Baupost 2015 Year End Letter - Download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online. Seth Klarman letter.

The robots were first introduced in 2002 and the latest models are the 7th generation introduced in September 2016 for $699.99 and the introduced earlier last year for $499.99 and. The top of their product line is the introduced in September 2015 for $899.99. Introduced in November 2013 (current pricing: $545) is the best-featured model after the 980.

The revamped in 2012 (current pricing: ~$350) is the best-value in the line-up. The main features of the new 900 and 800 series robots are: • Tangle-Free AeroForce™ Extractors: Dual counter-rotating extractors incorporate a durable rubber tread design that grabs and breaks down dirt and debris from any floor type.

• Airflow Accelerator: The accelerator brings the vacuum power right down to the floor surface, creating a sealed channel that concentrates the airflow, drawing in more debris. • High-Efficiency Vacuum: A compact and efficient high-powered motor provides a five times improvement in air power than previous Roomba generations. • XLife Battery: Twice as many cleaning cycles as previous Roomba batteries. • iRobot HOME App, Entire Level Cleaning with Recharge/Resume along with Carpet Boost: These are additional features in the 900-series models. The iRobot HOME App allows scheduling from anywhere and at anytime. Entire Level Cleaning allows one level of your home to be cleaned in one go (up to 2 hours) - if the battery runs out, the recharge & resume feature comes into play - it automatically returns to the charging base, recharges, and resumes until the job is done.

The Carpet Boost (980 only) feature increases the motor power as the Roomba transitions from regular floors to carpeted floors. The 700-series models introduced in 2011 have the following key technologies: • The 760, 770, and 780 models have the dual-HEPA filters that capture dust particles as fine as 0.3 microns. • The 760, 770, and 780 models have the AeroVac Series 2 bins that holds more than standard bins and also pulls debris and hair from brushes into the bin. • The 770 and 780 models have the Dirt Detect Series 2 technology that uses optical sensors to detect dirt and debris in addition to acoustic sensors used in the other models. • The 770 and 780 models have a Full Bin Indicator. • The 780 model has a Touchpad Control as opposed to Buttons in the other models.

• The 790 model introduced in June 2012 adds a wireless command center to 780 for $100 more. All 700, 600 (introduced in 2008 and revamped in 2012), and 500 (introduced 2007) series models have the following common features: • 3-hour charging – Faster charging compared to the previous model that has charging time of 7 hours.

• Spot cleaning – Allows quick cleanup of spills and concentrated masses. • Self-charging home base – Automatically returns and self-charges. • Voice Demo – Quick introductive video with self-demo – Cool! • Light-touch bumpers – Identifies furniture, etc. Slows down, lightly touches, and changes direction.

• Dirt detection – spends more time on dirtier areas. • Virtual Wall – Allows blocking off specific areas within a room. The primary differences in technology between the different 500 and 600-series models are. • Technology: Aerovac (suitable for pets) and cleaning (iAdapt and Dirt Detect) technologies are new on the 620 and higher models.

• Lighthouse vs Virtual Wall Technology: Virtual wall technology allows Roomba to block off areas and lighthouse allows Roomba to navigate between rooms thereby allowing cleaning of multiple rooms efficiently. IRobot has a policy of including the Lighthouse technology only in the higher-end models of their latest series. The unfortunate side-effect of this is that the same model has Lighthouse technology or Virtual Wall technology depending on when it was purchased. When 500-series was first introduced, 535 and above had lighthouse while the 530 had the virtual wall.

Similarly, 630 and above had lighthouse and 620 had virtual wall. But, after the release of their 600 and 700-series models, the lighthouse technology was removed from their 500 and 600-series models. • Wireless Remote Activation– Allows Roomba to be controlled and scheduled remotely – Included with 570 and up. For 535 and upwards. • On-board scheduling – 560 and up.

• A high-capacity sweeper bin – this came new with the 532 and 562 pet series. It holds three and a half times the amount of debris that the standard one that comes with the other 5-series products hold.

