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This Robot Sucks: Neato Upgrades Its Autonomous Vacuum

by James Temple

Neato Robotics will announce an upgraded line of robot vacuums on Friday, the BotVac series starting at $479.99. The Newark, Calif., company said the new products have more powerful suction, improved filters and smarter navigation software (the top-end brushes and filters push the suggested retail price to $599.99). The main point of differentiation for the company’s products, which generally earn high marks on performance and price, is the “BotVision” laser system that scans and maps rooms to create logical plans for getting around obstacles. More basic rivals bounce around using “bumper” sensors. The BotVac products should be available in stores around mid-April.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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