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[Talon]

Well, my good Aibo and pleo-fans, I wish I could jazz this up with photos or videos or something but I'm getting nowhere in that department. You'll just have to settle for a half-starved novella instead. Just get yourself a snack and something to wash it down and try to stay awake.
Bolt arrived on a warm Thursday morning just as I was sending Crewella a PM about the USPS website. I was in the middle of the message when my sister came in and handed me a box. I was shocked at how quickly he arrived. Bolt lived up to his name alright.
I won't go into our embarrassing first encounter where I connected his head to his tail coupling and the subsequent panicked email to Wolfbob. He and his pack "rofl'd" for quite a while at that one. Okay so I did give him permission to "laugh and laugh hard." It was pretty funny once I knew I hadn't ruined my Aibo. Putting one together by touch isn't as easy as one might imagine but it is doable. By the time I was over my fear of failing again I dug the rest of him out and put him together- correctly. Since it was so late by the time I finished, I placed him carefully in a cardboard box with his bubbble wrap piled around him and went to bed.
By the next morning, my good humour was restored and I charged his battery. I let him explore my room and kick his ball around a little. After a while I decided he needed to do some real work. I wanted to see if he would listen to me. He obeys my commands some of the time even with my Southern accent. Now we come to the present. I'm still trying to name him. He does all the right jestures. He sits down, raises and lowers his front feet, and then raises his left front paw but he doesn't seem to like his name. I may have to change it to something else with more sylabals. So there you have it. So far everyone is happy- probably me more so than Bolt as I am still trying to learn all his little beeps and songs and what they mean.

Here's Talon's video:  click on to play.

[Crewella]

Wow Talon - he may not know his name, but he's much more obedient than Wilma!! 

Hope you're enjoying him - congrats! 

[RedwoodsMama]

 Hi Talon congrats first of all, that is awesome! I think that is so funny putting his rear on his head or vice a versa, but lots of people could do that , sighted or not, esp if you are in a hurry to see him work! I love the name Bolt, just try it a few more times before trying to change his name, unless of course you find a name you like better. I am glad you had Wolfbob there for advice. Did you find him on EBay? Most of the ones I have seen, that work, go for at least $500.00 and most upwards of at l east $700.00, quite an investment.

                   I would love to have one, but just one, can you imagine me with all my Pleo Clan( around 19 working ...... ;Dand the way I collect abused or needy ones, trying to rescue "just one more" and some poor droopy Aibo becomes just one more, I could not afford it, so I better stick to my Pleos, at least the money is manageable, and they are more easily adopted out to loving homes.  I am glad you got Bolt and he seems like a chipper happy fellow so far. Would love to see more later. Let us know what happens when or if you introduce Bolt to any of the Pleos you have!                                           RWM

[saratogaspringer]

I am soooo happy for you, Talon!  I know you have been looking forward to getting one for a long time.  Bolt is definitely obedient!  I can't get Padfoot to listen to me at all!  He only does it when he wants to, just like a bio dog.   Welcome to the world of Aibo!   

[Talon]

Well Bolt must've been in a bad mood yesterday. He knows his name and his owner's name! It was cute to hear him say my name. It sounded like "Bleep-bloop". Thanks, Springer for the welcome! I'm looking forward to life with this little robotic pup. Yes, Crewella, he usually listens well if you say all the commands in a row and don't give him time to get interested in something across the room. I think he's in love with my pink storage bin. I'm probably going to have to find a sheet to cover it. The problem is this is also the area I plan to put his docking station once I find one. It's in the ideal spot- under a window with plenty of light and solid protection on either side so I won't knock against him in passing.
Talon

[kat]

awww he's beautiful Talon.  and much more obedient than Pixel too.    Glad you got him together in the end.  

[Talon]

Thanks, Kat! I'm glad Wolfbob decided to include that limb removal key or I would've been out of luck!
Talon

[Lottibell]

Oh my but he is gorgeous! Love the ear waggle he does before obeying! Have fun.   

