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iRobot, which brought robotic vacuum cleaners to the masses with its iconic Roomba models, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Massachusetts-based company plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, a Chinese company known as Picea Robotics. If approved by a bankruptcy court, the move would allow iRobot to "continue operating in the ordinary course, pursue its product development roadmap, and maintain its global footprint," iRobot wrote in a press release.
The company expects the deal to close in February 2026, but says it will continue to operate "with no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or ongoing product support." That means your Roomba should continue to clean normally and you'll be able to get consumables and replacement parts.
However, investors of common stock "will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment" if the deal is approved, iRobot stated. The company didn't discuss how the move might affect its employees in the US or elsewhere.
Bankruptcy seemed a likely outcome for iRobot after Amazon dropped its $1.7 billion acquisition of the company last year following a veto threat by European regulators. The company's fortunes continued to decline and it issued a statement to investors in March 2025 that it had "su
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Tabletop games are a popular, screen-free activity that brings people together. They also make excellent gifts for anyone on your holiday list.
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NEW RESOURCES Progress and Poverty: Launching CivicMapper: Visualizing Land Values in 3D. "Today, we are thrilled to launch CivicMapper, a new interactive tool that brings cities to life through 3D visualizations…. CivicMapper […]
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 Amazon and Best Buy this weekend have all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. These discounts beat the Black Friday prices we saw last month by about $30, and both retailers have delivery options that provide guaranteed arrival dates before Christmas.
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NEW RESOURCES International Council on Archives: SAHR Announces its New Database "Truth and Reconciliation Mechanisms Archives Locator" (TRMAL) on International Human Rights Day and Discusses Human Rights Archives. "The TRMAL is a […]
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CNET explored every kind of pet technology to see what we -- and our four-legged friends -- liked the most.
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If all you know about smart glasses is Meta Ray-Bans, I'm here to open your eyes about what's on the way.
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AI adoption is rapidly expanding across industries, but workers are saving only 40 to 60 minutes per day, on average.
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 Satechi and MacRumors partnered up this week to offer our readers an exclusive 30 percent discount on select products for a limited time. This sale is available only on Satechi's website and is set to end on Monday, December 15, so this weekend is your last chance to take advantage of the deals.
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Engadget staffers spend the entire year poking, prodding and otherwise testing the latest tech gadgets. So we've got a pretty good handle on what's unique and interesting right now. We put together this list for anyone looking for a good gift for that tech-obsessed person on their gift list. Some of these are devices we've tested for our reviews and guides, others are items we bought for ourselves (or wish someone would buy for us). We've got more than 35 picks here, from nearly every member of the Engadget team. Chances are, you'll find a good gift or two for every tech nerd you know. Here are our favorite tech gifts and gadgets for 2025.
Best tech gifts and gadgets
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Finding the right gifts for everyone on your list this time of year can be a major source of stress. It can be even more daunting if you're trying to stick to a budget all while getting the folks you love things that they will really appreciate. But there's also a good chance you're getting fed bad gift ideas (and just as bad deals) if you're browsing the web frantically searching as we get closer and closer to the holidays.
Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you'll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We've got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more.
Best white elephant gift ideas
According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.
Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas
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It's become cliche to say that we live in a golden age of board games, but to paraphrase the great stoic philosopher Andy Bernard, it's great to know you're in the good old days before you've left them. Great titles are still coming out by the thousands every year, from crowd-pleasing party games to genre-bending, theme-heavy Euros. Whether the gamer in your life is looking for a mind-warping challenge, a fun evening with friends or something in-between, we've got new releases or old favorites they'll love.
The best board games to gift (and play)
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NEW RESOURCES Texas State Library and Archives Commission: State Archives Announces Collections Newly Accessible Online. "The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has announced new and revised finding aids recently made […]
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NEW RESOURCES Divernet: War Log maps out 1,000 Baltic shipwrecks. "A new open-access database called the War Log has been released, recording the many forgotten but often well-preserved historic Swedish warships that […]
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NEW RESOURCES Turkish Historical Society and machine-translated from Turkish: Cemal Pasha Photograph Collection Opened to Remote Access. "Photographs from the Cemal Pasha Collection, held in our institution's archives, are now available for […]
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Network connectivity and security are key areas for IT investment as well as potential barriers to global success, according to new research.
Nearly half of CIOs claim that establishing and managing connectivity in new markets is the single most critical factor when it comes to ensuring successful global expansion, according to Expereo, which surveyed 650 large enterprise and mid-market CIOs across Asia, Europe and North America for its research. In addition, 49% of CIOs report that their board views global connectivity as "a business-critical asset to growth."
To read this article in full, please click here
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