kauderssylvie: Karotz connects to Facebook and Twitter, waits for Godot (video)

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Karotz connects to Facebook and Twitter, waits for Godot (video)

Nabaztag has died many a death, but that quirky rabbit's legacy still lives on in lil' bro Karotz. The desktop-friendly bunny, which just launched in the US today, is what parent company Violet is calling the "first Facebook hardware." It's a strong claim to make, but that superfluous moniker is actually better applied to the device's social networking integration. When connected to the internet, the unit's voice recognition software (processed by external servers) can execute commands to snap photos -- taken via built-in webcam -- and upload them to Facebook. You can even have it read your Twitter feed, in addition to the weather. The company's also released an app, available for Android and iOS, that gives users the ability to send typed messages through the unit -- resulting in a talking Karotz -- or simply manipulate its ears. It's a fun exercise in uselessness -- at least, that's how one rep on the showroom floor put it. Can't decide if you've got $129 to burn? Then check out our video below while you ponder the merits of this pointless tech.

Gallery: Karotz hands-on