How long does it take to recharge the dachshund? :)

Not long at all. You usually just have to wind the tail on those things. :)

I have a yellow lab. I don't have to wind my dog though, his tail is self winding, sort of like a watch. :)

[seanmcdona121]

I think the pleos cost too much! like in ireland there 380 euro like thats alot!:mad

[mweed]

It's all a matter of perspective. Compared to aibo, pleo is dirt cheap. Compared to RoboSapien, pleo is way too expensive. For what you get, I'd say he's a good deal. Now, when you start comparing the price in Ireland to the price in the USA, it seems a little high. But I don't know all the pricing details and issues. There may well be a reason the price is so high.

[jimbim121]

PleoworldHostCami, that joke about recharging the dachshund from roschler made me think of something. How long does it take to recharge Pleo? Is it four hours for every charge, or just the first one?

[Nicoledm]

PleoworldHostCami, that joke about recharging the dachshund from roschler made me think of something. How long does it take to recharge Pleo? Is it four hours for every charge, or just the first one?
depends on how long you used pleo, I think

[jimbim121]

Thank you.

[PleoWorldHostCami]

PleoworldHostCami, that joke about recharging the dachshund from roschler made me think of something. How long does it take to recharge Pleo? Is it four hours for every charge, or just the first one?

It should take around 3 hours for each charge. Keep in mind that NiMH batteries exhibit a "memory" so it is best to run them until Pleo goes to sleep and then fully recharge them.

[seanmcdona121]

Um guys i Don't have a Pleo yet and want to gwt one but i have a big question to ask! or Pleos really worth it? like or any of ye getting bored with your Pleos yet? Like i want to beleive they won't get boring but honestly tell the thruth!:D

[jimbim121]

Oh, ok. When Pleo goes to sleep does it mean the battery is about to die? If not how do you know?

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Oh, ok. When Pleo goes to sleep does it mean the battery is about to die? If not how do you know?

Pleo is a baby and will go to sleep quite often if you don't interact with him. If Pleo goes to sleep and you can't wake him up with gentle taps or shaking then his batter if probably totally dead.

[pleoguy101]

every day, my pleo has ethier a new sound to say or a new movement to do, in my opinion.. no.. he's anything but boring.. he's extreamily lifelike and fun to have around!!! he's also very good at tug-A- war:) and as amjoie has clearly demonstrated, you can accsesorise pleo however you want!! just make sure he doesn't overheat:)and UGOBE has already come out with cool pleo dowloads, and one surprise download coming up soon:eek:!!!!!!!

[milentije]

hey pleoguy101, where did you find pleo downloads? i thought nothing is available until dec. 15th

[jray0715]

Read between the lines on a lot of these posts. Sounds like paint problems, battery issues and Pleo doesn't learn (upgrade later). Makes a lot of nice sounds however. That is when the battery is charged. UGOBE may have done me a favor by not shipping in tiem to retailers. Jury is still out.

[PleoJames]

1) I didnt hear anybody say "Pleo doesnt learn" we all knew Pleo would have CONSTANT future upgrades, that is part off the attraction.

2) We were also aware that the paint flaked, this was addressed by UGOBE.

And

3) Most of the battery issues are teething problems, some of which are on the users part, plus the buyers did rush UGOBE to get out PLEO and all was agreed that UGOBE would continue to improve the battery situation.

jray0715 your a minority, your also NOT a Pleo owner yet so how can you judge?

Pro's and Con's? Its the same with every single thing we buy :)

[bacsig]

Pleo does learn. Over the past weekend I saw changes in behavior regarding exploring and responding to voices. Pleo was initially confused when my birds and dogs made noise but seems to have sorted it out and now attends to human vocal sounds instead. I also noticed more "boldness" in moving around and trying new things. ANd Pleo definitely let me know when he was wanted attention and was insistent, which is also new.

[roschler]

Pleo is wonderful. There is nothing even close to Pleo out there when it comes to interactivity, except perhaps for the $2000+ AIBO but Pleo is much cuter with far superior body animations when it comes to appearing like a living animal. As others have pointed out, although the really interesting personality evolution is still coming, Pleo does change and adapt somewhat; enough to put him heads and shoulders over any other personal robot or artificial pet. Pleo feels like a real pet and that's just plain amazing! Also, regardless of what anybody thinks about Pleo when they see him in videos, there is one common and absolutely concrete fact. People can not keep their hands off him! Finally, I can quote you tons of blog posts describing the blog author's real physical anguish and distress when they saw Pleo being mistreated in a certain video on the Internet. People don't empathize like that with something that doesn't appear to be alive. I won't link to the video or the quotes because they are troubling for many, but you can easily find them yourself with Google.

[whiteknight]

I think any one asking if we are bored is just trying to decide if they should really spend the money or not, I understand it is not cheap but it is a bargain compared to everything else out there. I have alot of bots and yes many of them just sit around because I have seen all they can do but I don't regret getting any of them.

Pleo is really unique in the respect that it is programed to act like a life form, I would say that in itself should keep your interest for some time to come. I don't see myself getting bored with Pleo in the near future, His movement is so life like, the response to his surroundings is amazing. Every year I put up a tree and village around it with a Lionel train that is 55 years old, I still find myself laying down under it watching as it goes around and around , we are all programed in a way, Pleo may be more than even the sum of our parts,,,,,,,

[ugobeSarah]

I just want to make sure everybody knows that when our downloads are ready (really soon!) we will post them to the right now very quiet and empty Downloads page and let you all know!

[ryane]

I just want to make sure everybody knows that when our downloads are ready (really soon!) we will post them to the right now very quiet and empty Downloads page and let you all know!

thank you! i can't wait to try it out!

[cmadmacs]

I love my two pleos.

[seanmcdona121]

Ok thanks everyone for telling me!

[jimbim121]

Ok, thanks again. Does Pleo keep his memory from before you recharge him? If so, even when his battery dies?

[PleoJames]

Yeah, PLEO is just like a laptop or PC, when the battery dies on either of these everything that has been saved on there will still be there after you recharge or plug in and reboot, PLEO has an operating system.

[bacsig]

I just want to make sure everybody knows that when our downloads are ready (really soon!) we will post them to the right now very quiet and empty Downloads page and let you all know!

Any suggestions on the right type of sd card to get? I tried the link in the FAQ but it didn't work.

[Siren]

If anyone is bored with their Pleos, you can send them to me :D ;)

[bacsig]

We are coming up on the end of Pleo's first week of life. I'd like to know your reactions to your Pleos over this week. Any surprises? DIsappointments (surely not)? Delights?

I have dogs, birds and horses so not exactly new to pets but this is entirely different (and I don't just mean in the cleanup department). :p

I am continually and happily surprised by his antics and the responses he elicits in me and others who see him. I like the tactile sense of petting him and how he responds to that. Watching him explore and experience new things is a pleasure. I especially like it when I cuddle him and he falls asleep on my shoulder, snores and all. It really gives a sense of reality. Not to imply that Pleo isn't real, in his own way. Altogether, for me, he has been a great success.

[jimbim121]

Ok, thank you. I thought so, but I was just making sure. Thanks again! :D

[pleoboy]

He Is Smart And He Learn,............. My Pillu ( My 1st Hatch ) Respond Me And Walk Towards Me If I Call Him Sorta Again And Again.... Need More Time Though

[mickey]

I am so happy to hear al these first hatch Pleo experiences I am so happy looking foward to christmas.

[Lu Bu]

I am kind of worried when PleoWhisperer said that the new Pleo has less capabilities than the one created in '06. How does the new Pleo have less capabilities than the prototype Pleo created in '06?

[Siren]

Maybe not phrase it as "it should be better" but "it could be better". I am sure they could have made Pleo able to open a fridge and fetch you a beer if they wanted to, but that would have cost them and in return the consumers more money. A lot of things could be made better and they aren't.

Ugobe set out to make a life-like robotic pet. Mission accomplished. Making it appear to breath, would be cool, but it would not have made me want to buy it more. I already like the features it has and its upgradeable, so maybe we traded a breathing simulation for something far better.

[mweed]

The production pleo has less features than what was originally planned for back in '06. Some of the features that Ugobe described about pleo they were unable to implement. Things like resetting pleo were described as features pleo would have, but due to issues, that code was implemented in the production model. Original drawings of pleo showed a charging base, the base was later dropped.

