This is the coolest toy I've ever had, and I'm 33. The folks at Sphero clearly were in a rush to get the product out the door for the movie release, but they've kept their promise to update him, and I expect that they will continue to unlock the immense potential of this little guy in the coming months.
Pros:
-Sooooo cute! The little autonomous head movements make him feel alive. He's just full of personality.
-Good battery life. I've yet to have him run down on me during a play session (though I don't think I've tried to push the hour mark)
-Durable. The body is made of very thick plastic. He's taken some tumbles, and though the head will sometimes fall off in an impact, he doesn't have a scratch on him. He takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.
-Controls are easy to learn and use.
-Sphero continues to update the actions and sounds available.
-Compatible with other programs like SPRK Lab and Tickle (iPhone only) for infinite programming and customization. This allows you to use BB-8 like a regular Sphero. He's more versatile this way, but not as cute. It's the head movements that really make him special, and older Sphero programs don't account for that added motion.
- Voice commands are pretty fun, though there are only a few to choose from.
Cons:
- The current interface is very limited. There are 12 programmed actions, and you can of course drive BB-8 freely. There's no light functions to play with, and Sphero cannot put the program on an open platform because of the Star Wars licensing agreement.
- BB-8 runs a bit more sluggish in his specific control program than he does in custom programs like SPRK Lab.
- Patrol mode is worthless. BB-8 does not "remember" when he bumps into something, so he just keeps running into the walls and getting stuck in remote corners. Annoying. It would be so much better if he could somehow use distance from your phone or GPS to actually navigate spaces, like a Roomba does. This just may not be possible, but I hope to see better functionality in updates.
- Hologram mode does not work that well on my Samsung S5; the image often doesn't line up correctly with the robot, so the image just randomly projects in space. The record function is pretty cool, though. It's just kind of glitchy right now. Hopefully Sphero will update this function.
- No "follow me" or "come here" function. This seems like it would be pretty simple to implement. Another function I hope to see in an update.
-It would have been SUPER COOL to have a little camera in the head. I know, power issues, it would be too heavy, etc. But I can dream, can't I?
Overall, this is a really excellent little piece of technology, but its capabilities are not even close to being fully utilized at the moment. With some added voice and command functionality, and improvement of the patrol mode, I might just never put him down. Well done, Sphero. I look forward to your next updates for my little droid buddy.
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Okay if you know what you're getting
I waited impatiently to get my own Sphero BB-8 App-Enabled Droid! I had watched the Sphero product videos and was amazed at what this cute little guy can do. I'm a gadget nerd and had to get my hands on this! Unfortunately, my expectations were too high.First, let me start off by saying BB-8 is very cute. That part is true. I love the look, the design and the shiny finish. It is made of plastic, but appears to be good quality. It's very user friendly and you can be playing with BB-8 within minutes. The only set-up required is to charge BB-8 and download the app.What can BB-8 do? Once you download the free app, you can:"Drive" This feature of the app lets you control BB-8 as if you were using a joystick."Message" Record and play holographic messages."Patrol" When you select patrol, BB-8 goes exploring on his own.BB-8 has the capability of responding to 10 preset voice commands by going to the settings in the app, such as "wake up", "watch out", "go explore" "go to sleep". I was expecting more than 10 voice commands. Siri has spoiled me. I have heard, but cannot verify, that the voice commands only work with iOS devices. If this is accurate, that's a huge drawback for anyone without an iPhone or iPad.BB-8 is very cute (I know, I'm saying it again), has a great personality and is entertaining to watch as he rolls across the floor. That is about the extent of the entertainment.I feel I was misled by the promotional videos. I was under the impression that BB-8 can "detect" when he is going to run into an object, stop himself and change directions; or, perhaps, adapt to his surroundings and learn where objects are. My impression of this came from the part in one of the promotional videos where BB-8 rolls up to a fishbowl with a goldfish in it, stops before hitting it and changes direction.When I set BB-8 to "patrol", he wobbles around a bit, rolls quickly across the floor, hits a wall or other object, wobbles around again, rolls across the floor, hits another object, etc. It's entertaining to watch and the expressive sounds are fun, but after about 5 minutes I'm bored. The worst part of this is BB-8's head falls off frequently when running into an object so I'm constantly following him around to put it back on. Also, if you have stairs in your house as I do, watch out! BB-8 will roll right down the stairs and I'm not sure if he's sturdy enough to bounce down the stairs and land on a tile floor without breaking. I've "saved" BB-8 an untimely death a few times now. Again, this falls under my misunderstanding of thinking BB-8 will adapt to his surroundings or detect a drop off. I have a robotic vacuum that didn't cost much more than BB-8 and has that very capability. It knows to turn around to avoid crashing down the stairs. It also vacuums