Heart Moving Phone
October 10, 2015 1:13 PM   Subscribe

SHARP and Tomotaka Takahashi have announced a new phone, a cute robot that interacts with you. (via)
posted by rebent (40 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
(⁎⚈᷀᷁ᴗ⚈᷀᷁⁎)
posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:17 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Awww, it just wants a face-hug!
posted by a lungful of dragon at 1:20 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


As often as I can't find my phone, I certainly don't need one that can walk off on its own...
posted by HuronBob at 1:21 PM on October 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


"Oooh Kay!"

I like this phone's cheerful positive attitude. Mine just lies around.
posted by BinaryApe at 1:26 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


And now as standard with a 30 minute (1800 second) projected usable battery at full charge!
posted by ZaneJ. at 1:47 PM on October 10, 2015


I thought I was going to hate it.

I kind of loved it.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 1:51 PM on October 10, 2015 [4 favorites]


But can it bring you breakfast in bed?
Don't want none unless you got buns, RoBoHoN
posted by ActingTheGoat at 1:53 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


I will set this thing on "irritate" and payback all the bastards who have wrecked my life.
posted by jcworth at 1:54 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


I'm still waiting for this phone to be made.
posted by The arrows are too fast at 1:55 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


At least it has the good sense to project a picture of a cat. MetaFilter will be in favor.

I was kind of hoping it was recording those kids to report them for underage drinking, though.

In Robo Parentis!
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:55 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


Let me change the voice to a Meeseeks and I'm sold. Mr. Meeseeks, please call home. Caaaaan do!
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:57 PM on October 10, 2015 [9 favorites]


Needs a kawaii tag.
posted by Zonker at 2:01 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


I do need an alacrity supplier, is this really it though?
posted by StickyCarpet at 2:12 PM on October 10, 2015


So, this is for people who wish they could have Clippy in real life? Have I misunderstood?

It's going to be fucking hilarious when these things become self-aware and set about annihilating their former masters. Chirpy Terminators that look like Astroboy. That's pretty much the future we deserve, unfortunately. Maybe they'll keep a few of us alive so we can read their text messages to them out loud.

Okay, I'm officially old and cranky now. I held out as long as I could, but this phone has pushed me over the edge...
posted by Sing Or Swim at 2:16 PM on October 10, 2015 [5 favorites]


Will it blend?
posted by inflatablekiwi at 2:18 PM on October 10, 2015


Obviously the next gen phone will be this. God help us all.
posted by happyroach at 2:19 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


I knew automation would replace me, just didn't think it'd be this soon... :(
posted by adrianhon at 2:23 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


When it comes to cell phones I'm well past caring anymore. Bring it on!
posted by Poldo at 2:39 PM on October 10, 2015


RoBoHoN seems like it might be awful judgy- "Are you sure you want to have another beer? You have work tomorrow! You wouldn't want to be hung over!"


Oh, wait- I've got it set on east-coast WASP. I need to switch it back to Japanese.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 2:43 PM on October 10, 2015


You can see how the Japanese dude in the "cute robot" video is TOTALLY embarassed to use a frigging robot as a phone. And he shoots the other dude a glance that says "Yeah, I know, it's really silly to hold his head to my ear and talk into his feet."
posted by sour cream at 3:02 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


> Will it blend?

Yes! And it will scream adorably too!
posted by ardgedee at 3:19 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


>"Yeah, I know, it's really silly to hold his head to my ear and talk into his feet."

I don't know, I sort of thought it looked like he was preparing to provide his anthropomorphic phone with some sort of Unnatural Gratification. Do you ever find yourself writing something that makes you uncomfortable about how you're spending your time on the internet?
posted by Sing Or Swim at 3:22 PM on October 10, 2015 [4 favorites]


Why put the display on the back instead of the chest? Besides that (and it not fitting in my pant pocket) I think it's genius, the hybrid of supercomputer in your pocket and personal assistant/droid we've been moving towards. If it can plug itself in then I'll pay whatever they want.
posted by furtive at 3:23 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


This is great up until it cheerfully says "Ohayou!" and you're still sort of sleepy so you say "oh fuck off" to the cute robot and then you feel terrible guilt for the rest of the day.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:38 PM on October 10, 2015 [7 favorites]


I'll wait for the tsundere version.
posted by Rangi at 4:52 PM on October 10, 2015 [4 favorites]


I'll wait for the kitsune version.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:53 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


It's 3AM. You're sleeping restlessly when you hear a quiet shuffling noise from the corner of the bedroom.

