
How well does Astro work?Īstro accomplishes an incredible number of tasks, with widely varying performance. This personality is still nascent, but it definitely lends the little robot a different flavor than Amazon's smart display counterparts. Unlike Echo devices, Astro plays host to both the Amazon voice assistant Alexa and its own quirky, nonverbal personality, expressed using two animated eyes and a wide variety of playful beeps, boops and purrs.
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Robotics programs at three universities will also get a software development kit for Astro to start building more automated routines.Īnother distinction, though it feels slightly less formed so early in Astro's life, is its personality.

In September 2022, Amazon announced that the robot will soon be able to add pet monitoring to its patrols and check your windows and doors to alert you if they're open. Mobility is also an essential aspect of Astro's growing set of automated features. It has the same 10.1-inch screen with a 5-megapixel camera on the bezel - which lets you video chat, albeit from a bit of an awkward angle - and two front-facing 55mm speakers with a passive bass radiator. Who is Amazon Astro?Īmazon Astro looks a lot like an Echo Show 10 smart display on wheels. It still isn't available to the public, a year after its big reveal at Amazon's annual devices and services event. Not that you're likely to have the chance to buy Astro soon.

But as a product you can buy and use in your house right now, it simply lacks the utility or clear identity to make it worth the price.

In its capacity as an investment by Amazon in the consumer robotics space, Astro is a fascinating device with a whole lot of personality and promise. It is real technology in the hands of customers and we're already getting valuable customer feedback, while at the same time, optimizing core functions and adding new features." "It's Amazon's first step into consumer robotics, but it won't be the last. "Day 1 Edition products are all about bringing big-picture ideas to life and Astro is just that," said an Amazon representative.
