Rolling around with Sphero BB-8 (pictures)

Sphero BB-8 comes with a themed charging cradle, which uses a coil to charge the  toy. Four hours charges BB-8 completely.

The robot's head is detachable. Tiny wheels on the base allow it to stay oriented to the magnet on top of the robot ball.

The size of BB-8's body is comparable to that of other Sphero toys, measuring around 7.6 centimetres (3in) in diameter.

BB-8 comes packaged in a very handsome box.

The control system. The pad that controls the direction BB-8 faces is on the right, with the directional pad to control movement and steering on the left.

BB-8 can be sent out on autonomous patrol, interacting with its surroundings.

Weights and a gyroscope inside keep the electronics oriented with a magnet up the top to keep BB-8's head in place.

A recorded message can be played back in augmented reality by framing BB-8 in your device's camera. Sadly, these messages can only be viewed on the same device that recorded them.

As you continue to interact with BB-8, its interactions and attitudes will evolve. You can also train it to respond to voice commands.

At high speeds, BB-8's head does tend to slip down its body, righting itself when the ball slows down or stops.