The 564 pet series product feature the AeroVac bin which combines the high-capacity capability without degrading the vacuuming power (has a suction motor). • Max Mode – Allows Roomba to run until batteries are almost drained and then return to home base. This feature can be very useful to clean large open areas such as in an office floor. Added Feature, Accessory, and replacement part ~$310 Technology: Aerovac (suitable for pets), iAdapt & Dirt Detect cleaning. ~$325 Features of 620 PLUS virtual wall & better battery (40-minutes longer run-time). ~$350 Features of 630 PLUS Scheduling. ~$410 Features in 572 PLUS Dual HEPA Filters, AeroVac Series 2 Bin.

~$450 Features in 760 PLUS DirtDetect Series 2 Optical Sensor, Full Bin Indicator. ~$500 Features in 770 PLUS Touchpad Control, Room-to-room Navigation. $520 Features in 780 PLUS wireless command center, extra filters and brushes, storage and carrying case. ~$500 New Technology: Tangle-Free AeroForce™ Extractors, Airflow Accelerator, High-Efficiency Vacuum, XLife Battery, and One Virtual Wall. ~$530 Features of 860 PLUS Two Virtual Walls instead of One. $545 Features of 870 PLUS Remote Control and Lighthouse Technology (room-to-room navigation) instead of Virtual Wall. $699 New Technology: Entire Level Cleaning, Recharge/Resume, and iRobot HOME App.

75-minute run-time. $899 Features of 960 PLUS Carpet Boost. 120-minute run-time. Double the air force in AeroForce. •, and models were introduced in August 2012. They have Aerovac (suitable for pets), and latest cleaning (iAdapt & Dirt Detect) technologies. The 650 has scheduling while 630 does not.

The 650 & 630 are good upgrades to the 530 and 550 models respectively. Compared to the 700-series, they do not have the dual-HEPA filters and the heavy duty 'Aerovac Series 2' and 'Dirt Detct Series 2' technologies. • Roomba 655 is a Costco-exclusive product that is the same as 650 with the following extras: XLife Battery, Brush Set, Filter Set, two cleaning tools (Round Brush and Flat Brush) and two C-batteries. • There is one other model called the 610-Professional. It's model numbering is an anomaly as it is a 500-series robot with additional bells and whistles (Max Mode, 2-year warranty, Bonus Accessory Kit, and Storage Box). It is no longer generally available although sometimes pop up.

Roomba also sells certain models with technology from the previous generation as well as a number of models. Re-manufactured Roomba's are available for between $50 and $100 less than their brand new counterparts. The downside is that they usually come with a 90-day warranty. Best Value Recommendation: The 900, 800, 700, 600, and 500-series Roomba’s are excellent products that can save busy households’ valuable time. The is the best value at $699, if you want the state-of-the-art product (Entire Level Cleaning, Recharge/Resume, and iRobot HOME App).

The 700 and 800-series models now have limited availability: the is available and is a good value at ~$500. It has all the technologies introduced in the 800-series: Tangle-Free AeroForce™ Extractors, Airflow Accelerator, High-Efficiency Vacuum, XLife Battery.

The is also available and is a good value at ~$410: it has the key technology enhancements made in that series (Dual Hepa Filters, Aerovac Series 2, and Dirt Detect Series 2). Among the Roomba 500 and 600 series models, our recommendation is to go with the model with the best proven technology & features: for around $350. Upgrading: If you have pets but own a 500-series robot as opposed to the PET-series robots, purchasing the is a good option to consider.

Parts, Accessories & Add-Ons: The one part that require periodic (every six months or so depending on use) replacement with - they are inexpensive (less than $10). The brushes along with the filters are as well for around $40. Other parts that need replacement, albeit less frequently include the ($25 and up) and what is termed the (around $50). A useful accessory to clean hair that wraps around the brushes tightly is a ' (very inexpensive). Other innovative add-ons follow: • that allows controlling the Roomba from anywhere with an Internet connection.

• air-freshener/diffuser which goes for around $17 for the and around the same for the. Hard Surface Cleaning: iRobot acquired Evolution Robotics (Mint line of products) in 2013, a pioneer in hard surface robotic vacuums. Soon after, iRobot announced the Braava line of products for hard surface cleaning. The current products are the for $199 and for $299. The additions in the 380t are a better battery (four hours dry-mop or 2.5 hours damp-mop), Turbo Charge Cradle (two hours), and the Pro-Clean system (includes a system to keep the cloth clean & damp throughout the cycle and the cube-to-cube navigation for larger areas). The really compact 240 uses the new iAdapt 2.0 Navigation System and has 3 different modes (dry sweeping - single pass, damp sweeping - double pass, and wet mopping - triple pass) For hard floors, these vacuums are equipped to do a much better job than the Roomba - the cleaning method consists of a dry cycle that sweeps the floor followed by by a wet cycle that mops the floor. The relatively silent operation and ease of handling make it a very good option for regular cleaning.

