3. Improvements ahead: How humans and AI might evolve together in the next decade

IRobot Has So Many New Models, But The Roomba S9+ Is Still My Favorite

It goes without saying that iRobot is obviously one of the biggest names in the robot vacuum market. So many of the company's Roomba robot vacuums have received high praise from reviewers, including myself. But there's one model that has always stood out to me more than anything else. I consider the Roomba s9+ to be the ultimate robot vacuum, and a great deal just slashed this model to the lowest price ever.

With a retail price of $1,000, the Roomba s9+ is well outside of the price range many shoppers are looking for. But a massive $400 discount drops it all the way down to just $599.99. This is the best robot vacuum deal you can get right now, and I'll explain all the reasons why. Despite all the great new models from iRobot like the Roomba Combo j9+, the s9+ is still my favorite Roomba overall.

If you want to know all the reasons why I think that the Roomba S9+ is the best robot vacuum that iRobot has ever made, be sure to read through my Roomba s9+ review. In it, you'll learn all about what makes this one of the best-performing robot vacuums ever made.

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It all boils down to two main things, really.

First, this model is iRobot's most powerful Roomba robot vacuum ever. According to the company, the Roomba s9+ is a whopping 40 times more powerful than iRobot's entry-level 600-series robot vacuums.

If you've ever tried a 600-series model, you know that the suction is already pretty powerful. IRobot's mid-range models are obviously a bit more impressive, but the s9+ takes things to an entirely different level. With one pass, it handles all the dirt and dust in my home with ease.

Second, the Roomba s9+ has a design that's totally different than other Roomba models from iRobot. It has extra-wide rubber rollers that span nearly the entire width of the robot. Combined with this unit's powerful suction, I found in my review that the Roomba s9+ is the only robot vacuum that can thoroughly handle my dog's long hair on rugs.

If you have a pet that sheds constantly like I do, this is definitely the best model for you. Even newer models like the Roomba Combo j9+ that I reviewed recently can't match the performance of the s9+ when it comes to pet hair.

Those features are fantastic, but there's plenty more to appreciate on the Roomba s9+. For example, the auto-empty base station holds up to 60 days of dirt, dust, and pet hair. That means you can go for two months (or, as I've found, even longer) without even thinking about your robot vacuum.

If the Roomba s9+ seems too good to be true, that's because, for many people, it is too good to be true. The sky-high $1,000 price tag means that this model is completely out of reach for many shoppers.

But that's what makes today's sale so fantastic. Amazon's massive $400 discount slashes the price down to an all-time low of $599.99. At that price, no other robot vacuum out there can even come close to comparing.

Other Roomba robot vacuum models are also on sale right now, in case you're looking for some options.

Among all the deals out there right now, I can recommend two others. The Roomba i4 EVO is a bargain at $299.99. This model retails for $400, and it's great if you're looking for a powerful mid-range robot vacuum.

Or, if you want something with an auto-empty base like the s9+, check out the Roomba i3+ EVO. This model retails for $550, but it's on sale right now for $399. If you can afford it, I would highly recommend spending the extra $200 and getting the s9+ instead. But the i3+ is still a great value at this discounted price.

The Roomba Robot Vacuum Is Only $170 Right Now

This is one for the real deal hunters, those of us who have been hit hard by stagnating wages, the economy, and general state of things. Don worry. We're in this together. As a shopping editor, I have to tell you that Dyson just released the best robot vacuum we've ever seen. As a fellow human being and 26-year-old man with various debts, I have to warn you. That Dyson is $1,200.

If you're on a budget and want to get a robot vacuum, you should buy from iRobot (the Roomba company). If you, like me, would only buy a Roomba if the price were right, you should buy one right now, because the entry-level Roomba 692 is $100 off right now.

Is this the best robot vacuum ever? No. But, it might be if you buy it for $170. I got my parents one of these at retail price a few years ago, and they love it. It's not like the Dyson Vis Map or any of the other smart mapping robot vacuums. But, this little guy uses a distance sensor to move around the room. That means it'll move until it sense as wall, turn, and keep cleaning. It's a lot less efficient than smart mapping vacuums, but it gets the job done.

The Roomba 682 almost never gets stuck in corners. Chairs can occasionally give it issues, but it normally finds a way out on its own. The only thing it really struggles with is returning to its charger. About 80 percent of the time, it makes it home. The other 20 percent, you'll have to pick it up and place it on the charger. It's not a huge inconvenience, but it's one you should know about.

Beyond all that, this is as simple as a robot vacuum gets. You can control it from anywhere with your smartphone, and it'll do a decent job of cleaning your home. It's easy to empty. It's easy to clean. For it's standard retail, it's the best budget robot vacuum you can find. But for $100 off retail, it's the one of the best home deals we've seen, an instant Add to Cart situation.

Boston Dynamics Introduces Latest, Fully Electric Humanoid Robot That Social Media Is Labeling 'creepy'

This tech company is flipping the switch to the future — but some are scared that future looks a little too close to a science fiction horror movie.

Boston Dynamics introduced its latest humanlike robot Wednesday that is meant to take on the real world.

The robotics company announced it has come up with a fully electric robot called Atlas that will send its older model — which was hydraulic-powered — to rust in peace.

The new model would be fully electric. Boston Dynamics

The newest model meant for commercial use is designed to tackle "real-world applications" following decades of research, Boston Dynamics said.

"The electric version of Atlas will be stronger, with a broader range of motion than any of our previous generations," the company said on its website.

While the previous version could lift and move different heavy objects, the newest model expands on those abilities with new gripping mechanisms.

Boston Dynamics gave the public a sneak peek of the new and improved Atlas in a video posted on social media that shows the robot lying on the ground before it's able to get to its feet and walk toward the camera akin to a scene out of the movie "I, Robot."

The new bot, which has a similar build to a human, seems to have 360-degree range mobility of each of its joints. It stands up in an unusual and unnatural way, with its legs bending backward and its torso and head spinning from facing back to front.

The robot then walks off as the camera cuts off.

"We promise this is not a person in a bodysuit," the company tweeted along with the video that some users found eerie.

"Might not be a person in a suit but it still looks creepy," one user said.

Others compared its unnatural movements to a scene from "The Exorcist" or "The Ring."

"BD: 'we need to make it look friendly and humanoid' Also BD: 'make it stand up like he needs an exorcism,'" another replied to the tweet.

The robot replaces an older version that will be retired. Boston Dynamics

"You guys need to rewatch terminator," another user wrote in reference to the movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Boston Dynamics is working with Hyundai, which it merged with in 2021, to "test and iterate" Atlas applications over the next few years.

"This is the first look at a real product," the company said. "But it certainly isn't the last."

"In the months and years ahead, we're excited to show what the world's most dynamic humanoid robot can really do – in the lab, in the factory, and in our lives," the company also said.

Boston Dynamics partnered with the NYPD last year to roll out several crime-fighting robots to patrol Times Square and subway stations. 

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