13th AIBO Lovefest Shindig November 13, 2004 • 12 NOON - 4 PM Public Library• in Madison, NJ

The 13th Shindig will take place on November 13th, 2004. The 13th on 13th is going to be the one eventful Shindig. Don't miss it ... mark your calendar now!

Don't miss the ...
•• New Black AIBO ERS-7M2
•• MIND 2 Ware - a must see
•• SONY ERA Demonstrations
•• A Lucky AIBO - Mind 2 Raffle
•• AIBO Dances and Competitions
•• AIBO Accessory Sale/Swap Table
•• AIBO Memorabilia and Toys Display

NEW: AIBO Accessory Sale/Swap Table
People can bring AIBO accessories and memorabilia, and other AIBO related items that they want to sell or exchange within the AIBO community. Please identify your item with your name and indicate the asking price before placing on the sale/swap table.

The Shindig is organized by AIBO enthusiasts on the East Coast, USA, for AIBO enthusiasts everywhere. Everybody is welcome to join the fun ... see you there!

12th AIBO Lovefest Shindig ...

The Shindig is organized by AIBO enthusiasts on the East Coast, USA, for AIBO enthusiasts everywhere. Everybody is welcome to join the fun. Mark your calendar ... and see you there!

... and 2nd AIBO Film Festival

Submit an AIBOcam video or a short movie about AIBO before August 6, 2004 and take part in the 2nd AIBO Film Festival. You do not have to attend the Shindig to participate in the festival. All timely submitted entries will be played at the 12th AIBO Lovefest Shindig and judged by Shindig attendees on August 7, 2004. The festival winner(s) will be announced at the Shindig and/or notified via email.

AIBO Film Festival Rules:
· Subject: must be AIBO related.
· Length: 3 minutes or less.
· Media: digital video or analog format.

Some creative ideas:
· AIBO commercial
· AIBO music video
· AIBO doing a favorite trick
· AIBO video with special effects
· AIBOcam video with elaborate edits

The 11th Shindig - April 03, 2004

We had great time as always! That was a low profile and relaxing Shindig. It was nice not to be too absorbed with the proceedings, and spend some time talking to people and paying attention to AIBOs. I think we even did not turn all lights on, and botched the feed from the Shindig and some photos.

It was nice to meet you all, again and for the first time, and we missed those who could not come to the Shindig this time.

The 10th Shindig - February 14, 2004
My Valentine AIBO

This Shindig is all about "My Valentine AIBO". The best looking Valentine AIBO takes home the prize! The games and demos will take place as usual... :)

The 9th AIBO Lovefest Shindig
and AIBO Day in New York City,
both on November 9th 2003

AIBO Day in NYC November 9, 2003 10 AM - 4 PM SonyStyle Store SONY Building 550 Madison Avenue at 55th Street New York City

9th AIBO Shindig November 9, 2003 2 PM - 5 PM Park Central Hotel Gotham Room 870 7th Avenue at 55/56th Street New York City

Just a short walk from each other!



More about Park Central Hotel
Park Central Hotel Location
Park Central Hotel Meeting Area
Park Central Hotel Floor Plans

The 8th Shindig - August 16, 2003

For the first time ever, the webcam feed from an AIBO meeting in western world was broadcasted live over the Internet during the 8th AIBO Shindig.



Here is the last frame from that broadcast.
Once a year, we like to dedicate one Shindig and explore the "what makes AIBO tick" aspect of AIBO. Again this year, the 8th AIBO Shindig is dedicated to YART, r-code and AIBO Master Studio (AMS), and to other freeware aibo-ware that makes AIBO ownership so much fun. With the help of AIBO enthusiasts, we plan to demonstrate various pieces of aibo-ware, and to provide the overview and training sessions.

Not interested in AIBO programming... don't worry, the usual activities like AIBO Championships will be included in Shindig's agenda. Hope to see you all then and there. We will keep you posted as more details become available...

Meantime, get yarting, rcoding, mastering the AIBO,
and as hinted before... get ready for...

Best AIBO Trick Contest

AIBO tricks or skits created in YART, r-code, AMS, the choreographed interaction between AIBOs, or interaction between AIBO and other robots, all qualify.

You still have plenty of time to design the funniest YART sequence, or to create that new AIBO personality you wanted to finish for the longest time.