IRobot's Scooba line is an alternative and is suitable if your cleaning requirements are more heavy duty (Three-Cycle Cleaning Process - automatically sweeps and pre-soaks, scrubs, squeegees, tackles stuck-on messes and washes away over 99.3% of bacteria). Hacker's Corner.

Roomba provides an open API and encourages robotic enthusiasts to explore the limits of the product. Below are links to resources. Anyone inclined to explore this option should also consider the following additional resources: • or the that explains the following cool projects: Build a serial interface tether, Set up a Bluetooth® interface, Drive Roomba, Play with sensors, Make it sing, Ceate a Roomba painter, Use your Roomba as a mouse, Connect Roomba to the Net, Wi-Fi your Roomba, Replace Roomba’s brain, Build the RoombaRoach, Install Roomba-cam, Put Linux® on Roomba. • Companion Website. As part of iRobot's commitment to building a future for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in the United States, the company introduced the (limited availability) in mid-2015. This hacking tool is aimed at introducing students to the fundamentals of robotics, computer science and engineering.

Related Posts: •. Last Updated: 06/2017. Hi Joe: Thank you for pointing out the sold-out link on HSN and the question about LNT coupon. We did a little lookup and here is what we found: a) For HSN, the following link works and it is listed as in stock: b) For LNT, there is now an exclusive email signup that allows 20% discount in their main page: We have updated the links in the post as well. Hope this helps! Regards, One Family's Blog. Own 535 model for about a week.

Use it every day. Works great so far. I currently live in a carpeted 3br alone, being out to work 12 hours a day, so this thing is absolutely invaluable for me. I've read all the negative reviews, then bought it.

$212.42 at hsn.com, + $34.95 2yr warranty (I guess you'd want it too). No illusions, prepared to spend some money for spare parts in (near?) future. Reviews are discrepant about the iRobot customer service, from 'excellent' to 'it sucks'.

I somehow more inclined to believe in the latter, but we'll see. The thing is FUN to watch (and show to a guest;o), but it does really good job too, judging from the amount of dust it gathers every time. Of course, have to spend 2 minutes cleaning it after every 2-hour working cycle, which is fair enough, if you ask me. Cut hair from the brushes with scissors. Remove all chairs, shoes, etc, from the room, place the base there, shut the door, then leave for a day.

At night, find the room (supposedly) clean, and Roomba charging itself at the base. Had to adjust the height of a sofa to let it under.

10 minutes of hard work, but I am a man in the house, am I not? (Remember, no illusions! It's NOT your regular vacuum.). Have not used the lighthouse yet, the instruction is a mess, bought D-size batteries, but they do not fit, need C-size. But (!!) I found that closing doors works perfectly as well!

Otherwise, it works too, but sometimes has trouble returning to the base from another room. Not really a problem, just works till the battery dies, then has to be charged for a few extra hours. One of my rooms is a loft, and the robot feels pretty comfortable there, has not fallen from the stairs so far. Runs at full speed towards the abyss, then somehow manages to stop on the brink every time. Could not believe it at first, stayed 'on belay' for a half an hour, but now feel comfortable leaving it working upstairs unattended (we'll see;). For a computer guy, it is really interesting to guess its algorithm from its behavior.

My best guess it is completely randomized, with ~60% chance to go at a sharp (~15-20 degrees) angle after hitting an obstacle, and the rest is showing a 'smart' behavior following a wall. Resulting in some room areas covered obviously better than others.

IRobot says everybody's welcome to play with its programming through some open (?) API, but I did not investigate it yet. Depending on its computational power, it might be possible to apply some state-of-the-art AI algorithms to improve it.

