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Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
WowWee Rovio Wi-Fi Enabled Robotic Webcam. A revolution in home exploration and telepresence, ROVIO is a Wi-Fi enabled robotic webcam that easily moves in any direction and can be controlled remotely. View and interact with ROVIOs environment through its streaming video and audio from its built in camera. Use ROVIO to check on your family while away from home, watch over your house while away on vacation, or look over your pets during your lunch time. In the office, enjoy movement enabled web conferences with colleagues, using ROVIO anywhere. Direct ROVIOs movements, neck mounted camera and audio from your own living room or anywhere in the world, via the Internet, using any web accessible device such as a cell phone, video game console or PC. Use the menu to set and select way points, with one click you can tell ROVIO to navigate itself to the chosen point, without having to control each step yourself. With built in LED lights to help you guide ROVIO through dark hallways, you will always know what is going on at home or at the office. No need to worry about ROVIO running low on power while you are gone, with self docking capabilities, send ROVIO back to base to recharge with the touch of a button on your browser, wherever you are. When it is done charging, it is ready to take on its next tour.
Product Description
WowWee Rovio Wi-Fi Enabled Robotic WebCam Access your home from anywhere in the world with the Rovio Robotic WebCam! Rovio detects your computer settings for you and guides you though the process. Let Rovio roam freely and see its point of view directly on your PC using its Wi-Fi remote controlled webcam. Interactive audio and video will stream from Rovio directly to your PC. See and hear exactly what Rovio sees and hears, on your screen, anywhere in the world. Store location points so that Rovio can navigate itself around the home, without you having to control each step. Rovio will always have power, even when you are not there to recharge it. At the touch of a button you can send Rovio back to the recharge base using its self-docking capabilities, even if you are not at home! Specifications WiFi connectivity/ 802.11g/ also works with 802.11b devices Rechargable batteries included One recharge station LED illumination 3x wheel motors 3x omni-directional wheels 1x camera motor 1x VGA CMOS sensor 1x speaker 1x built-in microphone System Requirements PC compatible computer with a minimum Pentium 3 processor or equivalent Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems 256MB of RAM USB Wireless Access Point device connected to PC High speed internet connection Internet Explorer 6 or higher required for two way audio feature
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
234 of 242 people found the following review helpful
Durability:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Educational:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fun:
4.0 out of 5 stars
As a previous reviewer said, I really, really want to love my Rovio. It has great potential, but these first units are awful. WowWee should not have succumbed to pressure to release it before it's ready. I can't recommend anybody buy one at this time, for the following reasons:
1. The robot won't play back paths with any accuracy. I've given mine clear paths with no obstacles, and it still manages to run into chairs and the TV. And that's with the NAV signal showing strong. Maybe if you had your own empty gym, it'd work great, but if you live in a real house with furniture, the robot won't navigate reliably.
2. The robot usually runs out of battery power before it manages to dock, so the self-recharging feature is a bust.
3. Audio doesn't work (in or out) on any browser but Internet Explorer.
4. The camera positioning options are poor (low, a little lower, and let's-stare-at-the-ceiling are your only choices).
5. The battery life is poor too. Maybe an hour if you're lucky, and since it won't make it back to the recharger, Rovio will die and be useless from remote.
6. The headlight is absolutely laughable. The camera can't be used at all in low-light conditions.
7. While there's almost no forward illumination, Rovio will annoy you with the pulsating blue LEDs on top.
8. My dock died after less than two weeks of ownership.
I'm sure I could think of more reasons to wait for a new version before buying, but those are just the ones that I immediately recall as unacceptable. This product simply doesn't work.
Bye bye, Rovio. You're going back to Amazon.
1. The robot won't play back paths with any accuracy. I've given mine clear paths with no obstacles, and it still manages to run into chairs and the TV. And that's with the NAV signal showing strong. Maybe if you had your own empty gym, it'd work great, but if you live in a real house with furniture, the robot won't navigate reliably.
2. The robot usually runs out of battery power before it manages to dock, so the self-recharging feature is a bust.
3. Audio doesn't work (in or out) on any browser but Internet Explorer.
4. The camera positioning options are poor (low, a little lower, and let's-stare-at-the-ceiling are your only choices).
5. The battery life is poor too. Maybe an hour if you're lucky, and since it won't make it back to the recharger, Rovio will die and be useless from remote.
6. The headlight is absolutely laughable. The camera can't be used at all in low-light conditions.
7. While there's almost no forward illumination, Rovio will annoy you with the pulsating blue LEDs on top.
8. My dock died after less than two weeks of ownership.
I'm sure I could think of more reasons to wait for a new version before buying, but those are just the ones that I immediately recall as unacceptable. This product simply doesn't work.
Bye bye, Rovio. You're going back to Amazon.
57 of 59 people found the following review helpful
By Mark Rahmani
Amazon Verified Purchase
Durability:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Educational:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fun:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I want to like Rovio.. I really do... But I still haven't decided if I'm keeping mine...
I've got docking issues with mine - not sure if it's just this unit, but it keeps trying to dock too far to the left (sometimes it succeeds - every other time it doesn't.. and when it does work, it takes forever to dock.)
