Samsung and Google Partner To Launch Ballie Home Robot with Built-in Projector (engadget.com) 25
Samsung Electronics and Google Cloud are jointly entering the consumer robotics market with Ballie, a yellow, soccer-ball-shaped robot equipped with a video projector and powered by Google's Gemini AI models. First previewed in 2020, the long-delayed device will finally launch this summer in the US and South Korea. The mobile companion uses small wheels to navigate homes autonomously and integrates with Samsung's SmartThings platform to control smart home devices.
Running on Samsung's Tizen operating system, Ballie can manage calendars, answer questions, handle phone calls, and project video content from services including YouTube and Netflix. Samsung EVP Jay Kim described it as a "completely new Ballie" compared to the 2020 version, with Google Cloud integration being the most significant change. The robot leverages Gemini for understanding commands, searching the web, and processing visual data for navigation, while using Samsung's AI models for accessing personal information.
Running on Samsung's Tizen operating system, Ballie can manage calendars, answer questions, handle phone calls, and project video content from services including YouTube and Netflix. Samsung EVP Jay Kim described it as a "completely new Ballie" compared to the 2020 version, with Google Cloud integration being the most significant change. The robot leverages Gemini for understanding commands, searching the web, and processing visual data for navigation, while using Samsung's AI models for accessing personal information.
And It's Easy To Kick It (Score:3, Funny)
When it pisses you off.
Re: (Score:2)
If I need something short that follows me around the house to trip over, well I already have a dog for that.
Re: (Score:3)
Do not taunt happy fun ball.
Ugly (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
My dog does not look like a trash can.
No chance (Score:3)
Let's look at everything against this:
1. LLMs with everything is not proving popular. Gemini especially given them forcing it into every Google search means we can see how utterly braindead and useless it is.
2. No apparent use, it's a glorified Amazon Echo but way more expensive to build and even more privacy intruding
3. The amount of people with spending money is going to radically decrease in the near term if a world wide recession happens, which seems probable.
Unless they can churn these out by the millions for $10 a unit, it's not going anywhere. And it's Samsung, so the pricing will probably not even fit into three digits, let alone two.
Re: (Score:2)
Even for $10/unit it seems overpriced for the declared functionality. Of course, that's just my perspective.
Re: (Score:2)
Let's look at everything against this:
1. LLMs with everything is not proving popular. Gemini especially given them forcing it into every Google search means we can see how utterly braindead and useless it is.
2. No apparent use, it's a glorified Amazon Echo but way more expensive to build and even more privacy intruding
3. The amount of people with spending money is going to radically decrease in the near term if a world wide recession happens, which seems probable.
4. It's Samsung, as you pointed out later in your comment. That means it's a privacy nightmare which will undoubtedly also advertise at you, possibly without regard for the time of day or for whatever activities you may be engaged in at the time.
People who would even let this thing into their homes - much less pay for the "privilege", are what I like to call suckers. But given the rumours that there's one born every minute...
Naming Dept (Score:2)
"Ballie" is just a bit on-the-nose
Not that they should go to the pharmaceutical company level of naming, but c'mon show a bit of effort.
Re: Naming Dept (Score:4, Funny)
If it's already round... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
...why does it need wheels?
It's a robot self-esteem thing. The robots without wheels get mocked mercilessly by the other robots...
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
...why does it need wheels?
All the better to run you over with, my dear!
Ad ball (Score:5, Insightful)
So a camera connected to the world’s largest ad network roaming around your home.
Hell. No.
Re: Ad ball (Score:4, Funny)
A projector on wheels. Now when you get up to take a piss during a station break, the ads just follow you.
Re: (Score:2)
Reminds me of the second episode of this season of Black Mirror.
And when google... (Score:5, Insightful)
...shuts down the server, it's a round brick
The cloud is a trap
Run away
That's the beautiful part (Score:2)
It doesn't do anything(other than spy on you)
Re: (Score:2)
It doesn't do anything(other than spy on you)
Not true. It can project ads on any surface!
So R2-D2 and BB-8 had a baby (Score:1)
It's too small (Score:2)
It is useless it can't fetch me a beer. My current system works a lot better, where I yell "ey, fetch me a drink" and then nothing happens so I go get it myself.
Ballie: now with Genuine People Personality (GPP) (Score:2)
It’s also a chilling prospect for several reasons. Like ChatGPT, this device will funnel our access to the Web. All our interactions will be uploade
Let me get this straight (Score:1)
So, this CAN record everything spoken in your house (and send it home - just like your mobile, and "smart" speakers)?
It CAN also map the layout of your house (and send it home - just like your "smart" robotic vacuum)?
In addition, it CAN take live footage of everything going on in your house (and send it home - like maybe your "smart" glasses)?
And, it CAN project ads everywhere it goes?
But, what positive functionality does it bring, that offsets these "features"?