It looks a bit like R2-D2 (the C1-P8 of Star Wars) not so much for the shape but for the movements and the look, it is controlled from the smartphone but it is not a drone or a toy (even if …): AppBot Riley is a home security camera, with wheels.
A somewhat crazy and potentially brilliant idea that solves many problems where home compliance does not provide an ideal position for the webcam, even if you still need to work a little more for a software that is up to the proposal.
AppBot Riley, the review
A Jedi at home
The package opens to the user with the Riley AppBot in the foreground, while just below there is the support and charging base, the MicroUSB cable and a power supply.
The good thing is that the MicroUSB cable has a double power supply for the left and right side, depending on where the cable arrives: this facilitates the positioning of the base (preventing the cable from seeing too much) but at the same time it is a help. at times indispensable for the “parking”, as we will see later.
The little robot, if we can call it that, arrived home with a thousand expectations, because we had seen and admired him at the presentation of Amazon Summer Circus and also because often the products that come from small startups are generous with surprises.
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Not a toy in the strict sense of the term, but it makes happy the little ones (and not) 
First connection
In reality, despite the idea as mentioned we liked it right from the start, the little one is not without difficulties: once removed from the box we had to put him in charge before really starting the operations.
Charging is not very fast and more than anything else you need to make sure that the robot is well positioned on the base for a correct energy run-up.
Once ready we proceeded to download the App of the same name available for Android or iOS (not universal, too bad) and started the pairing phase.
The App interface is sparse and functional, and let's say once inside everything works, but it is undeniable that to break into this world it takes a little more courage in the graphics, which are a bit dated.
Once inside we said, because the little one proved stable and responsive during the connection, but often refused to answer the App once they left, maybe after a few hours, making a new first connection necessary.
One of the interesting things about AppBot Riley is that it obviously connects to a wireless network and can also be controlled via 4G, in all functions (including movement), even if only on a 2.4 Ghz network.
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The charging base, with infrared sensors for automatic coupling
What it does and what it does not do
AppBot Riley does (almost) everything a home security cam does: it allows you to watch live, record a video (always live, saving it directly on your smartphone), take some photos and alert you if you notice any movement anomalous.
It does not do everything though: for example it cannot record photos and videos except live (because it does not have an internal memory), the camera is good but not excellent and does not allow you to focus on a detail at will.
On the other hand, it does things that maybe different cameras are not able to do, such as enabling night vision and moving in an area at will (covered by the Wi-Fi signal), which makes it particularly original and opens up new types of market.
The complete view, with all the options and controls on the side
Strolling
The ability to move is given by a system of tracked rubber wheels placed on the sides of the chamber. The wheels allow you to literally drive AppBot Riley anywhere through the App, which shows two large virtual joysticks on the screen: one of the two moves the video camera vertically while the second moves the whole robot in all four directions.
Some peculiarities are interesting, such as the possibility of performing a small stunt that puts the AppBot Riley back on its feet correctly if catapulted upside down (by a child or an animal) and to listen and “speak” through the integrated microphone.
Finally, when the battery is low (about twenty minutes walking around are enough to run out of battery) the AppBot Riley returns to its charging station, if this is close (about 1 meter), recognizing it and parking itself, thanks to a series of infrared sensors.
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Considerations
If we consider AppBot Riley as a security camera the comparison, honestly, does not hold up because although technically it is, at the same price you can find products with a certainly superior quality (but that do not move).
If, on the other hand, we consider AppBot Riley as a mixture of a toy for children (more or less large, the writer liked it despite their age), a leisure for dogs and cats at home and an alternative camera that allows you to check what's there. is around between living room and kitchen being on the other side of the world then it is a really interesting, curious and (very) funny device.
The tracked wheels, which allow high adhesion on all surfaces
Also valid for monitoring a fairly large house or a narrow space impossible to observe from a single fixed point of view, albeit in this case with a lower quality than a series of fixed cameras.
The cost is well considered: it is not low and it is not high, considering everything it does and promises, even if the fact remains that a software improvement is at least desirable.
At the end of the operations, Appbot Riley automatically returns to the base, if this is close enough
Pro:
• Movement is a curious feature • Return to the charging base alone (if close) • Very fun to use
Cons:
• The App can be improved • The connection system is not stable
Price:
• 149.90 Euro
Readers can find AppBot Riley directly from the Amazon.co.uk pages for the price of 149.90, including shipping costs.
