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PowerUp 3.0 by Emma

I am reviewing the PowerUp 3.0 airplane created by PowerUp. The paper airplane is designed to be controlled by your smartphone, with over 200 feet of control range. The kit is fairly simple to assemble by folding the paper and downloading an app. The tricky part comes in learning the skills to fly your airplane. I had so much fun experimenting with this airplane, and I hope the review is helpful.

The PowerUp 3.0 had great packaging. It was very unique in the way it displayed the plane’s carbon body. The box did not feel cheap or flimsy, but felt durable. The display would definitely catch my eye in a store. My only complaint for the packaging would be the zip ties that held the plane’s body in place. They were hard to cut out and awkward while you tried to not damage the body. The zip ties were not necessary since retractable clips already secured it.

PowerUp did extremely well with communicating their instructions. They were included in the package, on an app, and in a personal email. The paper instructions were very clearly understood and even gave “pro tips” for even better results. These instructions were thoroughly given in English, Dutch, French, and Spanish. The paper also included several barcodes, which were quick shortcuts to video instructions. 

PowerUp also directed me to an app called PowerUp 3.0/Dart. This was very helpful in video presentation. It thoroughly went through all the steps for you to have the best experience possible. These videos were extremely helpful in explaining how to fold the plane correctly. How many companies give you video presentations instead of just confusing instruction manuals? I have no complaints with this aspect of the product.

I had a very positive experience with the PowerUp 3.0. It was difficult to control, but experimenting on ways to improve the flights made the product enjoyable. The longest assembling process was folding the plane. This was not complicated since I followed the video tutorial provided. Flying the plane was tricky for me because of how the app was set up. I had to hold the throttle in with one finger, throw the airplane with the other hand, and then steer the plane with the left and right buttons. This process would not have been as complicated if I did not have to press left or right each time I wanted to shift it. It would have been much easier to have sliding arrows. Although the steering was difficult, I enjoyed making adjustments and seeing how well I could make the plane work.

This product is practical for educational purposes. It is designed for STEM learning in evaluating and improving. The skill of evaluating, or finding the issue, is very crucial to many life situations. Once the problem is found, a plan of improvement is needed. The PowerUp 3.0 is designed to learn problem assessment and solving.

Below is a list of pros and cons to summarize my opinion of the product and to help answer any doubts or expectations that you have. 

Pros

  • Clear instructions
  • Free app and video demonstrations
  • 2 sets of paper in case of mistakes in folding
  • Protection buffer for the nose dives

Cons

  • Extremely precise paper folding required
  • Paper may get bent
  • Price $50.00
  • Difficult to fly

In conclusion, PowerUp did a splendid job in the creation of this product. I admire the idea of a technology-flown paper airplane. The technology takes paper airplanes to a whole new level! Thank you, PowerUp, for allowing me to review your product.

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Nostalgia’s Retro Pop-Up Hot Dog Toaster – Justin R.

Today, I will be reviewing Nostalgia’s Retro Pop-Up Hot Dog Toaster.  This toaster came in a very bright and pleasant looking box. As soon as I saw the box I knew this product was the right one for me.  

Inside the box there is the toaster, an instruction manual, and a pair of tongs.  I was not expecting the tongs, but they were a nice surprise because they come in handy when you take the dogs out.  The instructions are very clear. Toasting the hotdogs is a very simple operation. Overall the toaster looks outstanding.  There are two color options: the red which is shown and a light teal. This retro look of this toaster is really awesome and would look great in any kitchen.   

The toaster has two neat features.  It has different cooking levels. It is neat that you are able to control how done your doggies are.  On the bottom 0f a toaster is a crumb collector. This is useful because it collects the leftover crumbs and juices of the hotdog instead of them burning and letting off a nasty smell.

There are three steps in the toasting process.  Stick your buns in. Stick your doggies in. Push down on the handle.  Then whalla your hot dog is toasting. When I hear that the buns got toasted as well I was very excited.  The toasted buns are an awesome part of this toaster, and I think the bun toasted buns is what makes this product special.

The toasting process is very short and convenient.  At level 1 it takes under a minute, and at level 5 it takes just under 4 minutes.  It makes some noises later in the toasting process. At first I was a little concerned, but then I saw the steam rise and heard the most satisfying sizzle.

 The final product.  While the hot dogs cooked from this toaster are not the best hotdogs ever, the toaster makes really good hotdogs. The toaster buns are an awesome bonus.  I gave out a bunch of hotdogs cooked in the toaster in my school and the staff and students loved them. I even got two thumbs up from the lunch ladies. After further testing, I find that cooking level 4.75 is the best combination of cooked doggie and toasted bun.

Overall this is a very cool product.  It looks cool and is a quick convenient way to make hotdogs, turkey dogs, sausages and other tubular meats.  While it is cool, I cannot say that this product is a must buy for every kitchen. The hotdogs that it makes are really good, but not out of this world, and this product simply cannot produce hotdogs for a mass quantity, so it would not be useful for something like a cookout.  Where I could see this product being very useful is in college dorms. This offers a low cost cooking utensil that can be used for cheap meals. This is a very cool product. It is a very convenient tool for making hot dogs.

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Milwaukee Red Stick Level – Justin R.

 Today, I will be reviewing the Milwaukee Redstick (Milwaukee’s smart level).  It came in nice packaging. It was easy to open, and once opened it was like Christmas.  I was expecting just the level and the battery. To my surprise, it came with a cord and USB-wall adapter along with two manuals.  Then, what shocked me even more was that it came with a bag to haul it in!  

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Utopia 360°VR Headset by Jess

For the month of March, I tried the Utopia 360° virtual reality 3D headset. This is a product that I purchased independently due to the lack of feedback from other companies. This product is something that I have mixed feelings about, and I will express all of those feelings in this review. For each category, with categories including packaging, instructions, personal experience, practical use, and pros and cons, I will rate the category with either “yay” (meaning very good), “boo” (meaning very bad), or “narf” (meaning neutral). I hope that this review is helpful to you. Now let’s get on with the show!

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