Amazon's Astro is a nifty invention, but it's functionality is still limited. It's not the most practical purchase for the vast majority of people.
Amazon’s Astro is among the most interesting devices in its entire product lineup. The idea of an intelligent home robot tickles something deep in our psyches, harking back to old episodes of The Jetsons. At its Devices & Services event, Amazon announced a ton of new features for Astro that make it more useful than before, and even expand its functionality to small businesses, too. Yet despite all these features and updates, the Astro remains largely impractical for most people.
It just seems that I could set up a system of security cameras to monitor all the same things Astro does, and potentially for a lot less cost. Astro just isn’t available for most people Even if you’re in a situation where you could get a lot of use out of Astro, there’s another problem: it’s still invite-only. You have to apply to purchase the robot. If you’re selected, you get the early-bird price of $1,000, versus the $1,450 it will supposedly retail at once it becomes widely available. I had hoped to see a more widespread release of the Astro at this year’s event, but that wasn’t in the cards. Still, the announcement had promise.
Astro needs arms One of the main focal points for Astro’s utility is how it can serve elderly family members and keep an eye on them through Alexa Together. While awareness is absolutely a necessary part of caring for a loved one while still allowing them their independence, Astro could do much more if it only had arms. The ability to pick something up off the floor or simply carry items for someone would elevate its functionality far beyond where it is now.
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