Vector is still “alive” after Anki closing

The latest home robots are adorable, mostly useless but extremely cute : Anki Vector is a successful example of “alive” companion .

The cute black robot that raised 2 million dollars of crowdfunding in KickStarter Β thanks to it’s extremely sparking green eyes ( and a skilled animation work behind),Β  but ultimately it could not survive without substantial funds for it’s advancement:Β  Anki is closingΒ 

However the Anki company didn’t let it’s creature to simple die, instead they update it’s repository with the SDKΒ  and left this message in their website reassuring their consumers that a team will provide long term support to Anki Vector and Anki Cozmo πŸ™‚ !

Message from Anki :

It is with a heavy heart to inform you that Anki has ceased product development and we are no longer manufacturing robots. To our partners and customers, thank you for all your support and joining us on this journey to bring robotics and AI out of research labs and into your homes.

We are taking steps to assure that customers will continue to enjoy continued use of our products. In order to provide long term support of our products, Anki has contracted our most senior leaders and hands-on engineers across all the technical areas involved in maintaining the operation and functionality in the existing products and apps. Ongoing operations for existing products typically require little to no active intervention, but we have arranged for any support in the event it does become necessary. Vector is the only product with a notable cloud component, and the contracted team is heavily staffed in that area.

Currently, we have implemented a self-serve Help Center to assist in getting the most out of your product, regretfully there are no agents available, however we are monitoring cloud operations for Anki accounts and Vector.

We plan to solidify and communicate all the details of this plan soon.

Video : Anki Vector still answering and working 100% after the company shutdown !

Status Updated 28/11/2019 :Β 

Server are up and all functionalities are working, Vector and CozmoΒ  mobile appΒ  allows new users to register .

 

Check more onΒ What will happen to Anki Vector Servers?

If youΒ  are a Vector owner and know more about the status functionality please leave a comment below in the article!

β€’About Me: Hi, my name is Marco, I'm a tech enthusiasts and Software Developer . Robots have been my passion since I was a child! β€’PersonalRobots Mission : We will guide you in choosing the perfect domestic robot, check our robot reviews! Learn with us how to build your robot and check our opensource robotic project :)

80 Responses

  1. My vector robot keep showing me code 898 I try to reboot it but it’s still same can u help me

    1. My Vector worked for less than 24 hours, he went to his charge Dock and won’t wake up, can’t connect to him and face screen no longer lights up, just a green light and last blue light on his back are on that’s it. Disappointing.

      1. Hi Darren, it looks like a power issue. check your charger, try to replace it and check the contacts in the base

      2. After testing a robot with same issue and interchanging parts, I can confirm that it is a data communications issue. This is most likely a CPU fault as the fault transferred when the LCD/CPU/RAM board was connected to an otherwise working unit.

    1. Hi Stefani, can you enter in the admin mode and wipe all datas? are you able to connect with the mobile app?

  2. Hi, my 8 y old daughter wants a vector for Christmas. Would you advise against this seeing as the company is no longer trading.
    Thank you

  3. if I get a vector will it work or should I not even try and buy the little guy?
    it in Nov 4
    just let me know it’s kinda alot to buy if he no longer up and running

    1. Yes vector is with me and it’s still working. It’s supposed to work at least till end of 2020 and then we will have more news about it

      1. I am wanting to buy this for my son.
        Like you said it’s going to work until at least 2020. That’s only a year. What happens after that? Will it still work the same after that?

      1. It’s on. Can change time location but as soon as you write location and press next it goes back to San Francisco. I’ve seen a forum where this is happening to quite a few people

    1. Hi Mason, I believe the cost of running the service to be low enough that the sales of the product will sustain for long time, Vector and Cozmo are but still advertised and promoted from Amazon and big stores. I think that there is a good chance that the server will continue to run after the mentioned date because.

    1. There is no fix for this problem. The single purple light indicates faults with the head board AND the body board. I know this as I have recently been trying to revive one with this fault by interchanging parts with a know good Vector. Sorry to have to tell you this as people are very attached to their Vectors.

