Hollywood's scariest supercomputer joins the Amazon Alexa family
"I'm sorry, Alexa. I'm afraid I can't do that."
No one seems particularly freaked out at the idea of computers in our homes that listen to us, respond to questions, even take direct control of various living conditions. Maybe this HAL-9000 replica will change that.
The malevolent supercomputer from Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey recently landed a new gig: Amazon Echo device. The smart home interface from Master Replicas actually works, as you can see in the above video.
Master Replicas scored the license from Warner Bros. to manufacture HAL-9000 lookalikes. While it can apparently talk like its big screen counterpart and respond to lines from the movie, it also possesses the power of Amazon's voice-powered AI assistant, Alexa.
According to The Verge, the Echo-like functionality will let you grant your very own HAL-9000 total control of your home (probably unwise). A Fire HD tablet serves as its base, though -- as you can see in the video -- there are some added features, compliments of Master Replicas.
It's not clear how much this high-tech nostalgia play will cost, but pre-orders will go live sometime in the spring, with shipping to begin shortly thereafter.
Topics Amazon Amazon Alexa Amazon Echo
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
