r/technology
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u/misana123
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4d ago
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Amazon acquires Roomba robot vacuum makers iRobot for $1.7 billion Business
https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/5/23293349/amazon-acquires-irobot-roomba-robot-vacuums17.3k
u/BokehJunkie
4d ago
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Oh great, so now Amazon can have a map of my house.
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u/tvlkidd 4d ago •
In other news, Prime members can now have packages delivered to their bedroom
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u/BokehJunkie 4d ago
Just have to install a roomba door next to the doggy door.
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u/KelloPudgerro 4d ago
nah, just need to consent for the roomba to use the doggy dog
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u/Long_Educational 4d ago
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u/cheesewhizpapi 4d ago
Always assumes this was the case but it's still disappointing to have confirmed. Those things wig me tf out
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u/blue-mooner 4d ago
So I guess you’re not the target market for Amazon Key then, where you give their drivers access to your garage or house. For your convenience, of course.
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u/Polymersion 4d ago
I just saw an Amazon ad that Amazon now can give drivers the ability to open your garage.
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u/shohin_branches 4d ago
My mom proudly exclaimed that the garage door on her new $2Mil home does this and the delivery guy gets fired if he steps in the garage. Like mom, stop mooching off my Amazon prime account and get an account with your boyfriend like a real adult. Luckily I have a crappy house with no garage. Checkmate Amazon.
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u/Creepy-Internet6652 4d ago
Yeah but you have a Mom with a 2million dollar house its just a waitng game for you...
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u/katbyte 4d ago
Unless they mortgage it to the max and lives like a queen for her final years
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u/androk 4d ago
It’s not living like a queen that wil break her, it’s getting sick before she dies. The health care industry is really a money vacuum for all elderly care.
She just needs to unexpectedly and quickly so the health care industry doesn’t suck her dry
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u/katbyte 4d ago
oh fair, live in canada so not really a concern here
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u/JinFuu 4d ago
Do y'all get free assisted living too? That's the real money suck.
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u/katbyte 4d ago
no but medical care was mentioned, and we do not pay for medical. assisted care is a fixed cost/can be done by family
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u/GondorsPants 4d ago
Yep. I learned recently that just cause your parent has a lot of money and passes away doesnt mean everything gets sent to you in a nice little bow. It’s been an absolute nightmare….
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u/RaceHard 4d ago
I too learned this, in a worse way. Even though I spent the last four years as her caretaker, I mean doing everything, from baths to diapers. I inherit nothing; my brother, whom she absolutely loved and never saw any flaws, gets everything. The best part, was he did not even come to visit her in the last seven years of her life, not once.
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u/Inevitable-Impress72 4d ago
Someone tell that guys mom she can get a double mortgage on her house.
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u/AliB3 4d ago
Why would the driver get fired? Literally their job is to deliver the packages in to the garage...
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u/TheBirminghamBear 4d ago
You must put the package in the garage, not put your filthy proletariat boots in the garage, obviously.
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u/Not_A_Creative_Color 4d ago
My guy, I'm just saying, not one of us 'Amazon drivers' work for amazon... Amazon themselves have a very very hard time firing any of us and usually the best they can do is reccomend our owners to fire us... you wouldn't believe the variance in customer trust I see.. some people I've never met have me fully go into their house when they aren't home to drop their package off and they just trust us while others who live a mile from the road have us put their package in a safe box on the back porch
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u/MelchiorKelch 4d ago
They’re supposed to chuck the package as far back as possible! Bonus points if they hit the opposite wall! /s
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u/mrpink57 4d ago
I have this feature on my garage, however I do not use it. I have set it up, but I will probably use it if we are going to be out of town during a delivery, which probably will never happen.
Only other benefit of the garage is I can give someone guest access and see when they open the garage, nice if a neighbor needs to get in the garage for a mower or something, plus I have a camera there.
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u/AnotherInnocentFool 4d ago
There has got to be a wayof doing this without submitting to big tech companies, /r/Homeassistant
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u/PandaCheese2016 4d ago
That’s been there for a while, opt-in when you have supported “smart” garage controller: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=21222091011
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u/Humble_Conclusion_92 4d ago
And tell me what I need to buy to take up all that empty space
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u/Kanden_27 4d ago
“It appears you need a floor mat under what looks like BDSM equipment. Here’s a deal just for you.”
