He says: Quite obviously, the design of Sony's Rolly is the first thing anyone will notice about it. At first glance, the thing looks like some sort of ovoid robot, which can easily fit within one's hand and, at the same time, has a very low weight.

Furthermore, the device packs a couple of wheels, which help it dance around whenever this particular function is activated, as well as two “wings” or “fins,” whichever term you prefer, located on the sides, which flip like crazy in order to match the music being played by the device itself.

Overall, the Rolly has been clearly designed in order to combine a fairly functional design with visually attractive features, and it's sure to draw anyone's attention.

She says: The first thing that struck me about Rolly, and probably everyone, was its futuristic design. Its egg shape and the funky little arms give it a unique and, why not, a very cute look. All these are easier to be observed while Rolly is performing its dance routine.

He says: Sony's Rolly represents a very interesting and quite attractive combo between a music player and a remote-controlled robot. First of all, its most important feature is, without a doubt, its capability of playing one's favorite music right from its own 2GB memory, as long as the respective tunes are stored either in MP3 or AAC format (the only two formats this thing supports).

Another major feature provided by the Rolly is represented by its ability to “dance.” In fact, users can generate certain “choreographies” or set of movements, which will fit the music being played. Plus, if you do not feel “artistic” enough, you can always rely on the device's built-in dance routines.

Furthermore, Sony has equipped the Rolly with an Bluetooth module, which means that it can be very easily paired with a mobile phone, either in order to play the music stored within the handheld's memory or to receive control commands (indeed, via the appropriate software, any Bluetooth-enabled device, be it a computer or handheld, can be used as a remote control for the Rolly).

She says: The Rolly can be programmed to dance to any music uploaded to it, by downloading motions that others have created or can automatically create motion based on the music, with the Rolly Choreographer Version 1.0 software.

It also features Bluetooth capability so that you can play your music wirelessly from your PC or mobile phone and the 2 GB built-in memory can hold up to 515 songs that can be mp3s or AAC files. The fun thing about it is that you can switch the play mode from normal to shuffle by simply shaking it. You can also twist it to change a track.

He says: As far as its performance is concerned, I'd say that there are several angles from which we can “tackle” the Rolly. First of all, from an audio playback point of view, it's important to mention the fact that it packs 2 x 1.2W speakers, which is enough for a small room or a larger, but quieter one. However, if there is too much background noise, it's very likely that this amount of power won't be sufficient.

The control range is another issue, but that's restricted only by Bluetooth technology to around 10 meters. Finally, the battery life is more or less OK, since the built-in Li-Ion pack allows the gadget to play music for around five hours or dance around while playing music for up to four hours.

She says: The internal battery provides you with five hours of music playing or four hours of music and motion. The Rolly recharges in its charging cradle, for about three hours, but you can play your music during this time.

He says: Once you get the hang of it, the Rolly is extremely easy to use. Of course, I'm not talking here about accessing some complicated choreography functions or stuff like that, but simply about making it play music or adjusting the volume, these functions being accessible by simply maneuvering the body of the Rolly in a certain way. Yes, this couldn't be easier.

She says: The Rolly's creators have made it very easy to use by replacing the classic buttons of a music player with alternative moves for changing the track, adjusting the volume or making it dance. Also, its shape makes it really easy to carry anywhere you need to get the party started.

He says: Well, the price point is the only issue where the Rolly is far from fantastic. So, Sony's little dancing robot sells for somewhere in the vicinity of 400 US dollars, which is a little bit too much, given the features this thing can provide. Sure, it's a great toy, it's fun, but unless you're sitting on a pile of money, it's not exactly a top priority purhcase.

She says: Although it is a remarkable device, the Rolly's features come a long way to justify its price of approximately $400. Yes, it can play music, dance and flash its lights, but it cannot be used as a regular MP3 player, meaning you can't attach headphones to it, so you will probably only use it indoors. In my opinion, it is just not worth the price.

He says: Without the shadow of a doubt, this is one cool device, which will remain so over the years to come (also probably one of the reasons why its price point never decreased substantially). This is indeed a “gadget” many people will admire and relatively few will actually purchase, simply because, let's face it, its level of functionality and versatility is not exactly what one might call impressive.

She says: This device has really cool features that just couldn't have been imagined a few years back. The cool factor is what would probably attract its buyers, because it lacks functionality. Nevertheless, it remains a very fun gadget to own.