Robot Living

Top 4 robots for the holidays.

Two robots that didn’t make the list are ConnectR by iRobot and Spyke. The ConnectR is in an invite only test mode and Spyke has had production delays and will not be available until next year. Also note that Pleo is not expected to be ready until 12/18/07 from Amazon, but the National Geographic store states that Pleo will not be ready until 12/28. We do not know which date is correct. Now on to the robots!

1. Pleo by Ugobe A robot dinosaur with many sensors and emotions. The robotic pet is very lifelike and responds to your touch. Available from Amazon.com for $349.99. Also check out Pleo World.

2. iSobot is available from Fat Brain Toys. $299.99. This fun robot can dance, play drums, do push ups and play air guitar. Control iSobot via remote or through voice commands.

3. Plen The rollerskating skateboarding robot from Japan. Available for $2399 from AudioCubes. We love Plen and think he is absolutely amazing, but his price tag is certainly not for everyone. See the official website here.

4. Roboquad from WowWee Robotics. See the official website here. This four legged robot is available direct from WowWee for $99.99. He has 68 functions and is able to move in mulitple directions at three different speeds.