Review: Sphero 2.0 is a brighter, faster, smartphone-controlled ball of fun
Robots are undeniably cool. But the humanoid kind—Johnny Five, say, or the T–800—can be complex, sometimes sarcastic, and potentially deadly. But you know what’s never accidentally assisted bank robbers or blown up anything? A friendly robot ball named Sphero.
Sphero 2.0 is indeed the second iteration of the hardware, so props to its developer Orbotix for giving it a name that makes sense. (Cough, cough, Xbox One.) Under the sphere-shaped hood, the motor is more powerful, the color-changing LED is brighter, and the center of gravity is lowered. So while it’s faster—with top speeds of just under 5 miles per hour—it’s easier to maneuver, as well.
The main driving app, also called Sphero, lets you steer the ball with a digital D-pad or tilt controls, and optionally take photos and video as you drive. It’s sort of like driving a remote-control car, but because it’s a white sphere with no visible front or back, you often have to realign the ball in the app by pointing its blue tail light toward you. This ensures that the driving controls on your screen match the ball’s real-world orientation.
OrbotixYou can even drive Sphero in water—it floats. The nubby rubber cover helps it maneuver better.
It’s easy to get the hang of, and rookie drivers get some extra help, too. The updated Sphero driving app starts you off at slower speeds, and you actually level up your ball the more you drive it. That gradually increases your Sphero’s top speed over time, as you get better at controlling it, so it’s not just whizzing around your living room and getting stuck under your couch while you’re trying to master the controls.
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