Newbie: What's the Roomba's release cycle?

[iPedro]

Hey everyone, I'm looking at purchasing my first robot cleaner.

I've been eyeing a Roomba for years but was really hoping for Dyson to enter the game. Being that Dyson hasn't given any timeline indication for their robovac, and with the Roomba getting smarter (dirt detection) I'm now ready to buy a Roomba.

I'd like to ask the advice of the Roomba veterans here what the product release cycle is? Do they release a new Roomba every year? 2 years? Is there even a predictable pattern?

I'm asking because if the current generation lineup has been out for a while and there's likely to be an update to the lineup soon, I can afford to wait.

Should I buy now or should I wait a few months?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[mfortuna]

Check the 550 Costco Thread, that seems to be Irobot's latest model type. You may want to wait a few weeks, if Irobot was going to release something new for the holiday shopping it will be soon.

[iPedro]

Thanks for the info. That's what I thought. Like most products that can be given as gifts, new models are usually released before the holidays.

Given that iRobot is based out of the US, if anything comes out, it'll be out in time for Thanksgiving.

Back to the original question though: when was the last model released before this new one you mentioned at Cosco?

To be honest, I'm still holding out hope for Dyson as it's been 5 years since they cancelled the DC06 but still have it on their website as "We're getting close". I'm also interested in the Samsung robovacs. They seem promising.

Nonetheless, for my first robot cleaner, you can't beat the price and market experience of the Roomba, even if just for experimentation.

[iPedro]

I did some searching and found this on Wikipedia:

The first-generation Roombas have three buttons for room size.
The second-generation Roombas (dubbed "Discovery") replaced their predecessors in July 2004, adding a larger dust bin, better software that calculates room sizes, fast charging in the home base (or wall hanger in the Discovery SE), and dirt detection. All second-generation Roombas are functionally identical, though some have more or fewer buttons, accessories, or casings, and all featured updated programming after mid 2005. The low-end models continue to be available as of 2007 with new model names. All 2G Roombas can be updated to 2.1G Roombas.
The third-generation 5xx Roomba was introduced in 2007 and features an infrared sensor to detect obstacles, a dock button, and improved mechanical components.[2] Some second-generation models remain on sale, however, as the 4xx series.

It seems like every 3 years there's a major revision. The last one happened in 2007 when the third generation was introduced. I'm guessing with the release pattern and the competition from "smarter" robovacs, we're due for the release of a major revision in 2010.

Any rumours of a 4th Generation Roomba in the works?

[Jubo]

"The DC06 should be available in Australia at the end of the year, and is expected to cost around $6000"

Erm.... are you sure you wanted to get this thing at that price? That will sure make Dyson the richest man in UK again......

[Jubo]

It seems like every 3 years there's a major revision. The last one happened in 2007 when the third generation was introduced. I'm guessing with the release pattern and the competition from "smarter" robovacs, we're due for the release of a major revision in 2010.

Any rumours of a 4th Generation Roomba in the works?

I thought the 550 & 560 is the 5th generation already?

[mfortuna]

There has been 3 distinct generations - original with the room size buttons, 400 series, and 500 series. They even named a robot the 600 but it really was very similar to the other 500 series. It's called marketing

[Gordon]

...I thought the 550 & 560 is the 5th generation already?

Some rr members have cooked up their own concepts for Roomba "generation"- counting, but those processes do not agree with what the mfr defines.

iRobot seems to define "generation" as an evolution step in which a different MCU is in control of the robot, and a hardware re-design which dictates none of the predecessor's tooling can be used in the mfr of the new "generation" robot parts.

Even iRobot's Engineering Department must have been suffering some "generation" confusion, since we now see (inside the 5XXs) evidence of "generation" assignment marked on circuit boards built for "generation-3" Roomba (see "R3" prefixing the part-name in these photos):

These pix show "R3" = 'Roomba-3' as a gen-reminder to ENGRG workers.

This also confirms the posted wiki-quotation, that iPedro provided to this thread, as showing the correct sequencing of Roomba "generations" as seen by iRobot.

No such 'reminders', "R1", or "R2" were marked on earlier version of Roomba H/W, only the major field of the drawing numbers changed.

IMHO, the word "generation" is misused as applied to hardware. I think of 'generation' being more applicable to biological families, so, until robots get to the point where they can spawn offspring, any changes in appearance, and hardware-supported function, or capability, are simply different engineering "versions"!

[mfortuna]

IMHO you really can't assume anything from the R3 label on the robot electronics. Hardware labeling has nothing at all to do with marketing or product families.

[Jubo]

But take a look at the retail box of 550 & 560, it clearly states 5th generation.

[iPedro]

"The DC06 should be available in Australia at the end of the year, and is expected to cost around $6000"

That's why it was cancelled. Dyson made a statement that at the time there wasn't the technology to release a robot vacuum using their "never lose suction" philosophy to enable them to sell it at a reasonable price. It's been cancelled since 2004 without ever going out to the open market.

