Do we dare call a whizzing, dizzying, programmable remote-control helicopter a “toy”? Of course not. These are pieces of cutting- edge technology that we just happen to really, really enjoy playing with. Whether we were racing around the office with RC monster trucks or using augmented-reality rifles to shoot aliens that hid around our office, one thing was made abundantly clear: our kids have better toys than we did.
Don’t be fooled by the plastic gun-- these games are as immersive as any we’ve played.
Wiimote guns and other weaponry add-ons have been around for years, but the iPhone and iPad have been surprisingly neglected in this field. A shame, as AppBlaster shows us. The AppBlaster lets you turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a 360-degree, augmented-reality shooting haven, with multiple offerings in the App Store. Whether you’re playing Marine Sharpshooter, Alien Attack, Skeet Shooter, or Tin Can Alley, the AppBlaster is tons of fun.
The AppBlaster is refreshingly simple. There are no cords, no Bluetooth syncing, nothing to charge but your iOS device. In fact, pulling the trigger only operates a small plastic tip that physically touches the screen. Without any electronics at all in the gun (except your beloved iPhone or iPod touch, of course) the AppBlaster is robust and easy to use. Just pop open the iDevice case, place the measured back (there’s one for the iPhone 4 body type and one for the iPod touch), clip it on, and you’re good to go.
Dexim.net
$69.90
These things are fast, fun, and a bit costly, but don’t worry, they’re also resilient. Ours survived a fall or two off of a desk (for science).
Dexim’s RC AppSpeed Monster Truck is one of the best iDevice toys we’ve played with. It’s undeniably simple, consisting only of a little attachment that you throw on the bottom of your iPhone and a free app. You can record routes and have the truck repeat them on autopilot, or pick a pre-programmed path such as Big Circle or Zigzag Pattern. You can steer by turning the iPhone like a steering wheel, although we prefer the more standard touch-control option. There are two channels, so two kids can race without any interference, but be warned that setup can be a bit finicky.
At $69.90 the Monster Truck is a bit expensive, but it’s also a little less fragile than some of the other iOS toys we’ve played with.
GriffinTechnology.com/helotc
$49.99
Like a real helicopter, only smaller and less dangerous for children to operate.
You know the only thing cooler than driving a Monster Truck with your iPhone? Piloting a helicopter. But at just $50, it’s as if the people behind the Helo TC weren’t sure that an idea this awesome was good enough. You can almost hear them in the meeting now...“Sure, we’ve created an app that lets you fly a helicopter through the air, but we’d better keep the price super low to get anyone to buy it.” For $100 you can buy two and have helicopter battles. Each toy comes with replacement blades, so if one cracks the helicopter isn’t totally wrecked. The Helo TC also has the incredibly cool ability to record a flight pattern— meaning that if you do something cool, you can just press Play to do it all over again!
We’ve never seen such a sleek helicopter for such a small price. $50 isn’t petty cash by any means, but it’s incredibly cheap for something this rad. Plus, we ran it through our accidental crash test plenty of times and the thing still flies as well as it did the first day.
GoSphero.com
Estimated Retail Price: $129.99
The Sphero team has taken its time to perfect their product. Will it be worth the wait? Keep your eyes out for our coverage in print and online.
The Sphero is the only toy we weren’t able to get our hands on, but it’s also the one we’re arguably the most excited about. That might sound strange when you compare the inherent coolness of whirring helicopters and rampaging monster trucks to what appears to be a boring old ball, but Sphero is loaded with AR games like Golf, Draw N’Drive, Blox, Chromo, Drive, and more. Seriously, just imagine: you swing your iPhone back, like a putter, then forward, and the Sphero starts rolling like a golf ball. Your iPhone then displays an augmented- reality hole and the Sphero rolls toward it. The Sphero can even change color, which means futuristic Bocce Ball isn’t out of the question. It also boasts over an hour of full-throttle play, and when it does run out of juice, you just put the ball on a base and it charges wirelessly. Yes, we’re excited-- but aren’t you?
