Have you ever wanted to engage in cubicle warfare by harnessing the power of modern technology to remotely wreak havoc on your fellow office-mates? The iLaunch Thunder from Dream Cheeky may be just the thing you’re looking for!
Designed to work specifically with an Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, this remote-controlled foam missile turret is operated via Bluetooth from an app on your iOS device. Using the iLaunch app, you can control the iLaunch Thunder from the touchscreen or using the gyroscope sensor. A simple tap on the screen or a shake of your iOS device will fire a foam dart at unsuspecting foes.
Setup and Control
Setup to get the iLaunch Thunder up and running was a breeze. After taking the unit out and charging it through its mini-USB port for a while, it was painless to pair the turret with my iPhone. Then it was just a quick visit on the App Store to download the free iLaunch app & I was shooting soft, foam projectiles at whatever I could find.
The range of fire for the iLaunch Thunder is decent, which can have a maximum distance of approximately 25 feet according to Dream Cheeky’s website. I was only able to shoot the darts 15 feet or so from floor level, but placing the turret on higher surfaces such as desks or shelves will yield a greater distance.
Even though you can control the iLaunch Thunder through walls and across rooms via Bluetooth, you will still need to see the turret to aim it appropriately. There’s no camera to see where you’re shooting, so you will need to already expect where your target is going to be if you plan to fire upon them blind.
Also, firing the iLaunch Thunder seems slow. After signaling for the turret to shoot, the iLaunch Thunder rotates the round into the firing chamber, cocks itself, and then fires – a full 1.5 to 2 seconds after you tell it to fire, which can give your opponent enough time to get out of harm’s way.
The Bottom Line
At $99.00, the iLaunch Thunder may seem a little pricey, but if you have the money & want a pretty cool gadget you can use to torture you coworkers & colleagues virtually anywhere in the office, then this is the weapon for you. If you want something on the more affordable side, Dream Cheeky also sells USB foam missile turrets ranging from $35-$50. Additional foam missiles may be purchased in packs of 4 for about $4 a pack.
Since I first brought this gadget in from Dream Cheeky for sales on my website http://www.usbgaggifts.com, I have been playing with it. It is a really great gadget that works perfectly with my iPhone 4S. It typically costs between $90-$100.