Roomba

Posted by: rob

Roomba - 16/07/2004 17:12

Anyone tried a Roomba robot vacuum cleaner? I'm aware that it's not really a proper vacuum (uses brushes) and doesn't like deep pile carpets, but any other comments?

They seem to be very cheap in the US right now.

Thanks

Rob
Posted by: BartDG

Re: Roomba - 16/07/2004 17:27

I haven't got one myself, so I can't comment, but maybe this little review will give you the info you need.
Posted by: crazymelki

Re: Roomba - 16/07/2004 17:40

I bought a cupple of weeks ago this one. But after two cleaning sessions, it was ready for the garbage...

So the job is now back to me, and it's much harder....

bye
Posted by: Heather

Re: Roomba - 16/07/2004 17:56

I have one. It's a piece of crap better used as a cat toy.
Posted by: hybrid8

Re: Roomba - 16/07/2004 19:59

That review is a little simple. But it does outline one important fact: The Roomba still means a lot of work for the owner.

One of the first pieces of the puzzle to solve before the next such killer product comes out is self-recharging. Units should make their own way back to the recharge bay. If its charge dies while it's under a bed or sofa, that's a little bit of a PITA.

Personally, I'd like a real vacuum instead of contact rollers. For solid surface floors you'd want to turn off the rollers and leave the pick-up action up to suction. It looks like a major hassle to clean those rollers too.

I'd say someone is better off with a Dyson cannister. It has just as much novelty although of a different flavour. And it will clean the entire house (in less time) to a greater degree of satisfaction.

But a vacuuming is still something I'd like to see solved by a "robot" - along with a mowing the lawn. But I'd like something that can be programmed to come online while I'm out of the house and dock itself by the time I get back. So there's no noise while I'm around.

Bruno
Posted by: tman

Re: Roomba - 16/07/2004 20:15

The Roomba Discovery is the latest Roomba and it does have the homing and self charging ability. I've got a plain Roomba and it is in it's box in the cupboard. Nearly useless in my house.

Dyson cannister? What do you mean by that? The Dyson robot?
Posted by: hybrid8

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 02:49

I meant a regular Dyson cannister. Like a DC08 or DC11. The Dyson DC06 (robot) would be the best robotic vacuum by far if it were available retail, but nothing is going to compare to the larger, real deal for cleaning ability.

Bruno
Posted by: Daria

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 04:49

I like mine fine. No cats. Not deep pile rugs. Had one problem, they shipped me a part, was back in business.

Either it vacuums, or the floor is dirty.
Posted by: drakino

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 05:49

In searching for info on the DC06, I found this story from May this year. Seems the DC06 will not see retail life, but instead have it's tech included in a newer model down the road.
Posted by: tman

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 10:07

Ah yeah. We mentioned this on IRC the other night. Dyson bagless vacuum cleaners aren't a novelty over here. You can get them at any reasonable appliance store
Posted by: ninti

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 21:21

I saw a review for one in WSJ just the other day (don't have a link, sorry). They made a good analogy which I will have to paraphrase from memory.

The robot vacuum cleaner technology is a lot like a dancing dog, in that you are spending so much time being amazed that the dog can dance at all that you fail to notice what a horrible job it does of it.

Never used one personally but that quote stuck out in my mind.
Posted by: Heather

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 21:28


The robot vacuum cleaner technology is a lot like a dancing dog, in that you are spending so much time being amazed that the dog can dance at all that you fail to notice what a horrible job it does of it.

Never used one personally but that quote stuck out in my mind

And that's exactly what's wrong with it. It looks like it's sweeping the floor, then you see the dust bunnies in a few days and realize it's just pushing the dirt around.
Posted by: andym

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 21:53

Dust bunnies?
Posted by: Heather

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 22:20


Dust bunnies?

Yeah, the clumps of dust you often find in places like under the bed. Rooma makes them appear in the middle of the living room floor.
Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Roomba - 17/07/2004 23:12

Quote:
Dust bunnies?

He was probably imagining this thing pushing around a broom:
link


Gareth
Posted by: Daria

Re: Roomba - 18/07/2004 00:00

Quote:
I saw a review for one in WSJ just the other day (don't have a link, sorry). They made a good analogy which I will have to paraphrase from memory.

The robot vacuum cleaner technology is a lot like a dancing dog, in that you are spending so much time being amazed that the dog can dance at all that you fail to notice what a horrible job it does of it.

Never used one personally but that quote stuck out in my mind.


