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Engadget UK giveaway: win a Sphero 2.0 or Ollie bot courtesy of Orbotix
The best kind of presents to receive are often ones you have no legitimate need for; the gifts intended purely to put smiles on faces. And, having a little fun is exactly what this week's giveaway is all about. To get you in the Christmas spirit, our friends at Orbotix have been kind enough to supply no less than four of their speedy, app-controlled robots for us to send the way of big and small kids alike. We've got one of the company's Sphero 2.0 ball-bots to give away, as well as three of the newer Ollie bots, including an all-black and limited-edition Darkside model, meaning everyone has a whopping four chances to win. As is tradition, you can enter up to three times via the Rafflecopter widget below, though we'd advise a quick scan of the rules beforehand, if you wouldn't mind. Winning: congrats to David S. from Thames Ditton, Adam T. from Newcastle, Nihal C. from Warrington and Jon R. from Oldham.
Ollie, the newest member of the Sphero family, can be yours today
It feels like CES 2014 took place an eternity ago. To be more specific, it's been roughly seven months since we were in Las Vegas for the madness that is the Consumer Electronics Show. So why are we telling you this? Well, because that's how long it has taken Sphero, formerly Orbotix, to bring its newest robot, Ollie, to market. But, as the saying goes, better late than never. As of today, Sphero's beginning to take orders for the $99 connected device on its website, while general availability at third-party retailers (such as the Apple Store) is set to be a few days later, on September 15th. Ollie, which was originally known as Sphero 2B, isn't meant to replace the original Sphero. Instead, the company wants to make it clear that Ollie is here to expand the family, not to replace its rather popular, first- or second-generation robotic spheres.
Sphero gets an improved, multifunction Drive app, we go hands-on
Just about a year ago we got to review Orbotix's Sphero, and while it was an amusing little remote control orb, its controls left a lot to be desired. A couple months ago, the company gave Sphero some new firmware that included the "Vector Drive" feature, which eliminated Sphero's meandering ways and gave it far more precise steering. Now, the company has improved its Drive app and combined it with the old Sphero and Cam apps. This new version of Drive has a tool that lets users aim the ball with a single finger -- a small, but welcome improvement over the old, fidgety two-finger method. Additionally, the app has a new Auto Heading function that keeps Sphero aware of the orientation of its controller to provide a much more intuitive driving experience. After giving it a go ourselves, we can attest that it's a marked improvement over the prior iterations of Drive. We no longer had to plan out Sphero's routes, and we could drive feeling confident that the ball would roll as directed. Check out how the refreshed controls work in our video after the break.
Sphero gets a firmware upgrade and new apps, we get another look at its Augmented Reality Engine (video)
You remember Sphero, right? Last we checked in with its creators from Orbotix at E3, the $130 robotic ball was getting ready to act as a 3D controller and the guide point for an Augmented Reality Engine. This week, along with the release of a firmware upgrade, a few new free apps have been released, including two that'll let you use that 3D controller functionality. Better yet, Orbotix has given us a sneak peek at the progress it's made on the AGR since we last checked it out. Join us past the break if you're curious to find out more.
How would you change the Orbotix Sphero?
Orbotix's novelty smartphone-controlled robotic cue ball is so fun, even The President has been snapped playing with one. It's a toy, and as such doesn't really serve a function beyond chasing your pets around the kitchen. When we reviewed it, we found that the steering was sluggish and frankly, the novelty wore off pretty quickly. But how about you out there? What have you spent your time doing with the thing, or has it sat untouched on a shelf for the past few months? We wanna know, and the moment for you to tell us is in the comments below.
Orbotix pits Sphero as an advanced 3D controller, details upcoming Augmented Reality Engine (hands-on)
During the wind down of E3, we were able to spend a few fleeting moments with the folks from Orbotix to talk about its latest batch of upcoming software for Sphero. If you're unfamiliar with the gizmo, it's essentially a Bluetooth-enabled robotic ball that can be controlled using your Android or iOS device. While Sphero is certainly a unique toy, we grew bored of it quickly -- it ended up best serving us as spendy dog toy during our review. The toy does have constant app development in its favor however, and the company insists that it will continue to offer free apps that open up the roller's capabilities. Head past the break where we'll detail two new advancements on the platform: augmented reality and advanced 3D control support.
