Win the Smartphone-Controlled Robot Toy Sphero 2.0

We've all contemplated what cars, aircraft and computers might look like in another 20 years. But often, the smaller things in life aren't subjected to the same kind of speculation.

Take the ball, for example. Who could have foreseen its evolution from a beachy plaything to a robot, set to facilitate the future of mobile gaming?

21st-century toy experts Orbotix, that's who. In 2011, the Colorado-based company released the first incarnation of 'sphero' and, though its limitations prevented it from making too many waves, version 2.0 is a whole different story.

At first sight, sphero 2.0 is nothing more than a sturdy white ball, big enough to fit into the palm of your hand. Hooked up to its recharging cradle, however, it takes on an Aurora-style inner glow, and linked via Bluetooth to your smartphone, it's a brand-new remote control car that can travel as far as 30 metres away.

But that's just the beginning. Two levels are available through the basic app: 'free' and 'level-up'. The first allows you to direct sphero 2.0 anywhere you like at speeds of up to two metres per second and take on the included plastic jump ramps. The second mode allows you to gain points for the successful execution of tricks, providing access to new speeds and colours — there are thousands of possibilities. You can even set up an account and record your achievements online. This system is a smart way of hooking the user's interest.

On top of that, 25 apps — many of them free — have been made specifically for sphero 2.0. These vary from social, multiplayer contests to multi-ball tournaments to augmented reality games. Sharky the Beaver, for example, transforms the ball into a cupcake-chasing beaver, while The Rolling Dead turns the surrounding floor into a zombie-fest.

Sphero 2.0 can handle rough play, hard surfaces and the great outdoors, as it's made of polycarbonate, which is both waterproof and exceptionally strong. It's compatible with iPod, iPhone and iPad, as well as the equivalent Android devices. Battery life is about one hour. The Bluetooth connection is seamless and reliable.

On the not-so-good-side, the device does tend to be a drain on phone battery power. Plus, when playing games that depend on it being picked up or jolted, the mechanism is not always immediately responsive. That said, sphero 2.0 is definitely a highly impressive improvement on the original and has the potential to add a whole new dimension to mobile gaming.

Thanks to Orbotix, we have two sphero 2.0s to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address.

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