New Rolly Video
Diginfo has a new video of the Sony Rolly (due later this month). I’m still shocked that noone has built a homebrew version of the Rolly, yet, with Lego Mindstorms.
Sony Rolly Announced
$350 US, available only in Japan (9/29/07).
Engadget’s notes here. Videos here. Original post and commercial here. Update: Akihabara News has a hands on video.
1GB of audio storage and can stream from bluetooth devices which support A2DP. Clever UI – hold the Rolly vertically, twist the top wheel to change the song. Twist the bottom wheel to change the volume. Moves, spins, moves its flippers to the music. Can be choreographed.
It does not seem to be programmable. However, if it can be controlled at a very granular level in real time via bluetooth, it may not need to be in order to be a basic robotics platform. Time will tell.
When I first read about the Rolly, I started pricing out how to builid something comparable using a Nintendo DS, a Palm TX or a Nokia Internet Tablet as the guts. All seem doable, for less than the cost of the Rolly (if you already have one of those devices), but they will be bigger, uglier and less durable than the Rolly. Still, a solution based on one of those devices would be much more programmable and would have a wifi connection.
Sony Rolly
The wait has just begun. We saw the first (viral) video of it last week.
The wait is almost over. Word has it that there is a Rolly release party in Japan on the 10th.
So what is it? A Wii for music? The new (tiny) Aibo platform? I’ll try to remain objective, but I’m loving it. The speaker caps controlled by solenoids (or servos or electromagnets), the speakers, the rgb strips, the dual independent wheels and the potential for robot choreography are all pretty slick.
Sony Rolly
Updated: New, full length commercial. Switched the embedded video.
Thanks, everyone, for pointing me to the Rolly. Yes, you are right. It will be impossible for me to resist purchasing a Rolly. Let’s hope it’s hackable!
Engadget, Engadget, Engadget Again, and Wikipedia.
Living in the Future
“This is one of those rare moments, when something works, and now my use of computers reaches a plateau that makes total sense. I call this feeling Living In The Future. It’s the nicest feeling technology can deliver, and it’s one important reason I like playing with these toys.”
I’ve never put a label on the feeling and I’m glad there is a name now! It’s probably the common thread that binds my interests in hardware, software, gadgets, games and even the feeds I read.
It’s the feeling I get when I realize how different my life is now with Wikipedia at my fingertips.
On a recent trip to Arizona, I felt it whenever I pulled out my iPhone to search for the nearest X, Y or Z store and called it or got directions.
This morning, it happened when I watched my 2 year old my son, Charlie, flip through songs on his MP3 player.
Every time an email from a social network reminds me of someone’s birthday or I flip through product reviews on NewEgg or I find a particularly juicy piece of news in an RSS reader or I play a game that pushes the envelope, I get that AHA! moment.
Thanks, Dave, for that insightful post (and your repeated contributions to everyone else’s ‘Living in the Future’ moments)!
FYI, I took the liberty of creating a Living in the Future Facebook group (Dave, say the word and I’ll transfer ownership to you).
John Tokash 