RSPCAibo says, "Bring back the robodog!"

By Chris Stevens on 03 February 2006, 3:00pm

Following Sony's announcement last week that Aibo will be put down, angry protesters have gathered their forces across the Internet in a desperate bid to convince Sony to reverse its decision on the fate of the electronic dog.

The parallels between these events and the fall of the Berlin Wall are hard to ignore. Both events saw mass demonstrations. In the case of the Berlin wall, against the East German government in the autumn of 1989. In the case of the Aibo, from disgruntled Western consumers.

Will pressure from Aibo fans mean that Sony has to reinstate the Aibo? The Aibo is something of an institution for robotics fans, and is currently seven years old (49 dog-years). Many critics point out that the Aibo represents everything good about Sony -- particuarly the company's commitment to innovation. The loss of this company figurehead might be compared to the theft of Caesar's Eagle, or the ravens flying away from the Tower of London. Leading occultists believe that this doesn't bode well for the company's future from a purely supersticious perspective.

If you'd like to join the protest again Aibo's execution, you can sign the petition here. -CS