right up to the edge of walls and furniture, but never actually touches it. Hmmmm.......Next is the issue with the sound. Again, my expectations being different than reality. I thought the sounds would come from BB-8, when really the sounds all come from your smartphone. Very disappointing! I'll set BB-8 on "patrol", set my smartphone down in one room and let BB-8 go explore the house. I don't get the enjoyment of hearing the sounds if I don't carry my phone with me and it's not as realistic even if your phone is right next to BB-8 because you can easily tell no sound is coming from him. This is perhaps the biggest disappointment.Finally, the holographic messages. I thought it would be like in the movie and BB-8 would project a recorded message onto the wall or what-not and play the recorded message. The message only shows up on your smartphone. When using the app through a Motorola smartphone (and others), this feature doesn't work at all. I don't know if it's something that there will be a fix for in the future? It does work on an iPhone and other devices, but is still disappointing that BB-8 isn't really projecting anything.This is a very expensive toy and the novelty wears off very fast, especially if you're expecting something more and it doesn't deliver. If you're a Star Wars Memorabilia collector, you've probably made up your mind and probably should purchase it. If you're like me and love Star Wars but aren't a collector and/or your a gadget nerd like me, you'll probably be disappointed. There's not much to it besides watching it roll around the floor, crashing into things.To summarize the Pros:Very Cute!Realistic looking miniature version of BB-8Great novelty item for Star Wars CollectorsCool GadgetEasy Set-UpFun Sound EffectsTo summarize the Cons:Entertainment won't last longDoesn't detect obstacles or objects in it's wayHead falls offDoesn't sense drops to prevent it from falling down the stairsSound doesn't come from droidHolographic messages are really just a video on your smartphone ~ if your smartphone is compatibleOnly 10 voice commandsVoice commands may only work with iOS devicesPrice is too high for what you really get
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015
Just another opinion in this set of reviews, I can share what I really enjoyed about BB-8:
+ The design - Some Star Wars desktop statues can go for a much higher cost than this, but this obviously allows you to do so much more than just displaying it on your desktop.
+ The packaging - simple and secure packaging in a nice design. It's Disney + Star Wars. Easy to start playing with it out of the box.
+ The accessories - I prefer a USB cable over another AC adapter. The cradle is detailed and provides a secure and clean charging platform for BB-8. The magnetic BB-8 head has wheels to help rotate 360 degrees.
+ The interactivity - The downloadable app allows you to control BB-8 directly, listen to the cool sounds of BB-8, has a camera to record augmented reality messages and listens to voice commands. Surely will be upgraded in the future with more!
It's super fun to direct and control BB-8 around your home for your friends, family, pets and other BB-8s! The charger and BB-8 unit has lights to indicate charging or when BB-8 is being expressive. See the photos I've included for more details.
The $149.99 MSRP may be restrictive to some, but if you have some money that you can put into having one piece of Star Wars Episode VII memorabilia, the Sphero BB-8 is something great to consider. I had no problems with operation. Enjoyable and to me, worth it!
The one Star Wars Episode 7 memento to get, BB-8 is GR8 Love the design and interactivity with smart phone!
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015
I'm a longtime Star Wars fan who is into tech and, yes, hyped for Episode VII. Considering purchasing BB-8? First, have a compatible smartphone and be aware that it recharges via USB. Taking the price of the Sphero alone at about $129, the Star Wars treatment and BB-8 personality (BB-8 head, design and app sounds) are worth the additional cost.Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015
Just another opinion in this set of reviews, I can share what I really enjoyed about BB-8:
+ The design - Some Star Wars desktop statues can go for a much higher cost than this, but this obviously allows you to do so much more than just displaying it on your desktop.
+ The packaging - simple and secure packaging in a nice design. It's Disney + Star Wars. Easy to start playing with it out of the box.
+ The accessories - I prefer a USB cable over another AC adapter. The cradle is detailed and provides a secure and clean charging platform for BB-8. The magnetic BB-8 head has wheels to help rotate 360 degrees.
+ The interactivity - The downloadable app allows you to control BB-8 directly, listen to the cool sounds of BB-8, has a camera to record augmented reality messages and listens to voice commands. Surely will be upgraded in the future with more!
It's super fun to direct and control BB-8 around your home for your friends, family, pets and other BB-8s! The charger and BB-8 unit has lights to indicate charging or when BB-8 is being expressive. See the photos I've included for more details.
The $149.99 MSRP may be restrictive to some, but if you have some money that you can put into having one piece of Star Wars Episode VII memorabilia, the Sphero BB-8 is something great to consider. I had no problems with operation. Enjoyable and to me, worth it!
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2016
Top reviews from other countries
Sujay Sarma
Very app heavy and quite silly at the end of the day
Reviewed in India on July 31, 2020Luiz Ricardo Magalhães koenigkann
Ótimo produto e assistência
Reviewed in Brazil on January 28, 2018
