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Shark's AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop is cheaper than ever for Amazon Prime Day 2023
It's close to 50 percent off.
Eufy's popular budget robovacs reach all-time lows in Amazon's one-day sale
Anker's Eufy-branded robovacs have dropped to all-time low prices through a one-day Amazon sale, making them easy choices.
Grab Shark's IQ self-emptying robot vacuum for $170 off at Wellbots
Shark's IQ robot vacuum is on sale for $429, well under its usual $599 price.
Roomba update tells your robovacs to steer clear of trouble spots
iRobot's Roomba vacuums just got an update that improves their cleaning prowess by telling them what not to do. Roomba i/s and Braava jet M6 models now have Keep Out Zones that outline specific areas they're not allowed to visit. The company suggests this for keeping robots away from your pet's food bowls, but it could also be helpful for problematic rugs or cords. You can set them up in iRobot's Home app.
Google and iRobot team up to better map your home
Your Roomba's home mapping could be useful for more than more effective cleaning. Google and iRobot have formed a partnership to improve smart home technology using consumer robots. The two will find "additional ways" to link their platforms beyond Google Assistant control, including the possibility of using a Roomba's map-based spatial awareness to "simplify home setup" and foster "powerful new automations."
Toshiba Smarbo takes on dirt, Roomba, music playing prowess unclear
Toshiba is just the latest company to enter the robovac fray. Samsung, ASUS and LG have already tested the waters against the mighty iRobot, now it's Smarbo's turn to try its hand at automated vacuuming. Inside the round floor cleaner are 38 sensors that help it avoid obstacles and keep it from falling down stairs, as well as a CPU or CPUs that sport "double brain function" according to the machine translated PR. The bot is quite quick, supposedly able to clean 100 square meters (over 1,000 square feet) in about 90 minutes, and only uses a few pennies worth of electricity to do so. Toshiba's vacubot will hit shelves in Japan for around $1,100 on October first, but it does suffer one distinct disadvantage -- DJ Smarbo just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Neato XV-11 ships out next month, will assassinate dust bunnies for money
Let's face it, a geek's solution to keeping floors clean will typically involve either family members, robots, or a combination of both. For the latter two groups, we've got news that Neato's XV-11 is all set to start shipping this week, with retail and expanded online availability by mid-July. The XV-11's biggest selling point is a laser-based room mapping system that will theoretically allow it to avoid objects other robo vacuums would detect only by impact. That should also deliver more efficient route planning for the little sucker, while the saved up energy will be channeled into what Neato claims is "the world's most powerful robotic vacuum system." Whether such brazen claims are enough to merit your $399, we leave up to you. Sure looks like a mean machine, though.
Samsung's Navibot robot vacuum charting European living rooms in April
Roomba has ruled the roost when it comes to domestic chores for a long time -- too long. It's getting some serious competition from Samsung, which is finally going to unleash one of its robovacs onto the rest of the world. Well, to Europe anyway. The Navibot is set to spread its wings across the EU in March, having been apparently warmly received in limited Italian tests last year. The bot captures 30fps video of your abode, documenting your feng shui and charting the most efficient course around your coffee table and the display case that houses your TMNT collection. It's even sophisticated enough to pick up where it left off should it run out of juice mid-stride, after returning home for a recharge, but that kind of smarts will cost you: €399 for the basic model with a single virtual wall, and €499 for a slightly posher version with touch-sensitive buttons and a second virtual wall. There's no word on an American release just yet, meaning Roomba's home turf is safe -- for now.
ASUS ECleaner is ready to rumble with the Roomba
Judging by the comparative explosion of robo vacuum releases this month, you might think 2010 is all set to be the year of the automated floor sanitizer. Augmenting that impression is ASUS, who has now made its heavyweight presence known with the newly announced ECleaner, to be released under the AGAiT brand. This new bot comes with a UV light for disinfection, a fragrance slot, the usual photo sensor to prevent it from falling off a cliff, and naturally a remote control for the hands-on househusband. The biggest attraction though -- beyond that killer paintjob -- is likely to be the $150 price tag, which significantly undercuts most of what's out on the market right now. Video of the little spherical hipster lies after the break.
LG RoboKing adds second camera, seeks to escape Roomba shadow
We know, we know -- the original Roomba saves children from peril, plays real-life Pacman, and steals its owners' hearts away, but let's give LG's refreshed autonomous robovac a chance, shall we? Now equipped with two cameras (claimed to be an industry first) and lowering operational noise to a more bearable 50dB, the RoboKing is back in town and pining for your attention. It's more compact than its previous iteration, stretching up to only 90mm, and it's also said to be 30 percent faster on the job. Nice gains, to be sure, but we'd still like to see how this machine handles before we're convinced. Bonus video after the break.
Samsung's Furot II robovac wants a piece of your Roomba
Roomba not sucking the way it used to? Samsung sure hopes not, as it has just recently pushed out a robotic vacuum cleaner of its very own. Quietly showcased during IFA earlier this month, the Furot II packs an oh-so-familiar design and sports an integrated camera and mapping system that enables it to find its way, remember its course and clean your floors with practically no human assistance. There's also an array of sensors that keep it from slamming into this and that, and the rechargeable battery keeps it humming for around 1.5 hours before petering out and making a beeline for its charging station. We get the impression that it'll be available in both black and refulgent red, though no price and release date is currently available.[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
