Never to be outdone by their human counterparts, robots have begun cross-promoting. November 20th will see the release of the Wall-E edition of iRobot’s Roomba 530. This special edition Roomba is just like the original 530 only it features a likeness to our favorite computer animated robot. As mentioned, they go on sale in Japan on November 20th for ¥,84,500. No word as of yet on an American release.

IRobot Corp., which makes robots used in consumer and military applications, has been awarded a whopping $286 million Army contract to build and army of robots to disarm explosives.

The company will deliver up to 3,000 robots and spare parts and provide training over the five-year contract.

The previous company contracted for a similar job, Robotic FX, was given the boot.

Now this is something I need – a gutter-cleaning iRobot.

While the premature update has now been removed, the Looj gutter cleaning robot, is coming and none too soon with Fall around the corner.

Described as: iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot – cleaning an 80-foot section in 10 minutes. Works with standard K-style, aluminum, copper, metal or vinyl gutters.

And when I say that, I mean it in a good way: the more that robots become part of our everyday lives, the more they’ve progressed to the point of being real tools. That means more investment, greater breakthroughs, and vastly improved capabilities. So, iRobot’s Looj, although a lowly gutter cleaner, is helping to blaze a trail.