It's hard to describe just how bewildering CES can be. The major manufacturers have giant booths like at any other show, and for the most part it seems that their big announcements have already leaked. CES is a consumer-oriented show, and thus it seems that most products on the floor are ready for purchase now. It's only once you start getting into the fringes of the show that you realize how wacky electronics can get.So let me introduce you to Tosy, a Vietnamese robotics corporation that uses an alien head for the "o" in its logo and has excellently concise tag line "Future Robot." Tosy has an absolutely huge booth with a platform stage used to feature its mRobo Ultra Bass robot, which has a giant speaker for an abdomen and which was putting on intermittent shows throughout the day, dancing to Gangnam Style and other pop hits.
Oh, and the robot apparently digs fedoras. (That's a Tosy swag bag above.) I'm not sure how profitable the dancing robot speaker (it folds up into a more sedate boombox) market is, but the damn thing could legitimately dance. Still, Tosy's enormous booth must have cost a fortune. But, hey, it's not like there are many competitors, and perhaps Tosy figured it's time to drop into the U.S. market with a massive bang. It impressed me, for one. All I'm saying is, don't be surprised if mRobo becomes the next Tickle Me Elmo.@derektmead
Advertisement