Robotics Company Anki Shutting Down

[DeepIn2U]

First deliveries took place in July 2017. First deliveries to non-employees and non-previous owners started in December 2017. I took delivery in April 2018.

I've rebooted my screen only thrice in that time (and two of those instances were because LTE coverage dropped out and I was trying to get streaming music back quickly). The screen comes back up in about a minute, but everything still works in the meantime. I can even activate and control Autopilot while the screen reboots. Speed isn't an issue as long as you're going with the flow of traffic. Tesla did a very good job making sure driving functions are completely sandboxed from screen interactions (different computers in fact).

Do you have a link for when EverythingApplePro's screen turned when launching the iOS app? I can't find it. If it was a legit bug (and from all the messing around he does with his car), I'm sure it's already fixed.

There are other cars that don't have the speedometer directly behind the steering wheel. Prius and Mini Cooper are two off the top of my head. And continuous line of sight is not critical for driving, in fact, it's dangerous because that would require not checking your review and side view mirrors.

Regardless, once you drive a Model 3 you realize how easy it is to check the speed. It takes no effort. I instantly adjusted to it. And I quickly developed the muscle memory to turn on climate controls without looking. Most of the other stereo functions I can do with voice commands.

I'm still looking for the link as I was watching a LOT of iPhone reviews and one of his recent videos touched based on an earlier video he made.
EverythingApplePro
While reviewing Samsung S10+ review he mentions issues with iPhone connectivity to Tesla Model 3 - 6mins in.

Many other car manufacturers and the police pretty much would disagree with speedometer line of sight. Hence the reason for texting while driving (here in Ontario, Canada - using AppleWatch for 11secs+ also) is considered distracted driving. We haven't seen any Tesla car driving accidents yet, nor even with Prius/Mini Cooper. We'll see but just about 90% of the competition has it, even with HUD.

Why did you have to reboot your screen manually? I'd be concerned to having to do that even 3x in a year - April to April is a year, not over a year unless it's days but I'll concede that as I interpreted a few months longer (my bad perception there). Sure your car can STILL drive ... but you could be accelerating just slightly and if a cop gets ya ... there is no argument you can make to avoid that ticket/demerit points in court.

Still LTE affecting the one console that reports your speed, maps ... is NOT a good thing at all. I still feel they should be separated on a smaller screen.

Either way I guess adjustment is dependent on the end user and their previous driving habits.

 

[barkomatic]

Yikes. I have a Vector and when it wasn't connected to the internet it didn't do much because it needs to connect to a server. I have a feeling that it'll be a paperweight forever now unless the SDK slips out.

I think there is a market for clever companion robots but I think they'll need to be more conversational. Vector just made noises and did cute things--like a pet. It sold pretty well though and got great reviews for what it was. It was an interesting experiment that is on the way to something else.

Google Duplex inside a robot--that would be something.

 

[erthquake]

It's late April. I got my 3 in early April last year, hence "over a year." Trust me, the speedometer's location is not a distraction. Any Model 3 owner will testify to this.

Rebooting the screen is easy. You just hold down the two thumbwheels on the steering wheel for a few seconds and it reboots. I didn't have to do it at the time. I could have waited until I got home. One time, the audio was a bit scratchy. One time the LTE seemed to disconnect. It's not like you lose screen access forever when you reboot. It's only about one minute. I can do just fine with or without maps. I did for all my life before I got my Tesla.

Besides, a speedometer is not as critical for safe driving as you make it out to be. A police officer will almost never pull you over if you're going with the flow of traffic. And if I ever needed speed verification, I'd use the footage from the car's cameras.

I'm still looking for the link as I was watching a LOT of iPhone reviews and one of his recent videos touched based on an earlier video he made.
EverythingApplePro
While reviewing Samsung S10+ review he mentions issues with iPhone connectivity to Tesla Model 3 - 6mins in.

Many other car manufacturers and the police pretty much would disagree with speedometer line of sight. Hence the reason for texting while driving (here in Ontario, Canada - using AppleWatch for 11secs+ also) is considered distracted driving. We haven't seen any Tesla car driving accidents yet, nor even with Prius/Mini Cooper. We'll see but just about 90% of the competition has it, even with HUD.

Why did you have to reboot your screen manually? I'd be concerned to having to do that even 3x in a year - April to April is a year, not over a year unless it's days but I'll concede that as I interpreted a few months longer (my bad perception there). Sure your car can STILL drive ... but you could be accelerating just slightly and if a cop gets ya ... there is no argument you can make to avoid that ticket/demerit points in court.

Still LTE affecting the one console that reports your speed, maps ... is NOT a good thing at all. I still feel they should be separated on a smaller screen.

Either way I guess adjustment is dependent on the end user and their previous driving habits.

