Sphero boasts new look, launch set for later this year

We saw Sphero in action in January at CES 2011, and the company has released some details on the final prototype and an actual release. The little iOS-controlled sphere is still planned for release sometime this year, but it's got a new design that you can see above. Don't worry, it's still a ball, as that blue base there is just for charging and storage. The design is new, and the shell of the ball itself is different from when we saw it. It's supposed to be a very sturdy polycarbonate material that still lets the LEDs inside shine through. Perfect for playing with cats?

There's still no price or actual date for release yet, unfortunately, but that can't stop you from being able to preorder one of your own if you like. Hopefully we'll hear more about this soon. If the short time we had with it at CES was any indication, this little device should be a lot of fun when combined with your iPhone or iPad.