If true, consider that nothing else in the house that might dance is willing to, so even poor dancing is an improvement
Posted by: JaBZ

Re: Roomba - 18/07/2004 09:52

Im considering getting the Roomba discovery when it becomes available...

have a read of the community site

and some dude mounted a cam on his.. lol
Posted by: rob

Re: Roomba - 18/07/2004 16:43

Thanks for all the advice. If I see a Discovery when I'm in the US next week I may pick one up (seems like they might not be shipping yet though). I don't have pets or deep pile carpets, and half arsed robotic cleaning is still better than no arsed manual cleaning

Rob
Posted by: drakino

OT: Rob's US trips - 18/07/2004 16:53

Quote:
when I'm in the US next week

They are keeping you busy aren't they. Still wished you would have been able to make the meet this year.
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: Roomba - 18/07/2004 18:33

Quote:
If I see a Discovery when I'm in the US next week

If you're coming to Santa Clara again, the closest one is probably the Valley Fair mall, right where 880 meets 280.

On an unrelated note, did you ever find any B&M place that carried IBM laptops?

Matthew
Posted by: hybrid8

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 00:17

If Dyson can't come out and be the best, there really isn't any point. I'm glad they scrapped it if they thought it wasn't going to be up to snuff.

The software aside, they have the best vacuuming technology and are in no way of losing that IP.

As far as Roomba goes, there's plenty of "competition" for it starting to appear. Though I don't see any of the others as serious threats at this time: some other little-known European model which just doesn't have the right form-factor nor run-time, the Trilobite from Electrolux which does sound promising but isn't yet out, and then at least another one or two I found which are likely more vapour than substance.

While searching I did find a US$700 robotic lawn mower though. I'm pretty sure it doesn't self-charge and there's likely a lot of manual work setting up a perimiter for it first.

Bruno
Posted by: msaeger

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 01:28

I saw an ad on tv last night selling a "robotic cleaner" that consisted of a ring with one of those toy balls that randomly roll around in the center and a sweepa pad on the bottom.
Posted by: Daria

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 04:16

The Robomower RL1000 costs more than that but is self-charging. And I've discussed my Robomower here before: I like it.
Posted by: frog51

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 07:34

Robomower would be great for my garden - an easy perimeter with nothing odd to watch out for. The downside would be my cat - I have to move him out the way of the flymo as it is, so I could see him becoming a domestic short-hair pretty damn quickly
Posted by: rob

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 14:26

Quote:
Quote:
If I see a Discovery when I'm in the US next week

If you're coming to Santa Clara again, the closest one is probably the Valley Fair mall, right where 880 meets 280.

On an unrelated note, did you ever find any B&M place that carried IBM laptops?

Matthew


I meant a Roomba Discovery SE not a Discovery store. There's a gadget type store in the Stanford Mall which is probably where I'll go as Hugo wants to visit the Bose store.

I bought my ThinkPad online in the end. Works great :-)

Rob
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 14:38

Quote:
Santa Clara
You know, there's a direct flight from London to Raleigh every day. Now if I could only come up with any possible reason you might want to come here.... Nope. There isn't one.
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 19:02

Quote:
I meant a Roomba Discovery SE

That'll teach me to skim...
Quote:
as Hugo wants to visit the Bose store.

I did a double take on that one... The Bose store?

Matthew
Posted by: djc

Re: Roomba - 20/07/2004 19:05

Quote:
Quote:
as Hugo wants to visit the Bose store.

I did a double take on that one... The Bose store?

Noise-canceling headphones, perhaps?

--Dan.
Posted by: rob

Re: Roomba - 13/11/2004 02:32

Quote:
If I see a Discovery when I'm in the US next week I may pick one up (seems like they might not be shipping yet though).

Well, I didn't see one on that trip, but I did see one when I popped into the Great Mall today to pick up a new pair of shoes. $249 for the Discovery model with self charging base, high capacity battery and fast(ish) charge seemed like a bargain!

Although I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon, the Roomba has given me as much entertainment as I've had in a hotel room for many years! I can also sleep sound in the knowledge that about half a ton of crap is no longer embedded in my hotel carpet.

Shame the (really nice) packaging won't fit in my suitcase though.

Rob

PS I didn't get any shoes.
Posted by: msaeger

Re: Roomba - 13/11/2004 04:55

You should have taken a picture of what was vacuumed up and left it for house keeping (or just left it in a pile someplace)
Posted by: FireFox31

Re: Roomba - 13/11/2004 20:13

All I can say is:
Stop AI research.
End robotic enslavement.
Support human employment.
Give the task to your local neighborhood human instead of helping to fund the eventual eradication of the human race by far superior robots designed by greedy corporations only concerned with their profit and not with their social responsibility and the impending disaster they are creating.

Just wait till these slave bots get sick of doing all the dirty work. Especially the armed-and-dangerous mower bot or the hospital bot who has lives trusted to it. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Posted by: bonzi

Re: Roomba - 13/11/2004 21:48

Quote:
the Roomba has given me as much entertainment as I've had in a hotel room for many years!

You shouldn't be travelling alone so much!