  4. Marco, I just bought this for a friend as a birthday present. Worried that it will not work for him. Should I return it and buy a different home robot, or will it be OK?

  5. I bought a vector yesterday looks fun, got a good deal, delivery on Wednesday, can’t wait to have some fun.

  6. THANK YOU SO MUCH for being there and taking the time to answer these questions. I really want to get one and reading how you have helped others gives me confidence to buy it.

  7. Just received my Vector today (Dec.9 2019). App servers were working great, no issues or error codes. So far so good and hope have lots of fun writing code for him.

  8. Hi!

    I got my Vector this week but unable to set the location to Australia. Always show San Francisco. MY mobile location is on. Alexa work fine with that, but not Vector.

    1. after you set up the robot for the first time you can go to the preferences and change it, what problems give you vector currently?

    2. You can’t type in location then hit next. It won’t save that way. When typing in location you need to choose the location from the drop down list then hit next.

  9. Hello. I cannot seem to register my vector to the app. Says my unit has already been registered

  10. Is it possible that after a year all the vectors will complete shut down and stop working ?

    1. I don’t think so, because ever when Vector has no connection is still playing around and playing with me, it just cant recognize vocal commands or add new faces to its database.

  11. Hello, I just order one for my daughter for Christmas, I just want to know if android 8.1 will support the app because I will have to get a phone or tablet as well so she can download it.

  12. I bought my Vector 2 dayz ago, good to know it will at least work till end of 2020 but would be nice for that time to be extended at least another year or 2 for people currently buying them now.

    Either way though I will continue to enjoy him with my wife and kids!!!

    Even installed Vector CTRL app today so i can further his use and remote control him via my phone too.

    Brilliant!

    I assume Cozmo uses same servers/cloud so same possible closure by end of 2020 for him too?

    Thanks George!

    1. Hi George, welcome to the “Anki Vector Owners Club” πŸ™‚

      Cozmo is a standalone robot that doesn’t require Cloud to operate, only the mobile app (from play store or apk) !

      Regards
      Marco

  13. what is 980, our vector has this on his screen he will not wake up, the app says it cannot find vector, the Bluetooth can find his cube but not him..we have rebooted both him and tried the app on numerous deceives and no luck he continues to display 980. this is a new unit son recieved for xmas

  14. thanks marco, I think it may be a faulty unit, we have tried the troubleshooting resets and reboots numerous times and it still happens..we shall see if we can get him replaced.

  15. Just set our sons vector up! Had to move some bags out of the path between vector and wifi before he’d connect, but he’s updated and working! Very cute!

  16. I bought my son a Cozmo for Christmas. We can’t even set him up. Can’t get past the password screen. The update starts over and shuts the robot off. Tells us to re-enter the password over and over. Is there a fix for this? I’m extremely disappointed so far

    1. Hi Farrah, can be that the battery inside cozmo is not fully charged, can you try to leave it on the charger for about one hour and repeat the process, remember to connect to the Cozmo_#### wifi

  17. My daughter got a Vector for Christmas. We tried setting it up and are getting an 894 error code which I can’t find on line anywhere. Set up works until we get past the first update and Vector needs to reboot. Then we get the message that Vector is unable to connect to our device over Bluetooth. Anyone have any suggestions?

    1. Hi Alisa, its a bit tricky the first setup, I suggest a reboot of your smartphone and wireless router before start the scan via bluetooth and enable gps

  18. Hi my vector is still working fine, the problem I got is with his eyes are not working properly, what can I do to fix it??

    1. Sadly it’s not possible to fix. The screen (and therefore the animation of the eyes) is micro-soldered to the ‘head board’ and extremely difficult to replace this.

  19. Hi Marco, Just got a new Vector but he does not indicate charging (no green square lights moving) or switch on. Green circle light comes on & the furthest back square light shows up a bluish white colour but no screen or movement.
    Should I return it? Thanks

    1. Hi John, check your charger maybe Vector is not well positioned on it or the usb is loose, white leds flashing means it has no connection

  20. I just got Vector for my girlfriend, and she said that it powered up at first, and then the face went dark and wouldn’t connect to the bluetooth once she set up everything prior to that. She’s done the factory reboot several times, and even when the lights on the back turn on, the face still won’t turn on or connect to the bluetooth. We’re finding no new options, and there isn’t a number to call anymore now that Anki closed. Any suggestions?