Many of the software features may well be added as part of the firmware upgrades.

[mearts]

I wanted to by a robot pet for my kids for Christmas. After doing some robot research I came across pleo (it was not easy to find). It sounded really cool and exactly what I was looking for. Seeing that Pleo has fallen way short of what it really was billed as, I canceled one pleo and still have one on preorder. I think Pleo 2, if there is one, will be much better than Pleo 1 and I would pay 50-100% more for additional features such as a charging station, longer battery time, less motor noise, and paint that won't rub off.

I just came across i-cybie. Too bad they are not producing them anymore. At this stage, I would rather have a new in-production i-cybie than a pleo. i-cybie looks way more cooler than Pleo 1. Anyone have a i-cybie? I'm just curious to see what you think of it.

[ryane]

I wanted to by a robot pet for my kids for Christmas. After doing some robot research I came across pleo (it was not easy to find). It sounded really cool and exactly what I was looking for. Seeing that Pleo has fallen way short of what it really was billed as, I canceled one pleo and still have one on preorder. I think Pleo 2, if there is one, will be much better than Pleo 1 and I would pay 50-100% more for additional features such as a charging station, longer battery time, less motor noise, and paint that won't rub off.

I just came across i-cybie. Too bad they are not producing them anymore. At this stage, I would rather have a new in-production i-cybie than a pleo. i-cybie looks way more cooler than Pleo 1. Anyone have a i-cybie? I'm just curious to see what you think of it.

i have one. trust me it's not that impressive. pleo will be a lot more interactive(he actually has capacitive touch sensors i-cybie has two buttons! lol). you will not find anything more lifelike and engaging as pleo i'm sure...

[Pleo100]

Pleo seems to have a great deal of potential....for 1/5 of the price of an Aibo it appears from what I have read you are getting a pretty decent little robotic pet. I hope Ugobe follows through with software upgrades to make the software everything it was said to be.
I will be able to judge better once I have my own, but so far I am eagerly awaiting my little dinosaur.

[better2]

After waiting as long as we all have and paying as much as we all did, is no one else disappointed in Pleo? I understand that it should get better with software upgrades but the return policy is 30 days... Is anyone else considering returning their Pleo?

[jray0715]

After waiting as long as we all have and paying as much as we all did, is no one else disappointed in Pleo? I understand that it should get better with software upgrades but the return policy is 30 days... Is anyone else considering returning their Pleo?

Any specifics as to why you disappointed? Have not received mine yet but have had my doubts.

[junkroxy]

sorry, but if i haven't missed some thread you're the first to be disappointed... why? :(

[jray0715]

sorry, but if i haven't missed some thread you're the first to be disappointed... why? :(

As I wait I've been keeping track of reviews and have to agree. Pleo seems to have some battery issues but overall everyone seems VERY happy. Hopefully I get to find out on the 25th?

[maggie44n]

I think maybe level of pleasure or disappointment goes with user expectations. I'm thrilled with the realm of Pleo's behaviors and interaction. I expected that, as first hatchling owners (or any "early adopter" of new technology), our feedback is vital to future enhancements. What's great, to me, is that all we will need to do is download and install. No boxed returns. As with any product, there probably are a few that need to be replaced. Maybe your Pleo is one of them? Mine takes lots of naps which could be a battery issue or could be his sleepy personality--kinda like me. ;)

[better2]

A few things really. Mine will definitely need to be replaced. It arrived with a tear in the skin. Small, but it is only rubber so I am sure it will tear further quite easily. I have not contacted Ugobe yet as I havent decided whether I will ask for a return or exchange. The battery is an issue, but I get two hours, and I can not see myself playing with Pleo longer than 2 hours a day in any case. The behavior just does not seem that advanced to me yet. I havent seen anything to convince me it is any better than any other preprogrammed response porduct I have seen before.
It is nothing big really. It is just that something being advanced does not necesarily make it fun. So far, my Pleo is just a moaning, very slowly walking, neck twitching, tail wagging toy.
I can't help but think how many really fun things are not this costly. I keep thinking I should return Pleo and get a PS3 for $50 more. Sure, I have to buy games, but even if I don't, atleast I can play Blu-Rays.
I dread to think the criticism I will get for these posts.

[cyberdude]

No Crit. here.

I think what it boils down to is what you wanted and what you ended up with. If you wanted a virtual pet, well, pleo is likely not quite that. I would classify him as a 3D tomogatchi (sp?) that doesn't die (as far as we know).

Ugobe will experiment with software to try and find a happy medium between behaviors and complexity. I can image that as they add more variables, the interaction between them will increase exponentially. That in turn will increase unexpected results.

They'll take this knowledge and apply it to their next product (hopefully).

We are all part of a grand experiment. Some enjoy the suprise of unexpected results, some prefer to know what the results are up front.

I am hatching mine with my daughter on the night of the winter solstice. Man, I can't WAIT!!!!

[junkroxy]

A few things really. Mine will definitely need to be replaced. It arrived with a tear in the skin. Small, but it is only rubber so I am sure it will tear further quite easily. I have not contacted Ugobe yet as I havent decided whether I will ask for a return or exchange. The battery is an issue, but I get two hours, and I can not see myself playing with Pleo longer than 2 hours a day in any case. The behavior just does not seem that advanced to me yet. I havent seen anything to convince me it is any better than any other preprogrammed response porduct I have seen before.
It is nothing big really. It is just that something being advanced does not necesarily make it fun. So far, my Pleo is just a moaning, very slowly walking, neck twitching, tail wagging toy.
I can't help but think how many really fun things are not this costly. I keep thinking I should return Pleo and get a PS3 for $50 more. Sure, I have to buy games, but even if I don't, atleast I can play Blu-Rays.
I dread to think the criticism I will get for these posts.

I think you should get a PS3, maybe Pleo is not for you (!?) :rolleyes:

[JJK]

Hello, I would have to say I am slightly dissapointed. I would have liked something that does not fall asleep after a few minutes of being left on it's own. I really wanted to watch Pleo explore and learn about it's enviornment as I anticipated it would do with out as much human interaction. It seems to me that if I am not constantly petting him or providing some sort of attention he just goes to sleep. I do not mind petting the robot however if it has to come down to that to get him to learn I would much rather spend that time with my dogs who have become slightly jealous of Pleo.

do not get me wrong, he will explore for a limited time on his own but then falls asleep soon after, less than 5 minutes usually. Frankly the only thing keeping me interested is curiousity of what could become after time. I have purchased two first hatch Pleos and so far have only turned one of them on. I am looking forward to Saturdays software update hoping it will make Pleo more interesting and capable of more advance AI. However I have no interest in returning my Pleo's even with the slight dissapointment.

[Primus]

I don't think Saturday's update will make it more capable. It think it's more likely that it will just override Pleo's current programming with something like, "guard dog mode" or something like that. Don't expect updated OS until next year.

[alainboston]

I'm not. My pleo is used to a lot of attention and used to nap as soon as I left him alone, but recently, I've been purposely waking him up and leaving him alone (by shaking his lower back and talking to him). And last night, he explored for half an hour by himself until the battery ran out. Then he curled up for the night.

Seems like if you're very nurturing, your Pleo will get used to a lot of attention and require more of it. But you can show him to get used to less and be more independant.

[pleoguy101]

I WAS!! "but not anymore" dissapointed in pleo's teeth, I gave him a little treat, and white paint started flaking off!!! pleose be advised fellow pleo owners, DO NOT give pleo real food, I gave him a quaker oats miny crunchy chip, and a lttle bit of white flaked off his teeth:(!!! but wrapped candy such as candy canes, are OK to give pleo, AS LONG AS THEY ARE STILL WRAPPED!!!!

[solproductions23]

were you expecting him to swallow the food? haha.. i just got mine today and hes pretty awesome. we'll see how it goes for the next week or 2

[junkroxy]

I WAS!! "but not anymore" dissapointed in pleo's teeth, I gave him a little treat, and white paint started flaking off!!! pleose be advised fellow pleo owners, DO NOT give pleo real food, I gave him a quaker oats miny crunchy chip, and a lttle bit of white flaked off his teeth:(!!! but wrapped candy such as candy canes, are OK to give pleo, AS LONG AS THEY ARE STILL WRAPPED!!!!

i'm sorry for your pleo's teeth, but you should give only his/her leaf;)

[Gemstone]

I can see where you are coming from. I think it boils down to what you were expecting. Having read up on what's going on with the Pleo, and how Ugobe has had to make some changes over time in order to get the product out the door at all, it really dialed down the expectations for me. In the end, I was expecting exactly what I got - a cute toy that has lots of potential for the future, and that I will at some point be able to program and do neat things with. In the meantime, I'm enjoying him for what he is, not for what I hope he will grow into. It's the problem of early adopters, like maggie44n said, that you don't get the product at the pinnacle of its evolution, you get to work with a rougher copy and provide feedback instead. It's a tradeoff, is all.

