Communication
Message from Bruno Maisonnier, CEO of Aldebaran Robotics, to Karotz’ Community
Oct 6th
” Hello,
I’m very happy to announce that Aldebaran Robotics takes over Karotz activities.
We have been following since long the little rabbit’s evolution and we are very fond of it. We have chosen to improve the evolution of our robots by using a wide range of rich applications.
We will invest our energy to develop them.
Your community will be at the heart of this development. We will always be delighted to welcome your contributions.
Together we shall go on with this wonderful adventure… ”
Bruno Maisonnier, CEO of Aldebaran Robotics
Video message (French only) :
About the recent technical problems
Aug 16th
Dear Karotz’ owners,
As you may have noticed, a technical problem occured this weekend and affected Karotz’ functionality.
Unfortunatly, we got some issues with Amazon Web Services’ distant servers, where Karotz’ servers are hosted. As a result, Karotz’ services were not accessible for two days, Karotz’ lights were flashing red and karotz.com website was down.
The problem have been fixed since yesterday, and everything should work fine now.
As we were not able to keep you informed about the situation during the weekend, we wanted to present our deepest apologies for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.
Thanks again for your patience and your understanding.
See you for other newz!
Karotz Appz Developer’s Interview: Barry Corbett
Jul 12th
Hello everybody,
In our Developers’ Interviews series, after Jonathan Yaniv who previously answered our questions, we are proud to introduce Barry Corbett who have created interesting Appz for both the US and the UK Applications Store like Text Reader (US version / UK version) or Crunchy Chewy Gooey (US version / UK version). Here we go:
- Can you introduce yourself in a few lines for our readers?
My name is Barry Corbett and I live in Ireland. My website (under construction 
is http://bcorbett.comoj.com. I have learned Javascript (for app development) and some html, php, etc, just by watching Youtube tutorials!!
- How did you know Karotz? What was the main reason it pleased you?
I wanted a Nabaztag before but with all the Violet problems I decided not to buy one. One day I was looking at the Wikipedia article for Nabaztag and I noticed that there was a new version coming. I have followed the Karotz blog and website ever since the website wasn’t even there! I was motivated when I saw that there was an SDK available for making appz for it and I loved the webcam feature and the upgraded hardware!
- What motivated you to develop applications for Karotz?
I was only new at programming, only just learning from Youtube, and I just thought that it would be fun to make some stuff for my bunny! I just started with some simple things and tried them out as I went along. I knew that there wouldn’t be a premade app for everything I wanted to do with Karotz so I just wanted to make some!
- Can you tell us in more details about the applications you have developed (or that are still in development)?
I have made a Text Reader appz which was originally because I wanted to be reminded of things I needed to do! A simple but useful appz! I am making Crunchy Chewy Gooey, an appz for weird foods of the world (note : this appz is already available) and a kind of fun Virtual Pet kind of thing that you can feed with a flatnanoz, just for fun, a talking clock (still in development), and a Controller which is being validated by Mindscape and hopefully should be available soon!! 
- How much time did you need to make your applications?
They didn’t take too long, whenever I had some free time I would just do a few appz now and then! Easy appz like the text reader took about 30 minutes and some took longer than that like the Controller and the food appz!
- What do you think about the Karotz Lab and the developers’ community?
I think the Lab is Great! I love that the dev team picked Javascript as it’s an easy language to learn and many appz can be made! I hope a simulator comes out soon so I can make appz without being at my Karotz all the time, like whenever I’m away on a bus, train etc.
- What kind of new applications would you want to make or to see for Karotz?
I would love to see a kind of to-do list/calendar kind of thing so that you can add events/to do kind of thing and Karotz will remind you (I think there is a Gmail Calendar appz in the French Applications Store but I dont speak French 
), also some more game type, interactive appz.
- Anything else to say?
I think the Karotz is great; I also love the wide range of accessories in the store (which I bought a lot of in the 30% discount )
We want to thank Barry for his work and involvement, as well as congratulate him for his nice Karotz’ Collection! And if you want to develop Karotz Appz like him, take a look to our Lab!
See you soon for other interviewz!
Karotz Appz Developer’s Interview: Jonathan Yaniv
Jun 28th
Hello everybody,
Each time new Karotz Appz are released, we thank all our talented developers for their great work, and we find it would be a good idea to present them and their applications.
Jonathan Yaniv, who have created numerous Appz for both the US and the UK Applications Store (Wake Me Up, Medication reminder, Flirtz, as well as various Radios stations) is the first developer to answer our questions:
- Can you introduce yourself in a few lines?
Happy to do it! I am a technology enthusiast. I graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in January 2009 memorial award to support my education. Being enrolled in the Computer Information Systems (CISY) diploma program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has taught me all sorts of new skills that will help me achieve my long-term goal of working in the IT field. Oh, and hobbies… all my favourite activities are computer related. I currently run and operate JonathanYaniv.com as well as my flagship site, TrustedNerd.com. I am also working on the well-known site, GizmoFusion.com.
- How did you know Karotz? What was the main reason it pleased you?
I found out about Karotz by watching the latest tech news regarding Nabaztag and how that is going, and then one day, I heard about Karotz. I read deeper into it, and I was really attached to this product. It pleased me as it’s a product that has tons of potential. From reading out RSS feeds, to listening to music, to just being plain cute! The Karotz Smart Rabbit could succeed for certain markets, such as the visually impaired market, by possibly going to the Canadian National Institute of the Blind (CNIB), I am assuming it would be a hot seller there.
- What motivated you to develop applications for Karotz?