At least, make it remember the room configuration. Can you elaborate on the difference between the virtual wall and the lighthouse? I'd like to save some money but since the newer models come with the lighthouse it would seem like those would be more likely to be compatible with newer models as they come out. (Can newer models also use the virtual wall? Confused.) I'm looking at getting both a PET series Roomba and the new Scooba that is coming out in Spring 2011. Would one charging base would be compatible with both, and if so which model of Roomba? Also, can anyone attest to how well the Scoobas do cleaning dirt/liquid out of tile grout?

Word on the 'net seems to be mixed. Lastly, I know people have recommended the lower model numbers of PET series (e.g. 532 over 572), and my question is why? The iRobot site itself has not been very helpful to me answering this question.

So glad I found this site - you seem very educated about the Roomba's. I live in Florida with tile throughout the 3 bdrm house which I share with my 2 dogs (a German Shepherd and a boxer mix) and 2 cockatiels. Sweeping about twice a week I seem to create a small dog every time! My yard has no grass - only weeds and lots of sand which they seem to bring in with them every time they go outside. I'm looking for a Roomba that I can program to work everyday while I'm gone for the day, so I know I have to have a programmable one.

My concern is if the 550 or 560 is going to be able to hold the dog hair well enough if I run it every day. Or should I pay the extra to get the pet series vacuums. Is it going to be able to pick up all the sand or will the sand be a problem with it? I've been researching this for about 2 months now, but these two questions are what's holding me back from purchasing one. Anonymous said. Shbrtami I bought the Roomba 565 Series and it was great but it never picked up my cat hair, I used it for 3 months and then took it back to buy the Pet Series 550 model (I bought mine from costco and it comes with extra parts which I found in the 3 months I used the 565 was I probably would need to replace parts in another month i.e- side spinning brush) the only thing I miss is the handle on the 565 series.

I hope downgrading to a 550 was a good idea, I thought I was getting the one on line from costco which was the 572 series but when I arrived at the store it was the 550 series and I already took my 565 series back and it was on sale for $250.00 when I bought it. Hi, I'm wondering if there's a difference between the 595 and the 660 (which appears to be the same as a 650 with a few extra accessories). It seems the 595 has the same technologies as the 650 - just wondering if you know whether there are any underlying (hardware?) differences between the 2. I can get the 595 for $20 cheaper and it comes with an extra virtual wall as well as extra bristle and beater brushes.

If there aren't any noticeable differences between the actual robots, it seems the 595 would be the better deal. Any suggestions? Hello, I've read and reread your posting in addition to exploring all the model options that seem to best suit my needs. I read your comments and there is a question from someone back in 2009 that is similar to mine.

But four years later, perhaps the answer has changed. I'm looking for the most cost effective choice of a Roomba that can pick up exceptional amounts of pet hair and debris from hardwood floors. How To Install Navigraph Torrent. Even after reading everything, I'm still perplexed as to which model could be the cheapest and where I would get the most bang for the buck. Everything from the 532, 626, 564, 572, 585, 595, and in some instances I'm not certain if some of those older models are still around. With that said, what is your recommendation for me?

I know that you say the bells and whistles are no matter and I agree - I just want the best cleaning job for the least amount of money (cake and eat it too). I appreciate your feedback. Thank you so much for all of the information! It's so helpful in making a decision.

I am also one of those people trying to decide between two - the 585 from Sam's Club and the 620. Removing cost from the picture (as the costs are virtually identical), what are the differences? I have a cat and a household member with plaque psoraisis so it would be fantastic to have something to go over our tile and laminate floors each day.

What difference is there as far as maintenance? Thanks again! A reader asked about the difference between Roomba 655 (Costco-exclusive model) and. Here is my response: The Roomba 655 is a very good value-for-money choice. However, it doesn't have the dual Hepa filters and the bin-full indicator. Also, the cleaning system is a generation ahead in the 700-series models (Dirt Detect 2 and Aerovac Series 2 compared to first-generation Direct Detect and Aerovac).

One key feature of the 655 model is that it comes with iRobot's newest battery technology (XLife) that was introduced in the 800-series models. I just upgraded my two 650s with non OEM lithium ion batteries www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBAV8Dy. (this is my first time using Roombas and I bought them via craigslist with dead/dying batteries and in need of cleaning - which compared to 'traditional vacuum cleaners was a walk in the park - I have rebuilt Kirbys, Hovers and Kemores and Roomba hands down is the easiest to renew). The lithium ion batteries took FOREVER to charge the first time (in the 12 - 24 hour range. Best Service Artist Grooves Serial.