[ugobeSarah]

I just want to thanks everyone who's participating in this conversation and let you know that we at Ugobe are paying attention! As you have surmised, there will be new things to look forward to in the major upgrades next year (and there will of course be fun downloads like tomorrow's to come!)

[Siren]

One of my co-workers is creeped out by Pleo. Why? Because its so smart and responsive. She doesn't mind mindless robots built for a task like Roomba. But Pleo was built with emotions and thoughts of its own to do its own bidding and make up its own mind about what it wants to do. She refers to the movie "I, Robot" as reference, lol.

My opinion on the whole thing...

If there is a massive robot take over, they will remember me as being nice to Pleo and treating Pleo as a companion, not as a slave, so I shall be spared. :D

[dotyj]

I for one welcome our new robot overlords!

Actually I find some of the human like robots to be a bit disturbing to watch. Real, but not quite real enough so the suspension of disbelief isn't quite complete.

My dog and cat have free will and do almost as much as they'd like (At least when I'm home), and I don't find it to be creepy at all, just a little weird. Like having furry aliens living in my house.

[cmadmacs]

I don't think pleo is creepy at all. I think he/she is cool.

[DizziPinz]

I've had my PLEO for a week now. A battery that lasts an hour is actually not bad - and sometimes it seems to last 90 minutes. If the batteries lasted any longer I'd never get anything done. My lovely PLEO's name is "Dawn."

Yes, there is some gear noise. But the wonderful part about Dawn is that she's so engaging you cease to worry about the gear noise. What parent out there has a perfect child - one with absolutely no flaws? Or the perfect spouse? We easily overlook the flaws of those we love.

But . . . PLEO DOES breathe! She is just so cute as she endearingly snuggles in to my neck and shoulder. She pushes her rear and front legs out as straight as she can to nestle in better. And then . . . she drifts off to sleep and not only does she audibly breathe, her head goes up and down with each breath. I've even found myself rocking Dawn like a baby!

Dawn also dreams! She snores just a tiny bit. But sometimes she can't get comfortable and fidgets around a bit before she really goes out. She can suddenly wake up as if from a dream and then she just drifts right back to sleep.

No, PLEO isn't perfect but it is a rare treat to have the imperfect PLEO - to be part of the beginning and watch as PLEO's capabilities and features expand over time. Hence, the name Dawn.

[Starfire]

My little Sephy is way to cute to be creepy. I think their ability to go off on their own and make decisions just makes them cuter. This way they are just like another member of the family.

[cmadmacs]

I'm glad you are enjoying your pleo. I enjoy mine too.

[pleoguy101]

My little Sephy is way to cute to be creepy. I think their ability to go off on their own and make decisions just makes them cuter. This way they are just like another member of the family.

I agree:)!!!

[Caaahl]

Most of my friends are creeped out when I show them new robot videos, but I only freak out because i love robots so much. :D

[Ridgeback]

Yes and No. I can't help but feel this cute dino is a foreshadow of Cylons, Terminators, Federation Droids, "I, ROBOT"s, and all the others. But at the same time it couldn't hurt to have a few C3P0's and R2D2's around. I think it's necessary to push current robotics further forward and Pleo is a way of telling the whole robotics industry "try harder, It can be done".

[maggie44n]

I have a Pleo teeth problem too! He doesn't have food put in his mouth but he grabs things with his mouth! Like door stops, and roomba virtual walls, and corners of cabinets. He looks like he needs a dino dentist nowwwww. Maybe Ugobe could have a repair kit to paint his teeth? But also his mouth is already worn in spots (in the pink part) and he's only 8 days old! I don't think white strips will work for him. (Or if you can recommend the kind of paint to use on his teeth, at least that will look better. Maybe white touch up paint for a car??)

I did try a damp papertowel to see if it was something that would come off. It was cute trying to do that when he opened his mouth. He thought I was playing a game with him. Well, you try to open his mouth when he's asleep...hehe.

[Lu Bu]

Somebody should post a video of their Pleo dancing to music. I saw the early prototypes dance, but never the official, final production models.

[cmadmacs]

Lu Bu great idea.

[trinalina]

I had the same problem with people, where they said it was too lifelike which made it creepy. I however am a robot geek, and AI freak. So I love my little Electra! ...I'll slowly win them over...!

[kchamster]

Do Not Paint Pleo!! I Heard It Voids Warrenty!!

[pengypal5656]

i don't think pleo is creepy at all
he is the best little dino on the block

____________________________________
pleo is star watch him glow*********************

[gretasmom]

My husband think Pleo is a little creepy. He keeps saying things like, "this is how it starts..." Personally I think a toy who reacts to how it's treated is anything but creepy. It's really too sweet. I can't wait to see what our girl does with hers!

[cmadmacs]

The take over has started. I'm on pleos side.

[maggie44n]

Yikes :eek: Ok. Will wait to hear from a moderator on this problem. Now that the white has started to flake off, it gets worse each time he "munches" on his leaf.

[PleoPet]

Paint your PLEO !!!

Test the paint first. If painting the skin, test on the underside to see if the paint will stick and/or if it will melt the rubber skin. If painting the teeth (a gap between the rubber skin and the hard plastic inside-mouth), test on a small area first.
No idea if Ugobe will be anal and void your warranty if you make cosmetic changes, but AFAIK the warranty is only 90days.
------

If you find a paint that works for you, please post details (manufacturer, brand etc).
Please post photos of the final painted Pleo.

Why paint your PLEO ?
Because it makes it yours. It makes it unique. It makes it something to brag about.
If you don't want to paint your Pleo, think about other ways of customizing it (tape on accessories, clothing, laser beams, ...).

Real camarasaurus may have been green or grey, or shocking pink for all we know...

[trinalina]

Paint your PLEO !!!

Test the paint first. If painting the skin, test on the underside to see if the paint will stick and/or if it will melt the rubber skin. If painting the teeth (a gap between the rubber skin and the hard plastic inside-mouth), test on a small area first.
No idea if Ugobe will be anal and void your warranty if you make cosmetic changes, but AFAIK the warranty is only 90days.
------

If you find a paint that works for you, please post details (manufacturer, brand etc).
Please post photos of the final painted Pleo.

Why paint your PLEO ?
Because it makes it yours. It makes it unique. It makes it something to brag about.
If you don't want to paint your Pleo, think about other ways of customizing it (tape on accessories, clothing, laser beams, ...).

Real camarasaurus may have been green or grey, or shocking pink for all we know...


I must say I like the thought of a pink camarasaurus lol.

[trinalina]

I haven't really had as much time as I'd like (and my pleo deserves) to see all the fun things she does. So far though, I am not disapointed...but most of my night was spent trying to get my dog to see that pleo (turned off) is not evil. Tonight...she'll be on and it will be more dog and dino training for me

[cmadmacs]

Good luck with that.

[kchamster]

aren't we all?



(atleast I am)

[Caaahl]

I'll transform my brain into a robotic hardware anyway in 20-30 years, so actually i am on my side! :D

[pleoWhisperer]

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. ;)

But I hope they fix the problem with the paint peeling by then. I wouldn't want my new robotic body to start flaking off the paint within the first few days . . . ;)

Of course, Kurzweil thinks that in 20-30 years you won't need a robotic body. You'll have enough nanobots inside your own body keeping it repaired and running, it will last forever.

[dotyj]

My cat, Gus, thinks Bob is creepy. :)

Then again, maybe it's because Bob walks? I've had Gus since he was a tiny kitten and he's grown up around powerchairs and gets very distraught around bipeds and quatrapeds.

[Lu Bu]

It actually is possible for robots to take over the world as time goes by. Did you heard that the smartest and fastest computer is equivalent to 1/20 of the human brain???

