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A wearable wristband that lets you control a BB-8 is all kinds of cool

Published Sep 1st, 2016 10:00PM EDT
BB-8 Force Band Release Date

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BB-8 is probably the best droid in the Star Wars universe, even if it made its debut only in Episode VII. The star of The Force Awakens also happens to be a popular toy, and Sphero’s BB-8 toy is an awesome, but also pricey, gift idea. If you already own one or plan to buy it, you should know that a special Force Band wearable and a battle-worn BB-8 version are ready to launch.

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First unveiled at CES 2016 in early January, the Force Band is a wearable device that will let you control the BB-8 robot using the Force. Okay, it’s not the actual Force, but you still get to move the robot with simple hand gestures. Furthermore, the Force Band comes with a Pokemon Go-inspired features. It’ll tell whether Holocrons are in the environment, and whether you can collect these images of Star Wars characters.

Additionally, Engadget reports that Sphero is also launching a dirty BB-8 version, the battle-worn model. After all, the droid was never clean in the movie.

The BB-8 and Force Band bundle will retail for $199, while the Force Band alone costs $79. The wearable launches on September 2nd, but the special edition BB-8 will be available at the end of the month.

A new video showing you the Force Band in action follows below.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.