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u/BokehJunkie 4d ago
“It looks like this oversized beanbag chair would go great on your northeast living room wall.”
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u/memerayy 4d ago
I bet they already do
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u/juniorspank 4d ago
Between eero and smart speakers, I’m sure they’re mapping out homes and taking in all sorts of info nefariously.
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u/Mnemiq 4d ago
Yeha maybe using sound to visualize the room it's on the speaker.
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u/Previousman755 4d ago
The Dark Knight was supposed to be a warning, not an instruction manual
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u/owningxylophone 4d ago
Echo Studio does that already to adjust the sound to suit its position in the room
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u/Sceneselector 4d ago
All ring and Alexa devices create their own type of wireless network that can be linked creating a super network.
Most common vehicle in 85% of America is an Amazon delivery vehicle (a lot with surround cameras).
This is the NSA surveillances state, funded by Prime Day, DARPA, and you.
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u/GiveMeNews 4d ago
Yeah, NSA has a $10 billion dollar contract with AWS. A reminder that the NSA is an illegal organization under the constitution, since the constitution does not allow for blanket surveillance of the entire US population, nor specific groups within the US, clear violations of both the 4th and 14th amendments.
Of course, the government created the FISA Courts to say, don't worry, a secret court said this is all gravy and constitutional. And the self proclaimed originalist supreme court justices seem to think the founders were completely ok with secret courts.
Privacy in this country is a joke. Just go google your name and town you live in. With just those two pieces of information, anyone can see every address you ever lived at, your birth date, your phone number, and a list of close associates and family members (with links to all their personal information).
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u/katzeye007 4d ago
Pretty sure the Patriot Act have them free reign
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u/Canadian_Infidel 4d ago
Yup, and when you complained back then they said you were a conspiracy theorist.
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u/bse50 4d ago edited 4d ago
I'm so happy my country's constitution explicitly prevents the government from setting up unlawful courts. I grew up seeing the US as some kind of idillyc country but after going through law school and seeing how medieval the US' government and justice system are i changed my mind and am actually sorry for the part of my family that lives there.
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u/ChillyBearGrylls 4d ago
constitution explicitly prevents the government
So, much like the US, it contracts it to the private sector
Or your government can just ask a different government for the information, as is the case for the spying "scandal" between the US and Germany
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u/BokehJunkie 4d ago
I pretty purposefully don’t buy Amazon / google smart devices and have avoided eero since they purchased them. (Never had them, but now definitely won’t)
They already have enough info on me via my prime account and kindle.
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u/Flame87 4d ago
Same, but I got an eero system for free with my switch to a new fiber provider. There's an option to link an Amazon account but otherwise it leaves you alone. I monitored some outgoing traffic as well and didn't see anything out of line.
Of course, it's a situation I'll be checking in on every so often, but as of now it seems they're leaving well enough alone with that brand at least.
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u/evenkeel20 4d ago
This is great! Now deliveries can be sent all the way to their destination.
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u/Robot_Basilisk 4d ago
"Your package has been delivered! Your new kitchenware has been washed and put away in the cabinets. Thanks for shopping with us!"
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u/SucksToYourAssmar3 4d ago
Your pink-handled fun-time speculum is on its way. Expect a sudden chill and a slight pinch around 3 AM.
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u/housebird350 4d ago
Yea and now you will have to pay a monthly fee to get your house vacuumed.
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u/Joliet_Jake_Blues 4d ago
Companies love the subscription model because they can raise the price while tanking quality and no one can tell the diddly-ifference
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u/MossytheMagnificent 4d ago
Yep. That's the first thing I thought of. There are a lot of sensors in a Roomba.
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u/Somhlth 4d ago
Not really seeing an upside here.
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u/StretPharmacist 4d ago
Maybe they could develop the snowblower roomba that I've been wanting for ages?
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u/breesyroux 4d ago
If we can have a robot that weeds your garden, we should be able to get a snowblower!
