Who says toys are just for kids? As someone who grew up on remote-controlled cars, the prospect of a smartphone-controlled gadget is tantalizing to me even well into adulthood. And with the kind of cool gizmos that are in the market already, it’s hard to keep that credit card away. From helicopters to submarines and smart balls to robots, this is my (and soon, yours) wishlist of cool smartphone-controlled toys. Let’s start with the simplest of the lot, taking us back to our childhood: RC cars. CarBots by Desk Pets are tiny little toy cars that can be controlled via your phone after you plug in a custom IR transmitter in the 3.5mm headphone jack. The cars come in four colours (red, blue, green, yellow) to let you play with friends in races or skirmishes (using IR to fire shots at each other). The rechargable battery promises 15 minutes of play after a 30-minute charge. Price: Between $13 to $40 Sit in one room and check out what’s going on elsewhere in the house with the Rover 2.0 Spy Tank.

It links with your smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi, working with a range of up to 100 feet through obstacles and 200 feet uninterrupted. You can see what’s happening with the adjustable camera and hear what’s being said with the built-in microphone, or transmit your own audio through its speaker — all in real-time. Its video feed or stills can be uploaded directly to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In case things get a little dark, just switch on the headlights, or better yet, the infrared-based night vision mode! Powered by 6 AA batteries, this is the ultimate toy for geeks. It’s a flying camera! Perhaps the most famous smartphone-controlled toy out there, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is a quadricopter with an HD video camera — which freaks Dave Parrack out about what the future holds 8 Robot Quadrotor Videos Suggest A Scary Future Many technological advances have a scary side to them, pointing towards a future where humanity is in danger of being overrun by intelligent machines which no longer need us.

If they ever decide they don't...You can fly the device as well as control its camera from your smartphone (connected via Wi-Fi) and receive live images, which can be stored directly on your smartphone. And you can even indulge in a few augmented reality games if you’re up for it. There’s a lot more you can do with the AR.Drone 2.0, as you can read in our full review Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Review and Giveaway The Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is the most expensive remote control toy money can buy; it’s a smartphone controlled quadrocopter with a 720p HD camera, and it’s ridiculously fun, but quite temperamental. Sphero is the robotic ball I wish I grew up with. As big as a tennis ball, it connects with your phone via Bluetooth (up to 100 feet) and glows with customizable colours. Sphero 2.0 can gather speeds of up to 7 feet per second. It’s features wireless charging and is rugged — both pet-proof and waterproof. Ideally, you want friends who have this to race and play other games with them — there are even two ramps in the kit!

But if you’re on your own, you can still enjoy Sphero with the augmented reality games it has. This is just so cool! How can you not instantly fall in love with these tiny, cute robots that let you play football and even sumo wrestle! BeeWi’s BBZ150 Bluetooth Mini Robot has two little eyes and two moveable flippers/feet/hands, along with the ability to move in all four directions. parrot ar drone toys r usWith a range of up to 30 feet, the BeeWi Mini Robot is powered by twin AAA batteries.parrot ar drone og wi fi b g How would you like to have your own R2-D2? ar drone 2 best buyRomo turns any iPod or iPhone into a cute robot with its own personality. parrot ar drone quadricopter multimedialny

Essentially, Romo is a wheelbase in which you dock your iPhone or iPod touch, and load up their proprietary app that provides Romo with a cartoony face (with a range of emotions) and gibberish speech, much like R2-D2. Romo works via facial recognition to become an e-pet, and also includes telepresence to let you control it with another iOS device or the Web. parrot ar drone handleidingThere may not be much reason to buy a new iPod touchparrot ar drone radio kit Should You Still Buy MP3 Players? Remember how everyone used to have an MP3 player? In the days before the iPhone, MP3 players were a must-have item. Smartphones have eaten into MP3 player sales over the years -- why purchase a... , and this is a great way to repurpose an old one. Turn any plain paper airplane into an smartphone-controlled flight of fancy with PowerUp 3.0, a simple device that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0.

It’s essentially a carbon-fibre rod with a tiny motor that ascends when you speed up and descends when you slow down, according to Gizmag. The onboard accelerometer even gives a virtual horizon on the app, letting you control it from your smartphone easily. Maker TailorToys says you could potentially get over 30 seconds of flight on a single charge. Even though it’s not out in the market yet, the PowerUp 3.0 is so darn cool, it deserved a spot here. For the time being, you might want to check out PowerUp 2.0 on Amazon. After driving on land and soaring through the air, it’s time to go underwater. AquaBotix’s HydroView is essentially a smartphone-controlled submarine! It’s fitted with an HD camera to transmit a video stream of what it sees, while travelling at speeds of up to five knots (and one knot in reverse). You can steer it by tilting your smart device, and brighten up dark environments with the built-in LED lights. The HydroView is connected via a cable to a floating smartbox, which is its “brains”.