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The Toshiba 815T PB - Will This Robot Cell Phone Be Our New Master?I For One Welcome Our Robotic Cellphone Overlords. The Toshiba 815T PB, Toshiba's new cell phone, is due out in April. Essentially it’s a robot cellphone. Wait, that’s not quite right. Here: it’s a FREAKIN' ROBOT CELLPHONE. Yes, that’s right. Toshiba is producing a fully functional looks-like-a-normal-clamshell-until-it-folds-out-into-a-little-humanoid-robot cellular phone. Drooling yet? I thought so. Unfortunately it won’t premier in Japan until April of this year. Part of Toshiba’s “products that can self-activate and kill you in your sleep” strategy, this cellphone will be co-branded with some Japanese drama called Ketai Sousakan 7 (roughly translated: “killer robot cellphones”). Products in the same vein include upcoming introductions of a transforming robot vacuum cleaner (the Toshiba C1e0n 4U) and a new robotic PDA (the Toshiba 3m41l m3). Perhaps the most haunting aspects of the Toshiba 815T PB is that the cell phone screen has a sad little electronic face on it and the little dude stands there with clenched fists. It’s almost like having your very own 6” high electronic Gary Coleman. Will the Toshiba 815T PB (henceforth known as the “Gary Coleman”) be a success in Japan? Well technofetishism is a virtual religion over there, so it might be possible, although I’m not sure if the target market is sub-tween otaku or plus-thirty otaku. Fortunately, the otaku market numbers millions over there, so Toshiba can afford a fairly narrow segment penetration. Personally, I hope it’s a smash hit. The Gary Coleman comes loaded with 3G telephony, a 3.2 MP Autofocus camera and QVGA screen, so it’s possible that the nimble little bugger can make it to our shores. I’m curious as to what games and widgets the cell phone comes with, or that you can purchase on your own. The possibilities are endless. Transformers-themed games? (Tetris with robot cell phones in different poses?) Robot ringtones? (“Danger Gary Coleman, danger!”) Or maybe it just answers all of your calls for you. Now that would be a service I’d be willing to pay for: a cellphone Gary Coleman personal assistant. Sort through my texts for me! Talk to my mother-in-law! Let my wife know I won’t be home until next Monday! And if it can come pre-programmed with excuses that she’ll buy, so much the better. Come to think of it this is really a product whose time has come, and I for one welcome our new Toshiba overlords.
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