Amazon made a $1.7 billion offer for iRobot, the company that makes Roomba robot vacuums, mops and other household robots. The deal will keep Colin Angle as iRobot's CEO but is still contingent on the approval of regulators and iRobot shareholders. Founded in 1990 by MIT researchers, the company initially focused on military robots like PackBot. It marked a major turning point in 2002 when it unveiled the first Roomba -- the debut robovac racked up sales of a million units by 2004. The company eventually bowed out of the military business in 2016.

That's certainly one way to make a logo. Amazon has agreed to acquire autonomy startup Zoox for a sum in excess of $1 billion, according to sources cited by The Information. The news comes hot on the heels of a Wall Street Journal report last month indicating that such talks were taking place. The deal, confirmed in an Amazon blog post, would value Zoox at significantly lower than the $3.2 billion valuation it received during a funding round in 2018. But given the current state of the economy, a seven-digit payout is nothing to sniff at.

Amazon has bought self-driving car company Zoox. The company aims to build autonomous vehicles that people will be able to order like taxis, and will now do the same under Amazon's direction, it indicated. Zoox was developing robotic vehicles without steering wheels, brakes, and accelerator pedals. The news was first reported on Thursday by The Information before being announced by Amazon. The purchase gives Amazon control of a 1000-person team, which had previously been designing prototype vehicles for travel in urban areas.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday may be over, but Cyber Monday is here, and it's one of your last chances to grab several Amazon devices, plus lots of other electronics, kitchen appliances, and even fashion over at Amazon. We've gone and sniffed out some of the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon you can find, including Instant Pots, Fitbits, robot vacuums and more, below. Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Amazon has bought home security startup Ring for £700 million ($1 billion) in a move that could help the internet giant's delivery arm reach into people's homes. Ring's doorbells capture video that can be streamed on your smartphone and other devices, and allow you to chat remotely to those standing at your door. The security devices could work well with Amazon Key, a smart lock and camera system that lets delivery personnel put packages inside a home to avoid theft or, in the case of fresh food, spoiling. Amazon has bought home security startup Ring for £700 million ($1 billion) in a move that could help the internet giant's delivery arm reach into people's homes. 'We're excited to work with this talented team and help them in their mission to keep homes safe and secure,' an Amazon spokesperson said.

SAN FRANCISCO – Amazon confirmed Tuesday that it bought video doorbell startup Ring, in a move that could help the internet giant's delivery arm reach into people's homes. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but online reports valued the deal at more than $1 billion. "We're excited to work with this talented team and help them in their mission to keep homes safe and secure," an Amazon spokesperson said. California-based Ring came into the spotlight with a failed quest for funding about five years ago on reality television show Shark Tank. Ring went on to win backing from the likes of billionaire Richard Branson and Amazon's Alexa Fund.