Ugobe's new robot pets
Rafe Needleman Former Editor at Large
Rafe Needleman reviews mobile apps and products for fun, and picks startups apart when he gets bored. He has evaluated thousands of new companies, most of which have since gone out of business.
PHOENIX--Furby inventor Caleb Chung has launched his next big thing (he hopes): The Ugobe Pleo, a cat-size robotic dinosaur designed to operate as a pet. In other words, no remote control (does your cat have a remote?). The gadget has a ton of sensors so it can react to your voice and being carried or petted, and it has been programmed with very natural movements and the capability to learn from your interactions with it. It's like the now-gone Aibo, but one-tenth the price. I got a preview of this company a few days ago and wrote a column on Ugobe for Release 1.0.