Meet Sphero Mini

Monday, October 30, 2017

What is small, round, bright and can be used to drive, play games and learn to code? It's Sphero Mini, the ping-pong sized robotic ball. This tiny tech-infused ball is a miniature version of Sphero 2.0, the world's first app-enabled robotic ball. Although Sphero Mini is itty bitty in size, it still packs a whole lot of innovation, making it a super cool and affordable gift idea this holiday season.

Sphero Mini - app-enabled robotic ball accessories

The Sphero Mini comes with a set of cute miniature bowling pins and cones, which can be used with the various driving modes. With the Sphero Mini app, players can drive Mini up to a top speed of 1m/s using different modes, such as Joystick, Tilt or Slingshot, which is a fun way to try to knock down the bowling pins. Face Drive is a really fun way to control Sphero Mini, but it will take some getting used to. Here are the basics from Sphero's "How do I use Sphero Mini Face Drive?":

Start by aiming Sphero Mini.
Position your face so that it is fully visible in the on-screen circle and the pink shading disappears.
Smile to go forward, and tilt your head to steer.
Frown to go backward, and tilt your head to steer.
Make an angry face, and Mini runs away.
Make a surprised face, and Mini does a little dance.
Wink and Mini changes colour.

Sphero Mini - app-enabled robotic ball game controller

You can also use Mini as a video game controller to play any of the three games. These include:

Exile II: Use Mini as a controller to move and shoot spaceships. This game reminds of me Galaga, making this my favourite Sphero Mini game.
Lightspeed Drifter: Control a futuristic ship racing inside a tunnel with Mini.
Round Trip: Rotate Mini to destroy a polygon of “bricks”. It's kind of like Atari Breakout in 360 degrees.

Sphero Mini - app-enabled robotic ball coding Sphero Edu

Finally, my favourite feature of the Sphero Mini is the ability to program it using the Sphero Edu app. You can draw, drag blocks, or code text with Javascript thanks the latest Sphero Edu app update. And because the Sphero Mini costs $69.99, this makes it a more affordable alternative for coding clubs and STEM education in schools. The Bluetooth-enabled Mini has a 10M range and can be charged with the included micro USB. It has LED lights that glow in any colour, as well as a gyroscope and accelerometer, providing endless coding abilities. Charging time is decent at 1 hour for a full charge that lasts for 45 minutes of continuous play. It is also compatible with iOS 10+ and Android 5.0+. To recharge, you have to remove the shell, which means, unlike Sphero 2.0, you can play with the Mini in water. However, this does mean you can interchange shells, which are available in blue, green, pink, orange and white. For more information, visit sphero.com.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.