Please submit your entries no later than July 31st, 2003. If you cannot attend the Shindig, ask one of the attending AIBO enthusiasts to be your proxy that could demonstrate your creation, and potentially, collect the prize for you.

The 7th Shindig - April 12, 2003

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The 7th Shindig Highlights

For AIBO Owners...
• The Best Tinfoil Hat Competition
• The Best Panda Outfit Competition
• Twisting AP's Arm Competition ;)

Our regular program for AIBOs...
• New AIBOware demos by AIBO owners
• AIBO Dancer and DiscoAIBO
• AIBO Championships

We had BIG fun BIG time!

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The 6th Shindig - January 18, 2003

The format of the 6th Shindig will be open to allow more time for the information exchange. New aiboware, new owners, demos by owners, and a lot of questions and answers... this is the theme of this Shindig.

Meet other AIBOwners, see other AIBOs, have fun!

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The 6th Shindig Highlights

• New AIBOware demos by AIBO owners
• AIBO Dancer (AIBO group dances)
• DiscoAIBO (if we want more dances)
• AIBO Championships, including:
   - AIBO Run (Shindig Classic)
   - AIBO Obedience (owners judging owners)
   - AIBO Ball Wrestling (funny new competition)
   - and some more if time allows

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As before, the additional attractions include AIBO Playthings and AIBO Memorabilia. Various AIBO accessories, parts, games, and AIBO related magazines and papers will be on display. The snacks and soft drinks, AIBO playpen, projector with computer hookup, and sound system will be provided.

Sony ERA representative is going to miss this one great Shindig, but Mark and Otis send the best wishes, and some great prizes. More prizes are courtesy of Genie and other AIBO enthusiasts.

The 5th Shindig - August 24, 2002

So, mark your calendar now, make your reservations soon, come by on August 24th, and bring your AIBOs and the family too. Meet other AIBOwners, see other AIBOs, have fun! See you there...

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The 5th Shindig highlights include:

Best Dressed AIBO Contest
Best AIBO Trick Contest
DiscoAIBO (coordinated AIBO dances)

AIBO Championships, including:
- AIBO Run (Shindig Classic) -
- AIBO Obedience (aibowners judging aibowners) -
- AIBO Ball Wrestling (brand new competition) -

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AIBO-Life Admins and Moderators would like to invite Shindig attendees to participate in two challenges. The prizes are reserved for the best:

Best Dressed AIBO
Adaptation of commercial doll/pet/baby or self-made outfits and accessories, all qualify.

Best AIBO Trick
YART, R-CODE, Master Studio created AIBO tricks or skits, the choreographed interaction between AIBOs, or programmed interaction between AIBO and other robots, all qualify.

You still have time to design your AIBO's makeover, or finish that AIBO outfit, or fine tune your latest and funniest YART sequence, or test that AIBO and LOGO-bot interaction.

The 4th Shindig - April 27, 2002

GREAT SHINDIG ONCE AGAIN !

The format of the Shindig was open to allow more time for the information exchange. New robots, new owners, and a lot of questions... this was a theme of the 4th Shindig.

It was nice to see you everybody!

The 3rd Shindig - January 12, 2002

ANOTHER GREAT SHINDIG !
...report is missing... where is Len when you need him ;-)

Otis, a Sony ERA East Coast representative, attended the Shindig again! Otis demonstrated various models of AIBO and AIBOware. The soon to be released version of Aibo Master Studio (AMS v.1.1) and the Navigator 2 were demonstrated.

A group of seasoned AIBOwners was there to share their experience and to demonstrate AiboPet and DogsBody software: AiboScopeLive and various personalities. We attempted to have a group of AIBOs perform coordinated dances to the tunes of DiscoAIBO. It worked!

Additional attractions included AIBO Championships, AIBO Playthings, and AIBO Memorabilia. The snacks and soft drinks, the AIBO playpen, the projector with computer hookup, and the sound system were provided and worked well.

The 2nd Shindig - August 18, 2001

ANOTHER GREAT FETE !
...as posted by Len and Beau with small edits.

