Sphero won’t make any ‘Star Wars’ droids anymore

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Sphero is done making licensed robots. Once the company clears out its inventory of BB-8s, R2-D2s, and other Disney-licensed ‘bots, it won’t be making any more. In a statement released to The Verge, Sphero CEO Paul Berberian said that while these toys did well soon after the release of the films, interest for them would wane over time. And the amount of effort put into making these robots didn’t reap as many benefits as they’d hope. While the company reportedly sold millions of BB-8 units, the data Sphero got said most of these have been relegated to shelves and the like after using them for a few times. The company is looking to focus on working on its education-focused robots, which they claim are doing better.

You can now use your Gamevice controller with the Sphero SPRK+ and DJI Spark

iOS game controller maker Gamevice just made its accessories compatible with two new devices: the Sphero SPRK+ and DJI Spark. Now, when you use the Gamevice for iPhone and iPad and use it within the DJI Spark app, the physical buttons of the controller can now be used.  While DJI has its own controller, it’s sold as a separate accessory. So, if you have the Gamevice already, you don’t have to shell out the extra cash. Meanwhile, the SPRK+ is usually controlled via an on-screen joystick so having the physical buttons might help improve how you’re able to use the device.

Source: MacRumors

‘Star Wars’ BB-8 gets an evil twin?

Just in time for Force Friday II, when merch for the upcoming Star Wars film comes out, Disney together with Sphero unveiled new droids we’ve definitely been looking for. One is a tiny incarnation of R2-D2 (at least that’s what it looks like to us based on the video) and another is what Hollywood Reporter calls the evil twin trope incarnation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’s BB-8. Called BB-9E (or if Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson had his way, BB-H8), the new droid will be debuting in the Dec. 15 film as part of the Astromech unit of the First Order. BB-9E helps keep the starships and machinery running. The toy itself is being called a “rolling menace” and you see it toppling a Jenga tower in the video above.

The BB-9E is almost identical to BB-8, down to the markings on the body, but this time it comes in black and gray and has a more angular head and a red-eye, making it look similar to Darth Vader with his helmet on. The BB-9E will be available for US$149.99 (around CA$190), while if you’re more interested in R2-D2, the iconic droid goes for US$179.99 (around CA$220).

Source: Variety

Sphero outs an adorable Spider-Man toy

If you’ve loved Sphero’s take on Star Wars’s BB-8, you might also fall in love with this talking Spider-Man toy, which comes out just in time for the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming next month. It’s unlike the usual Sphero toy, though. Unlike the BB-8, which moves around, it’s more of a talkative rubber toy. Kids can speak to it via voice commands—much like we would the other smart home speakers. It can guide kids through comic book storylines, which The Verge likens to camp counselor telling a story at a bonfire. But there’s a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book aspect to it as Spidey asks the kid what to do next. There are 400 pages worth of content included and 100 storylines to get through. Sphero intends to add stories in the future. You don’t have to worry about your child’s security as the toy doesn’t send information over the web or stores data in the accompanying app. It’ll just look for its wake-up phrases.

As mentioned, you can pair phones with Spider-Man over Bluetooth but it’s not essential to control the device with it. Some of the trigger phrases include asking it to “Tell me a story” or “Make me laugh.” It’s going to be a fun toy for young (and old) Spider-Man fans. It’s said to be available for US$149 starting today but a quick check of Amazon shows that it’s “Currently unavailable.”