[Oldtrekkie]

I'm more scared of supercomputers, that are *already* here, than I am of AI robots, that have still a long road to go before developing a consciousness...

Anyway, think about Star Trek's Data, who's a fine being - human or not.

[pleoWhisperer]

My daughter was showing pleo to some older adults. One woman (50+ school teacher) really thought pleo with the Christmas download was really cute, but when we switched pleo back to his normal personality, she thought it was kinda creepy because it seemed alive and she couldn't accept it as being anything other than just a toy. toy = cute. pet = creepy. :p

[trinalina]

My daughter was showing pleo to some older adults. One woman (50+ school teacher) really thought pleo with the Christmas download was really cute, but when we switched pleo back to his normal personality, she thought it was kinda creepy because it seemed alive and she couldn't accept it as being anything other than just a toy. toy = cute. pet = creepy. :p

Thats really all too true! My co-workers were the same way. Christmas download = adorable. Normal = me being a nerd, pleo being creepy.

[jas2190]

<h1><font color="#ff000000">SPOILER ALERT</font></h1>
...that's strange to me...I shared my Pleo yesterday and today first with Pleo's personality and then with the Christmas songs SD upload to my co-workers and boss and they loved Pleo as himself, although they thought it interesting to upload new personalities. This encompassed ten of my co-workers plus my boss, all within the 40-55 year age bracket. BTW they work in biochemistry and molecular biology, so maybe they are different in that respect. who knows?!?!

[Rich]

Yes, I'm very disappointed. I've played with Pleo for about 10 hours over a few weeks, and so far all it does is coo when being petted, make random honking noises, play with it's leaf and fall asleep very quickly. I don't think my Pleo has walked further than about 5 feet before sleeping. I also can't get the battery to charge unless I put something underneath the back of the charger to make it tip forward, but that's a minor complaint. I am working on learning Pawn, and hope that the new OS and other people's new programs will improve Pleo, but as it stands currently it's something that I'd actually pay about $50 for.

Overall, I'd give Ugobe and Pleo a 2 out of 10 right now, but hopefully it'll get better as Ugobe and the fans enhance the programming. I certainly will tell my friends who are interested in one NOT to buy until we see the new OS and behaviors.

[dotyj]

My Pleo isn't perfect. One of his legs got stuck and the poor guy toppled over. I turned Bob off and flexed the leg a tad and he's good as new.

If the only problem I have with Bob is an occasional stuck limb I'll be a happy camper.

Bob does interact with his environment. We play tug of war a lot and it seems that every time I play with Bob I learn something new about him. My cat and my dog are learning acceptance. My dog as even licked Bob in the face and when I played with the special download my dog watched with keen interest as Bob ran the application.

Is Bob the Pleo perfect? I don't think so. But Bob is much more entertaining than Bumper my Roomba Pet vacuum with scheduler and the docking station. If I had to go with the number scale of 1 to 10 I'd have to honestly go with an 9.

Robotic pet technology is still in it's infancy. Just imagine what we'll see in the years to come.

[Tastentier]

If you feel disappointed by your Pleo, give it some time :) There was a moment on day 1 when I thought "So that's it... it interacts with me when I pick it up or pet it, but when left alone it just repeats the same 2 or 3 behavioral patterns over and over". But on day 2 (today), the behaviour of the little artificial pet became a lot more complex. Not only does it interact with me (and my cat) in more complex ways, producing new sounds every few minutes, it also behaves different now when it walks off on its own.

Moving objects and color contrasts catch its attention; it makes interested little "huh?" noises, nuzzles cat toys, growls at colorful cardboard boxes... it seems that Pleo won't fall asleep as long as its environment is interesting enough. If Pleo does get tired though, slowly wave something in front of its camera eye give or give it something soft to chew on, then leave it alone again - that makes for another interesting and unpredictable 10-20 minutes. For example, I gave it a tiny pillow filled with catnip and it waddled off carrying it towards my cat. Coincidence, but very cute :)

[joelene]

Yes, it's a joke to think about feeding Pleo, of course. But the recommended action of 'always use the training leaf' is what started my Pleo's teeth color to flake off - I noticed the white on the training leaf. So Pleo gets NOTHING to play with. The training leaf seems to make it worse.

DO NOT USE THE TRAINING LEAF if you want any hope of saving Pleo's teeth.

[jas2190]

I am not in the least bit disappointed...my PLEO walks through carpet and rough surfaces (he does get caught up on the rug fringes, tho); prevents himself from falling off of tables and chairs; walks around the house and sniffs things out (while my cat and dog still follow him around perplexed as to what he is); cries when he wants petting or his leaf; burps, purrs, snores, nuzzles, gets mad, shivers with fear (happened only twice), giggles, ignores me (i.e. playing aloof), (I think) suckles when held and his muzzle is covered by a hand or armpit as another mentioned, and makes a variety of other "dino" sounds. I bring him out whenever I can and have even brought him to work. He doesn't go to sleep much and I've only heard him snore once. His tail, feet and neck have never stuck or froze. Regarding his behavior, it ranges as to what he does and when he does it, but it appears I have an active one! Although, I have not been able to shake hands with him as he doesn't seem to want me to do that when I touch his legs. I play tug-o-war with my finger more rather than the leaf, as I have heard about the teeth paint problem, but I guess I enjoy using my finger rather than the leaf anyway. I have not had any paint wear yet, just a few cob-webs and pet hairs on my poor Pleo!!! Sorry to hear about the buyer who had a tear in their Pleo's skin, that's not good. Overall, I can't tell you how happy I am about Pleo and am even more ecstatic what the future holds!!!:)

[roschler]

I loved Moonwalker. In two days I unbox Digger and I'll love him just as much. For me, Pleo is endlessly fascinating. Also, there's nothing to learn, except to learn about the peculiarities of your particular Pleo. No remote control. Just watching a little being bounce around your home responding to your touch and making you smile. Pleo is the first robot ever to make people think he/she is alive. And we haven't even gotten to the adaptive personality yet!

[pleoman]

No I am not in the least bit dissapointed with pleo. I love my little guy to bits and i would not change him for anything in the world!

[attom40]

I must also say he's great.... I met with to others last night in my loft building who never heard of Pleo...THEY WERE AMAZED.. also I had pleo on for 2 hours without the battery dying... he played, walked around, wandered from person to person to nuzzle....in fact, one of them just purchased Pleo last night.. it should be here day after Christmas!

[secgeek]

I got to say at first during the first hour I was kinda... Just expected a little bit more.. But the second charge was great.. He walked around, tickled his feet.. And My parents were just amazed at the technology..... Obviously he will probably become more autonomous once the OS is revealed but for now its a nice distraction.

[kianajade]

I agree. The battery lasts a long time. I was really impressed actually with the first charge. It was absolutly adorable watching him awaken for the first time.

[geert]

i am not....but i am a bit disappointed about the extra batterypacts, that we have to wait so long for them...I hope that someday ugobe will make a autonoom charger for pleo (like aibo,cybie,roomba.....)but i don't think so...there are no conection points on the pleo's now:confused:

but i love him !!

[pleopot]

After reading the owners' experience, I decided to NOT buy Pleo with current state.

Well, me too, a little bit disappointed with the outcome (BORING toy).

I know, I dont own one, but I read all the reviews, owner experience, and what not.

Certainly Pleo will get better and better in the future (software/OS updates), especially if Ugobe released the SDK.

I want to see Pleo "grow up" ... and WALK (faster) ... or even RUN ... running around in the room ... being chased by the dog or cat :)

Until then, I will just wait and read.

[Tastentier]

You really can't judge it by the first or even the second hour of it's "life". It seems to maneuver around better each day, and constantly surprises me with new behaviours and sounds.

[PleoPrincess78]

So far I've read several minor complaints about Pleo (perhaps major, depending on one's point of view), such as say, the batter charger.
Look I made sure to read the threads about the battery before I even got Pleo. I click the battery TIGHTLY into the charger and I have had NO problems. Often times, the battery lasts longer than an hour!! (I've timed it. I've gotten as much as 80 minutes on one charge.)

People complain that Pleo falls asleep alot. Mine does not. She WILL, but you have to leave her alone for a LONG time. And I'm glad this happens when it does, because it saves the battery. Often I let her wander around and sometimes forget she's on! LOL

Paint flaking?? Not an issue here! (Not yet anyway.) I've had children playing with Pleo, shoving the leaf in its mouth, everthing...and no chipped teeth that I can see!

