Before you dismiss this as just another Asian knockoff not-quite-a-Roomba, just take a minute to think about how the Samsung Tango View could change your life for the better. In addition to sporting a sophisticated visual mapping feature, the Tango is equipped with a camera, spotlights (!), and a microphone. It's Wi-Fi enabled, meaning that you can access the vacuum over the internet, and when you do, you're presented with a live view from the robot, complete with supplemental lighting and what could be two-way audio (although it's hard to tell). You can pilot it around manually, making sure that the oven is off, the fridge door is closed, and that nobody has broken into your house and stolen your fancy vacuum robot. You can also duct-tape a yardstick to it and use it to program your VCR while you're away. People still use VCRs, right?
The Tango vacuums quietly and effectively and stuff, so the possibilities for this robot (when it comes to cleanliness and surveillance) are virtually endless, but for whatever reason it's somehow incapable of vacuuming and spying at the same time.
One oft-overlooked aspect to the Tango is that it clearly hits it off with the ladies. We've seen several earlier models of this robot, each in bed (literally) with a different woman. These latest pics make it look like the robot has finally settled down with a family, though, so perhaps congratulations are in order... However, I've never really gotten the sense that the Tango could be happy with a long term commitment like that, and my guess is that we'll see an updated model in six months or so, with a new girlfriend to boot.
Samsung's Tango View (specifically the VC-RL87W) is available in Korea for about $700.
[ SamsungTomorrow ] via [ Akihabara News ]
