That Awesome BB-8 'Star Wars' Sphero Toy Is Back in Stores... for Now
If you weren’t able to join the rush on Force Friday (or didn’t feel comfortable dropping such serious cash at the time), here’s another chance to get your hands on the hottest — and most expensive — new Star Wars toy in the galaxy.
Disney has just replenished store shelves with the little BB-8 droid toy designed by robotics company Sphero. The toy, which retails for $149.99 and is controlled by a smartphone app, became an instant sensation when it was unveiled shortly before the Sept. 4 release date. It’ll likely sell out once again, and for good reason.
The smartphone app can control the droid from up to 100 feet away. It can also patrol a room on its own, mapping out the space in real time using the user’s phone. The smart phone app isn’t just for controlling the droid; it can also display an “enhanced reality” video that makes it appear as though the droid is projecting a hologram message, a la Princess Leia’s message to Obi-Wan Kenobi that was broadcast by R2-D2 in A New Hope. That function should only get more involved as release date of Star Wars: The Force Awakens approaches.
“We plan on having a bunch of updates that constantly improve the [BB-8] experience,” Sphero CEO Paul Berberian told Yahoo Movies on Force Friday. “We can send push holograms to you, and we have some plans to expand the play experiences, as well. As we learn about the movie — [and] as the story is exposed to the public, we can bring more story elements to the public.”
The little droid, which was a highlight of early Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailers, is a good bet to be the breakout ’bot of the highly anticipated sequel, out Dec. 18.
