In this post, let us discuss the Amazon Astro Pros and Cons.
Amazon Astro Introduction
The next most significant thing that will take the world by storm is robots that can help us at home. Imagine getting drinks from your robot when there are guests at home. Or imagine answering calls, playing music, monitoring your house, taking care of your pet animals, and setting timers or reminders to stay productive. All these tasks will probably be taken care of by your robot at home in the future. And with the introduction of Amazon Astro, the online giant has brought that future much closer to you.
“Keep home closer with Amazon Astro”, says the world’s largest e-commerce company when it introduced its latest robotic device, Astro, which can be helpful for mankind in their houses. Other companies like Asus and Sony introduced their robots, such as Zenbo and Aibo, in the market. We don’t need any explanation on whether they were successful or a disaster. You know that too. In such a risky and competitive market, Amazon has now introduced its latest Household Robot, Amazon Astro.
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Amazon Astro Technical Specifications (Source: Amazon)
| Weight of the device | 9.35 kg (20.6 lbs) |
| Weight of the charger | 1.75 kg (3.9 lbs) |
| Type of Battery | Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery |
| Charge time of Battery | Takes approximately 45 minutes |
| Height of periscope from floor | 42’’ |
| Display | 1280×800 resolution, 10.1’’ HD display with touchscreen |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Audio | 2.1 system including a passive bass radiator |
| WiFi | Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Cameras | 5MP bezel camera 1080p Periscope camera with 132° diagonal field of view |
| Processor | 2x Qualcomm QCS605, 1x Qualcomm SDA660, 1x processor with Amazon AZ1 Neural Edge |
| Warranty | A limited warranty of 1 year according to the company |
| Additional Requirements | You should have an active Amazon Account Astro app on Android 8+ or iOS 13+ |
| What comes with the box | The Astro device, welcome kit, quick start guide, charger and 6ft power cable, cup holder and cargo bin liner |
Amazon Astro Pro and Cons
Let us now look at the advantages and disadvantages of the latest robotic device from Amazon.
Pros of Amazon Astro
Listed below are the advantages of the Amazon Astro device
Security
You can remotely connect with your home from anywhere on this planet. You can also stay connected with your rooms, things, or people from a distant location. The Astro will also notify you if any unrecognized person enters your premises.
Patrolling
The Astro robot will keep patrolling your home. Besides that, you can use the Astro app to obtain a live view of your rooms. You can also choose certain rooms and viewpoints and receive activity alerts.
Periscopic camera
Amazon’s robot also sports a periscopic camera that can be extended. It is more like an antenna popping up from the head of the device, as you see in sci-fi movies. In the company’s official video on Amazon Astro, you can see that the periscopic camera slowly pops up and checks if the gas hob had been left on. All this is done through the app remotely.
Ring Protect Pro
With Amazon Astro Pro, you get a 6-month free trial of Ring Protect Pro subscription to take the security to the next level. Using this subscription, you can save the videos you take from the Astro on Ring’s cloud storage for nearly 60 days. This will be helpful for you to view any particular event from the past.
Navigation
Using sophisticated navigation technology, the Amazon Astro will find ways to navigate around your house itself. The company calls this ‘Intelligent Motion.’ The device will also prevent itself from climbing down the stairs by stopping near the edge of the stairs at a moment’s notice.
Follows you
You can simply call the robot ‘Astro’ to get its attention, and if you would then say “Follow me”, the device will follow you. This will be useful for your children if they want to show how they play on the floor with toys to their grandparents who live in a distant place.
Alexa together for elderly (The company says it’s a coming soon feature)
“Alexa Together” was announced earlier by Amazon, and it will be beneficial for elderly family members who are living individually and may need additional assistance. The official purchase page on Amazon.com says that this is a coming soon feature, and that’s why it might not be available right away after you purchase the Amazon Astro device.
Privacy
The introduction of Amazon Astro to the world must have certainly alarmed the privacy advocates, but the company claims that the device is designed to safeguard your privacy. You can turn off the motion, cameras, and mics with one press of a button. And using the Astro app, you can set up zones where the device is not allowed to enter.
Modify with compatible products
The Amazon Astro comes with a cup that can be detached. Using this space, you can make the device carry Furbo Dog Camera, OMRON blood pressure monitor, and Ziploc container to let it provide additional services. You can also let the Amazon Astro carry small products like beer etc., around your house.
Cons of Amazon Astro
Listed below are the disadvantages of the Amazon Astro app
Privacy
You can really safeguard the privacy of your house using Amazon Astro. But the addition of this device in your home means additional microphones and cameras in your world. If you are paranoid about using electronic devices with microphones and cameras due to security and anxiety issues, you should stay away from this device.
Cannot go upstairs or downstairs
Amazon Astro will have to be used only on one floor, and it cannot climb up or down the stairs. We can expect a future generation of Amazon Astro to deliver this feature. However, the current generation Amazon Astro will be confined only to one floor. Even if you think about lifting it in your hands and taking it upstairs or downstairs, you must note that this device weighs nearly 9.5 kgs, and therefore it might not be a good idea to lift the Astro.
Expensive
The starting price of Amazon Astro is $999 now. This price might come down later in the future. But let me ask you a question. Do you really want to spend nearly 1000 bucks for a small device that weighs heavy and cannot go upstairs or downstairs? If I were you, I wouldn’t volunteer to buy a device that is yet to take its place in the market. I would wait for the future stable generations of this device to be introduced after the company fixes the initial bugs. Amazon also says that the price might be increased to $1499 in the future.
Availability
The product page of Amazon Astro clearly says that it will be shipped only to the 50 states in the United States. However, there is no clarity on when the device will be available for sale even in these 50 states if you pre-order the device now. Moreover, the Amazon Astro will be sold only via invitation first.
