iRobot's Roomba 980 features improved mapping technology, more powerful motor and cloud connectivity

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,256   +192
Staff member

iRobot hosted an event in New York City earlier today where it unveiled its most powerful and advanced vacuum to date. The Roomba 980 is loaded with improved tracking and mapping technology and is the first of its kind to connect to the cloud.

At the heart of the 980 is iRobot’s iAdapt 2.0 navigation system which allows the vacuum to map your floors while simultaneously avoiding obstacles. The robot then memorizes the layout of your home and during subsequent cleanings, it knows which areas to clean and which to avoid.

The new Roomba is also quite a bit more powerful. iRobot claims the brushless motor under the hood is able to clean carpets and rugs twice as well as the power plants in the 600 and 700 series models. Its battery can keep the cleaning action up for a full two hours; if Roomba has to stop early for a recharge, it’ll resume cleaning where it left off.

Modders have long since used the Roomba platform as their playground, hacking the robotic vacuums in all sorts of ways (cats seem to love them, too). That’s not really a thing anymore as the 980 has its own app for Android and iOS called iRobot HOME. With it, you’ll be able to start or end a cleaning job, set a cleaning schedule, oversee cleaning routes and more.

One thing you won’t be able to do, however, is manually control the 980. Such functionality could be added in at a later date but it’s unclear if iRobot has any plans to do so.

At the unveiling, iRobot co-founder and CEO Colin Angle said the 980 is the company’s most significant product launch since the original Roomba rolled into living rooms in 2002 (wow, has it really been that long?).

For all of the whiz-bang technology the new Roomba delivers, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a tough pill to swallow at $899. If price is of no concern, you’ll be able to order your own 980 online as of tomorrow or you can wait until it shows up in retail stores come October 1.

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At that price point I could hire someone to do the same job for 2 years. The only difference is you don't have to worry about recharging the battery or maintenance.
 
About the cloud support - can it finally dump al the gathered dust into the cloud? I'm out of bags (manual clouds).
 
I perhaps foolishly just bought a refurbished roomba 570 from ebay with a 2 year warranty fro 210$. I just looked on newegg and they heave a way new, new bob sweeper for 63% off around 200$. But Idk what the normal price is on it.

bobs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0UH-0017-00004

however bobs has no reviews so meh idk but even to today the 560s reviews are 4-5 stars.

think I missed a wopping deal but then again idk anything about vacuum robots, in some article last year it cost 600$ or so, I can still cancel my ebay order.... not sure what to do

p.s. went to cancel already marked as shipped.... so lame
 
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Personally I think these things are a gross waste of money. I have something better, she's called a maid (or housekeeper, depending where you are) and she works extremely reliably on voice commands alone which I seldom have to issue because she knows exactly what to do. When the vacuuming is done she goes on to do the laundry, ironing, dishes, dusting etc. I real good all in one.
 
At that price point I could hire someone to do the same job for 2 years. The only difference is you don't have to worry about recharging the battery or maintenance.

And at that price they'd also eat your food, steal your stuff, etc. Fair trade for not having to worry about battery.
 
And at that price they'd also eat your food, steal your stuff, etc. Fair trade for not having to worry about battery.

I think I'd be fine if my brother did that. I could always go to his house and pick my stuff back up.
 
It was over priced before and is even more so today. I wonder if their budget brains have considered just how many million they would sell at $250 vs. the new silly price? With the volume of sales they would easily double their profits plus add on sales for those that want one for every floor of their house! I'll stick with my $100 a month maid. She cleans all over including the toilets and has a really nice butt that I watch wiggle as it goes around the house .... no charging necessary! LOL
 
I wonder if their budget brains have considered just how many million they would sell at $250 vs. the new silly price?

If this comment comes from your experience in running a company making hundreds of millions in profits a year (as iRobot does), then I'm sure they'd consider it.
 
If this comment comes from your experience in running a company making hundreds of millions in profits a year (as iRobot does), then I'm sure they'd consider it.


LOL ... nooooo, but I have plenty of stock in multi-billion dollar companies and being an avid analysis of such data, my numbers are good. Actual production cost for the iRobot will be less that $75 including all materials, labor, shipping, and marketing. And don't bet on them considering anything other than making as much gross profit as they can .....
 
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