Buy Now...

click image to enlarge

Revell OutSpeeder

A company best known for kits, this is a remote control model car –very light- and easy to control, best of all it can work inside or outside.

The car itself weights 41grams, it is 10.5x7x5cm, the last figure at the rear the front is only 3cm the size of the wheels. Both the front and rear has suspension so you can -with practice- get it to perform tricks, while these can be done indoors they are best performed outside as the car can often go off in unexpected directions.

See also: Toys

more

The remote control is 12x9x4cm and has thumb controls, a 41cm aerial screws into the front end of the remote control.

The remote works on the 27MHz band and has two channels. The controller requires batteries as does the car charger box, the required ‘AA’ batteries are not supplied.

After using the car for around 15 minutes it needs time to cool down, this maybe the biggest stumbling block as kids want to play and play. The car recharge is from an external box with a small two pin connector that fits onto the base of the car. There is also supplied a slightly longer (60cm) lead that ends in a standard USB lead.

At my age I tend to be a ‘responsible’ driver and I left the majority of the tricks over ramps etc to two testers one of 7 and the other 10. They both loved it. The stated age is 8+ but I found the 7 year old was quite capable.

There is a thick ‘contents’ booklet of 15 languages with four pages in English. This explains the setup and shows guidance on how to start using the ramp and starting to get it to twist in the air, you then find out exactly what you can do.

By the end of several testing sessions they still wanted more and having to let the car cool down does introduce patience – no bad thing – and while it looks frail it is still working despite numerous knocks.

The Revell OutSpeeder is available from the link below for £18.64 with free delivery.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00573RXOQ?ie=UTF8&tag=gadge0a-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634

click image to enlarge

Appgear Foam Fighters

With kids today more at home with a screen than holding a toy Appgear have made an attempt to bring the toy shop back to work in conjunction with the App. Here you download the App for free but to play it you need your iPod Touch, iPhone or Android device and the model toy and attachment to activate the app on your device.

There are two different aircraft in the box along with the required fitment to attach them to the back of your device. With the app running get your devices camera to scan your aircraft and the first of your missions is available.

What you see through your screen is your model –courtesy of your devices camera- but everything from the propeller forward is the game you see the propeller turning and by moving your hand the way your aircraft banks and turns is controlled by you.

Your mission is to find certain objects and destroy them to enable you to move onto the next level. Each of your aircraft has different missions. I am told there are in fact six aircraft in total (three different packs) to collect.

If this idea catches on we may yet see nine year olds running round with model airplanes and using their imagination again.

Available at toyshops on online from the link below for £9.99

http://www.character-online.com/products/AppGear/AppGear-Foam-Fighters-Pacific/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007HZEJTY?ie=UTF8&tag=gadge0a-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634