Upcoming BB-8 Toy Raises the Droid Bar

Even before audiences fell in love with BB-8 in The Force Awakens, techies, fanboys, and even a kid or two obsessed over the Sphero smartphone-controlled BB-8 droid that was released on Force Friday. Now Gizmodo reports that a new version (wait… didn’t Poe say he was one of a kind…) of BB-8 could steal the coolness crown.

Spin Master’s 16-inch BB-8 will be guided by a traditional remote control but there is one other option: you can control him with your voice as well. In addition to responding when you call his name, the droid will also be able to follow your voice and roll beside you.

If you’re already taking out your credit card, there is a bit of bad news. The Spin Master BB-8 won’t be available until at least fall of this year and is eyeing an MSRP of $180 ($30 more than the Sphero model). We should also note that Sphero plans to release a Force Band around that same time that will allow you to control your current BB-8 using hand gestures… I mean… “the Force.”

So which BB-8 do you think will prove to be the coolest in the galaxy?