An issue that could be easily fixed, but wasn't. Why?

I kind of like it. but the voice sucks. I liek the idea of versatility, user modification. Which it doesn't have. All opinion aside the product appears to have a real issue with the remote. He had to hold it directly in front of the robot and even then at times it didn't appear to immediately get the signal. Infrared should have been banned years ago. this is a perfect example of when not to use it. They need to hire a few more Industrial Designers to work with the Engineers. It's an issue that could be easily fixed, but wasn't. Why?

If this comes out...

...will it have regional accents -like English or Australian or South African accent? Is that too much to ask? I hate going into a toy (or any type of) shop and hearing that perfect, 'yanky' accent emanating from those thinks.

Like the wheels though.

The wheels...

Is the ONLY reason to ever buy this one, and that saaumes that you're a hobby roboticist with just enough skill to put together a small robot, but not enough to build wheels like that.(That's a bl**dy narrow gap)

I have the original Robosapiens, and that lame Aibo-copy they made.

The Robosapiens I bought because I figured that I could hack it and put in a decent uController(preferably a Propeller), but the quality of the important bits was so awful that it jsut ended up on the shelf(time to donate it to a garage sale), and the doggie... will be put out of its misery as soon as I find a big enough sledge...

Those guys COULD have had decent products, but everything seems to be made 'just well enough to impress granparents'...