SmartPong Robot

Nice machine, however I'd prefer Robo Pong 2040 or Robomaster II.
I mean, 1699.00 is just little bit too much for a machine.

Good point Alan.
But is remote and spin switch function really worth about $1000.00 more?

It's a free market, for sure, so no criticism of your comment. :-)

But from where I sit, the fact that the ball head is motorized to change spin from ball to ball in a very precisely controlled way, that this can be programmed into a sequence or changed 'on the fly' and that there is no control box or wire connection required...

those are unique features and the change of spin in sequence is beyond any other one-wheel design I know. Most robots wth that function are $3,000 US and above.

www.smartpongrobot.com

Alan

Alan, cool robot, wish I have the cash.  As far as being "overpriced", I actually think it's reasonable.  Hopefully with more of these on the market, the competition will drive the pricing to a more mainstream level.  GL w/ your endeavor. 

clannewton wrote: Alan, I purchased a Stiga programmable robot several years ago that is the exact configuration as the speedpong, even instructions and owners manuals are the exact same.� Do you know the history of the evolvement and history of the distributors and possibly why Stiga stopped marketing them?� Stiga advertised and marketed them for less than a year in the US and then you couldn't find them anywhere in any Stiga product info.� Also a response to the statement that "expensive robots are for the pro's" is ridiculous.� A live person is always better than a robot because of the variation of the�way a human hits the ball is not machine-like�as a robot so if you are going to play humans than humans provide the best training for each other.� Robots are great when you have no practice partner and expensive robots try to replicate even more of�human capabilities �but are not capable of hitting with the variation that real human players do.� Even multiball training with a human is far superior than multiball training with a robot.� I dare say you can't find a pro who trains with a robot other than promoting one for a company and then it is just for the advertisement.

Have you ever heard of saying "figure of speech" what I implied to "pros use" was just that.

Now, and you can and would spend so much money on a machine that has so many functions. But as you said, machine may never replace a human opponent... Then why the hell would you pay $1600 for a robot when there is a robot that does the job at about $500.

And also please read my other reply to this post. As I said if you have so much money to burn then go right ahead and do so, as in you prefer Mercedes over a Civic? be my guest and enjoy your money. However, I will stick to a $500 machine, not that I own one, if I was to buy one.

My robot  is cheap and easy to use........my dad

I think the point that Alan was trying to make is, compared to robots with comparable functions, the smartpong has a lot of bang for the buck.   Now granted a robot isn't necessary to play table tennis but for someone who only has access to a table tennis venue only once a week but desires more training time and does not have access to a training partner (due to whatever: time conflicts, location distances) a robot is a nice substitute.  Granted, money is a limitation on how upscale you want to get with a robot purchase, but upscale means more realism as in how much the robot will imitate human play.  I have owned the "$500 model" and I now own the "$1600 model".  And quite simply the $1600 dollar is much nicer with more options.  Is it required?  No, but if you have the financial flexibility than that's great.  But to dismiss it and disparage it because there are cheaper versions seems reckless.  If you want to go down that road why spend even the $500?  You can just tilt one half of the table and play against that or play against the wall.  Or you can just shadow stroke and save on the cost of the ball and a table.  Or better yet, why even play table tennis as a hobby as there is a cost?  Walking might be cheaper.  Whoops, I forgot, shoes cost money, how about walking barefoot? 

clannewton wrote: I think the point that Alan was trying to make is, compared to robots with comparable functions, the smartpong has a lot of bang for the buck.�� Now granted a robot isn't necessary to play table tennis but for someone who only has access to a table tennis venue only once a week but desires more training time and does not have access to a training partner (due to whatever: time conflicts, location distances) a robot is a nice substitute.� Granted, money is a limitation on how upscale you want to get with a robot purchase, but upscale means more realism as in how much the robot will imitate human play.� I have owned the "$500 model" and I now own the "$1600 model".� And quite simply the $1600 dollar is much nicer with more options.� Is it required?� No, but if you have the financial flexibility than that's great.� But to dismiss it and disparage it�because there are cheaper versions seems reckless.� If you want to go down that road why spend even the�$500?� You can just tilt one half of the table and play against that or play against the wall.� Or you can just shadow stroke and save on the�cost of the ball and a table.� Or better yet, why even play table tennis as a hobby as there is a cost?� Walking might be cheaper.� Whoops, I forgot, shoes cost money, how about walking barefoot?�

LOL yeah yeah very funny.
Then let me ask you this, why settle with a machine that is about $1600?? Why not go all the way? Say, spend about $3-4k maybe?

I poure one of these every month into my Jeeps tank. Time to buy Geo Metro lol.