President Obama test drives a Sphero on Boulder visit
President Obama was in the Centennial State last night, hyping up an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Coors Events Center. Of course, he couldn't help but take some time to check out some some of the local innovation. The President took a few moments out of his busy schedule to play around with the smartphone-controlled Sphero RC ball, declaring "how cool is that," before demanding that the crowd, "give me some space to drive my ball." He also tossed out some superlatives like "terrific," after nearly driving it into a woman's flip-flop. Now that's a solid endorsement, if ever we've heard one. In the end, though, it didn't last long -- the guy's got a country to run, after all.
Orbotix update proves that six Spheros are better than one (video)
It's far more than a pricey cat toy, but should you really shell out 130 bucks of a color-changing robotic sphere? Well, if you make it to the video after the break, you might just be buying six. Sphero's latest app pairing adds some pretty spiffy interactive games, that could prompt early adopters to make yet another impulse purchase. MacroLab lets you design programs for your flashy mechanical ball, enabling the device to roll every which way while also shifting speed and color. And the Android version supports multiple Spheros, letting you create a routine for an entire set to follow simultaneously. The second app, Chromo, tests memory and coordination, prompting you to move the ball every which way to match colors displayed on your iOS device. Both apps, while excellent video fodder, are likely to grow old just as quickly as the gadget's initial offering. So, if your wallet's not as big as your curiosity, the promo vids waiting just past the break should entertain you almost as much as a proper Sphero can.
Sphero goes modular, spins out for a drive (video)
Sphero's hooked up with a new whip, albeit a retro-fitted one. Skylar, a Junior Developer at Orbotix, modded an old RC car with an Arduino board, H-bridge and a few trackball parts, enabling the remote control ball to serve as its brain. Just in time too -- there's only so much fun you can have getting the little orb stuck behind the filing cabinets. Still, it's certainly a leap beyond purposing it to pull an iPhone-toting chariot.Sean Buckley contributed to this post.
Orbotix Sphero review
It's been just over a year since we first heard about Orbotix's little smartphone-controlled cue ball named Sphero, and since that time, we've seen a couple of pre-production units strut their stuff. Apparently, we weren't the only folks left intrigued -- there were so many folks wanting one that production capacity couldn't meet demand. So, while the company can't deliver every pre-ordered orb by its initial December delivery date, the first few Spheros are going out today and will be in the hands of some owners by the end of the week. Whether you're waiting for yours to arrive or are debating whether to get in on the robotic ball action, join us after the break to find out if it's a techno toy worth $130 of your hard-earned cash. %Gallery-142059%
Sphero shipments delayed due to high demand, won't be here-o until January
Our hearts were aflutter with anticipation when the Sphero went up for pre-order last month, but that excitement has since been supplanted by a big knot of disappointment, because the smartphone-controlled robotic ball won't be hitting the market until after the holiday season. In a letter published yesterday, Orbotix CEO Paul Berberian attributed his company's setback to a fundamental economic quandary. "Demand has been greater than expected and our production capabilities are slower than we planned," Berberian wrote. "What that means is only a handful of orders are going to be fulfilled before the holidays and the majority of orders will be fulfilled in January." Writing on behalf of the manufacturer, Berberian went on to accept full blame for the delay, with rather admirable honesty: "We simply underestimated the number of units we'd need to make and, more importantly, we miscalculated how long it would take to bring up the production line." To make up for it, Orbotix is offering free expedited shipping to all customers who pre-ordered the device in time for the holidays, along with a free Sphero t-shirt.
iPhone-controlled Sphero ball gets a chariot for roving FaceTime sessions, office races
A tiny robotic ball able to be controlled by a smartphone doesn't exactly need any more selling points, but Orbotix's Sphero now has an extra one nonetheless. It's been outfitted with a chariot that can be used for FaceTime sessions or low-level surveillance -- or chariot races around your office, naturally. Of course, this is strictly a DIY affair, but we're guessing this is one project you will actually want to do yourself once you see the video after the break. [Thanks, Ross]
