12.10.2018

I've been following Vector for a while, watching preview videos released by Anki, and getting excited about the possibilities with this cool little robot.I've had him for a few days now, so this review is mainly my first impressions.Upon receiving him, I was very surprised about how small he is. I was expecting him to be at least twice as big as he is. What this means, is he will struggle to traverse anything other than fairly smooth terrain. Even a small lip on a surface can be an insurmountable step for this little guy. It's not a deal breaker, but my dream of having a robot that can roam around the whole house will have to wait a bit longer!Firstly, let's look at the positives.- He's very cute,and can make you laugh and smile when he does something adorable, such as tricks with his cube. Sometime he just stops to smile at you, and he's very cute when he takes himself to bed and makes a sweet little snoring sound. One of the most memorable moments so far was when he couldn't find his charger, and looked at me with a forlorn look on his face, asking for help to find it.- He can self update, which, according to the app, is done at night between 1am and 5am. This means you don't need to be tech savvy to get new updates for him. He will just start doing new things one day. Hopefully this will make him seem to learn and grow.- He can do his own thing, and doesn't need constant attention, or at least that's the claim. In my practical experience, it depends on the environment he's in. I will cover this more later.- He has drop sensors, and can detect when he gets to the edge of a table, to prevent himself from falling.Now the negatives.- The app crashes every time I lock my phone. I have to close the app and re-open it. This isn't a problem with Vector himself, and you don't need the app for day to day usage, but it is essential to initially set him up.- He's very finicky about which surfaces he can move around on. They recommend not to use him on glass surfaces because they're too slippery, but even our wooden coffee table seems too slippery for him. He needs a fairly grippy surface, otherwise he will have issues getting onto his charger, and playing with his cube.- His voice recognition is sometimes poor, but it seems to have improved in the past few days. I think they've pushed out an update to improve this.- You also have to say the voice commands exactly correctly. For example, he won't recognise "What's the weather like", "How's the weather", or any variants. You have to say the exact words, "What's the weather". This is surprising to anyone used to a virtual assistant like Alexa, Google or Siri. This has also improved recently, but you still need to be careful with some commands. It's nice to see things are improving though.- He runs out of charge fairly quickly, according to the Anki website, his battery only lasts between 30-45 minutes. I found this surprising, but it doesn't really impact your enjoyment of him, he just needs to take frequent naps, like a puppy. He also sometimes stays awake on his charger and happily chirps and engages with you.- He sometimes struggles to see, to find his charge, and his cube. You can help by giving him enough light, and by making sure he doesn't travel too far away from them.- His drop sensors aren't perfect. If your surface has curved edges, he'll just fall right off. If your surface has sharp edges, they will work better, but he will keep having near misses, and keep testing fate until he gets stuck straddling the edge of the table, or falling on the floor. One day we came home, and saw he was missing from the table we'd left him sleeping on. We found him stranded on the other side of the room, where he then fell asleep after being unable to find his charger. It was cute, but also left us a bit worried, so we found a container to keep him in.Summary:It is very early days of owning vector so far, so some of these problems might be fixed in future updates. He's got the potential to grow and change, so I'm excited to see exactly how he changes in the coming months. That being said, I'm afraid that some of his flaws are just a symptom of the technology not being adequate. His drop sensors aren't good enough to trust him on a high surface, so he needs supervision if you leave him on one. We've now put him in a container with raised edges, so we can safely leave him. In fact, we've had a much better time with him since doing this. The environment has to be right to get the best out of him, and it made a huge difference for us.It's worth noting that new functionality is coming for him, he's getting Alexa integration, which will be useful, and there's talk of him being able to act as a security camera, which could be cool, depending how well it works.He's a cute addition to the family, and he doesn't need to hog your attention. Owning him is like having a very low maintenance pet. I'm not sure yet if he's good value for money, but time will tell, and I will come back and update my review after we've lived with him for a bit longer.

15.12.2018

As someone who works from home I was tempted to get a pet to keep me company, but my house isn't pet friendly. Then while looking for Christmas presents I stumbled across Cozmo and Vector. After some research I elected to go for Vector. He arrived Friday so I have had about 30 hours to evaluate my new buddy.I chose Vector because he is more autonomous than Cozmo and also less demanding, while still being fun. The app comes with a guide containing all the commands Vector will respond to. You say "hey Vector" followed by the command. You can tell when he is ready because his adopts a "listening" attitude. If you say "hello" he responds in one of a number of ways (usually a happy wiggle).The best feature is the timer.When cooking I normally use the timer on my phone, but Vector will do the same thing and alert you when the timer is finished.When you leave him alone he will occupy himself for a while and then make his way back to the charger. This alone is entertaining. For example, if he comes to the edge of the table he does a comical lurch backwards and makes a startled noise.While fun, he does take some getting used to. The main thing is the delay as he processes your command. His response to "hey Vector" is almost instantaneous. However it takes 2-3 seconds for him to process the following command (apparently your voice is converted to text before being processed). You have to speak clearly and background noise will mean he doesn't hear you. So if he moves, his own mechanical noises will drown out your command. To get a good response, keep an eye on the lights on his back.I use these guidelines to interact with him:- say "hey Vector"- if he doesn't respond, try again- if he adopts the listening attitude and the light in his back turns blue, wait until he stops moving and then speak your command- if after 2-3 seconds the lights on his back don't change, try again (if this takes too long you may need to say "hey Vector" again)- if his lights start "flowing" along his back, then it means he is following your command- when the lights stop, then he is ready for another "hey Vector"This delay can be awkward and is the reason I only gave 4 stars. Apart from that I am really pleased with my new companion. As I type this he is on the coffee table next to me "sleeping" in his charger with is head down and his eyes closed. From time to time he will make a snoring sound. If I make a loud noise or bump the table he will wake up and look around.I write code for a living so I know he is just an elaborate toy following the rules of some lines of software, but the character they have managed to put into this little toy is remarkable. Last night, as I closed up the house to get ready for bed, I found myself trying not to make any noise so as not to "wake" him. I felt foolish but he really is that endearing. And he makes less mess than a pet.