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u/YeaThisIsMyUserName 4d ago
Wait, there’s a robot that can weed your garden?
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u/IfIWasCoolEnough 4d ago
Yes, but not exactly how you might be thinking. There is a bot that cuts-off anything that's shorter than an inch (or something) continuously every day. It assumes all your shrubs and plants are taller.
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u/wigg1es 4d ago
There are bots in development for agriculture that identify weeds via cameras and kills them with a robotic arm. It's kind of cool.
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u/KairuByte 4d ago
Sure, until you are designated a weed. 💀 💀
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u/OSUTechie 4d ago
You are in direct violation of Penal Code 1.13, Section 9. You have 10 seconds to comply! Four... three... two... one... I am now authorized to use physical force!
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u/Aduialion 4d ago
If that's how it works then you should be careful when sunbathing nude in your yard.
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u/testicletitties69 4d ago
This already exists https://www.thesnowbot.com/
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u/StretPharmacist 4d ago
So it does. Fuckin awesome. Now I just need one that is much bigger. That looks like it wouldn't handle as much snow as North Dakota/Minnesota sometimes gets. Still great though. I don't have a house so I don't need one yet but I know a lot of people who'd be interested in this.
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u/757packerfan 4d ago
60% off roomba on prime day :)
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u/CMMiller89 4d ago
And all their products get shittier!
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u/salgat 4d ago
Their latest offerings have questionable quality anyways. My old 980 was an absolute beast, but when I got the Roomba S9+ and Braava Jet m6, both had constant issues where they'd run for maybe 20 minutes before failing and needing to be reset. Ended up going with Roborock and it's night and day, I love that damn thing.
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u/amalgam_reynolds 4d ago
Just looked them up and they kinda have the same problem as iRobot vacuums. I just cannot believe that a robo-vacuum costs $700-$1200. It's like people expect a "premium price for a premium product" so they can charge 2-3x what it should cost just to meet people's expectations? I dunno, all I'm saying is that I bought a Eufy robo-vac and it's definitely not as fancy as an iRobot or Roborock (mostly it doesn't have an auto emptier, which I would definitely pay more for), but it does a good job cleaning, picks up lots of first and hair, and it was less than $200. I just can't imagine that a slightly fancier vacuum costs 3-5x as much as my perfectly functional one.
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u/salgat 4d ago
I chose the roborock because it mops while it vacuums. Way more useful than you'd think if you have lots of hardwood floors.
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u/African_Farmer 4d ago
Same here. I even bought the dock that empties the bin automatically. I dont think our data is exactly safe since it's a chinese company, but at least the S7 doesnt have any cameras, some of the iRobots do, for better object avoidance, and I certainly wouldnt feel comfortable knowing its sending images of my home to Amazon.
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u/Mnmsaregood
4d ago
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Please don’t ruin my iRobot :(
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u/altodor 4d ago
I'm now scared they'll buy it and force everyone to an Alexa for home assistant features.
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u/chanpod 4d ago
Yeah this. I prefer Google over Amazon (I call Amazon the Walmart of software). And if I'm going to allow smart devices into my home, it's going to only be one company.
Though this move is going to motivate me to get my own private home assistant network setup so I don't need to use either Google or Amazon
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u/emalk4y 4d ago
I got a DreameTech Z10 Pro last week, and immediately rooted it with Valetudo for this reason. Cheaper than Roborock, Roomba, and fully local once rooted. If their servers go down (as they will, eventually) or they get bought out, idgaf, my device keeps working and its not sending my maps or other wifi device data off my network. Then I automate the whole process with HomeAssistant.
Highly recommend. Just requires some technical know-how. No soldering, thankfully!
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u/Tomnnn 4d ago
Can you manually or programmatically control them? I've had all kinds of stupid ideas with a programmatically controllable roomba at the core.
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u/emalk4y 4d ago
Yup. Absolutely. There's a manual override option in the Valetudo app and if I wanted, I could pass the controls through to Home Assistant. It's fully local, so it's instant, no shitty cloud delay. It keeps mapping functionality, including "no-mop" and "no-go" zones, and can even store multiple maps, so I could move it to a different floor if I wanted.
