On first blush, I wasn't quite sure what to make of Yukai Engineering's Qoobo, but as soon as I picked the thing up it was pretty clear that it didn't matter. It's adorable and I couldn't stop petting it and that's pretty much the point. Qoobo is, basically, a fluffy plush pillow with a tail. It's designed to look more or less like a cat and was inspired by moving to an apartment where pets aren't allowed. Think of it as a surrogate pet, then.
It's hard to imagine any landlord banning Qoobo. It's about as plump as Garfield and, while not as heavy, it certainly weighs more than your average pillow, a nice heft that means it'll feel right at home on your lap. But the main attraction is of course that tail. Thanks to an accelerometer in the pillow, give Qoobo a gentle petting and the tail will start to wave and curl, just like your cat when it's deciding to play nice.
There's sadly no purring nor haptic feedback beyond the tail flapping about, but that's enough. The thick fur is deep and appealing, available in your choice of "husky gray" or "french brown." Price hasn't been determined yet, but Qoobo is expected to go on the market sometime in 2018. And, yes, there's hope we might see it outside of Japan. Yukai's previous hit was Bocco, the adorable smart home hub for kids. Bocco made its way to US and here's hoping Qoobo will too.
