Meet BB-8 the app-enabled Droid™ that’s as authentic as it is advanced. BB-8 has something unlike any other robot – an adaptive personality that changes as you play.
The BB-8’s head is held in place with magnets. The toy also uses low-energy Bluetooth and its charging crate plugs into a USB port for power. The BB-8 connects to iOS or Android devices. Once the BB-8 is paired to your device the companion app can take control of the BB-8. There are three modes for the BB-8. The modes are Driving, Holographic Messaging and Patrol. Again, don’t get excited. We don’t really have the technology to achieve real Holographic Messaging persay. The way Sphero got around this limitation was to used its augmented reality engine to turn videos into Star Wars holographic messages that can be viewed on the app. Sphero plans to work with Disney and Lucafilm to add more functionality in the future. The BB-8 goes for $150 from a the list of retailers. You should get one as soon as possible because we are betting that it is going to be in high demand. We are just going to say it now. Sphero’s Is The Star Wars Must Have Holiday Toy.
“It is a connected toy. It will only get better with time as we get exposed to the story [Star Wars: The Force Awakens]. As we get to learn more about the character, we can bring more to it. It’s not a plush toy, this is it. It is a robot. Now that we have that capability, it opens up this whole new realm. How do you tell a story with a physical robot? This is the perfect character to do it.” ~CEO Paul Berberian