It is very likely that if you take a look at your applications pending update (whether you are on iOS or Android), you will have a notification from iRobot. Yes, the official app of your dear and beloved roomba just got to update and the way you relate to her (or she to you, depending on how you see it) will change a lot. I'll tell you what's new about her and How can you activate and take advantage of them?.
An all-out update
iRobot has managed to create a very useful and intelligent platform with which to equip its robots. The company, mother of the famous Roomba, currently has a ecosystem Pretty solid one that millions of people around the world connect to every time they use their robotic cleaning equipment. This environment, yes, is susceptible to improvements and that is exactly what the American company has done: tighten the nuts in a notable way in its application, including notable innovations that will transform the way in which you use your robot vacuum cleaner (or your robotic floor cleaner, remember that the firm also has the Braava line).
The good thing is that these changes are available to everyone. Therefore, it is not necessary to buy a new robot to enjoy them, although it is true that depending on the model you have at home, you can enjoy them all or not, for reasons of the implementation of certain technologies. But before I detail all this and explain how to update (let me tell you: it's overwhelmingly simple), I'll tell you briefly and very simply what's new you're going to find.
Interface renewal
The first thing you will see is that App appearance has changed completely. Is now more modern and better focuses the options What do you need to have on hand when cleaning? A section of favorite routines heads this new approach, being one of the most remarkable innovations. Scrolling down you will find the programming options, the cleaning history of your robot, the system notifications and finally the usual configuration sections (nothing has changed inside) and help.
Favorites
I just told you that the first thing you are going to have at hand are the Favorites. This is one of the most notable new features of the update. And it is that now you can combine cleaning areas and organize them in the order you want to bring them together in a kind of master widget to activate everything with a single touch of the finger (or programmatically, of course).
Do you want the Roomba to clean the nursery, the living room and your bedroom only and to do it in that specific order? Wish granted. Now you can customize the path your robot will follow and create favorite cleaning profiles to run the way you want.
Clean only when you're not there
Another of the most interesting novelties is its new compatibility with other smart home equipment. The robot will now sync up and with a smart lock, so that It will only clean when it detects that you are gone. from home - and when you return, he will return to his base.
There are several supported brands (I imagine the list will be expanded later) and everything is configured from the central menu, in the "Smart Home" Automations section with just several taps.
Precision Clean Zones
It is possibly the crown jewel of the update. Precision Clean Zones are certain points on the map of your house that you can identify so that the robot just walks around without making the whole room. You will probably find the clearest example in your living room: instead of telling Roomba to vacuum the room (which at most you could divide by rooms but nothing else), now you can ask it to clean only around the dining table or in front of the sofa .
It works of course with Alexa and Google, so you don't even have to use your mobile. You say “Ok Google, clean in front of the sofa” or “Alexa, clean under the table” and you're done. As for his setting It is as simple as when you exclude zones: you enter the house map and in the "Zones" section you will now see the possibility of marking the aforementioned exclusion and cleaning points. You play, mark the area (adjustable, as always), name it and save. That easy.
other developments
iRobot boasts that its Roomba and Braava are now more ready than ever and it is that, in addition to the novelties described, they are also capable of suggesting the creation of favorites when they detect that you always program a certain cleaning pattern, notify you if they always find it difficult to clean in any corner or even recommend specific cleaning procedures if you have pets or during allergy season.
It has also incorporated integration with ITTT in the app (before you had to go to the web and everything was more complex), so that everything is more comfortable and does not require as much configuration knowledge on the part of the user.
Compatible models and how to update the app
As I pointed out at the beginning of this review of the new features of the application, the iRobot update will reach all of the brand's cleaning equipment, but not in the same way. The star feature, the choice of precise cleaning areas, requires home mapping technology and this is not integrated into all robot vacuum cleaners (the most basic ones do not include it).
Taking this into account, this is how the update looks for the different models:
- Ranges 900, and 600 (Roomba) and 300 and 200 (Braava): receive the app update but without the features required by the mapping technology as it does not have support.
- s-range and i-range (Roomba) and m-range (Braava): they do receive the update with all the features described.
If you haven't updated your app yet, the only followed that you have to follow are the following:
- Go to your phone's app store (App Store on your iPhone or Play Store on Android).
- In the search engine, type "iRobot Home" and tap on the result.
- Click Update and download the update.
From the application itself you will not get the notification that there is a new version (at least it did not appear for me), so either you have activated the automatic update of apps on your phone or, failing that, you follow the steps that I have just prompt for download.
Come on, clean up.
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