I wonder, so many Pleo owners here are first hatch owners. Mine is not a first hatch. Perhaps the problems are more with the first hatch ones?? Who knows.

I've enjoyed Pleo immensely, and so has everyone I've shown it to. Deena did new things today while I had her at church (see my Plog for the whole story on that), she explored for longer periods, seemingly checking out the huge area. She giggled when I tapped her head rather than just pet it.

I had her off at one point, then picked her up and turned her on a bit later. She made distressed sounds, it was like she was alarmed at suddenly being "awake" and in the air. Wow.

I just think Pleo is amazing. The complaints need to stop. They can be valid, sure, but certainly with the OS, let's not forget that they did not release the full intended version yet. When that happens, I'm sure Pleo will be even more fun :)

[Raideriam]

I haven't hatched pleo but will do so Christmas day with my son. But when he arrived I showed him to my wife and she said........it's the begining of the.....Terminator.

[dotyj]

I haven't hatched pleo but will do so Christmas day with my son. But when he arrived I showed him to my wife and she said........it's the begining of the.....Terminator.

Perhaps I'd better find a leather jacket and a pair of dark sunglasses for Bob. :)

[dotyj]

I think complaining is normal.

I had a problem with a stuck leg, but turned Bob off and tugged the leg gently and it was fixed.

Now I'm worried about Pleo fleas. I noticed a couple of times yesterday that Bob would occasionally lower his head and scratch the side of his face with his left front leg.

Other than that, I'm getting good battery life, the charger works properly, and Bob is a pleasure to play with and observe.

[PleoPrincess78]

LOL Pleo fleas!! That is hilarious! XD

[secgeek]

Forums are usually meant for complaining and nitpicking...

However remember that this is a brand new technology.. Its not an upgrade to something.. There are going to be issues.... I for one have experienced almost every one of the issues I have read on here... Not complaining just stating that with any early adoptions you will have issues...

I have had mine out of the box for 3 days now... And he is great... Paint flakes.. Hell it's rubber it will flake not much can be done about that.... Haven't noticed anything wrong with the teeth...

Battery life on the 4th charge... and I get over an hour of continuous play....

The Sleep Issue.... It's all over this site and others.... Pleo falls asleep...He gets bored and falls asleep... Mine does it after walking halfway around the room...... I'm sure the software will fix it.. But remember it was marketed as a self learning autonomous bot.... I understand if its about to fall asleep due to dead or dying battery. But just fall asleep sucks...

Please be assured I'm not complaining.. I love the little guy... These are just some of the things we will have to learn to deal with being early adopters... My iphone has a ton of things that annoy me as well... But its still the best phone I have had to date...

[Lu Bu]

Yeah, hehe, funny...Pleo's breakdancing!

I won't be worried if Pleo can't breathe, I find alot of great features Pleo has:

1) He develops and learns overtime
2) He has a color camera that can be upgraded through softwares

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Perhaps I'd better find a leather jacket and a pair of dark sunglasses for Bob. :)

I'd love to see pictures when you do. I just have one question...will Bob be "bawk" later? LOL

[cmadmacs]

Very well said secgeek.

[cmadmacs]

The leather jacket and sunglasses sound cool. I looked at sunglasses for my pleos also.

[Primus]

Hmm, that would be interesting if the paint issue is only with first hatch Pleos. If they corrected a deficiency I wonder if this is something they would fix for first hatch owners.

[Pleo_Joe]

Hmm, that would be interesting if the paint issue is only with first hatch Pleos. If they corrected a deficiency I wonder if this is something they would fix for first hatch owners.

My Pleo is not a First Hatch Pleo, but it still has the teeth paint flaking issue.
I still think he's great :)

[PleoPrincess78]

...it's because of moments like these.

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B8vakcv5LCY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B8vakcv5LCY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[secgeek]

Thats adorable...

[dotyj]

It really is the personal interaction that makes Pleos so fantastic.

Great video.

[Ypan]

So far I've read several minor complaints about Pleo (perhaps major, depending on one's point of view), such as say, the batter charger.
Look I made sure to read the threads about the battery before I even got Pleo. I click the battery TIGHTLY into the charger and I have had NO problems. Often times, the battery lasts longer than an hour!! (I've timed it. I've gotten as much as 80 minutes on one charge.)

People complain that Pleo falls asleep alot. Mine does not. She WILL, but you have to leave her alone for a LONG time. And I'm glad this happens when it does, because it saves the battery. Often I let her wander around and sometimes forget she's on! LOL

Paint flaking?? Not an issue here! (Not yet anyway.) I've had children playing with Pleo, shoving the leaf in its mouth, everthing...and no chipped teeth that I can see!

I wonder, so many Pleo owners here are first hatch owners. Mine is not a first hatch. Perhaps the problems are more with the first hatch ones?? Who knows.

I've enjoyed Pleo immensely, and so has everyone I've shown it to. Deena did new things today while I had her at church (see my Plog for the whole story on that), she explored for longer periods, seemingly checking out the huge area. She giggled when I tapped her head rather than just pet it.

I had her off at one point, then picked her up and turned her on a bit later. She made distressed sounds, it was like she was alarmed at suddenly being "awake" and in the air. Wow.

I just think Pleo is amazing. The complaints need to stop. They can be valid, sure, but certainly with the OS, let's not forget that they did not release the full intended version yet. When that happens, I'm sure Pleo will be even more fun :)

OK, I click my battery tightly into the charger....and guess what? It doesent charge properly. Would you not complain? You have a brand new pleo sitting there but are unable to even turn it on or see what it does because you cannot charge the battery, do you understand what that feels like??:mad: I've been waiting for this thing for months, and now its like "Merry X-mas here is your pleo!! but guess what,.....you get the picture.? not to mention that $350 is almost a whole weeks pay for me. that alone make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I would Have no problem with paint flaking off, OS updates, gear noise, but I expect things like the battery charger to work, AND it should be FOOL PROOF, so a monkey could plug it in properly, and get it to charge. :(

[geert]

mine run now his 9 time but he still go to sleep after 4 min.and then we have to wake him (verry good) 4 min later zzzzzz......?? i hope it don't stay this way!!? :confused:

[joelene]

Do not make light of the valid complaints many of us have. I am sitting with a $356 item that started wearing (paint loss on teeth) within hours of opening the box and charging the delightful AI. It may or may not happen to hundreds of others. We have now had an official response from one of Ugobe's people and they are working on a solution for us. That tells me it's a valid complaint that's now being handled. If we didn't 'complain' here, where would we complain?

[PleoPrincess78]

Do not make light of the valid complaints many of us have. I am sitting with a $356 item that started wearing (paint loss on teeth) within hours of opening the box and charging the delightful AI. It may or may not happen to hundreds of others. We have now had an official response from one of Ugobe's people and they are working on a solution for us. That tells me it's a valid complaint that's now being handled. If we didn't 'complain' here, where would we complain?

I wasn't trying to make light of the problems people were having. I just thought the complainining was getting a little TOO much, and some people were being slightly disrespectful. I don't care to go into it anymore though, but I will say, I CAN understand the frustration and disappointment with some of the issues people are having. I have not had battery issues but I have now seen paint flaking off the teeth. (The leaf does indeed seem to be causing it more.) I trust Ugobe will come up with a solution though. They seem very interested in resolving issues that come along.
Let's face it Pleo is the first of its kind on the market. I already read that some people will wait until a newer version comes out because they don't want to deal with the issues version 1 has. I can understand that too.
But for me personally, it's a great robot and I'm not disappointed enough to be ranting on here as some people are.
But that's just me, I guess.

Nonetheless, have a great holiday people :) I can't wait to read stories about kids opening up their Pleos!

[SeaThroughBeauty]

I agree with you princess. I mean, i'm having a couple problems with mine, but its still an awesome piece of technology, and its still fun as heck to play with. You have to expect that a first generation toy like this is going to have a few bugs. I'm just making the best of it.

