Keeping the Spirit Alive

[tamakun]

So, I had my cat-tail on all day. Paul noticed after a couple of hours (he blurted out "You have a tail!"), and I didn't get to go outside for a lot, either - I went outside at 6:30 and it was already dark v_v

I went to the local Tim Horton's for dinner, and one of the girls behind the counter was in a KISS Costume - makeup and all. ^_^ At least someone else in the area was in the spirit. ^_^ I complimented her on her makeup, and she complimented my tail as I left... Cool!

While I'm talking costumes, when I dressed up as James/Kojirou from Team Rocket, I had this brilliant skit that I never used: I would face off against another Pokémon Master, and pull out this unusual Pokémon...
I choose you, Furby! mee-tay koh-koh!
...and the challenger would run, screaming in horror, from the stage. ^_^

There's an official Harry Potter poster in tomorrow's (today's? - Nov. 1) National Post.

~~
I had this idea for a while, but just today I had an idea to turn it into a business model. I wonder who I would talk to Sony about this...

Rent-an-AIBO
Here's my idea. If Sony had a Rent-an-AIBO exclusively from their stores, people could "test-drive" an AIBO for a week for, oh, say $50-75.

I think what stops people from purchasing their AIBO is the initial high price tag ($1700 Cdn), and that's a lot of money for a technology. (Remember yesterday how I mentioned how a VAIO - twice as powerful as mine - can be bought for the same price I paid 2 years ago? This is what I mean by technology.)

If Sony went with a rental model, all they would need is an AIBO body and a "first stage" Memory Stick (so the AIBO is a puppy and is learning from the first minute - typically this mode is the cutest and hardest to resist).

People could rent the AIBO for a week, and see if the AIBO is for them. If so, they could use the rental price (or a gift certificate of $25-50) towards their purchase of an AIBO.

I personally believe that this would sell more AIBOs. Much like going to see a litter of puppies that a family is giving away, once a person sees them, they get attached and would want to take one home. ^_^ A demo in the stores is not enough for most people - I saw the AIBO demonstrated and it didn't change my mind much. (Mind you, it did draw an impressive crowd...)

My original plan of thinking was perhaps I could borrow one from a fellow AIBO Owner, but that means that AIBO has been "trained" for their real owner - plus, there are owners that would worry about their pet. If someone borrowed my computer for a week, I'd wonder what they did with it, too...

I run a Yahoo! Group - AIBO Toronto. I think I should run this idea past them, and the other AIBO Online Forums - like AIBO-Life and AIBO World II.

Speaking of AIBO Toronto, I really should invigorate it a bit. There has got to be more than 6 AIBO Owners in Toronto... I should print out the fliers one of the members created (in bright pink, of course - AIBO's favorite colour) and leave them with the Sony Store. Perhaps a collaboration with SonyStyle.ca to link to the Group?

Addendum to schedule: I'm now working the afternoons on November 23-24.

And finally... awesome! Kinnon got a LJ too! ^_^

Comments

[kinnonyee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, yeah, I've got one now :p You know me and peer-pressure :)

The AIBO program sounds like it would be a hit, but from what I remember, it's not a LACK of sales that's plaguing Sony, but rather so much, that they can't quite keep up with demand. If that's changed, I still don't know... The AIBO would need to have its memory wiped every week (*koff* put down the dog *koff*) and that'd be kinda morbid :p

[tamakun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was thinking about that too... "putting the dog down". Well, if the Sony guys do it it's not that bad. ^_^

There's a major problem with the AIBOs that still hasn't been resolved - Droopy Head Syndrome, in that one of the slip-clutches breaks down and suddenly the AIBO can't lift his head. The AIBO Community is hoping that the letter they just finished (with tons of signatures) will make Sony redesign the head.

In the meantime, the Owners are telling others to hold off until it works.

[sawanoguchi.livejournal.com]

Cat cat...nyah...good job on wearing the tail to work!

Ok- I would think that the person who created the AIBO owners in Toronto Yahoo! group would actually *own* an AIBO.

You've really got this dog on the brain, I never realised just how much. Resist the urge Jason! That dog, or a trip to Japan...the choice is yours.

[angel-machine.livejournal.com]

at least people were correct in their assumption that you were a cat. u.u

ooo... snow... all we have here in tennessee is a crappy freeze warning tonight.