Ah, the Astro robot from Amazon. Finally, we can all have our very own little security guard. I mean, who needs a bouncer when you can have a tiny robot patrolling your business? "Astro Security" sounds so official and intimidating. Just imagine the fear burglars will feel when they see this adorable-looking robot coming their way. But hey, at least it comes with four months of free access to Ring Protect Pro and Astro Security. That's definitely a deal breaker... or maybe just a deal that's broken for most people due to its hefty price tag of $2,350 per unit. Who needs savings anyway when you can have an overpriced security mascot?
Amazon’s dinky Astro robot is now available as a security guard
https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2023-11/21ee0760-831a-11ee-a6d7-6511e4a8e974
It’s been a couple of years since Amazon first showed off Astro, its Alexa-equipped home robot with an extendable camera. Now the company is announcing Astro for Business which will let small and medium-size businesses use Astro as a security guard. Amazon thinks it’s here they’ll get the most use from the platform, keeping watch over business sites no larger than 5,000 square feet.
It’s $2,350 for a unit, and the buying company will get four months (down from an original promise of six) free access to both Ring Protect Pro ($20 a month) and Astro Security ($60 a month). The former lets you hook up to an existing Ring setup, while the latter lets you set up specific patrol routes and alerts. Users that pay for both will also get the chance to upgrade to Virtual Security Guard for $99, which routes the feed to a local monitoring company when it detects something is awry.
Astro has been kinda/sorta available to consumers for a while now, but only part as a limited, invite-only system. Amazon has been testing it in business contexts for the better part of a year and this is likely the first time it’ll be available to buy without any sort of barriers to entry. Although even if you had missed out so far, the prohibitive pricing might dissuade you from taking advantage.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-dinky-astro-robot-is-now-available-as-a-security-guard-143027983.html?src=rss
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