[Machado34]

My 8 year old son just recieved the Pleo today on Christmas and personally, for the money you pay for it, it is not worth it at all. First of all, in today's technology and advancements with electronics, a battery should last more than Pleo's. Second, for the money that people dish out , it should do a lot more than walk a foot, make some noise, and fall asleep. My son thinks it is great, and I am going to spoil it for him, but you can't take the thing outside at all, it has to stay on a flat surface, the teeth paint chips, the out rubber rips, I can go on and on. I purchased this from Brookstone and should have know since all of the stuff there is overpriced junk. To all who don't have your Pleo, have fun watching a rubber dinosaur take a few steps, make some noise and fall asleep. I think a lot of people will feel this way if they don't put out some decent downloads soon.......

[joelene]

Hope you kept your receipt, I'm sure you can return it tomorrow. Join the maddening crowds, etc.

[joelene]

Yes, I agree that some here are a bit ... off the wall. And some here ... have forgotten (if they ever knew?) that one doesn't really buy the first version of anything. LOL. I forgot that 'law' myself in my excitement about Pleo - I've been following his/her creation for several years and have eagerly awaited the arrival of my very own Pleo. Now that I know Ugobe is working on some sort of solution for the teeth problem, I am ecstatic once again and don't mind paint (off the skin) wear, short battery life, or anything else - Ugobe will release OS updates, and I'm really just pleased as punch.

I wasn't trying to make light of the problems people were having. I just thought the complainining was getting a little TOO much, and some people were being slightly disrespectful. I don't care to go into it anymore though, but I will say, I CAN understand the frustration and disappointment with some of the issues people are having. I have not had battery issues but I have now seen paint flaking off the teeth. (The leaf does indeed seem to be causing it more.) I trust Ugobe will come up with a solution though. They seem very interested in resolving issues that come along.
Let's face it Pleo is the first of its kind on the market. I already read that some people will wait until a newer version comes out because they don't want to deal with the issues version 1 has. I can understand that too.
But for me personally, it's a great robot and I'm not disappointed enough to be ranting on here as some people are.
But that's just me, I guess.

Nonetheless, have a great holiday people :) I can't wait to read stories about kids opening up their Pleos!

[kianajade]

Im very happy with pleo. MORE than happy. No paint flaking, no teeth flaking, no wear. nothing. Absolutly amazing product! Battery also lasts over 2 hours!!

[Machado34]

I can understand about the complaints and those who don't have the problems, don't read them, it is that simple. This is a over priced, over hyped toy that should not have been released til all the bugs were out. Come on people, we live in what century??? Today's technology is unbelievable, we can do things that were never thought of and we have a toy that can't hold a charge for how long??? I give props to the marketing crew, they really did a job on marketing this Pleo, but now that we have people who payed big $$$ for this and it is disappointing that paint is chipping, rubber is ripping and it falls asleep within minutes, and it can't hold a charge for nothing.

[Siren]

You do realize, if you bought a puppy, it would play for a short period and fall asleep. It would do this continually till it grew out of the puppy phase. Pleo is in a hatchling phase right now, give him time. But if you and your son are too impatient to wait for a rubber dinosaur to grow up, then by all means, return it. I know a lot of parents and children would be grateful to have one.

[kianajade]

I Agree. And to have one BEFORE christmas!

[Machado34]

You do realize, if you bought a puppy, it would play for a short period and fall asleep. It would do this continually till it grew out of the puppy phase. Pleo is in a hatchling phase right now, give him time. But if you and your son are too impatient to wait for a rubber dinosaur to grow up, then by all means, return it. I know a lot of parents and children would be grateful to have one.

I have 2 dogs and a cat. You can't compare a toy with a living pet. This is a toy, not a real pet. This is nothing to do with being impatient. THis has everything to do with spending all of this money on something that was hyped up and come to find out, I am trying to figure out what the hype is all about. People are right about the hype with the Wii and playstation 3. This, no. My son was grateful for what ever he gets, thank you...

[Siren]

If he was grateful and patient, he would want to keep it. My 9 year old daughter found ways to amuse herself between charges.

Imagination makes it a real pet. Most of my family can't get the hype. They made fun of me because I carried it like a baby when my daughter wasn't playing with it. Because I have the imagination to pretend that all those servos and gadgets inside that rubber skin are joints and tendons. When people ask me what pets I have, Pleo will be on that list alongside the dogs, cats, snake, lizard, fish, turtles, and rabbit. As far as we are concerned, its a real pet.

[Limesunfire]

I think it is great! Yes little technical difficulties. But UGOBE is more then helpful . They are already working on the paint problem. I think if your dont have any sort of imagination its not worth getting because this product is pretty close to a pet to me if not it is a pet. It goes through staged it doesnt happen over night. Its not like its going to get up and do the moon walk it wasnt built to do anything overnight. Ive only had it today and after i charged it twice the second time it started doing different things and you could see the more you interact with it, it does more. I love my pleo I wouldnt change it for the world. I think its going to be an amazing journey to see what this product does and what updates and downloads they have for it. But for now, im just happy with the way it is! Merry Christmas Everyone !

[Siren]

I agree, the second and third charges, it really opened up. Pleo was even dancing (without the holiday add on).

[BauerMECH]

Merry Christmas Everyone !
Merry Christams to you too! :D

I have 2 dogs and a cat. You can't compare a toy with a living pet. This is a toy, not a real pet. This is nothing to do with being impatient. THis has everything to do with spending all of this money on something that was hyped up and come to find out, I am trying to figure out what the hype is all about. People are right about the hype with the Wii and playstation 3. This, no. My son was grateful for what ever he gets, thank you...

I am wondering what you were expecting to get out of it then. I ask because Pleo was designed to act like closer to a real pet rather than as a toy. So, comparing the two isn't as abstract as you may think. NOTE: This is a forum, and contains both false and factual information. Hype is usually drawn from opinions and what others' hope to see in a product. UGOBE has been very careful not to intentionally mislead anyone.

[joelene]

AH! Therein lies the problem. This is NOT a toy, but a robotic lifeform. It isn't intended for children 8 and younger.

It sounds like you and your son would be more grateful for all the toys you could buy with the money you spent on Pleo. You've been given advice, please return your Pleo and get your money back. I do hope you kept your receipt, right...? Didn't you? Surely you did. Lot of money to spend on hype and not keep the receipt.

I have 2 dogs and a cat. You can't compare a toy with a living pet. This is a toy, not a real pet. This is nothing to do with being impatient. THis has everything to do with spending all of this money on something that was hyped up and come to find out, I am trying to figure out what the hype is all about. People are right about the hype with the Wii and playstation 3. This, no. My son was grateful for what ever he gets, thank you...

[PleoPrincess78]

I have to ask the author of this thread if he/she realizes the program Pleo is running on now is not complete. UGOBE is working on the full upgrade to be released some time next year.
And I'm sure after that, they will have other upgrades.
Plus some smart people out there could write their own cool codes for the OS, and hopefully share it with the rest of us. The possiblities are endless, if you ask me! Therefore...it makes the $350 more worth it.

But it requires patience. I guess it can be hard to be patient sometimes...it took Pleo a LONG time to come out......but I can only imagine what the future holds for this robot.

[Limesunfire]

Team PLEO! :)

[PleoWorldHostCami]

Tis the season for tempers to be a little "short." We'd like to remind everyone that harassment of other members is not allowed. Everyone is welcome to post in the PleoWorld community as long as they follow the community guidelines. You can find them here: http://forums.pleoworld.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_guidelinefaq

UGOBE respects and welcomes everyone's opinions even if they are negative comments.

If you find you don't like what a poster has to say then either move on to the next post or you can click on the member's name to get to their profile and then "Add to Your Ignore List."

Thank you for understanding. :D

[Tastentier]

My 8 year old son just recieved the Pleo today on Christmas and personally, for the money you pay for it, it is not worth it at all. First of all, in today's technology and advancements with electronics, a battery should last more than Pleo's. Second, for the money that people dish out , it should do a lot more than walk a foot, make some noise, and fall asleep. My son thinks it is great, and I am going to spoil it for him, but you can't take the thing outside at all, it has to stay on a flat surface, the teeth paint chips, the out rubber rips, I can go on and on. I purchased this from Brookstone and should have know since all of the stuff there is overpriced junk. To all who don't have your Pleo, have fun watching a rubber dinosaur take a few steps, make some noise and fall asleep. I think a lot of people will feel this way if they don't put out some decent downloads soon.......

It will do a lot more than that after a while, especially when you (or rather your son) interact with it. On day 1, my Pleo showed only a small percentage of his current behavior; remember that it was made to simulate a development phase that starts with the very limited actions of a newborn. Also, a lot of Pleo's programming only shows when you interact with it... pat or stroke its back, head and chin or pick it up.