I love your blog! I wish I had found this sooner! I have been reading reviews all over the place for days. Cyber Monday is tomorrow and I have been/am looking for the best possible Roomba for me; as all as looking for a great deal on one if I can get it. (After researching other brands as well like the bObsweep and the Neato and having narrowed it down to the Roombas hands down.) I have short carpet with a few short rugs in my bedroom (the large one with a very thick edge however but it is rigid) where it will do most of its work, with an open floor plan onto tile into the bathroom.

The rest of the space that it will clean is all hardwood flooring (long wooden hallway down into a very open floor plan for the wooden dining/living area) as well as a tile floor for the kitchen. I am also more than happy to clean the brushes and empty the bin regularly etc. But would prefer a larger bin to a smaller one, and am interested in the feature when it tells you the bin is full if possible. Having a remote would also not be unwelcome.

However if there is a unit that just takes the cake at eradicating long cat hair, that takes precedence. I know this is short notice and a reply before I make my purchase is unlikely, but just in case someone is out there with some valuable input pre-purchase I had to take a stab at it! There is an overwhelming amount of information out there and this is the most informed site I have found! Thank you for your time and effort to put it together!

I am most concerned with having a new pet robot that loves to clean up after my three long haired cats. One, in particular, having long white hair that manages to just COAT my 9' x 12' burgundy, gold and cream rug every other day (those furs cling to it like they found their forever home). A HEPA filter seems ideal in the end and I would really like to have that feature, but I looked at units without it as well. A virtual wall would be lovely, but lighthouses seem unnecessary to me. I am hoping to find one for under $400 with a little Cyber Monday magic and was wondering what your recommendation would be for pet fur busting Roombas? With Cyber Monday deals I have seen some 700 series in my price range, but have no idea if they are the best choice or not.

I have been reading reviews on the 595, the 650, the 770 and the 780 as I have seen each of those at sale prices in my range with 3 year warranties. I lost out on one of the sales already though as it ended 15 hours earlier than it said it would (went to sleep having added the 780 to my Amazon cart with 21 hours left on the sale, and woke up to find it moved to my 'save for later' items and back at regular price for $130 more), and I am hoping I see a better deal tomorrow! Thank you for your time and I hope everyone had a fun Thanksgiving 2015.:) -Courtney.

Hi Ks, Thank you so much for this blog. I've been researching for a few weeks now for the best solution for maintaining my floors. I've read through all your information and also been on the iRobot site.

Our house is approx 3400 sq ft with about 2500 sq ft of that being hardwood floors (3 bedrooms, office, kitchen) and the other 900 being tile (travertine / porcelain in the bathrooms, guest bedrooms and entry). We don't have pets at this time and no kids, so the messes are minimal but the floors still need attention weekly. We live in the country, so we have dust, spider webs, shoe scuff marks, and I have long hair that tangles in most sweeper brushes. After reading your info on hard surfaces, I'm wondering if a better option is the Scooba or Braava, instead of the Roomba.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for what would fit our situation best for the hardwoods and the tile. We don't have any carpet, but do have about 10 rugs throughout the house. If the Roomba is still the best, is the tangle free debris extractor worth the extra $$.

If floor mopping or scrubbing would be better, do you have a recommendation? I worry that 'scrubbing' would be too abrasive on the hardwood floors. I also have a large tiled patio that I would love to mop as well. Thank you in advance for any feedback and thanks again for the blog. I have a Roomba-571 and a Scooba-350, Model-6000 that I purchased when they first came out.

My Roomba quit working (even after I wasted $ buying new battery just in case) and my Scooba only cleans about a 6' circle (even after buying new battery for it). It is time for me to upgrade and I could use some advise from owners of the newer models. I am considering a Roomba-980 & Braava-380t; or the Scooba-450 to do both tasks. I have 7 rooms w/ hardwood floors and a kitchen w/ large-tiles. I've read the Braava-380t doesn't do well with grout but that's ok if it will clean the rest effectively. Please advise.