Robovie-PC Packs Intel's Atom Processor
We've seen enough stuff powered by Intel's Atom to know something special when we see it.
Forget netbooks or nettops based on Intel's Atom CPU. Why not use the chip to power something way cooler than an mini-notebook? Plastic Pals today reports (via Engadget) that Vstone and ATR have unveiled the Robovie-PC, a 39cm (15-inch) tall, 2.2kg (4.8 lbs) robot packing a 1.6 GHz Atom Z530.
Given that the Robovie-PC is actually a computer – complete with VGA, WiFi, 2 x USB and a 1.3mp webcam – custom programming of the cute little creature is made a helluva lot easier. Unfortunately, this is the perfect example of "convenience is never cheap." He might only be harnessing the power of your average, run of the mill netbook, but it's 399,000 JPY, which amounts to roughly $4,500.
Check out the video of Robovie in action.

Plastic Pals?
Can it get depressed? Hehe.
Ian.
Miniature UAVs already exist, and DARPA is working hard to make
them the size of flies. Autonomy is a different ball game though.
When it comes to general monitoring devices, privacy is long gone.
Then again, what is privacy? Do we have any when half the population
are constantly snapping pics every which way, and Google is trying
to scan in the whole planet?...
The Robivie-PC is just a toy, for the moment, albeit an expensive one.
Ian.
Hell, a few Picaxes would probably run it just fine.
For now I'll just say... Sweet. But the price is obviously too much.
But for a prototype it's pretty affordable!