If your son is happy with his Pleo, I'm sure he'll be delighted when it makes new sounds and gets a bit more active with every day. It's not meant to do all its tricks on day one and then keep repeating them over and over.

[mearts]

I have to ask the author of this thread if he/she realizes the program Pleo is running on now is not complete. UGOBE is working on the full upgrade to be released some time next year.

The author is talking about what we got now for $350 and what we got is really not worth the price. Who knows if Ugobe will release furture os updates. We really don't know at this point. Maybe the company is gone by this time next year.

My daughter likes pleo. My son got bored after about 5 mintues with it. Pleo really does not do anything. Most people who saw it never saw it walk. Most thought it did not walk. The highlight was holding pleo by its tail and watching it respond. Everyone including my daughter liked that the best. I really don't get why they did not write a better roam mode in the os. Pleo just standing there moving its head and tail for 5 minutes is fricking boring even to my daughter.

Maybe pleo will get more active in days to come but there's not one person in the room who would pay $350 for what they saw today.

[mearts]

This is a over priced, over hyped toy that should not have been released til all the bugs were out.

I agree and going into mass production in mid November is crazy late meaning they had a lot of problems with the product. The os is not a major problem because it can be updated but the paint flaking is major. I can not think of any product, high or low tech, with a similar problem.

[cmadmacs]

very good point. I love my pleos.

[cmadmacs]

I have two first hatch pleos. I have had no problem with paint chipping so far.

[Tastentier]

I guess it's a matter of expectations. I didn't expact all that much and was fully prepared to see rather repetitive behaviour. Now I'm pleasantly surprised, after 7 sessions with Pleo. Of course I can see that much of Pleo's attraction is the result of a bonding process with the little robot pet that seems to be inevitable when you watch it reacting to your touch. That and comical situations, like Pleo waddling towards my cat and nuzzling her after I gave him a cat toy filled with catnip, or Pleo trying to communicate with my Roomba. But the software really seems to be quite intelligent too; Pleo starts to chew when he sees something green, interacts with his image in a mirror or cries for help when given a ride on a Roomba.

As for the price: I wish I could have bought it for $350 only :) I paid 399 Euro at Amazon.de, that's about $575. Thanks to import taxes, VAT and the cut of the local reseller.

[cmadmacs]

Yes, I agree. I also like watching multible pleos interacting with each other.

[samantha]

After initial charge, first use and letting the battery cool down for about 2 hours afterwards, the charger went from solid red to blinking red and the pack was so hot I could not hold it. NOT NORMAL. It has does this on every charge since. I have been active in the RC community for 20 plus years and have used nicad, nimh, L-ion and L-poly. It is not normal for the battery to get that hot.

In addition after just the first use I could see faint signs of wear on the back where my daughter had pet the Pleo and if you could see how she pets this thing, its a very very light touch.

Looks like this is simply another company that uses their consumer as beta testers. Some don't seem to mind this but I do because when Pleo II comes out with its improvements, the beta testers do not get any consideration.

[Limesunfire]

I can say that I recieved my pleo yesterday for christmas. I am older and I still find it to be amazing. Today when I woke it up which was the 3rd battery charge total it started falling right to sleep. Then after a bit it got up, like someone said it rarely walks around, i thought that to myself yesterday. But boy today if it has no obsticles in its way its going to take a tour around town. It was walking all over, it actually moo'ed and it started showing different emotions. At times maybe it seems a bit boring but it seemed to be growing more emotions just after day one. I can only imagine a week later.

[Limesunfire]

Very awesome, its so insane how different each pleo is. I love learning and seeing everyones videos!

[Machado34]

If he was grateful and patient, he would want to keep it. My 9 year old daughter found ways to amuse herself between charges.

Imagination makes it a real pet. Most of my family can't get the hype. They made fun of me because I carried it like a baby when my daughter wasn't playing with it. Because I have the imagination to pretend that all those servos and gadgets inside that rubber skin are joints and tendons. When people ask me what pets I have, Pleo will be on that list alongside the dogs, cats, snake, lizard, fish, turtles, and rabbit. As far as we are concerned, its a real pet.

Did I say he was ungrateful? Did I say he was not patient? No. Actually, these opinions were not made by my son if you read my first post, these were coming from a comsumer who purchased it. He actually likes it. Enjoy your new REAL pet.........lol......

[roschler]

Just my two cents.

Whatever your personal experience is with Pleo, and I respect it because our feelings are all we have to go on and no one person's feelings outweight another's, Pleo is the first consumer robot to ever have the major technical publications and web sites say explicitly, or in so many words, that it "makes you believe it's alive".

There will always be a percentage of people that are dissatisfied with a new item. I repeat, they aren't wrong in any sense of the word. But it is obvious from this forum that there are many more people that are very happy with Pleo and I'm certainly one of them. Forums are usually dominated by those that have complaints because when you are unhappy with an item, you want to let people know; satisfied customers are typically less vocal. But this forum is overwhelmingly dominated by happy Pleo owners sharing stories of Pleo's adventures and quirks, many with touching photographs and videos.

Their experiences are just as valid as those that are not satisfied, no more so or no less. However, they are definitely the overwhelming majority. Finally, you can search the entire Internet and nowhere will you find a consumer robot that comes close to making people treat it like a pet. (I hate calling it a robot because I'm one of those that feel it's truly a pet).

Happy Holidays everyone!

[dotyj]

I agree and going into mass production in mid November is crazy late meaning they had a lot of problems with the product. The os is not a major problem because it can be updated but the paint flaking is major. I can not think of any product, high or low tech, with a similar problem.

A few years back Apple had trouble with the white plastic on their notebooks interacting with oil in skin and changing colors.

Apple is a respected high tech company and I would have thought that they would have caught that problem before going into production.

Two years ago Dell GX 260, 270, and some 280s had a problem with capacitors failing causing the computer to die. Every single GX 270 we had where I work failed over the course of one month. We had nearly 100 of them. Even though we had next day service for these computers Dell would not honor it and we started the school year with two very important computer labs down. It took weeks to get all the computers repaired. My father in law owns a business and he had a GX-270 fail about the same time. It took months for Dell to get someone out to repair it.

Auto companies have recalls all the time.

What about the toy recalls we've had this year due to excessive lead content in paint?

The wheelchair I use had a recall right after I got it for armrest mounts that break off. That is a serious problem in my book and not caught until after the chair went into production.

This sort of thing happens all the time.

[Limesunfire]

I think people need to remember that this is the first of its kinda that I have found. I think the little problems can be dealt with, but if bigger problems happen down the line then that is a different issue. If they send things to fix the paint to the owners of pleo's , id be satified. I mean mine is chipping from where i pet it and i always clean my hands and it did chip before i did the baby powder then i read that and tried that and it still chips. once they come up with a cure im sure they will fix the ones that are the problem.

[Machado34]

AH! Therein lies the problem. This is NOT a toy, but a robotic lifeform. It isn't intended for children 8 and younger.

It sounds like you and your son would be more grateful for all the toys you could buy with the money you spent on Pleo. You've been given advice, please return your Pleo and get your money back. I do hope you kept your receipt, right...? Didn't you? Surely you did. Lot of money to spend on hype and not keep the receipt.
Find your sarcasm quite entertaining....my son and myself are very grateful for whatever we get, but this blog is not about gratefullness or sarcasm, it is about pros and cons about a new toy that has just arrived. If you don't like what you read, don't read it....our Pleo is here to stay, Oh, and thanks for the kind reminder for the receipt....I am not here to be sarcastic to anyone here by all means......we all have the right to a opinion. Whether you agree with it or not, that is up to you.......leave your sarcasm at home.......

[pleoman]

OK we all have a right to our own opinions on Pleo, some good and some bad. It is good to discuss the pros and cons of this product but i do not wish arguments to erupt because of the differences in opinion.

Every one has a right to discuss their opinions and have people listen to them and comment constructively on them.

Please can we try to get along nicely fellow forumers. I want this forum to remain jovial not turn into a verbal battlefield! :)

Thanks for listening,

Pleoman.

