Move Over AIBO.

LAST YEAR, if you wanted a robotic pet that did things not found in a real puppy's repertoire, it meant forking over a hefty $2,500 for Sony's Aibo. But, oh, have times changed. Vernon Hills, IL-based Tiger Electronics has introduced a mass-market robotic dog called Pooh-Chi with a more palatable price tag: $24.99. The robotic canine uses biorhythmic technology to create responses that adapt to interactions with humans. And if Pooh-chi doesn't satiate your desire for robotic companionship, you can always try Super Pooh-Chi for $49.99. It has more advanced artificial intelligence and voice recognition capabilities so that you can influence its personality development through interactive experience. With its eight different biorhythm levels, you'll know if your pet is sad or happy based on its motion, speech, and interaction.