Handy Gadgets

A review of the Dark Blade 3-Channel Helicopter from ThinkGeek has been posted over at RCGroups.com. 'The Dark Blade is a coaxial helicopter with one pair of main blades turning one direction and the other set of main blades turning in the opposite direction. This is a very stable method of flying, and no tail rotor is needed to stabilize the helicopter. The downward facing rear rotor blade is not used to stabilize the copter but rather to bank it so it can go forward or backward. Turning to either side is done by slowing one of the main set of blades just slightly. The left stick on the transmitter is the throttle control for the helicopter. Move it up, and the main rotors on the helicopter accelerate, and it lifts off. Move the stick to the left or the right, and the helicopter pivots in place to either direction in response to the transmitter's signal.'

Continue reading "Review: ThinkGeek Dark Blade 3-Channel Helicopter - RC Groups" »

Posted by Admin at 2:54 PM | Permalink

DailySteals.com has a "steal" of deal on the new Excalibur Sky Wing Commander Fighter Double Wing R/C Plane which has been reduced from $59.99 to $19.99. 'This unique model is lightweight, aerodynamic, and made to last. All Sky Wings planes offer you the following great features. It has full - function digital controls. The lightweight, durable body is made of unique, shock - proof materials. It allows for easy operation, both indoors and outdoors. It smoothly - turns to the left and right. A choice of 3 RC frequencies allow you to fly with friends without RC interference. Bank the controller left watch your plane go left. Bank right, your plane immediately responds. Using the latest in 3D radio control technology, the Sky Wings models bring a whole new dimension to radio controlled flight.'

Continue reading "Excalibur Sky Wing Commander Fighter Double Wing R/C Plane for $19.99" »

Posted by Admin at 2:49 PM | Permalink

ThinkGeek.com has the Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter on offer for $29.99 plus shipping. 'The secret of the incredible stability of the Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter comes down to the torque control afforded by the dual rotor design. A traditional helicopter with only one rotor generates massive torque when the top blade spins. Normally this would cause the copter to spin out of control, but the rotor on the tail is designed to offset this torque. Therefore piloting a traditional helicopter involves constantly adjusting the tail speed whenever you increase the speed of the top rotor... difficult and time consuming to learn.'

Continue reading "Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter for $29.99" »

Posted by Admin at 11:39 PM | Permalink

RobotsRule have published a review of the WowWee Lightstar flying gadget. 'WowWee's Lightstar is one of those gadgets I put squarely in the deceptively fun category. When I first realized that I could not steer it I wondered how long it would hold my attention. However, once I turned off the lights and started flying it, I was hooked. In the air the Lightstar puts out a soft green glow at the center. A small bright blue LED in one of the wing tips enhances the effect and makes the Lightstar look like small spinning galaxy, like when you look through a powerful telescope. It emits a UFO like whine as it floats through the room and as the blue wing tip LED whips around it creates a small luminous halo that finishes off its ethereal ghostly UFO effect.'

Continue reading "WowWee Lightstar Review - RobotsRule.com" »

Posted by Admin at 11:01 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the PicooZ Remote Controlled Rechargeable Micro RC Helicopter from Brando.com/bk. 'The helicopter is well packaged and a little difficult to remove from its packaging. You have to be careful so you do not break it before you even crash it for the first time :). The main body of this helicopter is made of a hard styrofoam. Its dual rotors add stability to both liftoff and flight. While fragile in many ways, the toy is surprisingly tough during the ‘learning how to control it’ part of flight training.'

Continue reading "Review: PicooZ Remote Controlled Rechargeable Micro RC Helicopter - The Gadgeteer" »

Posted by Admin at 3:03 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Mini RC UFO Helicopter from Trend Times Toys. 'Like all RC toys, some type of controller has to be used. The one for the UFO is the smallest RC controller I've ever seen. It's powered by 3 AG13 button cell batteries (included) and is about the size of a lighter at 2.5 inches long. On the top are two buttons to control the LEDs on the UFO, a power indicator LED and the throttle. On the side is the controller power switch. As you will notice, there aren't any steering controls, just a simple throttle.'

