In 2002, iRobot released the Roomba with the goal of changing our cleaning habits. It also spawned one of the greatest YouTube videos of all time: a cat wearing a shark costume while riding the vac. Now, nearly 15 years later, the innovative autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner could change America’s favorite game. No, not baseball. Beer pong.
A video entitled “Roomba Pong” has racked up more than 400,000 views since YouTube user Megan Noll uploaded it. The footage shows a group of people playing a game of backyard beer pong, but instead of placing the cups on top of a table (boring!), the cups are taped on top of two moving Roombas.
Roombas have a series of sensors that allow them to avoid obstacles when cleaning your home. They can also detect steep drops, which keeps them from falling down stairs, or in this case, off beer pong tables.
While the above video certainly shows an interesting twist on an old drinking game, we wouldn’t expect Roomba Pong (aka, Beeroomba) to catch on. One of the biggest appeals of beer pong is that it costs practically nothing to play. All you need is beer, some cups, and a ping pong ball. Adding a Roomba adds an interesting element to the game, but it also adds a $325 price tag (at least).
Still, at least one other group decided that the best use for their autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner was to move red cups around a table. It could be a fun way to spend Fourth of July weekend, but we shudder to think what might happen should one — or all — of those cups happen to spill all over the bot. Not even the Braava, iRobot’s robotic mop, could likely save its vacuum friend.
Drink, and beer pong, responsibly.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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