Introducing the HOOVER robotic vacuum cleaner

[rolls_rapide]

Apparently a Hoover (Candy) machine. It looks Roomba-ish but appears to be better: it only has one agitating main brush, so less entanglements are likely. Also, the suction passes via the agitator cavity, not like the earlier Roombas.

http://www.robocom.it/il-prodotto/

 

[DysonAnimal]

They have a few videos of it on Hoover-Candy's YouTube page.

<object width=853 height=505><param name=movie value=></param><param name=allowFullScreen value=true></param><param name=allowscriptaccess value=always></param><embed src= type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess=always allowfullscreen=true width=853 height=505></embed></object>

Personally, I wouldn't trust anything as complicated as robot vac from Hoover, especially with a (presumed) 1-year warranty!

http://www.youtube.com/user/HooverItalia

 

[rolls_rapide]

"Personally, I wouldn't trust anything as complicate

True, I might murder us in the middle of the night!

 

[portable]

I love the video music, and the Italian. I loath the idea of robotic vacuums. After all, most of the vacuuming fun is doing it yourself. I'll take the old-fashioned way any day.

Is Candy the European partner to Hoover?

 

[DysonAnimal]

Great Financial Disasters of Our Time: The Hoover Fiasco

Yup, Candy owns Hoover's European division. They share the rights to use the Hoover name and logo with TTI, but aside from that, the two companies don't have much to do with one another. The article linked below - which wasn't actually the one I was looking for, there's a better one I can't find, about Candy's acquisition of the company - explains what lead to Maytag selling off Hoover Europe. A lesson in what happens when the marketing department takes over from the engineers!

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...rs-of-our-time-the-hoover-fiasco-1171711.html

 

[DysonAnimal]

Ahh, here we go, the one I was looking for:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2000/jun/18/theobserver.observerbusiness8

 

[aeoliandave]

I'd rather have an Electrolux Trilobite 2.0. It's sexier looking.

It also costs about $1400 !!!

http://www.robotreviews.com/chat/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12061

 

[portable]

Thanks for the excellent article, Jack. Very informative.

And, Dave....The TRILOBITE? Sounds very Star-Trek-ish....

 

[portable]

RE: Trilobite. I like those sexy angled louvers....

 

[tolivac]

Trilobite-A segmented-prehistoric aquatic bottom dwelling animal.Sort of related to modern crabs.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Trilobite fossil

They were bottom dwellers on the sea floor. Apparently, they are related to the modern slater, or woodlouse.