Enabot Ebo Air 2 and Air 2 Plus review: cute robot companions for pets and families
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From keeping an eye on your pets to doubling as fun family companions, we put the new Enabot Ebo Air 2 and Air 2 Plus robots to the test
Visions of the future often included robots working away in our houses as our personal assistants. And, while we're not quite living in an episode of The Jetsons, we now have robot vacuum cleaners, robot lawnmowers, and even robot window cleaners.
But there's a company that's been making robot companions for a while now, and they're aimed at people who want to keep pets and family members safe and entertained in our absence.
They're probably not what you're thinking of. There are no animatronics, they don't look anything like humans, or dogs, or anything like that. They actually look like mini motorbike helmets. But they're cute, clever, and surprisingly affordable.
These are the latest innovations from Enabot, a company that's registered more than 100 patents in its pursuit to create the perfect addition to your family unit.
Many years ago, I tested one of their first launches, the Ebo Air. And then I compared it with their flagship product, the Ebo X. These cute little robots have proven extremely popular, with more than 800,000 people using the Enabot app worldwide.
I was more than ready, then, to test the two latest launches from Enabot, the Ebo Air 2 and the Ebo Air 2 Plus.
Here's what I think of them both.
Ebo Air 2
Ebo Air 2 is marketed as a pet camera, and it's aimed at dog and cat owners who want to keep an eye on their fluffy friends while they're out.
Sure, you can watch your house with fixed cameras, but these robots can move around your house, and even follow your pet around. It's a smarter, if more expensive solution.
It runs around on rubber tracks, and comes loaded with sensors and a camera, and its centre of gravity is set perfectly to keep it upright. If it rolls over, it should be weighted to get back on its wheels.
Unlike the original Air version, the Air 2 comes with a 2K camera, which offers significantly better image quality and, importantly superb night vision.
On the display, which is behind the black "visor", there's a dot-matrix display, which is programmable, so you can give your little robot a personality, with facial expressions and funky shapes. This won't excite your pets very much, but it does make it a fun toy for youngsters.
Moving the robot around is done either with controls on the app screen, or by using preset action buttons, which are like simplistic "tricks". There's really nothing in there more impressive than something like a "figure of eight", don't expect any acrobatics, but it's all rather fun.
Obviously, the Ebo Air 2's most compelling feature is its security credentials. The novelty of the companion and play functions does wear off fairly quickly, but you're left with a surprisingly smart mobile CCTV system.
I've been using it to keep an eye on my two dogs, and it's brilliant for checking up on them while I'm out. I can even use a two-way intercom system to talk to them, or tell them off. There's even a laser pointer, which is good for a giggle.
There are, however, a few flaws. It's not impossible for the Ebo Air 2 to get stuck. Thick rugs and tight corners can be a nemesis and, if this happens while you're out, that's it. No more surveillance.
And while the self-righting system works very well, it's possible for the robot to roll over at just the wrong angle, or to lodge itself on an obstacle and, again, you're stuck.
The tracks are miles better than the older wheeled system on the original Air robot, but they're still not infallible.
The Air 2's battery life is pretty impressive, and that's handy if you're using it on a live view for long stints, but its system for returning automatically to its charging base was hit and miss. Hopefully a few updates will sort that, and the app is very good, so you'll know when these arrive.
It's not a flawless performance, then. But it's not really aimed at those who want a serious CCTV setup in their house. It's more just a fun toy to keep track of your pets, and maybe give your kids a laugh from time to time.
And at £199 it might seem a bit of an indulgence for a mildly functional toy, but it's still something a bit different for the pet owner who thinks he has everything.
Ebo Air 2 Plus
Because it costs quite a bit more than the Air 2, you'll be pleased to hear the Air 2 Plus packs quite a bit more tech into what is actually a similarly-sized body.
The first bit of tech that strikes you is the significantly cleverer display, again hidden behind the black visor panel.
It's a full LCD system this time, which makes for much more endearing facial expressions and, straight away, you feel like it has a little more in the way of personality.
Another big difference is the camera resolution. While the field of view and night-vision aren't really any different, it now has a 3K sensor - and that really does make a difference to the footage.
The biggest upgrade, however, is a software tweak that builds in an AI system, used predominantly for tracking motion. This means the robot knows where you are or, more importantly, where your pet is. It can even follow them around now, which is such a big upgrade.
Only, it's not just another pet camera. Yes, it's good at monitoring people and pets in your house, but it can act as a two-way video calling system.
That trick display on the front can show you an image of another user, so you can use it for moderately effective video communication.
This, you can probably imagine, is great for keeping an eye on kids or elderly relatives. Not only will it follow a subject around, you can interact with them in real time, in a two-way conversation.
This means it's a more comprehensive, and more effective, companion robot than the Air 2, and more suited to more serious and important endeavours. Essentially, it has all the good features of the Air 2, but adds some seriously clever and useful ones.
It doesn't however, avoid some of the big flaws. Chief among these is its vulnerability. Although the obstacle and motion detection is absolutely better in the Air 2 Plus, it's still not perfect. Occasionally it "lost" my dog, and I had to manually find it again to reinitiate the follow mode.
It also gets stuck from time to time, despite having a cleverer avoidance system, and it's still not perfect at finding its battery base, especially in low light.
The biggest issue with this device as a pet tracker, however, is going to be exposed by anyone who doesn't live in a bungalow. Just like a Dalek, the Ebo series is scuppered by stairs.
I live in a two-storey house and if either of my dogs want to escape this all-seeing eye, they've learned that all they have to do is chase up the stairs. It simply can't follow them.
So it is a remarkably good pet tracker, they both are, but there are definitely some limitations.
And while the Air 2 Plus is certainly the more clever and more polished performer, an extra £169 is a lot of money to pay for some features you might not make the most of.
But it brings me back to the same conclusion, if you want to harness the most high-tech way of tracking your pets - or loved ones - around your house, and you want to play the occasional fun game with an unapologetically cute little companion robot, you'll love these great little gadgets.
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