Dyson vac's are expensive. I know: I have a Dyson DC16 handheld. It's the most amazing and reliable handheld vacuum I've ever used. With a robot vacuum taking care of the daily chores, the DC16 would be perfect to do the deep cleaning in the areas where the Roomba doesn't reach (top of baseboards, furniture, etc).

Dyson has been hard at work on this front. They know that pushing a vacuum cleaner around has its days numbered. They'll have a robot vacuum ready at some point. Knowing that Dyson is expensive, I'd be willing to pay about $2,000 for one.

In the meantime, Roomba it is for me.

When were the 550 & 560 released? I still think we'll see an entirely new Roomba in 2010. Everything after the 3rd generation was released in 2007 have been revisions or add-ons, just like the 2004 model.

[mfortuna]

IMHO you really can't assume anything from the R3 label on the robot electronics. Hardware labeling has nothing at all to do with marketing or product families.

I take that back. Now that we have access to a service manual for the 500 series it looks like the 500 is version 3.

Base Robot 3.0 : Model 510
Base Robot 3.3 : Model 530
Base Robot 3.4 : Model 535, 540
Base Robot 3.5 : Model 550, 560, 565, 570, 580

[iPedro]

^ There you go. Just as I thought: 2010 should see the release of the 4th generation Roomba, a major revision.

My place has a lot of obstacles and the apartment layout is complex. I think a Roomba would take an unreasonably long time to cover all the floor space. The Samsung robots with room mapping seem better suited to my place.

I'm either going to wait for the next major revision of the Roomba or picking up a Samsung. I like that Roomba has been around for long and by now has the experience to do things right so I'm leaning to the former option.

[Xevus]

I have some doubts about Samsung. Previous version of Samsung robot wasn't even released outside Korea. And i haven't seen any confirmation that new one will be available internationally. Sure, you can import one, but without proper support and information it would be just an expensive toy.

[iPedro]

Good point... I haven't seen the Samsung for sale in North America yet.

I do think that the next Roomba needs to have room mapping technology. The market is beginning to get flooded with robovacs and many of the new ones outsmart the Roomba.

iRobot may have the experience and the edge on price but if people are looking for efficient and quick robots, Roomba is going to fall behind.

I've read a lot about the way Roomba covers a room and the concept seems to work great if you don't have any furniture...

I'm not convinced the Roomba could navigate my place, clean it all and return to its dock even though it's only 600sq ft.
While I have a very open room in the center I have virtually no free walls so there goes the wall following technology. The apartment layout is arranged in a C shape with the bedroom being at the top of the C and the living area on the bottom. To do both rooms the Roomba would first clean the living room, then navigate blindly through a narrow connection and somehow by chance enter the bedroom. If it even found the bedroom, I'm sure it wouldn't find its way out and back to the dock. I think I'd need a Roomba for each room.

When I have some time, I'll put together a map of my place and submit it for scrutiny to all you Roomba veterans.

[boofy]

Actually Pedro it sounds like Roomba wouldn't have any trouble with your place.
You just need a 'lighthouse' or two which come standard with the more expensive models.

[neo1az]

I would also like to know about the release of a new model from iRobot and new listings at Hammacher Schlemmer. I would only buy from Hammacher Schlemmer because of their lifetime warranty considering all the problems with the Roombas. I returned my first Roomba (400 series) after it developed the circle dance problem slightly after the 1-year warranty was up. I then ordered the 500 series they had with the remote. I really liked this this one but the main brushes stopped turning just after the 1-year warranty probably due to the gearbox design fault. Both times Hammacher Schlemmer credited my account without question.

I was planning on buying another from Hammacher Schlemmer but I see from the Hammacher Schlemmer thread that they have downgraded their main model so that it does not work with lighthouses. The 610 is too expensive and the red color I find ugly for my home.

So please keep us posted on new releases by the company and especially from Hammacher Schlemmer.

Thanks

[TechGuy]

I have some doubts about Samsung. Previous version of Samsung robot wasn't even released outside Korea. And i haven't seen any confirmation that new one will be available internationally. Sure, you can import one, but without proper support and information it would be just an expensive toy.

In Canada, Future Shop is owned by BestBuy. The following is from the Future Shop appliance booklet for this Xmas season. It says coming soon. When will it be available, nobody knows... This is closest to store shell in North America that you can get.

[Xevus]

Interesting, especially since on this picture Samsung robot seems to be missing sidebrushes.

[THX-1138]

The North American version of the Samsung Tango is available at Futureshop:

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/prodde ... t_cookie=1

By the way, the Roomba 550 is the latest revision offered by iRobot. It is most likely that we will see a new Roomba revision on Q3/Q4 2010. Currently there are no leaked pictures, illustrations and/or specifications of the new design.

Enjoy!