Sony Spruces Up the AIBO Family

Sony will not be adding any pups to its AIBO line of entertainment robots this holiday season. But the good news is that the second generation of the ERS-210, the Sony AIBO ERS-210A ($1,299 list), will be available in new colors and will recognize its master's face and voice. Sony will also sell a nifty, dog-sized skateboard called the Speed Board ($249). The most significant upgrade, though, is the pup's new, software-enabled ability to plug itself into its charger ($99).

Since the AIBO's introduction in 1999, owners have requested that it be given self-charging capabilities. Now the ERS-210 series will recognize when its battery is low, seek out the charging station, position itself on it, and charge up. A Sony official explained that this will make AIBO "a continuous 24-hour pet."

More at PC Magazine