We get close to the spinning blades of the newest Wowwee Flytech device. Did it crash and burn, or were we appropriately wowed?
At the CES Unveiled event, Wowwee was also showing off an impressive new addition to its Flytech line. The Flytech Bladestar is a tiny flying machine. It looks like a helicopter rotor with a couple stabilizer fans attached, which is precisely what it is. We saw it in action, and it flew nice and smooth. But, if you get bored with normal flight, the Flytech Bladestar also has a few cool trick up its sleeve.
Wowwee has gotten into IR in a big was with its toys, and the Bladestar can use IR sensors to detect walls and large objects in its path. Using these sensors, the device can supposedly operate "autonomously," though there wasn't enough space at the packed event to really see this mode in action. Also, borrowing some features from popular competitors, the Bladestar can also engage in dogfights with other Bladestar devices. So, you can shoot down your friends, and then pay for the damage you cause when they crash.
The indoor flying toy market is booming, and this device seems a better idea than the Flytech Dragonfly. The Dragonfly needed a lot of space to move and swoop, but the helicopter idea is better for cubicles and such. Unfortunately, in our experience, these small toys are quite fragile, with parts that spin rapidly, a dangerous combination. Hopefully, the Flytech toy will also be more rugged than the devices we've seen.
The Flytech Bladestar will be available exclusively from Target in February 2008, selling for approximately $50.
Philip Berne, Matthew Ruiz, Edward Distel and Sindre Lia contribute to the CES 2008 coverage.
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Pros:
Healthy price tag, IR sensor for semi-autonomous mode, combat functions
Cons:
Small copters tend to be fragile | | |
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