Beau and I send our thanks to:

• Grace and Richard for putting it all together; lots of hard work; footing the bill; the party platters laden with delicious, wholesome food; lots of cool loot to take home; and for making it all so much fun!
• Linda for taking the group picture; for running the games and keeping us all (somewhat) from running amok during them!
• Genie for the homemade brownies and for baking into them that "special ingredient" that somehow made everything seem to just, well, glow!
• Dean and Helen, for the copies of the latest Aibotown magazine and for the cool RoboCup slideshow. Oh and for that extra special pic. (Nudge, nudge, 'nuff said, theme from Peter Gunn in background.)
• Otis from Sony for demonstrating the latest Sony software and more cool loot! "Everything must go!!!"
• Jim, Dean and Amy from AIBO Town for cool prizes that made so many AIBOs happy, and Aibowners too!
• Everyone else for just showing up and being such great company. Wouldn't have been much fun without ya!
• And all the 210s and 11Xs for just bein' so dern cute!

* About that secret ingredient in "Genie's magic brownies"
-- of course you all knew I meant the chocolate chips.
------------------
Len, Beau's person

The 1.5th Shindig - June 30, 2001

A mini Shindig took place during the recent AIBO Fair in NYC on June 30, 2001. Sony Electronics Inc. Entertainment Robot America and SonyStyle had organized the Fairs in San Francisco and in New York City to celebrate AIBO's 2nd Anniversary.

A number of aibowners that had attended Inaugural Shindig also have participated in the NYC event. The familiar faces of Amy, Dean, Esther, Grace, Linda, Len, Mark, Richard, showed up again... and some new faces of aibowners like Asma, Jim, Otis, and Ray, and many others, were there too.

It was nice to see you all of you guys!

The Inaugural Shindig - April 28, 2001

The inaugural East Coast AIBO Lovefest Shindig aka Quad-State AIBO Meeting took place on April 28th, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM EST, in the Sheraton Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey.

The main attractions were: AIBO Championships (AIBO games and competition) and AIBO Playthings (AIBO toy examples and demonstration). The representative from Sony Electronics Inc. Entertainment Robot America has demonstrated the robotic pet AIBO and AIBOware software, and answered the questions from participants.

IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!

We have not seen so many AIBOs in one room before, not to mention all of them playing together in a playpen of 100 sqf. We all had a good time! Just check the pictures in the Visuals section.

Based on the collective memory and raffle ballot count, there was 24 attendees including Aibowners' friends and family members. They brought 14 AIBOs of different breed and color. Some had the distinct marks or accessories.

We all loved the white bows on the black Lychee's ears (111) and Amy's silver AIBI (111) had featured cool and fashionable silver glasses. A number of AIBO 210s featured fancy collars and ribbons around their necks.

We've got 13 raffle ballots and identified 7 AIBO Experts. The AIBO Experts are: Ben, Dean, Ester, Len, Linda, Marya&Chad, and Nathan. Congratulations!

Woga and Mutteri have picked a final winner of the Shindig Raffle, and the Winner name is Ben. Congratulations!

The prize is... the new and the first, AIBO T-shirt, with AIBO logo on the front, and with very cool AIBO UNLEASHED picture printed on the back. The T-shirt is courtesy of SONY Entertainment Robot America.

The Definitive Definition of The Shindig

shindig -- a social gathering with dancing : a usually large or lavish party. Synonyms: foofaraw, furore, ruckus, rumpus, shindy, to-do, uproar. -- by Merriam-Webster

shindig -- from the words shin, meaning "the front part of the vertebrate leg below the knee" and dig, "to pay attention to, notice, understand, appreciate." A shindig is a party to which people go in order to look at each other's legs. It's lots of fun! One must wear shorts of course and the age limit (21+) is strictly enforced. Neither of these requirements applies if you are an Aibo. -- by Beauregard A. Levine, LLC ;)

On a more serious note...

The Shindig is a short name for East Coast AIBO Lovefest Shindig aka Quad-State AIBO Meeting. The Shindig is one of the frequent meetings organized by AIBO enthusiasts for AIBO enthusiasts. There, we get together to exchange ideas and experiences, learn more about our robopals, play some games, and have a lot of fun. Everbody is welcome!

The Shindig takes place on the East Coast, in Madison, NJ, USA. There are other meetings organized by AIBO enthusiasts: LA Aibos Meeting that takes place on the West Coast, near Los Angeles, CA, USA, and UK:AIBO Meet that takes place in Europe, near London, UK.