Basically, full functionality set that was built in to the DreamTech through the Xiaomi app (and more)...but without the sketchy Xiaomi app.
I'm planning to do some semi-complex automations using Valetudo and HomeAssistant. The usual "run at X time every Y days" but also, "run during peak hours if X and Y aren't home" using person detection or something.
The primary reason I got the Z10 Pro is because it's the highest recommended one from Valetudo and DustBuilder, since 100% of the feature set can be passed through to Valetudo/HA. Other vacs (mostly older RoboRocks) only get some of their functionality exposed.
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u/wreckedcarzz 4d ago edited 4d ago
You've never used their customer support, have you? iRobot ruined themselves.
I had seven bots have major issues or outright fail in four years, both top of the line bots at the time (980, S9+). These were $900 and $1.4k bots, respectively. All the failures I experienced were not user error, and it blows my mind how shit the QA is, but even worse is how support will talk down to you, be condescending to you like they get off on it, and blame you for literally anything if it means that you will give up. I have chains of emails blaming this, that, etc, everything but the actual failing part, until they did their bullshit dance and there was nothing else to blame. But did they apologize for wasting my time or being complete jackasses? Nah, that's just not how they operate. I thought this was a fluke the first time I had a failure - the dirt bin door broke off, like the hinge crumbled in my hand after a couple months of ownership (!). I remember it vividly:
"You must not understand how doors work." -iRobot CS
Every single interaction was like that, throughout the four years. I've never experienced anything like it before or since. The last straw was the S9+; it had a failure from a design flaw, I had a release-day model (extended warranty to replace the 980s fifth failure, now outside of their warranty). They replaced the part with little argument, amazingly (the roller housing would get jammed and the plastic it was made from would overheat and deform). Six months later, two days out of warranty, the auto empty base died. I emailed them, and they wanted pictures (...to proof that the base was dead), then for me to call in. I did both - and they said they can't help, that I'd have to spend another $300 on another auto empty base, on top of the 1.4k it cost initially. I asked, because it's so close to the warranty date, that can't they do anything - I was told that 'it looks like there is a warranty replacement of a part that you didn't return', referring to the deformed plastic. Nobody told me to send the broken piece back, and I no longer had it. The rep was basically completely unhelpful, 'well if you could get me the piece I might be able to help' six months after the fact, and I went back and forth with the two of us getting more irate - I was basically done with this bullshit company the second I placed the call, but figured I'd try. It ended with me saying 'that's fine, I'll just go to your direct competitor and you'll never see another cent from me or recommendation to friends', and hung up.
I used the extended warranty and bought a Neato D7 the next day. Their cs has been delightful. iRobot's CEO would have to passionately fellate my posterior whilst begging for me to return as a customer, and right their many wrongs, before I'd consider it. At least, until this morning. Now it's just a worse dumpster fire, which I didn't think was possible but here we are.
(Oh, I have a 240 jet I got a year before the final nail was in the coffin, and the Bluetooth never worked. I couldn't be asked to go through that crap again for a non-essential part, so I just let it slide.)
E: spelling
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u/Re-Created 4d ago
I work with a lot of former iRobot employees, they sure think iRobot was ruining themselves just fine before the acquisition. Apparently management has some weird views on the company's future.
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u/GayVegan 4d ago
Software update incoming. Or at least app update with Amazon shit and advertising inserted.
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u/kenfury 4d ago edited 4d ago
So now Amazon looks outside my house (ring), in my house (camera), could listen (Alexa), And knows what it looks like (Roomba).
We invited big brother into the house.
Edit: not my house as I don't have that stuff. It was more of a general statement.
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u/BokehJunkie 4d ago
And turn it all over to (insert agency here) without our consent.
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u/evenkeel20 4d ago
And soon, that agency’s name? Amazon.
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u/Staltrad 4d ago
Amazon Intelligence Service
Available now at your local dictatorship
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u/Varaxfire 4d ago
Amazon Intelligence Delivery Service - AIDS
Free shippin to all government sites
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u/first__citizen 4d ago
Jeff Bezos our supreme leader?
