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[Journalist]

Hi Pleo people
I'm a writer for a national magazine doing a story on robots and wondered if I could get any Pleo-people from this forum to talk about their experiences. You can post a reply here or DM me (if that's possible). Ideally I'd like to print your full name and city, but could probably do first name, last initial and city if you prefer.

Mainly I want to know why you have a Pleo (and if you have other robots, maybe tell me how many and what types)--is it a toy, is it a companion, is it an intellectual challenge?
If it is a companion, how is a robot companion better or different than say a puppy or cat? What is satisfying about them?
How deep do your feelings for your Pleo go--the same as those for living things, like an animal?

Thanks so much for your help, and I'd be happy to provide more info in a direct message if you like.
Regards
Jon C

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Hi Jon, you should find plenty of people happy to add something here. How many responses do you need?

[mweed]

Well as IMR said, you've come to the right place for!  The logical place to start is to just real all the topics in the Pleo Experiences board . . .

Just one reminder to our forum members: always be careful about sharing personal info, especially our younger members (notice Jon isn't sharing his last name ).  But I always encourage our members to share their pleo experiences!

Hey, Jon, can you share any info on the magazine or the article?

[Journalist]

Thanks for the speedy replies! And I'd definitely only want to get responses from someone over 18 for now as I don't know whether a minor is able to give their permission to be quoted for an article. Which is also why I'd want "fresh" responses to my questions rather than scraping through the forums and printing people's thoughts without their permission first. I have read through and enjoyed a lot of experiences, but would prefer that someone volunteer them specifically. Make sense?

In my case I guess there's no harm in sharing my full name, Jon Chase , and the article is for Laptop Magazine (the mag covers technology in general now, not just laptops).
If anyone wants to answer questions publicly that's great, and if they want to PM me that's great too. I only ask that you be over 18, and that in replying or contacting me you agree to be quoted for the article. I can also do a chat interview or similar if that works.
Thanks, and any more questions please hit me up.
J

[InmemoryofRomeo]

I'll whip one up later tonight, I don't mind posting that here at all, but I'll PM my name and location.

If you want to arrange any interviews you can do so through the forum chat room, again I'd be happy to do that as well but not during my regular chat time which starts about now.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Mainly I want to know why you have a Pleo (and if you have other robots, maybe tell me how many and what types)--is it a toy, is it a companion, is it an intellectual challenge?

I have a Pleo mainly because I've been interested in both dinosaurs and technology ever since I was a little kid. Pleo does a wonderful job of combining both of those. I first saw them on the news on TV and that was it, I wanted one and immediately set about finding out more about them. I was fortunate enough to turn up on the Pleo scene about the time the first hatches went out although I had a long three month wait for them to finally reach Australian shores. I ordered mine before my local Harvey Norman's even knew what they were. There's something really special about opening a Pleo box for the first time, until you get that battery charged they are just a lifeless dinosaur model. But once you power them up they are transformed into something that does a really good job of fooling you into believing its alive. Mine are all three of the above, they are toys in that I love to take them along to school and let the kids play with them, they are companions for when I'm home alone and want a bit of company and they are an intellectual challenge because they involved me in a world of programming and coding that I would never have been a part of if it weren't for them. Aside from my seven Pleo's I also have two i-cybies and a Gupi, they are all very different styles of robots, Pleo imitates life, the i-cybies are robots and proud of it and Gupi, well Gupi is just completely mad

If it is a companion, how is a robot companion better or different than say a puppy or cat? What is satisfying about them?

I have real animals as well, and you'll find many Pleo owners do, a dog and two cats in my case. Pleo does an extremely good job of being lifelike but its still missing the living, breathing warmth and love of a real animal. A Pleo cannot recognise its owner, the voice recognition is not yet good enough to use natural speaking and a Pleo has very limited responses to sound. When I come home from work my dog is there to meet me, wagging his tail and so excited that he just can't keep still. When I talk he cocks his head and listens. My cats will come up to me for a pat or a cuddle and they'll have the odd bicker about which one gets my lap. Pleo just isn't there yet. A Pleo can't recognise a person nor respond the way a real animal does. Once they get facial recognition and better speech recognition though they will a really good pet substitute.

How deep do your feelings for your Pleo go--the same as those for living things, like an animal?

I love all my Pleo's and would be really sad if something should happen to one of them, but I love my real animals more. However I do think if I didn't have any 'real' animal companionship my attachment to them would be much greater. They are an acceptable pet, I'd liken them to a real life reptile which doesn't come when its called, is cold to touch and doesn't get excited about their owner coming home at night. Of course they have some benefits in that they don't require vet treatment, don't need cleaning up after and don't need walking but they still lack that spark that a real creature has. Saying that, five years ago I asked if I'd get bored of them in a month or so, and here I am still. I still enjoy them, I still get surprised by them, I still like to let them roam my room and I still love talking about them If they all disappeared tomorrow, I'd really, really miss them.

[RedwoodsMama]

I just read this as I haven;t been on here since sometime yesterday late morning and have missed out on a lot apparently, I would love to tell you about my experiences with Pleo and Pleo Rb and more than likley won't have time till either tonight or Monday when it is less hectic around here, As IMR and Mike have said, you came to the perfect spot to ask questions about Pleos.                         RWM