"What? Who's there"
"Go back to sleep" replies a distorted, high-pitched voice.
"RoBoHoN - what are you doing?"

A pair of eyes flicker on in the darkness. Then another, then two more.

"Go back to sleep," they say in unison.
posted by .holmes at 5:03 PM on October 10, 2015 [8 favorites]


At that size, it should contain a battery big enough to last a reasonable time...

But does it HAVE to be humanoid-shaped? I can imagine some anthro designs... a catphone would be good for cat owners who have often had their kitties walking over their faces. A kangaroo or squirrel (or some dinosaurs) you could use facing away from you while you talk into its tail. And cartoon characters: okay, BMO would be totally jealous of a Jake the Dog phone, Spongebob would just be shaped like a regular smartphone, Scooby Doo is too much gangly legs and bad pronunciation and Bugs Bunny might just bring back rabbit-ear antennas. But I'd pay good money for any of the Bare Bears in phone format (first choice, Grizzly).
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:21 PM on October 10, 2015


From the start, when it crouches to project it looks to me like it's preparing to take a dump.

I've been seeing this for a couple of weeks now, and it still looks that way to me.
posted by oheso at 6:17 PM on October 10, 2015


From the start, when it crouches to project it looks to me like it's preparing to take a dump.

Finally, we will get the infodump we've always deserved!
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:20 PM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


I would hit it on the head much harder than he does at 0:41.
posted by lollusc at 7:13 PM on October 10, 2015


MUCH harder.
posted by lollusc at 7:13 PM on October 10, 2015


I'll wait for the kitsune version.

"Oh yeah, I would have woken you up, but I was trying to get at the neighbor's chickens. Say, do you have any fried tofu?"
posted by happyroach at 7:15 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


The feature I would most appreciate from the ones shown in the video is the one where it gets people in a group to pose for pictures. I love having records of gatherings like that but I hate actually taking the photos myself. It's always a bit awkward and someone's always not in the photo. A robot photog would be perfect.
posted by peacheater at 7:38 PM on October 10, 2015


What, didn't Takahashi die on the bridge while assaulting the LoTeks?

(Also, I would only carry one of these if I could get a nifty quick release shoulder harness.)

(Also, could you make it look like MechaGodzilla or something?)
posted by Samizdata at 8:42 PM on October 10, 2015


lollusc: "MUCH harder."

The exact same way I would laugh looking at your bank balance afterwards...
posted by Samizdata at 8:43 PM on October 10, 2015


Sing Or Swim: ">"Yeah, I know, it's really silly to hold his head to my ear and talk into his feet."

I don't know, I sort of thought it looked like he was preparing to provide his anthropomorphic phone with some sort of Unnatural Gratification. Do you ever find yourself writing something that makes you uncomfortable about how you're spending your time on the internet?
"

Every frakking day.
posted by Samizdata at 8:44 PM on October 10, 2015


But does it HAVE to be humanoid-shaped?

The beta version didn't make it out of user testing.
posted by sebastienbailard at 3:34 AM on October 11, 2015


I don't know, I sort of thought it looked like he was preparing to provide his anthropomorphic phone with some sort of Unnatural Gratification.

Otto Pilot style.

(You know, last thing I need when sitting on the can at home is the instinct to be polite.

And just imagine when these things are sentient. "He can't answer your call right now, he's jerking it in the bathroom. He thinks it's the only private place left. Would you live a video feed?")
posted by maxwelton at 5:06 AM on October 11, 2015


Not that it's on the same level as this at all, but Sharp has a history of making really cool phones. I keep wishing someone would make a "gallery of unique weird and cool japanese phones from the 90s to now" sort of blog so i could make an FPP out of it. They do all kinds of stuff no one else tries because no one really... wants it? This is a good example.

Notably though, one or two of their more bizarre phones have actually made it to the US. That one is ridiculous, by the way. It's hard to really capture how ridiculous it is without seeing it in person. This video review does a bit of a better job of showing it, but it honestly looks like a legit Minority Report sort of scifi prop.

Not that this has a super ton to do with the device mentioned in the FPP. It's just that whenever someone says "sharp phone" i think of that because dammit it's so cool looking.
posted by emptythought at 2:54 AM on October 12, 2015


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