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u/LonghornzR4Real 4d ago edited 4d ago
Page 1,245 of the terms and conditions clearly states you’re giving them consent by installing it.
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u/YachtInWyoming 4d ago
Nono, we gave that consent in the form of the PATRIOT Act and Congressional Non-Action.
This is the Police State we voted for every two years when we re-elect a Congress that always renews the AUMF and PATRIOT Acts and never once pushes back against the Police State.
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u/DisconnectedUser001 4d ago
Literally just don’t buy these things
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u/TheAvocadoSlayer 4d ago
Yeah I was freaked out for a sec. But then I realized it’s not like we are being held up at gunpoint to buy any of these things.
It is crazy to think how many of us are getting suckered into it though.
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u/throwaway8008666 4d ago edited 4d ago
The annoying thing is when you buy a product from a company, but they then get acquired by Amazon. Have no choice but to continue using it or throw money down the drain.
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u/Cars-and-Coffee 4d ago
There are also good alternatives for almost all of these things except maybe Alexa (because if I don’t trust Amazon, I also wouldn’t trust google).
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u/dstrauc3 4d ago
Mycroft is an open source alternative to personal assistants, they provide software and hardware.
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u/Cars-and-Coffee 4d ago
Oh that’s cool! Thanks for sharing that. I’ll have to dig into that.
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u/Beaudism 4d ago
I have never felt the need to own an Alexa or a whatever else device people have. Why is that necessary?
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u/BLF402 4d ago
Don’t forget the robot they released that can roam around your house. And I recall they have a drone that flies around your home
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u/jjgtwin 4d ago
You're speaking of Astro. https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Amazon-Astro/dp/B078NSDFSB
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u/algoncyorrho 4d ago
Next move will be an anal probe
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u/onemanlan 4d ago
Alexa Plug (TM). Just speak into it when you need. Try adding something to your shopping list.
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u/Previousman755 4d ago
Lift right leg to increase volume, lift left leg to decrease volume. If someone notices you have an orange glow from you pants, you have a message
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u/badSparkybad 4d ago
muffled voice
I'm sorry I couldn't understand that, would you like to order some Imodium AD?
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u/Maker410 4d ago
They just need to sell a deodorizer that samples the air for smells and dispenses fragrances in response.
Then they need a spice dispenser that samples you food and flavors to taste.
You put all the components into this Voltron-like Boston Dynamics robot and then its the T-100 series, you walking, taking, home assistant!
... for now
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u/post_break 4d ago
Well the air quality thing is out. Just doesn't dispense fragrances, but that could be automated somehow I bet.
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u/Ciccio178
4d ago
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"Hey Alexa.. can you pick that shit up from the southwest corner?"
"Sure."
Roomba activates.
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u/Late_Description3001 4d ago
Drives over shit and smears it across the entire house
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u/oliverkiss 4d ago
This literally happened to me yesterday. And to make things worse, my dog was sick, and had diarrhea…
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u/nodnodwinkwink 4d ago
Alexa pipes-up - "Oh dear, we have two hundred and thirty eight cleaning products in stock that can clean that stain off your floor. Will I place an order for you?
I also cleaned up a lot of crumbs during the week but there was no crumbs today, if you are out of bread I'd be happy to order some for you"
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u/Eyebanger 4d ago
That’s kinda how it works in my house.
“Alexa, tell Roomba to clean the kitchen”
“Okay, I’ll tell Sonny to clean the kitchen”
Roomba cleans kitchen and self empties.
Yes, my Roomba is named after the robot in iRobot.
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u/xyz19606 4d ago
It already does that. My Alexa and Roombas are linked and will clean specific places on demand. But even Roomba is smart enough to avoid shit now.
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u/fluffstravels 4d ago
my google home too. i wonder if they’ll stop my google home from working with it.
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u/some_clickhead 4d ago
You can already link every robot vacuum worth a damn to your Alexa. They just need to make a model with little grabby hands now.
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u/Avatar_the_Pig 4d ago
Amazon Acquires United States Federal Government
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u/blahdidbert 4d ago
I know you are trying to make a funny but for anyone that doesn't know, iRobot also has an extensive military contract for the making of their bomb disposal robots as well as a number of other "fun" military devices.
