Neato’s latest Botvac vacuum can be controlled with your smartphone

By Mike Flacy Published September 1, 2015

Compatible with both Apple and Android smartphones, the Neato Botvac Connected robot vacuum is a Wi-Fi enabled, cleaning gadget that can be started or stopped with a couple taps on your mobile device. In addition to activating the vacuum, the smartphone app can also setup a cleaning schedule as well as provide mobile notifications as the vacuum is progressing throughout the cleaning process.

Speaking about the addition of smartphone control, Neato vice president of marketing Nancy Nunziati said “Picture this: you’re at work when you learn that unexpected company is on the way to your house. You grab your smartphone, access the Neato app and with a couple of taps your Neato robot immediately starts cleaning. Your floors – at least – are clean when your guests arrive.”

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There’s also a feature included with the new Botvac that allows users to control the vacuum manually using the smartphone app. This feature can’t be accessed remotely though. The user has to be directly connected to the same Wi-Fi network that’s connected to the Botvac. This feature could be useful when attempting to clean a particularly dirty part of the floors in your home.

Similar to previous versions of the Botvac, the connected version still uses laser-guided technology to navigate around your home and clean the floors. New to this model, Botvac has switched from nickel metal halide batteries to lithium ion batteries, ideally extending the battery life between charges. Regarding power conservation, Neato has added an Eco Mode to preserve battery life and extend running time to two hours. However, there’s also a Turbo mode that increases suction significantly, but reduces running time to 90 minutes.

Neato is also changing the filter design in this model. The company claims the filter captures more small particles than competitors. It includes a mesh screen to reduce the amount of dirt that collects on the filter and the filter can be popped out easily when the waste collection bin needs to be emptied. Neato plans to release the new vacuum during the holiday shopping season for a MSRP of $700.

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