Remote-controlled cars were yesterday, today is Ollie.  And Sphero

Remote-controlled cars were yesterday, today is Ollie. And Sphero

Orbotix 1B01ROW Ollie - Robotic Gaming System (Accessories)

Customer Review

Ollie is a reasonably meaningful free, but very Distractions toys.
It comes in a pretty package and should definitely be charged before the first use; In addition, its tires and the two wheel covers have to be mounted. When then is a compatible smartphone at hand which supports Bluetooth 4.0 and on which the app is running to control (best try in advance whether you will find these in the corresponding device from Google Play and install them) can start the fun.
Simply turn on Bluetooth and launch the app, Ollie is constantly receiving and connects automatically; this only needs to be touched by Ollie the phone. Then, connected and initialized, Ollie makes his lights and is ready.
It is important that Ollie and his owner look here in the same direction, and the smartphone or tablet (which I because of the greater control pads clearly prefer) will no longer be rotated subsequently. Both must be quasi "North Up", only then Ollie makes fabulously easy conduct. To master rotates, for example by 90 degrees, has re-thought or the alignment to be recalibrated. The deeper meaning of this is that Ollie drives even after violent flashovers immediately in the direction, type in the master on the control pad, consideration should be given without that, for example, thought of as a remote-controlled car into the vehicle and where the right and left. No matter how often Ollie has turned, which when I play on my control pad to the left, it moves in this direction; I move the finger towards me, also drives Ollie towards me and comes to me. Otherwise it would be exhausting, if not impossible, to control Ollie.
Maintained seen on a phone or tablet with the control pad allows direct Ollie, in landscape mode opens the trick mode, and another pad appears with the Ollie can be rotated, for example, on the spot or make various other feats. For particularly successful deposit there is applause and it will for example be shown by how many degrees Ollie is just rotates. Too violent interludes Ollies can confuse sensors such that a recalibration is required, but this is quick and easy.
Very important - - In addition, acceleration, cornering performance and allow the maximum speed in the app rules.
The latter is particularly important when using in rooms necessary because otherwise Ollie is too fast and bangs constantly somewhere, however.
That's me, in addition to violent flashovers when driving on the road, very, very often happens, but Ollie is tough. Jumps over the curb, crash from full speed against walls (and did I mention that Ollie can be damn fast?), All that he has so far coped without complaint. One or the other scratches remained, the function has however been affected in any way.
Ollie makes a blast but really no sense. But that is not so often?

Update 12/07/2014
I old child head I've also ordered the Sphero and discovered looking for apps for these that Draw & Drive also works with Ollie. In this nice little program to be drawing lines which are then worn by Ollie and Sphero. Provided plenty of room it's fun to similar furniture to navigate. Unfortunately, the subscribed routes can not be saved, but speed and the color of the LEDs can be changed.

Update 12/12/2014
The Sphero I get from my wife not handed out before Christmas, so I continued to search and discovered that two applications support for programming the Sphero also Ollie according Apps; orbBasic and Macrolab. In Macrolab to sequences of commands to be run Ollie, change its color, the drive motors etc., with orbBasic Basic programs can run on the internal processor of Ollie. Instructions and tips this can be found on the manufacturer's website.
Thus, the two robots offer more than just their remote control functions, which makes it even more interesting.

Update 29.12.2014
Since Christmas I have now the Sphero for direct comparison and have to say that both have their strengths and weaknesses.
In this respect I am quite happy that I bought me both.

Update 05/01/2015
How fortunate that I have an iPod Touch 5G've also because the app to Ollie over there has a decisive advantage: It can be - as opposed to the Android version - Syndicate alignment with the iPod, quasi synchronize the viewing direction of Ollie and his helmsman , So Ollie always knows what forward currently, rear, right and left from the perspective of the controlling and it must be even less readjusted.
Whether that still comes with Android via update? Would be nice.

The merging of completely different items "Ollie" and "Sphero" by Amazon was not the best idea to the times very benevolent express.

Therefore, I will complete this review to my review of Sphero:

The fact that both come from the same home, already evident in the type of control.
As with the virtual joystick Ollie is pushed only in the direction at Sphero on your phone, should move in the Sphero; Here again is not necessary to enter thought the ball. Therefore, it is necessary to align the beginning Sphero user or mobile phone, which is made by a blue LED inside the sphere. Displays this LED to users, the control works perfectly.
Unlike Ollie however must be adjusted much more common in Sphero so that it continues to move in the desired direction. Etc. Especially after dancing lose the small ball like to the orientation.
To protect Sphero something and to increase the grip on smooth surfaces to provide the silicone cover, so may even, in the worst dirt, mud or hazards in the water, because Sphero is waterproof. After a shower it looks like new.
Charging is not wired but via the included induction charger.
The default app offers integrated play facilities; Sphero can solve tasks such as (30 seconds around curves without more often than three times bumping into anything, willfully repeatedly bump into anything within a certain time, etc.). As a reward, there are points that can be invested in new skills again. So Sphero can mimic a frog or a horse, jump, sneeze, fart, change colors, diverse dances perform and much more. The background music comes here from the loudspeaker of the phone or tablet, is controlled by the Sphero. Very pretty here are Spheros interpretation of the Nutcracker or the dance, in which he wags his "ass".
The motivation is through the various games and Spheros feats quite high, but is slightly marred by frequent readjustment of the control.
As with Ollie Sphero can be programmed, macros can be created, leave a marked path, play golf, fight zombies or control a virtual beaver foraging - all with the appropriate app.

In keeping with the Sphero me the Sphero Chariot've gained.
This is a small car of the, driven by Sphero, either obtain a construction of LEGO elements, or can take a cell phone. Compatibility with LEGO is for me a bridge, to my great passion for collecting; However, the matter of the phone is much more interesting, because with a few free apps can be produced following experimental setup:
A mobile phone to control, in this IP camera viewer app, as well as free Sphero joystick (a tiny, sleek program for Spheros to use basic functions that can be show as an overlay in all running applications) install.
On the other cell load an IP camera app, its dissolution choose not too high, into the holder on the Chariot, search the IP this phones in the other smart phone and leave it there to display the camera image of the first telephone. Then pass the program start with the overlay for control.
From now sees the interested users, where Sphero drives, these can remotely control with image and sound, record movies on demand, depending on the used app arrival the camera light on and off, zoom, intercom, and who was so smart, controlled the cell phone with the Sphero is set up as a mobile hotspot that can do anywhere, even in places where no Wi-Fi is available.
Annoying is only that the mount for the phone in the Chariot quite easily adjusted; after a collision tilts the smartphone like forwards and the field of view changes.
The construction on the Chariot should not be too heavy also, otherwise Sphero not manage to haul all the stuff ...

Conclusion:
Ollie and Sphero are both fantastic in their own way toys. Perfect sense free, but highly entertaining.
Ollie scores with high reliability in controlling
Sphero can be upgraded to the rolling camera drone.

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