I grew up in Indianapolis, IN, home of the Indianapolis 500, so I’ve always loved racing. From Hot Wheels to slot cars to radio controlled cars, I’ve played with them all. Now iHelicopters.net has let me play with the M-Racer Speed King radio controlled car. It’s a RC racer with a twist, you control it with your iPhone.
Overview
The package contains the race car, the radio control module, and a USB charging cable.
Before using the car you need to charge both the car and the control module. Both items need to be charged for an hour before using. So, you’ll need to wait a total of 2 hours before playing with your new toy. In order to charge either item, plug the USB charging cable into a handy USB port on a nearby computer. (Mac or PC, it doesn’t matter.)
So, after watching Lethal Weapon I came back to a fully charged car and control module. (The car runs 15 minutes per charge, while the module can be used for an hour before needing a charge.)
Before trying the car out I needed to go to the App Store and download the control software. The software is a free download, available here.
Simply plug the control module into the headphone jack of your iPhone, load the software, turn the volume control all the way up, turn on the car, and you’re ready to go.
Control the car by either using on screen touch controls, or via the accelerometer built into your iPhone. Tilting left or right steers the car. I preferred the on screen controls, but different strokes for different folks. Your mileage may vary.
Speaking of mileage, I was able to play with the car for a little over 10 minutes before it began to slow down and needed recharging. Back to watching television. Short battery life is to be expected in a small car such as the Speed King, but the 1 hour charge time is a little frustrating between play sessions.
I found the car to work best on tile floors and smooth cement. Controls were easy to use, and the steering and speed controls were responsive.
Verdict
The M-Racer Speed King is a fun little toy to play with. Kids of all ages will enjoy it, but they may also get a little frustrated waiting for it to charge in between the long charging sessions. I would recommend the car to anyone who likes RC cars in general, and wants the added experience of controlling an RC car with their iPhone.
Price: $49.95, available at iHelicopters.net – Product Link
Rating:3.5/5 [rating:3.5]
Pros:
- Fun to play with.
- Easy to get started.
- Controls are simple, and the car is easy to control.
Cons:
- Long charging times with short play times might be frustrating.
- Only chargeable via USB.
- The instructions could be translated a little more clearly.