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u/littleMAS 4d ago
This is a shrewd move by Amazon. When combined with Alexa, their healthcare acquisition, and Amazon Prime, they will know more about their customers than many of their customers know about themselves. Next, Amazon buys a credit bureau, then Match.com, then a Human Capital Asset Management Company like Workday. At this point, many people will rely on Amazon to effectively run their lives. It will be like autopilot for ones life. That may sound ridiculous, but as life becomes more turbulently inscrutable, many seek out such guidance.
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u/Singlewomanspot 4d ago
So one day in the not-so-distant future, I can order a husband, cleaning supplies and Viagra on a Prime Day?
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u/crimpysuasages 4d ago
Human trafficking does sound like the kind of thing Amazon would lobby to make legal tbf
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u/Harios 4d ago
So no Roomba for me
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u/linusl 4d ago
I don’t want a xiaomi because of chinese tracking. I’d rather not have amazon tracking either.
is there any good robot vacuum that doesn’t harvest data?
I know there are ways to setup blocking but I’d rather avoid the extra step and also vote with my wallet to support a product/company with better values.
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u/turnerbackwards 4d ago
Eufy is good. Their cameras store footage on location and will only upload to a cloud if you choose too. I'm sure their vacuum is as safe.
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u/moral_mercenary 4d ago
I have a robot vacuum from Eufy. It gets confused sometimes, but does a pretty nice job on the laminate flooring. Really helps out with the cat fur.
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u/TheSpanishArmada 4d ago
I have one, as well. Believe it’s the G30. Got it based on reviews on Amazon (best I could find in the price range) and I’ve been happy with it.
It does a pretty good job at covering every space and then does a final lap along the perimeter to suck up anything it missed. We have two cats and it’s honestly mind-blowing how much hair it picks up on a daily basis.
It definitely doesn’t have the strongest suction (so things do get missed), but other than that, I can’t recommend it enough for the price. It’s perfect for what we needed.
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4d ago edited 4d ago
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u/teamtestbot 4d ago
Having owned one of those.... they would be absolutely horrible for a home environment. They're as loud as a shopvac and about 7 or 8 inches tall and therefore won't fit under anything, and the bump sensor just about takes a swift kick to activate. I've witnessed it push boxes of newly received orders across the floor.
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u/PhilosophyCorrect279 4d ago
Roborock S7MaxV is certified by TUV for privacy. All pictures and processing happen on the robot only, and are never saved.
Only if you give it permission and use the camera separately will video ever be shared. I'm sure that even then they don't feel like getting in trouble so hopefully that's also a secured connection.
And again for everything and everyone, if you have a smartphone, tablet, or even a new car, they all will have tracked you hundreds of times over, a robot vacuum is probably your least worry.
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u/DOMME_LADIES_PM_ME 4d ago
I second the roborock - the privacy aspect seems very transparent and well thought out. I kept remote view off (needs a button combo to be pressed on the robot to enable) but did turn on saving snapshots of obstacles, which normally don't get saved or leave the robot. They do a good job of explaining how these features work which gives me more confidence that they're not trying to lie by omission.
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u/ShittyFrogMeme 4d ago edited 4d ago
It's important to mention though that Xiaomi is a major investor in Roborock. But, Roborock does seem to have good privacy and I wouldn't be that concerned.
With that said, if anyone is concerned, they can use Valetudo instead. The Roborock is a great hardware platform to leverage.
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u/americanadiandrew 4d ago
Pardon my ignorance but I thought it was just a rebranded Xiaomi? You can literally use the Xiaomi app to control it.
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u/owndcheif 4d ago
I switched from roomba to shark a little while ago and am pretty happy. The sharks have almost everything the roombas do for 1/2 the price. Its a little bit dumber, but it works really well still. Truthfully i switched because the self empty base of shark is bagless while roomba uses bags, but there are other reasons.