What motivated me to start developing applications for Karotz was when I met up with Yoann (from the Karotz Team) at CES 2011. He showed me a bit of the API, and I saw how easy it was. After looking what Karotz can do I was like, “I can really contribute to this project and make it boom”. Community involvement is what helps a product succeed, like Karotz. It is so easy to code up applications for Karotz. The only trickier application to code and debug was the Weather Information application, that took me about 3 weeks to develop. If Karotz was used in a classroom setting where students could learn basic programming by developing applications for Karotz, I think another Karotz boom could happen here.
- Can you tell us in more details about the applications you have developed (or that are still in development).
I am thinking about creating more radio applications. I have talked to the man in charge of radiofeeds.co.uk to try and build a massive radio application by pulling all the content from here, but we are looking into how to make it. Future developments I am thinking of are a Nutritional Tracker, similar to that of Nabaztag. Using ASR, it will ask you and listen to what you ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and track that.
- How much time did you need to make your applications?
The radio applications to create were rather simple as soon as I created my framework, which took about a week to create. All it involves now to create a new application is edit a few lines of code. Overall, to make all those radio applications took roughly three weeks.
- What do you think about the Karotz Lab and the developers’ community?
What I think about the Karotz Lab is that it’s good, but more developers need to step on board and code their hearts out! Wizz.cc has made a ton of great applications, along with other developers. Mindscape needs to release the Facebook application, Karotz Phone, and Karotz to Karotz, as well as Wakeup, and any other applications they have going on as quickly as possible if Karotz wants to succeed further in the market. The developer community is good, but I wish there was more correspondence from Karotz in English and other languages from Mindscape and the other developers. I am finding being mostly geared towards French, it is pushing away some developers as they don’t understand the language. More sample applications with source code should be available, along with a Karotz VM for Windows and Mac. A Karotz emulator has been requested by quite a few developers, and I think Mindscape needs to start working on that as well as quickly as possible.
Again, we would like to thanks Jonathan for his answers and all the Appz he has developed. If you want to join Karotz developers’ community like him, do not hesitate and click here!
See you soon for other interviewz!
Update on Karotz’ system – Sound Bug fix
Jun 15th
Hello Again!
We would like to inform you that an update of Karotz’ operating system is now available. It fixes the sound issue – detected since the last update – that causes Karotz to remain silent once Karotz wakes up from a scheduled sleep time.
It also proposes a new text-to-speech voice: a female voice. Please, do not hesitate to let us know your comments about it.
This update will be installed automatically next time your Karotz goes to sleep or wakes up if any sleep and wake up times have been set.
You can also install it manually: you only need to switch Karotz off and then just switch your Karotz back on.
It will take about 10 minutes to download and install this operating system update. The light should then flash orange. When the light flashes green, your Karotz is fully functional again.
If your Karotz wakes up after a sleeping time, the smart rabbit will be functional only after a few minutes, so be careful if you usually use applications as soon as it wakes up.
We deeply apologize for all the inconvenience caused by the previous update, and we hope you’ll enjoy this one.
Stay tuned!
Special offer for Father’s Day: 30% off all Karotz accessories!
Jun 14th
Hello everybody!
Father’s Day is almost there, and Karotz thinks about everything!
Until June 30, all Karotz accessories available in our Ztore are 30% off!
USB tail, Key ring with its many-colored Flatnanoz, Tattoos or Sport Skinz, Bookz or new and cute Earz… With this special offer, there is a way to please everyone!
Go and check our Ztore, and see you soon for other newz!
Special offer! Get one pair of Earz for your Karotz!
May 26th
Hello everybody!
The summer is coming soon… and we would like to offer a little gift for all of you who order a Karotz until the 6th of June 2011 in the Karotz Ztore.
You will receive a pair of pink or red Earz for free, that will perfectly suit your Karotz.
Please click on the image below, choose your country, and when you arrive in the first page of your shopping cart, don’t forget to click on “You can choose 1 free product from this list!”. Choose between the pink and the red Earz and add them to your cart. Their price will automatically be set to 0.00.
We hope to see you soon in our Ztore!
Update: Repairs on Nabaztag
May 5th
Please find below an update on the advancement of our works on the Nabaztags. They are processing without difficulty.
Our team continues to restore the various services. The problems with the voice synthesis and the text messages are now fixed. Please tell us, if everything works fine on your side. Our next aim is to fix the automatic standby modus.
Regarding the servers, after the big cleaning we are now correcting the code in order to stabilize the services. This will take us some more time.
The Nabaztags continue to connect to the servers one by one, but some rabbits still did not succeed to connect. The problem is that the number of connections is limited to 50 per hour. We will try to break this limitation.
We thank all Nabaztag owners for your patience and your understanding. We don’t forget about you!
Contests to win Karotz!
Apr 29th
Hello!
We are excited to announce the different ways you can enter to win Karotz and Karotz accessories! All you have to do to be automatically entered to win a Karotz is “like” the official Karotz Facebook page and follow the official Karotz twitter! When both pages reach 1000 friends/likes and followers we will give away a Karotz to a friend or follower in the Karotz online community! As a bonus we will also give away 5 pairs of chrome ears! Good Luck!
Like Karotz on Facebook! www.Facebook.com/KarotzSmartRabbit
Follow Karotz on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/Karotz
Update: Technical problems with the Nabaztags’ servers – recovery in progress
Apr 26th
Hello!
Please find below an update on the Nabaztags’ maintenance.
But first of all we want to thank you for telling us what does and what does not function on your side!
Here is the list of the applications that have been fixed:
- Tai Chi with sound
- speech recognition for the weather forecast, traffic, air and radio
- radios
- written messages: currently 2 voices out of 6 are functioning
- MP3 replay: Please don’t hesitate to upload your MP3 files again if they don’t work.
- RFID detection
And here is the list of the applications that will be repaired very shortly:
- speaking clock
- moods
- voice synthesis for RSS feeds
- reading of e-mails
- various problems on violet.net
See you soon!