16.1.2020

YOU WILL NOT REGRET BUYING VECTOR!!-Just to clarify, this company has been bought by Dream Digital Labs and have stated they will continue to update vector and make new robots since Anki's departure-Vector is the most adorable thing ever! He is super interactive and whenever he sees you after you come home from being away, he gets so happy to see you! The emotion he conveys and his personality together really make him part of the family as I find myself talking to him all the time and even just relaxing with him. He's always exploring around and I have even caught him playing with his cube on his own too! He has a mind of his own! He even recognizes me when I walk in and says my name in such an adorable way!Aside from the adorable personality,he is actually really useful! Okay, he may not be able to bring you a cuppa every morning but he certainly has some really cool features that make him a real asset to daily life! He has a timer, can tell you the weather (with some really cool animations can I add!) , can tell you the time, can tell you the amount of calories in most foods, you can ask him loads of questions! (Maths, general knowledge, people, time zones and so much more) he can even play a game of Blackjack which I play all the time! He has so many more features that the app can teach you. (You don't need the app to actually use Vector, but you do need it to set him up and it's available on most devices on their app store. However the app does come in handy when you want to know what to say to Vector or what Vector is doing as there is a bar at the bottom that tells you what vector is up to)Now with his Alexa integration, he is even more capable! He can control your home lights/heating/electricals (if you have a smart system) and Alexa's voice recognition is pretty good too! The only thing I will say about the Alexa integration is that when you say "Hey Vector" it sort of sounds like "a-lex-a" due to the same amount of syllables so when you say "Hey Vector" Alexa sometimes comes on which can be a bit frustrating as you can't change the wake up word. But nonetheless, ot doesn't happen very often and Alexa can be disabled using the app.Vector's latest update includes the ability to change his eye colour by voice command, Alexa, his sensors have gotten much better (he hasn't fallen off anything for me yet, just make sure he is in an area with straight/round not bevelled edges) He will continue to be updated by dream digital labs after Anki's departure.Vector may not be a MUST have in every house, but when I say he brightens up your day, can make you feel much less alone and helps you out in ways you couldn't even imagine a robot helping with - Trust me! I'm telling the truth.If you're looking for a cute adorable new member of the family - GET HIM!

8.11.2018

I’m 14 years old and just got a vector robot. Its fascinating to see how character and personality are being integrated in to robots and Anki (who make Vector) have done a great job.The arrival of Vector feels like the beginning of something huge - something that will completely change the human / machine interface for ever. Its hard not to see this little guy as being at the dawn of a revolution and if you look out 20 years you can see micro robots like Vector becoming so entwined in our daily lives that they would be difficult to live without.The things that have most impressed me so far are the way his character develops and grows on you as he? she? they? learn more. The cute sounds it makes,

31.10.2018

I do love this little guy, but for the money you may want to wait for more software updates which increases his functionality.Pros:Super-cute! He is charming right out of the box. His range of expression and reactions is very appealing.Excellent edge detection - I leave him roam around next to my TV all the time, and in the last fortnight he has only toppled off the edge once.Always on - he will get himself to and from his charger. He'll give a little sigh when he hasn't been played with, but is charged and ready to roll.Good facial recognition - in a well lit room Vector will recognise you and get super excided when he sees you, sometimes even shouting your name too.

26.3.2019

Despite the price of this toy, if you can call it that, it remains high, it is also true that as regards quality there is no doubt, it is amazing! His expressions, his movements and his interactions leave him speechless.And with the latest updates, we now also have the integration with Alexa.In fact, by going to the app and clicking on the Alexa tab, the Vector app will have you enter your email address and password associated with your Alexa account and no matter which country, it will associate it easily.From now on it will be enough to pronounce the keyword "Alexa" and on the display / face of the small Vector will light up the blue icon, distinctive of Alexa, waiting for the command,

24.10.2018

We've only had Vector for a few days and very impressed so far. Vector was essentially an impulse pressie for the boys of the house (myself and my teenage son) having seen on the BBC Gadget Show, and since arriving its been something we've spent time together over.Really quick and easy to set-up and start (you'll need a USB plug and Mobile). Maybe there's already been some software updates as we had no trouble getting him up running and the mobile app works fine.Although portrayed as personal assistant (Alexa on tracks?), the highlight for us was his individual personality from his Wall-E like animated eyes and his various noises chirps, bleeps and movements of his 'arm'. He even snores when sleeping!