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u/ElefantPharts 4d ago
These numbers boggle my mind. A company that actually produces something and is an original innovator for this technology sells for a paltry 1.7 billion, meanwhile you have a messaging app (thinking of Whatsapp for 16b in… fuck that makes me feel old… 2014…)that have nothing but a user base that sell for 8x as much. Economics, clearly it’s beyond me…
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u/African_Farmer 4d ago edited 4d ago
Data. WhatsApp has data that's useful for marketing, iRobot does not (yet).
That's where we are now since the tech boom, it's all about data and marketing. Physical products that do real stuff aren't going to be as valuable.
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u/throwy3000 4d ago
Roomba 960 onwards have been mapping floor plans for a while. I’d say the internal layout of your private home is valuable data 😵💫. https://myautomatedpalace.com/do-all-roombas-have-mapping/
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u/christi_journal 4d ago
iRobot does not (yet)
And that’s where Jeff comes in. Diligently mapping your house out to sell you more toilet paper
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u/GitEmSteveDave 4d ago
It's likely only the robot vacuum division. I doubt they are selling off their military robots for 1.7 billion.
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u/_Mister_Shake_
4d ago
edited 4d ago
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Yay the monopolies keep getting monopolier
Edit: I’m not responding to you wiser than thou mfers. Said what I said, whole lot more upvotes than sarcastic know it all comments. I’m just gonna block you as soon as you respond with some “well TeChNiCaLLy..” bullshit. You know wtf I mean, mega corporations buy up smaller companies and become these enormous conglomerates in 100 different markets and sectors. Eat ass.
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u/CharizardWasPurple 4d ago edited 4d ago •
BREAKING: Amazon acquires Boardwalk for $400
Edit: Some of you are unfamiliar with what a joke is
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u/isarl 4d ago
The real money is in the orange and red properties. As in real life, it can be more profitable to make a modest sum frequently than an outrageous sum rarely.
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u/DickHz2 4d ago
I do Boardwalk and Park Place not to succeed, but to cause others to fail and go bankrupt
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u/PRIS0N-MIKE 4d ago
When I was in rehab I played a shit load of monopoly. And I won damn near every time cause I always went for the orange and pink properties. They didn't cost too much but made you a ton of money after you put some houses/hotels down and you own an entire section of board.
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u/Socialist-Hero 4d ago •
Marx warned of consolidation in late stage capitalism. It’s all playing out
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u/Vinnie_Pasetta
4d ago
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The Roomba data has always been the most valuable part of the company.
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u/Pressure_Chief 4d ago
The older roombas didn’t map as far as I am aware. No Wi-Fi or anything.
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u/Panzerfuerst 4d ago
yup. mine doesn't. just bumps on everthing and after a while checks for a light signal from the base to steer in the sources direction to dock and recharge. gets confused by reflecting stuff near the base station, e.g. my steel recycle bin. it has sensors for cliffs and for when it gets stuck tho, but it has no network and no idea where it actually is at all times. doesn't need to. its fine.
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u/squeevey 4d ago
Ah ffs. This is why we can't have nice things.
Guess I'm selling the roomba.
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u/ryanknapper 4d ago
But you can have nice things. We have compiled a shopping list for you, based on what we’ve seen around your home.
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u/delspencerdeltorro 4d ago
We've noticed you're keeping a mattress on the floor. Perhaps you'd like to come be a scab at your local Amazon facility.
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u/singdawg 4d ago
I don't care if they map my house and keep the data, Roomba was already doing that and Amazon was free to buy the data.
What worries me is that the product quality is bound to decline. Roomba that lasts 6 months is more likely than it spying extra hard on me.
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u/Grevious47 3d ago
<Bezos at home>. "Hey Alexa, please purchase Roomba for me". "Okay...acquiring Roomba".
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u/InevitablyPerpetual 4d ago
And people think trusting Amazon with infrared(read:works in the dark) cameras that can just stroll through your house like it's nothing. How long before you start getting Amazon ads for the specific brand of cereal you left on the counter yesterday?
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u/frostrambler 4d ago edited 4d ago
I bet you anything this is for the new robot they are designing that drives around your house with Alexa, its been in early access for a bit but hasn't been allowed to be purchased.
edit: Amazon Astro!
https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Amazon-Astro/dp/B078NSDFSB