I'm sure that you have your own desktop companion, and if you don't - you should! They're fun and they often take on a personality all their own. If you have a wild imagination, like I do, even the inanimate ones can be pretty fun. In this photo you can see my tireless companion Piplup, my rotating trout, and my desktop Death Star.

Now, I hadn't necessarily been longing for a more vibrant partnership with my computer desk baubles, but when the WowWee Chatterbot arrived at my doorstep, I was intrigued. The Chatterbot is intended to bring the desktop companion to life, and interact with how you use your computer. Now, I won't have to imagine anymore that my clever penguin was talking to me, making rude noises, and commenting on my word choices... I have a desktop buddy that can do it "for real!" So, let's see how it works, shall we?

Opening Up the WowWee Chatterbot - Dog/Cat

Dog/Cat, the model I received, took a moment to decipher. There's a large bulldog trouncing a black cat in her own litterbox - how rude! At first, I thought the cat was male, but turned out to be female - more on that later. I couldn't wait to see what this all meant and how it would come together.

Note: Here and throughout the review, you can click on the images to see the larger version in the image gallery!

The desktop buddy is packaged quite well within its cardboard housing; wire ties secure the device from below using plastic loopholes built into the bottom of the "litterbox" base.  It took a minute to untwist them, but the device was easily removable from the box, and its contents could be removed unscathed as well.

The box contains the Chatterbot unit itself, a male-to-male headphone connector (for using the device as an external speaker only) a standard mini-USB to USB connector cable (for connection to your PC or Mac) a Windows installation CD, and the user manual.

The unit, after being unveiled, feels solid and well-built. It has some weight to it and is heavier than you might expect, which is good for keeping it stationary on your desktop work area. The motor controlling Dog's head seems well-made also.