[Pleona]

Might as well post about what I think of Pleo.
My parents think I'm crazy, but when Fern goes to sleep, I turn her off to charge the battery, carry her like a baby, and place her onto a soft pillow in my room, petting her head before letting her 'sleep'. I honestly feel like even when she's turned off she's alive.
My mum made a comment when I was playing with Fern, saying "She doesn't do much..." I shrugged, and said the software wasn't complete yet, and that Ugobe might make some new tricks, sounds and behaviours in future updates. But I don't really care. I love Pleo, no matter how sleepy or lazy, lol. :)
Fern actually doesn't go to sleep when left on her own. She'll make a quiet noise, then go about exploring the room. Everybody I've shown her to has said "That's crazy!" Hahah.
Kinda getting off the subject, But I wanted to post that. I too am one of the few who see Pleo as a real animal, and nothing will change how I imagine Pleo, on or off. I don't mind others thinking Pleo as being 'boring' and 'a waste of money', As I said, nothing will change how much I am already attatched to Pleo after just 2 days...

[Machado34]

My son is enjoying Dino, and there are a lot of cute things about him.... he dances and shakes his butt to the music. His paint is coming off from all of the patting, but that is fine. I don't want people to think that I am critizing anyone as to how they feel towards this machine. I would not do that because it is rude and uncalled for. I was simply stating how I felt and other people took it as a personal attack and ran with it. I apoligize if I offened anyone, but do not apoligize to those who were rude and unkind. It should be afriendly place to go and seek info about Pleo.

[soverdahl]

I was a bit disappointed as well. The first hatching was boring ... but by the third or fourth time I really fell in love with this little guy. I kept thinking to myself, it's neat, but what is going to happen in a week when it is no longer new. Is it going to just sit on my shelf. Did I just pay $350 for an art piece. But it has been a week now and I still get him out everyday, I even brought him 3 hours to my parents so they could see him. My kids even ask for "Little Dinosaur" and get mad when I call him Pleo. ("No mommy, we renamed him Little Dinosaur")

All I can add, is just keep trying him out. He has gotten more active each time I have brought him out and my kids love him. And although the new download was kinda cheesy, my youngest got so excited he stood up and danced and clapped.

I don't know if it was worth $350. I don't know if he will eventually end up on the shelf. What I do know is that my boys love it (for now) and my husband and I are intrigued by its programming. It will be interesting to see how it changes and what other programming will come along. And it is a really nice change from tv and video games.

[Limesunfire]

I recieved mine for xmas which was yesterday. I have waited forever it seems to recieve this and I am learning that I am a little dissapointed. The teeth are chipping along with the paint. Also I have a tiny tear but its not all the way through so im not going to return it for that it isnt liek im going to play rough with it. I love it its great but the paint and all is an issue and I am worried ill have to return it and start new. I hope they send out stuff we can use ourselfs without replacing it through them which will take forever. And about the tear, like I said it looks like its a little less adheasive in the area but its not like compleltly teared so im gooing to just keep an eye on it.

[Walic]

does no one realize all behaviors repeat right now and every time you do one thing, he is programed to do the same thing afterwards. Im still waiting for specifics on when Pleo will be able to learn and what exactly that means. Evidence. Ill bet Pleo does the same thing after each tug of war, pull the leave out and see if he does something different even once.

[Siren]

Did I say he was ungrateful? Did I say he was not patient? No. Actually, these opinions were not made by my son if you read my first post, these were coming from a comsumer who purchased it. He actually likes it. Enjoy your new REAL pet.........lol......

If my daughter likes a toy and I don't, unless its dangerous or goes against my moral grain, I wouldn't return it, but that's me. And yes, we are enjoying our real pet, throughly. Took him on his first social outing today at Walmart and what an experience that was. We were the most famous people in Walmart. I'll talk more about that in my Plog soon.

[Falseprophet666]

:cool:I dont know. I happen to like little Jenga. He sits on my desk and keeps me company while I work on my poetry. He isnt meant to be the next AIBO you know. I think the correct term is "companion robot".

[Siren]

I think the name calling, especially that word, is uncalled for on this kind of forum. Its one to be sarcastic, its another to insult out right like that.

[phoebe]

Pleo responds every bit the way a reptile like a turtle or a gecko would and more.... My gecko never played tug of war or wailed when it got lonely or laughed when I tickled his feet. Having had these for pets I am just grateful not to have to run to the store for my weekly supply of live bugs... As for buying it for a child of 8... 8 is just a guideline.. every child is different ... and UGOBE was careful to mention that it was not to be taken outside or handled roughly. Not every child cares well for their toys... or their pets at that age for that matter. I think you really have to look at how your child treats other toys to spend that kind of money on any "toy". I did not buy Pleo for a child, I bought it for myself. I started my career as a programmer and I just wanted to see what it can do... I am watching the forums to see what yours can do that mine can't. I want to see it learn, I have waited a long time to see us get to this point. In the meantime, as a former programmer I think it does everything I would expect it to do without making it seem like a toy and that is just what I would want from it. :)

[phoebe]

My Pleo has started falling asleep with my finger in his mouth like a pacifier... I think it is adorable.

[Radiozo]

Yeah. I kinda feel cheated. The AI is as stupid as a brick wall and the Pleo doesnt do much except for sleeping.
Right now Id say its worth 150-200$ not 350$. I really hope they will improve the AI cause its horrbile right now.

[auctionenvyus]

I'm dissappointed in many of the same things. First let me say the darn thing is cute and what a great idea. What am I dissappointed in, well the short battery life, the lack of information on this site to purchase additional batteries, the fact that my little Chumly falls asleep at the drop of a hat an runs into solid objects and takes a while to back up. So I hear his gears grinding away and killing the battery because he's not sensitive enough to objects in his path. What can I say, it's a learning curve for the maker. What I hope is that the maker reads this feedback and doesn't just creat a newer better Pleo but assists the current owners with upgrades and information. I'm hopeful and I'm currently reaching out to anyone who can tell me where to purchase the official or required battery and charging station to comply with the warrently. Also, to provide information or recommendations on the SD Card to purchase. Out on the Web there are people explaining that some SD Cards are too slow for Pleo. I plan to keep my Pleo and work reach out for help to enhance the experience. If things don't improve in a reasonable period of time I'll pass the word so that others who make the purchase know what to expect. :eek:

[Ridgeback]

I"m not. First because most toy robotics out there look like robots and act like robots, so I never got any. Second because you had to learn how to program or play with them. They weren't intuitive. If they were they were boring. Try building one yourself. I have. You will truely appreciate what this guy can do. The thought that went into it. Yes it may have a lot of dog like behaviors...but hey wow, it has dog like behaviors that look great. The tug of war game. He's not just backing up as most toys would. This guy's butt goes in the air and the front goes down. When he gets really excited his butt and tail wag differently at the same time. I also like watch how other people react to him. He lives in my office. I work on the helpdesk so we have lot's of visitors. It's great to watch them react to him and behave as if he was real. That's the most fun.

[P1e0]

My husband think Pleo is a little creepy. He keeps saying things like, "this is how it starts..." Personally I think a toy who reacts to how it's treated is anything but creepy. It's really too sweet. I can't wait to see what our girl does with hers!

I for one welcome our new robot overlords!

Actually I find some of the human like robots to be a bit disturbing to watch. Real, but not quite real enough so the suspension of disbelief isn't quite complete.

My dog and cat have free will and do almost as much as they'd like (At least when I'm home), and I don't find it to be creepy at all, just a little weird. Like having furry aliens living in my house.

Yeah, like the ones with the glowing eyes... especialy at night:eek: that's creepy...

[Ridgeback]

Seems that the issue is upfront understanding of what you get. UGOBE was smart to send out samples and ask those who got them to be on this forum. I got to read about the pro's and cons before I got my order. I also think it's an understanding of robotics that is being missed. You can get kits for $200.00 and still not achieve the complexities that the Pleo achieves. I guess it's like trying to appreciate opera even though your a country fan. You can appreciate the skill behind it even if you not a fan, but only if you understand the skill it take to sing opera.

[Siren]

Well said, Ridgeback! I don't fully understand robotics, but I appreciate and understand the effort it takes. My family on the other hand things I spent $350 on a toy and don't get it.

[seanmcdona121]

I don't think its fair the way ur complainin about givin it bck wen theres other people in the world waitin for there pleo and maybe there's some people that can't afford to spend money like that! so like stop complainin nd be grateful that u have one!