Reviews for Sphero by Orbotix

I can't say what possessed me to purchase a Sphero but I haven't regretted it for a second. The thing works great with my ipad and the variety of apps (each with their own options for gameplay so there can be multiple games per app like time or memory challenges) makes this a winner.

I've discovered a few uneven sections of my carpet where the Sphero doesn't work quite as well but if I use the "boost" to get up to speed I can plow right through. On the tile in the kitchen it's a champ. I haven't used it in water (can't imagine I will, either) but am glad to hear it's waterproof as the dog seems to enjoy chasing it and she can drool a little. On a related note, this isn’t a cheap, thin plastic ball. Before I handled it, I had this picture in my head of my dog chewing up those plastic Easter eggs but she’s caught it more than a few times and there’s not a mark on it. I wouldn't leave it within reach but I'm not scared of it breaking anymore, either.

The apps and potential for use as controller are what really have me excited, though. I've bought a lot of hardware/software products that just don't deliver in one of those regards. "Great software, poor build quality!" Not here. It feels refined in all regards. And there are more apps coming, apparently (9 are listed on their site as I write this). It doesn’t always strike me as the most accurate controller but I’ve blamed every video game controller I’ve ever used at one time or another so maybe it’s me. Works as described and the inductive charging means it's always good to go if I just remember to put it away. Since I try to keep it away from the dog, that hasn't proven too difficult.

I have been using my sphero for a few months now and have loved owning it. I have had a lot of fun using it and it has been very durable (although it isn't good, it has fallen off a table a few times and has been found under foot once or twice). It is fairly expensive but I definitely recommend buying it.

Pairing to my ipad painless. Driving was very easy to pick up after following instructions and using it a controller for chromo or etch a sketch app is genius!

I purchased and played with Sphero out at Apple's Developer Conference. As a developer I love what this device can do - I personally can sit down and write games to this ball. How cool is that? You can play driving, table top and controller games.

The guy that rated this a 1 star is nuts...don't believe it!

i really wanted to like this toy and i did ONLY when it connected. i had it for a full week, played with it for 4 days total and on the 7th day it no longer connected. many connection complaints on other websites and forums. this doesnt seem to be an isolated incident. its a fun office toy that everyone wanted to play with. it really is cool and so are the apps, especially macrolab. i just cant justify spending $140 after taxes for it to have problems like it does. im going to return it before my 14 days are up. i would definitely buy again (and want to) if they fix these issues and drop the price (even down to $99). the charger is awesome and the build quality is good. doesnt feel cheap. its a shame because i would have given it 4 stars (-1 star for price).

I'll start by saying that I really wanted to love this product. I have had my eye on it for quite some time. I bought it with the hopes of entertaining my energetic 12 pound dog when I didn't feel like moving off the couch. The price was steep but if he enjoyed it and got his energy out chasing it around it would be worth it. The device took about 6-7 attempts to pair. It kept saying "unsuccessful" - eventually it paired.

The controls were decent. I tried a few apps. My favorite being sphero drive.

My dog was afraid at first and then just apathetic. He just jumped on the couch to get away and watched me roll it around the room. I tried to entice him but he didn't have any interest in chasing it.

Your dog my be different but I chose to return it. Too expensive of a toy to just sit around.

My only other comment is the controls aren't very sharp. It doesn't turn around on a dime when you go from forwards to backwards. It more does a wide U turn. I probably would've gotten better with practice but since the dog wasn't interested I didn't play with it much more.

The Sphero is amazing. Once you really know how to control it, it become enjoyable.

I have a one year old twins, and they try to catch it every night. I love it and I will absolutely recommend it.

We bought one of these for our kids because we thought they looked cool. The thing is nearly impossible to drive. By the time you get the hang of it, you realize that you've spent over a hundred bucks just to (poorly) drive a little ball around your floor. Plus, if you run it into the corner, the thing can't go backwards, so you have to walk over and pick it up. Pretty silly limitation for something they're calling a "robot."

I love my Spheros. I have two and playing Sphero Tag with them is just about as fun as it gets.

Highlights: Pass Sphero-- Like hot potato with your Sphero. As a grown adult, I had the most fun family game night in years playing Pass Sphero with my parents and friends playing this game. Chromo game on Spin mode-- played on an iPad with headphones = fully immersive gaming experience. Sharky the Beaver-- Still can't get over having multi-million dollar movie technology in my pocket and taking pictures of the animated little guy. Waterproof-- I've had way too much fun driving Sphero in fountains. Learning to program with Sphero-- cool to learn how a robot understands commands.

This product is overpriced and doesn't do much. Maybe if it was more interesting and entertaining it would be worth purchasing.