The webcam on this is ok for well lit rooms, but is *really* poor for dark rooms - and the headlight is a joke - it's really dim. For being what it is, Wowwee should have concentrated on a better webcam/better light.
The navigation works ok, as long as it doesn't move it while trying to dock to it (which it always does - despite being against the wall..)
As a toy, it gets a solid 5 stars from me (althogh I think it's overpriced - they should have priced it ~$200 or so..)
But as a remote controlled webcam sentry robot (in my case, to be used in spying on our pets), it gets 3 stars...
-mark
(PS - it has problems with the 1/2" ledge between our kitchen and living room..)
I've got docking issues with mine - not sure if it's just this unit, but it keeps trying to dock too far to the left (sometimes it succeeds - every other time it doesn't.. and when it does work, it takes forever to dock.)
The webcam on this is ok for well lit rooms, but is *really* poor for dark rooms - and the headlight is a joke - it's really dim. For being what it is, Wowwee should have concentrated on a better webcam/better light.
The navigation works ok, as long as it doesn't move it while trying to dock to it (which it always does - despite being against the wall..)
As a toy, it gets a solid 5 stars from me (althogh I think it's overpriced - they should have priced it ~$200 or so..)
But as a remote controlled webcam sentry robot (in my case, to be used in spying on our pets), it gets 3 stars...
-mark
(PS - it has problems with the 1/2" ledge between our kitchen and living room..)
40 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By Raag
Amazon Verified Purchase
Durability:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Educational:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Fun:
3.0 out of 5 stars
It is true that it is a mobile webcam. Web interface is really good. I checked with IPhone but the browser crashed 2 out of three time on IPhone. I have not checked the two way Audio yet so I can not comment on it.
For this high price the webcam pic quality is really bad and way too dark. The only way you can see the picture clearly if the area or room has very good lighting like 2-3 tube lights in a very small room otherwise you are out of luck to see anything in larger room with 1-2 lights in it.
Front LED which suppose to help to see in poorly lighted area is useless, it shows the tiny part of object if it is very close (like few cm)to that object.
I saw one hack to install more LED in it to increase the visibility but it is not for everyone you need to have very good knowldge of electronics which I dont.
In this price you can buy three entry level Axis IP cameras and get very good pic quality in very low light ( I have two of them and I am surprised by the quality of those cameras)
I dont recommend buying this for such high price unless they reduce price around $150.
The other review here, is very misleading most probably written by their own people.
Very disappointed with the product.
For this high price the webcam pic quality is really bad and way too dark. The only way you can see the picture clearly if the area or room has very good lighting like 2-3 tube lights in a very small room otherwise you are out of luck to see anything in larger room with 1-2 lights in it.
Front LED which suppose to help to see in poorly lighted area is useless, it shows the tiny part of object if it is very close (like few cm)to that object.
I saw one hack to install more LED in it to increase the visibility but it is not for everyone you need to have very good knowldge of electronics which I dont.
In this price you can buy three entry level Axis IP cameras and get very good pic quality in very low light ( I have two of them and I am surprised by the quality of those cameras)
I dont recommend buying this for such high price unless they reduce price around $150.
The other review here, is very misleading most probably written by their own people.
Very disappointed with the product.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this little robot!
I bought Rovio to check on my house while I'm on vacation and so far it works amazingly well! It works great with Windows 7 and google chrome, as long as you download the latest... Read more
Published 12 days ago by Judith
4.0 out of 5 stars
Does what it says!
This is great if you have money to burn and want to play with robotics, theres a lot that can be done with this item for those that can play! Not a cheap gift!
Published 6 months ago by Nick M
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love my Rovio
I must admit it took all day to find and install the latest firmware and drivers, but it was worth the effort.
This thing is freaking amazing. Mine works fine. Read more
This thing is freaking amazing. Mine works fine. Read more
Published 6 months ago by L. Gonzales
1.0 out of 5 stars
Paper Weight
I revived one of these for Christmas as a gift. I decided to get it out and play with it 4 months later since I have some spare time. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Anthony
4.0 out of 5 stars
Are you kidding me?!?!
I bought this robot to roam around the house over the internet when I was not home. It has done all of that and more. Those who gave this a bad review must be doing it wrong. Read more
Published 14 months ago by arthur adams
1.0 out of 5 stars
TOO MANY NEGATIVE ISSUES! ***DO NOT BUT ***
I got my rovio well over a year ago in a woot sale for 99$. I was pretty excited when it arrived but quickly found how bad this product is. Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. Batschelet
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth the headache
This could be really cool but the software is very complicated to set up and will not even work with the CD that it ships with. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Peter Freeborn
3.0 out of 5 stars
WIll need parts replaced so expect to tinker with it
This is actually a great idea and design- but the parts are very poor. I had to replace the sensors in the feet (And I had to soldier some connections,) one of the LED's is out,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by RoMeR
3.0 out of 5 stars
A very complicated affordable toy with potential
This really isn't a toy. It's more like a high school computer lab project that someone patented and sold. Read more
Published 20 months ago by K. Stiles
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's not for the average user
I bought this for experimenting with home robotic navigation and localization. The biggest advantage this platform has is the amount of 3rd-party software available for... Read more
Published 21 months ago by D. Cohen
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