Quick test of the Star Wars #BB8 by Sphero
Published on 6 September 2015
A few days ago, Disney threw a party and invited a few VIPs to test out the BB8 mini-drone in preview, inspired by the cute new little robot from Star Wars. Obviously I wasn't invited to said party at all, but since we worked hard all summer and our clients are nice people, the beast became our back-to-work gift, and that's cool! Here's a quick test, since I've been having a blast with it for a few hours now.
What is BB8? BB8 is a little ball-shaped robot that we got to discover when the first trailer for Star Wars Episode 7 came out. For those who missed it, here's a catch-up session (around 0:30 on the video below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOVFvcNfvE
A real robot! The slightly crazy thing is that the film's teams created a REAL BB8 robot, and not just a 3D version like is always the case in this kind of film. The guys really busted their asses, and got to present the REAL robot on stage at the "Star Wars Celebration 2015" convention, in front of a wild crowd. Here it is in video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c
From character to toy. Let's not kid ourselves, all of this reeks of marketing genius, and it's pretty obvious that this film character was probably conceived first and foremost as a potential toy, just as its appearance in the trailer was clearly orchestrated and timed to the millimeter in anticipation of the merchandise launch. Whatever, the charm works, and Disney (which now owns the Star Wars license) dropped the product (based on the Sphero) with this lovely video, which will definitely make you swoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Y2WfcCb4M
How does it work? Because you're bound to wonder "how does this thing work?", here's a link (in English) to this Wired article that explains it, basically magnets, magnets, and more magnets. You can even see the toy taken apart over at CNET.
Why is it cool? It's cool for lots of reasons. The first is that the product is pretty and faithful to the robot from the film. It doesn't seem too fragile, and is easy to set up (at least on iPhone). You just download the dedicated app, bring your phone close to the robot, and bam, the connection is made instantly. No problem controlling BB8 with several phones, you just bring the phone you want to use as a remote close to the robot to activate the link.
BB8 is pretty simple to steer, a little tutorial when you launch the app will give you the basics, and by digging a bit you'll find some fun options, like the "patrol" mode where your droid roams around on its own (handy for keeping cats busy), or a "message" mode that lets you film yourself, then virtually "project" messages via your phone. It sounds obscure put like that, but if you watched the video above, you should get it. The robot makes cute little noises, and silly little movements that make it quite endearing. It's really fun. It's also equipped with a few lights that bring it even more to life. The toy has an hour of battery life, and recharges on a dock you simply set it down on.
Why isn't it so cool? The few flaws I spotted with the thing, because of course there are some:
- If you have cats, the robot's head will very quickly be packed with hair that gets stuck in its little wheels, so you absolutely must vacuum before using it...
- It ships with a USB cable to recharge via the dock, but no actual charger, which for a 170€ product is simply pathetic.
- No remote, you'll necessarily have to use an iPhone (or an Android).
- We'd have loved a little camera in the droid's head, but given its design, that wasn't possible.
- The app's interface isn't amazing either, and some of the "control" features aren't super clear.
There you go, count on 170 euros then (more or less available at Disney Store, Apple Store, Amazon, Boulanger, etc.)
Photo credit: Sphero
By Paingout