Small toy helicopters abound in the market these days, but what happens when you want to duke it out with the rest by introducing the biggest, baddest boy on the block? The 4-Channel R/C Apache Helicopter is perfect as it measures more than 15″ long and features a quartet of channels of control, allowing you to dominate office airspace in a jiffy. The introduction of dual counter-rotating blades allow even beginners to handle this Apache copter like a seasoned veteran. You will be able to enjoy up/down, right/left rotation, and forward/backward movement and full pitch control on the bottom rotor which makes room for strafing right and left to avoid incoming imaginary missiles. Diminishing returns plague remote control helicopters till today where power is concerned, and the same applies to this 4-Channel R/C Apache Helicopter - it takes a quarter of an hour to generate 7 minutes of fly time. ThinkGeek has placed a $109.99 asking price for this.

You know how you were like as a kid, clamoring for the latest and greatest toys while throwing envious glances at your friends who seemed to have much cooler Legos and Game Boys while all you had was a paper to doodle with? Well now that you’re working and earning your keep, why not let the little boy in you surface once in a while with the SRV-1 Blackfin Mobile Surveillance Robot?

Explore the dangerous terrain of your home or office with the SRV-1 Mobile Robot. This palm sized bot packs tank-like treads a 1000MIPS 500MHz Blackfin BF537 processor and a mini video camera. Using 802.11b/g wi-fi the SRV-1 interfaces wirelessly with a remote PC. The Java-based console software includes a built-in web server to monitor and control the SRV-1 via a web browser from anywhere in the world, as well as archive video feeds on demand or on a scheduled basis. Get programming with fully open-source software for robot and host computer.

While the $474.99 SRV-1 Mobile Robot already comes fully assembled and ready to use out-of-the-box, you are required to possess some technical knowledge of Java, networking and the command line in order to set-up the software. Folks who have experienced configuring a basic web server ought to do just fine.

Who can forget about the 1980s Airwolf series? That show made many people fall in love with combat helicopters, and this time round you will be able to live out your childhood fantasies with the Airwolf R/C Helicopter that will retail for £39.95 a pop. Just make sure you have the theme tune playing in the background via your iPod speaker dock and you’re good to go. Too bad you will still need to concoct your very own storyline about wayward terrorists who love nothing better than to blow up the world with their latest devious plot. You might not be able to travel at supersonic speeds or shoot air-to-surface missiles, but this R/C helicopter does come with super-wide infra-red control and tri-band technology in addition to counter-rotating rotors.

ThinkGeek seems to have a penchant for remote controlled helicopters, and their latest attempt in this field is the Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter. This surprisingly affordable $29.95 device is an original ThinkGeek creation, featuring a “futuristic drop-ship style design with precise flying characteristics and an innovative rear propeller system.” In addition, it is touted to be the smallest 3-channel R/C copter in the world at the moment, so we won’t recommend leaving the windows open while you fly this thing indoors lest it crashes to the ground with a strong gust of wind.

The Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter has dual rotors on the top which spin in opposite directions. These opposite spinning blades cancel out uncontrolled torque making for incredibly stable flight. For forward and reverse motion the tail rotor then blows up or down, pitching the copter forward or backward and causing it to move in that direction. It’s a great control system and a pleasure to fly.

The rate of diminishing returns here ain’t too shabby after all - a 10 minute charge time results in a 7 minute fly time, which is much better compared to others we’ve seen in the market. We’d strongly recommend you getting rechargeable batteries to go along with it though, as half a dozen AA batteries are required at any one time to keep the whole gig going.

Are you a huge fan of remote control flying toys? If so, gadget mavens Brando has what it touts to be the smallest indoor RC UFO in the world, and we certainly won’t go against that judging by its diminutive size. It relies on a wide range IR controller, and the small and lightweight design helps the UFO maintain its flight path in the room. We strongly recommend that you keep all doors and windows closed while turning off the fan, as we suspect a slightly stronger than normal breeze would send this tumbling down to earth and causing Area 51 scientists to knock on your door almost immediately in their blind quest for extra terrestrial life. Brando is currently offering the World’s Smallest Indoor RC UFO for $24.90 after a $5 discount.

Do you follow the Initial D manga series? That’s all about the art of drifting in Japan, and it has gained popularity and interest all over the world for quite some time already. Ever wished you could have a taste of drifting without risking life and limb? That’s now possible with the Drift Package Light R/C Drifting Car from ThinkGeek.

Now these Drift Package Light R/C Drifting Cars allow you to brush up on your drift racing skills in the comfort of your own living room. A special mechanism inside these cars varies the speed of all four wheels and causes them to automatically drift whenever you turn. Soon you’ll be slaloming and skidding around your entire house. The Drift Package Light Cars work great on a smooth floor, but surprisingly you can get some good fishtail action going on low pile carpet as well. Now all you need is some slick tires for your minivan and a big empty parking lot.

Take note that it will require a fair amount of snap-together assembly before you get started, and all instructions are in Japanese. Good thing there are clear enough pictures and steps accompanying each $49.99 purchase to get folks like me started.

Now this is a toy.  Not a toy you’d pick up for your kids necessarily, more a toy that you make the kids very angry when you tell them they’re forbidden to touch it.  Sure, it could be a nice bonding experience to let them stand next to you as your tank tows a full-sized car.  However, letting them take over the controls might be a difficult experience.  Especially considering the amount of power it has, it could easily tear up property if it were in the wrong hands.

Read the rest of this entry »

There have been cars that give you the ability to spy on a room before, but this one is far more affordable than the other ones I’ve seen.  It probably won’t be as great of quality as the ones you’re pay around $100 for.  However, it also means that you can be a spy no matter what your price range.  Hopefully the engine is quiet though.  Nothing’s more embarrassing than getting caught spying with your toy car.

Read the rest of this entry »