Kyle C.
Kickstarter Project on a Promising Path
tl;dr: Kickstarter project faced delays, but delivered an impressive first phase. Still waiting to see two more. I backed Yarbo on Kickstarter because of the modular design (snow blowing in the winter, grass mowing in the summer) and the use of GPS + RTK for mapping (as opposed to requiring perimeter wires). So far only the snow blower (S1) module has been delivered. But it exceeded my expectations. It did a surprisingly good job of working within the limited spaces where it is safe to throw snow around my driveway. I was impressed with the path planning and how well it navigated. The less harsh weather and more predictable nature of slow growing grass gives me optimism that the lawn mowing (M1) will run smoothly. But it will still be a few months before the module is delivered. Out of the 3 modules offered during the Kickstarter campaign, I have the lowest expectations for the leaf blower (B1). As of March 2024 (15+ months after the campaign ended), I have seen no updates on development efforts for this module. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not counting on much for this one. Other reviews have mentioned that the software does not feel fully complete and I will generally agree with that. But I have been impressed with the impact of the updates. There have already been significant improvements in the mapping process and the connection reliability. This gives me hope that things will continue to improve. Overall I've been very impressed with the Yarbo team's commitment to delivering a capable product. The delays have been frustrating, but it was clear when the first module was delivered that it had benefited from the additional testing and enhancements. There is still a long way to go with two more modules to deliver from the Kickstarter campaign and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action.
Response from YarboMar 19, 2024
Hi Kyle, Thank you for your detailed and insightful review! We're thrilled to hear that you're satisfied with the performance of Yarbo's Snow Blower S1. We're constantly working on improving our products, both on the software and hardware sides. Feedback from S1 module greatly contributed to the improvements made to our Lawn Mower M1. We're confident it will deliver equally impressive results once it's delivered to you in the coming months. Regarding the Blower B1, we understand your concerns about the lack of updates. Rest assured, our team is actively working on its development, and the updates could be expected later this year. Thank you for your support and patience throughout this journey as we work to deliver top-notch products and user experience. We can't wait for you to experience the full potential of Yarbo with the upcoming modules! Team Yarbo