Mattel will not sell an all-in-one voice-controlled smart hub / baby monitor, setting back the state of parenting by decades or even millennia:
Toymaker Mattel has shelved plans to build an "all-in-one voice-controlled smart baby monitor," after complaints about the device were raised by privacy advocates and child psychologists. According to a report from The Washington Post, the company said in a statement that the device, named Aristotle, did not "fully align with Mattel's new technology strategy" and would not be "[brought] to the marketplace."
Aristotle was unveiled back in January this year by Mattel's Nabi brand. It combined the smart speaker and digital assistant functionality of Amazon's Echo with a connected camera that acted as a baby monitor. But the Aristotle was intended to be a much more active presence in children's lives than an Echo speaker, with Mattel claiming it would read them bedtime stories, soothe them if they cried in the night, and even teach them their ABCs.
Mattel also appointed a new chief financial officer.
Also at Ars Technica and MSPoweruser.
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(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Friday October 06 2017, @03:27PM (5 children)
What an idiotic list of priorities.
If they cry in the night, you don't just sooth them then teach them ABC, you start by changing that damn'd full diaper.
I mean, what's the point of having an illustrious philosopher as a baby sitter if you still need to wake up and wash the bottom of your baby?
No wonder nobody wants such a shitty product.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday October 06 2017, @03:33PM
It's not literally shitty, until that first time it doesn't stop with the f--ing ABCs while you're trying to calm baby after changing a bad diaper and getting soaked in semi-digested milk.
Hey Mattel, free idea for you: intelligent punching bag, or intelligent soft projectile, for colicky children's parents.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Friday October 06 2017, @04:03PM (2 children)
Once again, the assumption is that those using these things are the customer. In actuality your baby is the product.
I fully expect them to go back to the drawing board and find some way to more quietly re-introduce the same invasive technology. Perhaps add a smiley face, add some blue LEDs, get some branding support from Barny the Dinosaur, get backing from a religious organization to add a hidden penis attachment, or such and such and just watch it sell like hotcakes.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday October 06 2017, @04:27PM (1 child)
This Mattel thing would have made raising my kidnapped babies much easier. Shame on you Mattel for bowing to the pressure!
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday October 06 2017, @05:49PM
Raising babies to WHAT, one might ask?
If the only love and comfort came from blinking blue lights and soothing voices, what's to keep baby from growing up into family annihilators because their voices always intruding on soothing mechanical mama's bedtime stories?
B.F. Skinner was already excoriated for this 50 years ago: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/skinner-air-crib [psychologicalscience.org]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Thexalon on Friday October 06 2017, @05:07PM
I get the distinct feeling that the committee that designed this product included absolutely nobody who raised a baby before. Guess what? There's no machine in existence that successfully mimics a parent holding a baby close to their chest. Even another human holding the baby close to their chest doesn't really do the job as well, as every grandparent, aunt, or uncle knows.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.