Virtual Pet -- Engadget

virtual pet posts

Sony's 360-degree 3D display prototype makes virtual pets more lifelike, expensive

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 19th 2009 at 3:19AM

In case you missed it, Sony's got a thing for 3D with big plans to push the technology into your living room next year. While the first application will be applied to the flat screen TV, Sony's obviously thinking about other displays judging by this tiny prototype set for reveal at Tokyo's Digital Content EXP0 2009 on Thursday. The 13 x 27-cm device packs a stereoscopic, 24-bit color image measuring just 96 × 128 pixels viewable at 360-degrees without special glasses. If the prototype ever hits the assembly line then Sony envisions its commercial use in digital signage or medical imaging -- or as a 3D photo frame, television, house for your virtual pet, or visualizer to assist with web shopping in the home. We'll be on-hand for the unveil on Thursday with live coverage and hands-on, check back then for more.

[Via Impress]

Yuruppy virtual pet ready to make you feel guilty for not taking good enough care of it

by Laura June posted Mar 6th 2009 at 9:07AM

Takara Tomy's taking the virtual pet territory most famously inhabited by Bandai's Tamgotchis to the next level with Yuruppy. Yuruppy's just like any other fake pet -- you need to slave away to keep it alive for seemingly little reward other than the knowledge that it will "live" to "see" another day. This one's got a touchscreen however, so that you can actually pet your needy little buddy, on top of training and feeding. Fun! Sure, it seems insane to pile fake responsibilities on top of all the actual ones we humans have to deal with... insanely awesome. Regardless, the Yuruppy also comes in kitten and chicken varieties (yeah, we don't know), and it'll be $21 when it's available in Asia, and a deluxe version with a larger screen will run $38.

[Via CNET]

Tamagotchi Connection V5: oh no, now the family's involved

by Darren Murph posted Feb 1st 2008 at 11:14AM

Say it ain't so! As if keeping one Tamagotchi healthy wasn't tiresome enough, now Bandai is out to prove whether or not you could legitimately handle quadruplets. The Tamagotchi Connection V5 maintains the same ~~addictiveness~~ charm found in prior iterations, but also allows humans to focus on "raising multiple characters simultaneously." Supposedly, this will somehow enable kids (um, only kids?) to "experience family values," but we can't envision it doing much more than sucking away even more precious hours of our life. Ready to cave? If so, you can reportedly find these nationwide right now for $14.99, but the "refreshed" edition -- along with the Tamagotchi Pedometer, Tama-watchi, and redesigned Gotchi Gear lineup -- won't be landing until July.

Tamagotchi movie to prove whether kids really will watch anything

by Darren Murph posted Jun 1st 2007 at 1:37PM

Sure, we all feared this day might come, and while we had certainly hoped that the ten-year anniversary would mark the close of a craze that should have never happened, it looks like Bandai is going to milk this thing one more time. Of course, we saw new life in Tamagotchi land earlier this year, but in a new movie set to debut this December, several of the Tamagotchi characters will be thrilling youngsters and annoying parents by "befriending a human girl who shows up at their virtual home on a star." The animated picture will be distributed by Toho Company, and while we're not certain if this flick will actually make it to US soil, let's hope for all of our sakes that it stays fairly contained.

Bandai's Human Player virtual "pet"

by Ryan Block posted Feb 18th 2007 at 12:42PM

We've seen some virtual pets over the years, but we're not entirely sure what to make of the virtual pet. Do you mate them and create strange new breeds? Or fight them to the death via IR? Apparently (and hopefully) neither this time; Bandai's new Human Player is a little more like you than an amorphous pixelated blob. You start by taking a 50 question "Eco-Gram" that assigns your little avatar one of 22 personalities, which commingles (or rejects) other Human Players, and establishes quaint, confined "interpersonal" relationships. Hits Japan for ¥2,980 ($25); it's certainly a new take on the virtual pet, but still a little creepy for our tastes; we're strongly hoping this isn't how we get reincarnated.

[Via Kilian Nakamura, thanks Michael]

Special Edition Tamagotchi celebrates 10 years of wasted time

by Paul Miller posted Jun 22nd 2006 at 9:15PM

We're not afraid to admit it: at the height of the Tamagotchi craze we received a cheap imitation digital pet for Christmas and have never recovered emotionally from that pain of that day. Now that Tamagotchi is getting ready to celebrate 10 years of keeping small children from their homework, we feel the tears rushing back, but they are good tears -- tears of healing. Bandai is releasing a limited-run Special Edition of their addictive digital pet to celebrate this joyous occasion, and are producing 1000 each of three different-colored versions. They've tossed the thing into a snazzy Japanese-style box and are selling them in Japan for what we're sure will be prices just as confiscatory as the original.