The Big Android BBQ was just a few weeks ago and Orbotix was there showing off their latest and greatest prototype of the Sphero. It offers you an external remote-controlled ball that is controlled via your Android device. Being that it is a ball you can maneuver in any direction you like with out the worry of getting stuck against a wall or a tire caught on a chair. If a remote-controlled ball doesn’t sound all that cool, please, keep reading.
The Sphero wears a waterproof, high-impact polycarbonate shell to keep all the important gadgetry protected from anything you could possibly do to it. Yes, I said waterproof. You will have to watch the video below to see this little guy go for a swim. What better place to showcase the unit than around a bunch of Android junkies who had a little bit to drink. If this thing can survive a weekend in their hand, it will survive anything you can do.
To make this little guy even more fun, they have added in a grip of LEDS. You can change the color of your ball at the touch of a button to make your Sphero stand out when racing around the office or when chasing the cat around the pool. Boost mode gives you an added little boost of speed to help get over obstetrical or gain the lead over your opponent.
Finally, how it charges. You probably are thinking it will have to have some sort of charging port or maybe it unscrewed and takes batteries. If either of those two options were how you powered the Sphero then it can’t truly be waterproof. The Sphero charges on its very own induction charger. Yep, no cords, no batteries no way for you to mess it up. Simply set the ball down on the cradle and let it charge up.
You have got to see the video below of it in action at the Android BBQ, see if you can find Simon while you are watching too.
Source: Orbotix Blog