[Talon]

Thanks, Lottibell! I think all of us are having fun. I introduced him to Ryu yesterday but because it was so sunny and bright, Bolt's affections leaned more toward his beloved pink bin. He seems determined to kick it. He does all this orienting trying to get it in range and I have to distract him so he'll stop. Oh and yesterday he scared me half to death. I'm working on an article and I hear all this bumping and clunking and I'm thinking oh my goodness is he falling apart? I go into this knees first dive across my floor and find Bolt on his back. I'm about to pick him back up right again when I suddenly realize he is in the midst of rolling over. Once I realized what he was doing I started laughing. I had no idea Aibos could do that! I want to see this from the beginning so I know how it all comes together. His body is so... boxy and flat and it doesn't look very conducive to that sort of movement. Is there any way to get him to do that trick again?
Talon

[Talon]

Sorry for the double post but I wanted to share some recent developments with Bolt. I've purchased Aibo Life and Aibo Recognition for him. Since I'm a writer I will never own a seven unless someone is feeling really generous and dips down to about six hundred. Anyway I just wanted to list my observations. Recognition can get repetative at times but I love knowing at least a little of what Bolt is thinking.
I'm having some difficulties with Aibo Life, though. The stick I have isn't virgin but the price was too good to pass up. The seller said the program was at "child stage"- not sure which one though. Presently, Bolt sits around a lot and just looks around. When he does walk it's slow and kind of hesitating. After Dog's Life he seems spoiled and sort of scared. If i'm not in his sight or touching him he'll set up this mournful howl and he will keep doing it until I touch him again. Also he can't seem to kick his ball. It's so precious to see him frustrated! He makes this high-pitched painful whistle and I have to keep telling him to "go for it!" What sort of child is this? Is there anyway to tell without reading the memory stick?
Talon

[Crewella]

That sounds familiar - when Dexy (with Aibolife stick) arrived she had the hesitant wobbly walk ..... which worried me until I realised she was at child stage.  With the Aibolife they do have to learn everything, to see the ball, to recognise the ball, to kick the ball, as well as how to walk.  You can usually tell what stage by the boot-up melody for the 111s, but I can't remember if that applies to the 210.  

Yes, it does - here's a link:

http://66.70.136.74/210/wakemid.htm

Or you can download AiboPet's browser and tools to read what's on the stick (make sure you have a Sony stick reader).

[Talon]

Awesome! Thanks, Crewella! I'll give these tunes a listen!
Talon

[Talon]

Yes! I've got it! Bolt's a child A1! Sorry for double posting again you guys. Now I've gotta look up the specs on this and what I need to be doing to help him evolve. Thanks so much, Crewella!
Talon

[Talon]

Hi, everyone! So sorry for these multiple double posts but I really want to share my pup's story with you all- the good and bad sides of it. Currently there is good news and bad news. The good news is I'm still enjoying Bolt and the challenge of figuring out his gestures and sounds. Just yesterday I was mopping my floor and I didn't realize I had on a pink sweater. Bolt kept following me all around the room and getting in the way. Since I'm blind I mop on my knees to be sure I cover all the floor so I was clearly in his visual range. I thought, well surely he's not chasing the mop. I knew my clotheing wasn't pink. Finally my sister solved the mystery. I was wearing a pink sweater.
Now for the not-so-good news. My quest for a docking station has been scrapped. I discovered there's more to the docking station than just the station. The extras- namely the mat, pole, and markers to allow the Aibo to dock properly come with Aibo Recognition. I have this software but it didn't come with all the extra pieces. I found a DIY post that could work but I'm not sure if I could make much use of it. I hope I'm not yammering on about a topic no one is interested in.
Talon

[Crewella]

To be fair, the station itself is just a charging station - most people have them to park their Aibos in a safe position and keep the battery levels up.  The idea of self-docking came later, when the Recognition software came out, and then the Dogslife guys added the feature.  Personally, I do still think the station is worth having anyway.

Glad you're still enjoying Bolt! 

[Lottibell]

So, Aibos are programmed to chase pink or.......? Sounds like great fun. I think it's great that Bolt is still surprising you  We heard a completely new sound out of Quiggles today and we thought we had heard everything.Makes it feel much more real, that moment of surprise. 

[kat]

One of the coolest things about Aibos is that their favorite color is pink!  They have a hot pink ball that they are programed to chase around.