iRobot's ConnectR gets sent to wherever robots go when they die

It's a sad, sad day for telepresence. iRobot's ConnectR, the Roomba with a webcam on top, has been given the knife, deemed "not yet practical enough" for all you oh-so practical consumers out there. The device, which pledged to let you call home and explore your abode like some domesticated rover, stood poised to open new avenues for the confusion of cats and other small pets. Perhaps $500 was a bit too steep for the beta group, or maybe users spending that much wanted something that looked a little less like a sentient vacuum, but, regardless of the reason, we're not expecting anything like this to hit retail until we pull ourselves out of these economic doldrums.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[anthony @ Jan 10th 2009 1:58AM]

haha

[key @ Jan 10th 2009 3:05AM]

Ha. They had another "virtual presence" robot years back, called the "iRobot LE" if I'm not mistaken. I remember see it at COMDEX back in 99 or 2000, and they were giving one away free. Don't know who ended up winning it, but I'm pretty sure they never actually released the product. Price tag was like 10 grand or something. No surprise that this little crapper would end up going in the waste bin too....

http://www.21stcentury.co.uk/robotics/irobot_le.asp

[Rob @ Jan 10th 2009 4:55AM]

Wow, I had thought this would put my (somewhat problematic) Rovio to shame. Looks like Rovio may rule the roost as far as telepresence for a spell.

[Mike @ Jan 10th 2009 5:31AM]

Like all their products, it was the price, of course, as mentioned in the article.
Wowwee has totally captured that market at a realistic price point with the Rovio, which sold out in pre-orders.

[Rocketboy @ Jan 10th 2009 10:24AM]

Just think, you'll be able to pick them up on the cheap on Woot! now.

[DanS @ Jan 10th 2009 1:38PM]

No.. Silicon.. Heaven..?

[Toph @ Jan 10th 2009 3:19PM]

Where robots go to die? That would be Raxus Prime, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J75rXV1stf4#t=0m56s

[elmer @ Jan 10th 2009 5:49PM]

I just watched the Animatrix again, and man, it's all beginning to happen. They're gonna be dumped in an open mass grave in a desert somewhere in Mexico along with all those copies of E.T. The Game.

[Jose @ Jan 11th 2009 1:11AM]

I am bummed... :-(

[loosely_coupled @ Jan 12th 2009 3:32AM]

Thats too bad.. That is an awesome robot platform, although I guess they already have a developer models.. no builtin webcam though..

[darthwhit @ Jan 12th 2009 8:18PM]

I first thought it was a thermal detonator.