 

[shadowmatt]

Not surprised at all, considering the lack of feedback and updates from Anki. The Vector had so much potential, but even that late save with Alexa integration was too little too late. Vector needed to be four times the size and actually serve a purpose, but it was just a toy. Sad to see this company go though, some very creative and brilliant people there.
[doublepost=1556630873][/doublepost]
I'm curious if their servers and app will be taken down, otherwise I'm with you. If I can pick up a Vector for $50 I'd bite.

It didn't have potential. It was a joke when it launched. Their answer was to promise Alexa integration, which it didnt really need.

It needed working software.

It needed an app store / the ability for developers to write apps for the device.

It needed an SDK which was open to the public rather than just the kickstarter backers.

I put as much on their developer forum, was abused by hardcore kickstarter backers and then banned for a week.

I even gave them the example of how the iPhone took off after the app store and how Apple didnt even see the apps being a big thing, but in the end thats what made smart phones smart.

 

[Doctor Q]

When I am looking for toys for my kids, I generally avoid those that rely on a screen.

I have more and more trouble finding toys that aren't electronic at all. I love tech toys as much as anyone, but kids should have at least some toys that don't plug in or require a mobile device.

I could only sigh when I saw the latest version of the stacking rings for babies. The toy store sells a version with batteries inside, so it will light up and play sounds when you get the rings stacked properly. Perhaps they don't know that babies can learn to stack them, or simply play with them, without electronic rewards.

Now I'll go back to doing my math homework on my abacus, once I find an AC outlet to plug it into.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I have more and more trouble finding toys that aren't electronic at all. I love tech toys as much as anyone, but kids should have at least some toys that don't plug in or require a mobile device.

I could only sigh when I saw the latest version of the stacking rings for babies. The toy store sells a version with batteries inside, so it will light up and play sounds when you get the rings stacked properly. Perhaps they don't know that babies can learn to stack them, or simply play with them, without electronic rewards.

Now I'll go back to doing my math homework on my abacus, once I find an AC outlet to plug it into.

I so totally agree. It's probably a good thing I never had kids. The whining and whaling would be epic. I saw a 'trog family' with their two spawn in the local restaurant, INSEPARABLE from their screens. I mean, literally playing on them while eating. I don't remember them actually setting them down and interacting with anyone aside from complaints if the parents tried to make them put them down while eating. And the parents seemed proud as punch that their kids were so absorbed in the whole hot mess.

A study recently found that private schools do not rely on screens, tablets, and computers, and students have drastically low exposure to them on a daily basis (they can afford to hire real teachers?) where today's public and charter schools use them for damn near everything.

It's sad... When I think of the teachers I had, and all the interactions, I can't imagine a homogenized mash of onscreen 'learning'. It's tragic... Those products of a screen lead life will be making the food we eat as we get older.

People find it odd that I don't think schools should be using tablets, or that I don't do online banking, or have my bills set to 'auto-pay'. I'm old, dammit... I was taught to not trust 'the man'. *shrug* Now we have unquestioning younglings learning to obey. I still have my HP 16C!
[doublepost=1557421518][/doublepost]I've also been away traveling. Did they die?

 

[Googlyhead]

At first I mixed them up with Sphero and was more upset. But this also sucks because I thought that Vector robot toy looked pretty cool. Wanted to get one for my daughter when she was a year or two older and when the price came down a little more. Maybe it will be on a huge discount now and I can pick one up for under $100.

Perhaps a company like Sphero will take the brand and/or IP?
Both companies have products that are good in some ways, but lacking in others:
Its a little disappointing that the Sphero 'robots' are just 'dumb' remote control.

 

[Doctor Q]

I have more and more trouble finding toys that aren't electronic at all. I love tech toys as much as anyone, but kids should have at least some toys that don't plug in or require a mobile device.

Uh oh. Hot Wheels has succumbed.

 

[duervo]

Uh oh. Hot Wheels has succumbed.

Yeah, I saw that. Trying to keep that one a secret from my boy. Although, $6.99 per car is a lot cheaper than what Anki was charging for their cars. Way, way cheaper. Like, almost a tenth of what Anki was charging. Starter kit seems to be similarly priced though.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

So the local Target store has clearanced out the cars, but not the track kits. I asked a customer service person about the track sets, and she looked them up on a handheld device, and it quoted a sale price of $44.88 for the movie tie-in (Fast and Furious) kit, and then looked up on a different device and got the current listed $120.xx price. She had no idea why the kits were listed for two different prices, but since they didn't have any of the kits in stock, they could only order the kit for store pickup at the higher price. So I went to target.com, and they played all ignorant. 'Nope, the price listed is what it'll sell for.' Curious way to sell things, when they have effectively two different prices. The website listed the standard prices for the cars too, much more than the price they were marked at in the store.