Continue reading " Review: Mini RC Intelli UFO Helicopter - The Gadgeteer" »

Posted by Admin at 1:20 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the HobbyTron Hornet 3 Series Mini RC Helicopter. ‘A nice handheld controller is included with the helicopter. This controller is powered by 6 AA batteries which are not included. The controller has thumb controls for lift up/down and turn left/right. There is also a trim dial that you can use to adjust the rotation of helicopter while flying. For the most part you do not want it to rotate at all. You want it to remain steady as you lift up and down and turn left and right.The battery in the helicopter has to be charged before you can fly it. This is done by plugging it into the handheld controller. There is a charging cable hidden in a compartment that is accessed by a sliding door on the top of the controller.’

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Posted by Admin at 3:40 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the BladeRunner II RC helicopter features a proprietary co-axial rotor design and is powered by a state-of-the-art on board rechargeable battery pack that gives you flight times of 15 minutes. 'The Bladerunner is a medium sized helicopter. Not tiny like the PicooZ that I reviewed last year. The body of the Bladerunner is constructed of painted styrofoam. This makes the copter very light weight. It's important to note that the Bladerunner is an indoors ONLY RC toy. It's too light to fly outdoors, even if it isn't windy. The co-axial rotor design of this copter is the secret to its stability. If you've ever tried to fly an RC helicopter, you'll probably agree that it's very hard to control it. Not so with the Bladerunner.'

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Posted by Admin at 12:32 PM | Permalink

The WowWee FlyTech Dragonfly which will be available for purchase in the not-too-distant future has been "subjected" to a fun review by the folks over at PC Magazine. 'Designed for those ages 8 years and up, the toy was fairly easy to set up and use. A charging cable is hidden inside its 0.8-ounce body; press a button to open the hidden compartment and then find something small (like a pencil) to budge the charging cable out of its space. It's not the best design, but I got used to it. The Dragonfly has two glowing blue LEDs for eyes, which pulse gently during the required 20-minute charge. There's also a small magnet embedded into the belly; it pairs with a small magnet on the charger. This is supposed to give the flying toy a secure base to rest on during a charge, but my Dragonfly tended to slip off its perch. Not a big deal, just a little annoying.'

Continue reading "Review: WowWee FlyTech Dragonfly - PC Mag" »

Posted by Admin at 3:48 PM | Permalink

If you have any reservations as to whether you are up to the challenge of operating any of the "toy" helicopters on the market, check out the experience of The Gadgeteer in a review of the PicooZ RC Helicopter. 'Weighing in at an almost feather weight of 0.4 ounces, the PicooZ is small and fragile feeling. The body is styrofoam while the tail part is a thin tape covered plastic strip. The 3 rotor blades are made of a thin flexible plastic. In contrast, the handheld transmitter is a robust plastic module with 2 thumb controlled joysticks that control power and direction. The transmitter is powered by 6 AA batteries (not included). In addition to controlling the PicooZ, it also charges the Li-poly battery in the helicopter.'

Continue reading "Review: PicooZ RC Helicopter - The Gadgeteer" »

Posted by Admin at 12:33 PM | Permalink

The Palmsize Micro Copter is just the right "pair of wings" for that aspiring aviator at this time of the year. This gizmo on sale at Think Geek for $49.99 should not be much of a burden on your wallet especially if the behavior of your charge has been tolerable for the better part of the year. 'Unlike a traditional R/C helicopter, the Palmsize Micro Copter is always moving forward. You control the hover height and right or left turns. By a slight twist of the tail before takeoff you can adjust how quickly the copter moves forward. It can go at a pretty good clip if desired, so practice up if you expect to challenge the expert pilots at the ThinkGeek office.'

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Posted by Admin at 2:47 PM | Permalink