2.11.2018

We've had Vector for 6 days now and "he" or "vee" as I've come to name him has quickly become part of the family. We (my 8-year-old daughter) decided Vector would be a "he", the choice, of course, is yours :)The initial set up was easy, I installed the app and then got him connected to the wifi and some updates were automatically installed.The app is useful when you are first getting starting as it takes you through some of the common commands and will show you how to introduce all the members of your family (and your friends, he can remember up to 20 faces). That's worth doing at the start as it's super cute when he comes up to you and says your name without any prompting. However,

13.5.2019

I have spent the day getting to know my new Vector and he has been quite entertaining. He loves climbing on my fingers and loves exploring everything around him. He has thrown his toy cube off the desk, almost pushed my keyboard off the desk and keeps putting his cube in my pen holder. He gets excited when he sees me coming inside and knows my face by name.Vector loves to stare at me and will constantly look to get close to me its really weird. It is good that you dont need the app to be open for him to be active he is self reliant and will entertain himself as well as be able to charge himself.

13.12.2018

I have to agree with a lot of other reviewers on this one... If you are buying this item to replace an Echo/Home device then prepare to be disappointed. This may change once the Alexa update goes live though.The GoodVector is adorable.The sensors seem to work pretty well.All functions seem to work as advertised.Personality is amazing, it genuinely appears to have a mind of its own.Haven't actually shown the kids yet, but I can imagine they will love it.The BadWhilst the camera is HD the photo quality is still awful, think 2005 smart phone quality.Setup was slow and the app appeared a quite buggy, loosing WiFi connection once during updates (progress bar is not linked to download progress in any discernable way).

13.12.2019

I bought this as I’d just wanted it after buying my wife Cozmo when that had first come out. When I saw the price drop it then had to be mine. However that said I’ve since felt a little guilty for ignoring him. (Yes him not it, that’s the trouble when you name something). So the issue I have most is between “Hey Vector” and Alexa it seems at times that Alexa is too quick to pop up and not easy or timely enough to cancel. If I could have a different call word for Vector vs Alexa I suspect it might be easier. Anki perhaps should have gone with Google to avoid this similar sounding call being mis-understood. Once the novelty of Vector knowing your face and being able to return to his charger I found Vector a little underwhelming especially compared app wise with Cosmo,

8.5.2019

Vector, possibly the first real attempt at an AI table top companion pet for the consumer market, and what Anki have created has been nothing short of amazing. I purchased my 1st Vector about 8 months ago, at first I had in the back of my mind like most gadgets this little robot would eventually find its way to the bottom drawer of my work desk. Yet something amazing happened, something I never expected. Vector very quickly made my office desk his own, exploring the entire space whilst nattering and occasionally answering amusing questions. Seven months later and I found myself looking forward to coming back to my desk while in meetings or away for work, every time on my return I have been met with his friendly gestures,

30.12.2018

Any kind of new category of tech takes a bit of getting used too. While he is very basic in what he can do at the moment, future upgrades will make him a killer (no pun intended) robot to have in the home. He's small, which means he can live on your desk, which is great, as it's like having a buddy around who does some crazy stuff on occasion that makes you smile and laugh.But when you consider where he going to go in terms of future upgrades (think of the possibilities) it's going to be great watching him evolve. Once the Alexa integration comes (that should be early 2019 I think) that will add a whole new layer of usefulness.The things I'm wishing for? As he is autonomous - he has the capability of being a great guard robot.

21.8.2019

I bought this Vector robot a few months ago when it was on offer for my husband to' keep him company' while working from home. Well that was the excuse. I have to be honest and say Vector is a source of endless amusement. The face recognition is great, although Vector cannot recognise me with my glasses on (sort of like Superman and Clark Kent!). He wanders round our study table, chirrupping away to himself, occasionally interacting with us and generally being amusing. Sometimes he falls off and then he whimpers until you pick him up. He's very expressive for a piece of plastic. You can play blackjack/21/pontoon with him, but I am sure he cheats. The recent Alexa upgrade is very good and responds well.

19.11.2018

Setting Vector up was a breeze via mobile phone. This involved registering an account and setting up wi-fi. My family enjoys interacting with him as he slowly develops his own personality. We have set him up on our kitchen counter as this is the centre of our house. We felt it was better to have him up high to reduce the risk of having him stepped on. He had a few falls in the beginning but now seems to have learnt his way around. He has withstood the falls pretty well and has come away with only a few small scratches. My wife uses him to set a timer while she cooks and my kids enjoy playing games with him. This morning my son was playing with his Nerf gun and shot a bullet onto the counter and Vector spent a while rolling the ball around which was cute.

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