Sony’s Rolly might be around in other countries for a few months already, but Sony has just officially released it in the US. This unique music entertainment player comes in a highly portable palm-size form factor shaped like an egg, and will be able to roll and spin as though it is dancing to the current tunes being played. This could be the next big thing in the portable media player market, as there is a huge novelty factor attached to it that will definitely make those group outings more fun and exciting compared to just toting an iPod or Zune around.

Made for producing superb audio quality, Rolly features 180-degree, horizontally opposed stereo speakers. As a result, listeners can enjoy high quality sound from nearly anywhere in the room. Sound reverberates from the surface the device is placed on, whether on a desk or on the floor. With a digital amp for high sound quality and speakers with neodymium magnets, powerful audio performance is delivered. With built-in robotic technologies, the device is designed to move its small arms, shoulders and wheels-six moving parts-to the beat of the music. With about 700 colors in its repertoire, lighting adds to the impact of the motion.

The Rolly itself already comes with pre-loaded choreography for three songs - “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (theme from “2001 - A Space Odyssey”), Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” and Earth Wind and Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland.” It is able to “shake its booty” so to speak - right out of the box, while two tracks have been thrown into the fray for demonstration purposes to illustrate just how motion can be integrated into the listening experience. Each purchase also comes with the Rolly Choreographer software that allows you to create the relevant motions. I think there is a very high chance of a Rolly dance off competition in the future if the Rolly craze catches on. Features include Bluetooth connectivity, 2GB of flash memory and a battery life of 4 hours (music playback and motion). It will retail for approximately $400.

Press Release