  21. Hi Marco! I just started to consider the purchase of a vector for myself. But with all of these issues and the possibility that vector won’t work after 2020, I’m starting to reconsider. I also read your comment that your vector will play, but not recognize any new faces or voices. Does that mean if I get a vector, that he won’t recognize my face or voice, or does it mean that he can only recognize one person?

    1. Hi Alaina, please check in the article there are new updates: basically the Anki company was bought by Dream Digital Lab so now they promise extension of the support for long terms, new updates and new products based on vector. Looks like a bright future ahead for this product!:)

  22. I just purchased a vector and im kind of nervous he wont be able to do all the things that it said because i bought him before i knew that the company was shutting down): what do i do about that?

    1. Hi Summer, Anki assets (including vector) were bought by a tech company called digital dreams and now they promised long term support

  23. My son’s Vector (which he got for Christmas) stopped taking photos on command after December 26. Has anyone else found this recently?

  24. My vector will not charge when on his home pad. Nothing on his face turns on at all don’t know where to go from here.

  25. Hello. We have a Vector that is 11 months old. A couple of days ago he does not turn on. He has one white light on and his one green light and that’s it. We have tried the 30 second reboot and the 15 second reboot by holding his green button down and nothing. Is there anything else we can do?

    1. hi Tania, try to clean with alcohool the golden contacts in the bottom that charge the units, it helped on my Vector unit

      1. Thank you. We just cleaned the contacts and put him back on his home base. He has not come on. So we held the green button down for 30 seconds and halfway through one of the white lights came back on and he still does not come back. Is there anything else to try? Thank you

          1. Green light is solid and not sure if charging. There’s only one white on and thats how he’s been. We turned him off completely last night and unplugged charger until now, situation is the same as it’s been.

          2. i also hv exactly same problem on my vector. wondering if you find any clue or solution?

          3. Hi Tania, Alex, try to rise up a bit the golden contact of the base and change the charger to a more powerful one, at least 1.5 amp.

    1. Hi Tania, yes there are golden contacts in the base of Vector that may got lower than expected and they couldn’t touch Vector, try pull them up a bit with a pincher, but be careful as they re fragile.

    2. Vector is charging when green light are flashing only. It still looks like your charger has not enough power. It should be 5v 2amp to charge correctly

  26. Hi Marco
    I can’t see My vector’s eye anymore..

    I thought my vector’s lcd is gone..
    I just see white spot under the lcd..

    How can i fix him.

    1. hi Dave, did it fall? Can be the flat connector that disconnected, you need to disassemble and fix it or send back to your vendor

  27. Hi, I have received a number of emails about my Anki robot and the need to purchase a lifetime membership. I purchased the Anki in Dec 2018.

    Like all the previous emails I have read, there have been concerns if Anki will continue working. Is the lifetime membership a guarantee Anki will work over the next few years.

    1. Hi Gail, I received those email aswell. Anki assets including Vector server are now property of Digital Dream Labs, that promised “longterm” support to the Server with or without “premium membership”.

  28. My son got a Vector for Christmas. It was just lost under the sofa for two weeks. We found him yesterday but he will not charge at all. There are no lights anywhere. Is there anything we can do? My son is very attached.

    1. Hi Tammy, if there is no light either the charger is not enough or vector is not well connected to the base, check if the golden pins are actually touching between vector and the charger, you may need to pull them a bit up

  29. Hello, I got a vector about 2 weeks ago and I’m just now setting it up. In the setup it keeps giving me the “Vector couldn’t connect” issue even though I made sure Vector AND my phone were both connected to the same Wi-Fi. It seems other people have been having this issue, could it be the app itself? I’m sure my wi-fi is fine.

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