__Your Guide to the Latest Mechano-mutts __
When Sony's Aibo, the alpha dog of robotic pups, instantly sold out last year despite its $2,500 price tag, the toy industry took note. So this month, a pack of low-end imitators will be available at a store near you. In Japan, robo-pets come in many species - a pink bear, a plastic cat that shows affection with its heart-shaped eyes, and no-mess fish for the home aquarium - but in America, dogs are the bots of choice. Man's best friend without the hassle, they won't shed, smell, or chew your shoes - and they'll obey you like no living creature ever could. Toymakers, capitalizing on the public appetite for unconditional love and obedience, are hoping to make robot dogs a new staple of the industry, as iconic of an American childhood as teddy bears and baby dolls are now.
Poo-Chi
First in the stores - and smallest by far - this palm-sized pet comes with pink, blue, purple, or red ears. Because Poo-Chi can't walk, tricks are limited. Instead, its appeal is emotional: The more you pat the button on its head or activate behaviors by making abrupt noises (it has sound, but not voice, recognition), the more its eyes light up as hearts. It also responds when its magnetic bone is placed near its mouth. Poo-Chi pups recognize each other via infrared - like Furbys - then bark Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Super Poo-Chi, a few inches taller than the regular model, has voice command, more touch sensitivity, and greater mobility.
__Poo-Chi: $30; Super Poo-Chi: $40. Tiger Electronics: (800) 844 3733, www.tigertoys.com. __
Rocket the Wonder Dog
A beagle with a Rudolf-red nose and a wiry tail, Rocket comes when you call it, burps after chewing a bone, pants, scratches imaginary fleas, and becomes submissive when you scold it. Rocket also responds when you pat the touch sensors on its head, nose, and back. As its owner, you'll wear an infrared headset with voice recognition technology: After the dog learns your commands, it won't respond to anything but the sound of your voice. Children too small to use the headset can operate the dog via a remote control with labels that illustrate each trick.
__Rocket the Wonder Dog: $99.99. Fisher-Price: (800) 432 5437, www.fisher-price.com. __
Me and My Shadow
This plush retriever comes in Labrador colors - yellow, chocolate, or black - and with its own doghouse. Shadow will perform 10 classic dog tricks when you deliver orders through an infrared headset with voice recognition. The pup walks by way of motors and a microprocessor, but it can't lie down, see where it's going, or respond to touch.
__Me and My Shadow: $59.99. MGA Entertainment: (800) 222 4658, www.mgae.com. __
i-Cybie
This pointy-nosed Aibo imitator has touch sensors all over its body, 16 motors, and voice recognition. Part of the Tiger robo-dog family, it uses infrared sensors to interact with both Super and regular Poo-Chi, as well as with its own kind. Thanks to its visual sensors, i-Cybie walks without crashing into things. It also lifts its leg, scratches its ears, lies down, rolls over, and learns from experience - but unlike Aibo, it doesn't develop from wobbly, insecure puppy to confident adult dog.
__i-Cybie: $150. Tiger Electronics: (800) 844 3733, www.tigertoys.com. __
__Big Scratch and Lil' Scratch __
Cutest of all the metal-look dogs, Big Scratch, brimming with spaniel-like charm, comes with its own puppy to follow on its heels via an infrared link. The two yip at one another, and their tails wag and ears perk up when you touch the sensors on their backs. Spring-loaded mechanisms give Big Scratch an unusually bouncy walk. A key-chain remote makes the duo execute the usual commands. But watch out: They have magnetic fleas.
__Big Scratch and Lil' Scratch: $59.99. Trendmasters: (800) 648 1810, www.trendmasters.com. __
__Tekno __
This stocky silver retriever says "cool," does a card trick, and makes rude noises. It walks, whimpers when it crashes into walls, and sleeps standing up because it can't sit or lie down. Tekno responds to light levels and sounds, but not to words or individual voices: There's no headset or remote. You can initiate behavior modes by pressing sensors on the head, neck, nose, and one of its sides. Tekno can be programmed to serve as an alarm clock; visit the Web site to find out how to make it do other tricks.
__Tekno: $39.99. Manley Toy Quest: +1 (310) 231 7292, www.tekno-robot.com. __
Puppy Magic
The feel-good choice for families, this plush robo-mom and her three fuzzy pups are the only robo-dogs that come in different breeds: dalmatian, beagle, or poodle. They're also the only ones that operate from a patent-pending radio frequency system, though they don't move around much. The mother dog recognizes and reacts to each baby from up to 8 inches away, identifying each with a different bark. Each puppy expresses itself uniquely: One wiggles, one sniffs, and one wags its tail. They all make nursing sounds when you press them against a button on their mom's belly. To keep her little ones nourished, the mother makes chewing noises when her food bowl is near.
__Puppy Magic: $29.99. Toy Biz: (800) 634 7539. __
Aibo
Watch for the reintroduction of the pooch that started it all, at www.sony.com/aibo.
