Cybiko

Lore & Background

Development of the Cybiko began in 1998 by Russian entrepreneur David Yang, founder of ABBYY Software House, after social research in six countries identified a need for digital communication among youth. The first prototype was completed by October 1998, and by early 1999 the Moscow-based development team had grown to 40 employees. A radio protocol was patented that allowed up to 3,000 Cybiko devices to form a network without auxiliary stations. Production was contracted to Taiwanese manufacturer Inventec, and marketing was handled by Poznik & Kolker, the firm behind the successful Furby toy launch. The device was initially scheduled for September 1999 but was delayed to early 2000 due to difficulties in casing production, which consumed $70,000 of the $120,000 initial budget. Prior to its New York presentation, Yang met ICQ founder Yossi Vardi, who introduced him to America Online CEO Steve Case, leading to substantial investment.

The Cybiko Classic launched in April 2000 with a trial run in select New York retailers—including FAO Schwarz, Virgin Megastores, and Software Etc/Babbage's—before expanding nationwide in mid-May. It featured a Hitachi H8S/2241 CPU at 11.0592 MHz, an Atmel AT90S2313 co-processor at 4 MHz, 512 KB flash ROM, and 256 KB RAM. Five colors were available: blue, purple, neon green, white, and black (the black version had a yellow keypad). An add-on slot in the rear accepted an MP3 player with SmartMedia card support or a 1 MB expansion memory card. In 2001, the Cybiko Xtreme was introduced with a faster 18 MHz processor, 1.5 MB RAM, a microphone, improved audio, greater wireless range, and a smaller design. The Xtreme came in US and European variants differing only in radio frequency range.

Reader's Guide

The Cybiko's significance lies in its pioneering combination of handheld gaming, personal digital assistant functions, and wireless social networking for teenagers, years before smartphones became ubiquitous. Its short-range radio messaging system allowed users to chat, share files, and discover nearby devices, creating a localized social network. The device attracted strong initial sales, with $25 million worth of units sold in the first three weeks of the 2000 holiday season and total first-year sales of approximately 250,000 units. However, the emergence of affordable internet-capable mobile phones and the dot-com crisis of the early 2000s hindered further investment. A planned London launch on September 15, 2001, was canceled due to the September 11 attacks, further impacting the company's finances. By late 2001, the company restructured into two entities: Cybiko Advance Technologies (retaining the wireless network) and CWAG (acquiring the game development portfolio), which later collaborated with Motorola, Sprint, and Nokia to adapt its software for mobile phones. Production of Cybiko communicators ceased in 2003. The system's library of over 430 freeware games included notable titles such as CyLandia, a tamagotchi-like pet-raising game where pets could 'run away' to other Cybikos within range, and Blazing Boards, whose racing engine was later used as the basis for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on cell phones through a collaboration with THQ.

Did You Know?

• The Cybiko's radio protocol allowed up to 3,000 devices to form a network without auxiliary stations.
• The flagship game CyLandia featured pets that could 'run away' to other Cybikos within range if neglected.
• The Cybiko Xtreme had a microphone and improved audio output compared to the Classic.