It debuts today, available now at Apple Stores all over the US. It’s Hot Wheels id, and it is a major step forward for the world’s most popular toy.
Mattel gave me a chance to preview the new cars and Smart Track. Here is Part 1:
#tranquilcollecting
% chance that a new model debuts in this line like the Miura?
Also, considering all the sorts of castings we saw that will be part of this, I kinda like this. They have fairly good picks (misnomer on the Pagani not withstanding), but I still wish they retooled the C7.R at least.
The cars look good. The whole data thing seems pretty interesting; but I don’t own a smartphone. I wonder if it’s actual data, acquired by sensors, or just made up numbers?
All I care is that it does well, and doesn’t lose money. Too many of these “connected” toys end up being something they can’t ditch on clearance.
How can you not have a smartphone in this day and age??
Easy, easy. Opinions are opinions, but let’s not get our panties in s bunch.. I was going to suggest an Apple IPod touch as an alternative.. let’s show some positivity here.. he’s not entirely bitching like you, you dig?.. at least he has the jewels to admit it😀
I’ve never owned a cellphone of any sort, and probably still won’t at the end of the year.
Not everyone wants or needs a smart phone.
@Wheaterz who said I’m bitching? I asked a simple question, which seems to have offended you for whatever reason.
Yuneek The Infamous .. yeah. some feel you should have at least a smartphone this day & age, but you do what’s comfortable & less you have to pay out to these cellphone companies.
Probably, if I do mess with this, I’ll likely end up buying another cheap prepaid smartphone expressly for the purpose; especially seeing as how LEGO is moving away from IR control to smartphone operated systems. Used to use one as a portable gaming console (HTC Desire 530), and will probably do something similar. But they are most often, crap (built cheap, slow processors), so the iPod Touch (which I thought they’d discontinued) sounds like a better option. Besides, the app selection is better with Apple than Android.
For me, it’s because they don’t last, and most require a case to stand up to what I do. And besides, the Sonim Bolt I have can go a month without needing to be recharged.
Those new ID series cars coming out are all awesome. 👍I will be going to my app store today to get some of those. 👍
Wento to the Apple store to grab some today. They didn’t have the Miura in, and only had a small set of the cars available, maybe 10. I grabbed the One-77 and Mercedes AMG. Looking at the boxes you’re showing, I think there might either be Chase Models or some limited versions of the cars, as mine don’t have the “Limited Run Collectible” on the front, and have different graphics on the box.
I for one am not impressed. I know in this day and age its all about technology, but I believe this will be a failure. They should have made the chips be attached to main line cars and I bet that bulky track is about as much as a smart phone. I hope mattel has nt invested too much in this, they are going to loose their shirt in this one. wow this looks bad.
How much are they?
According to the Apple Store website, the track set itself is $170 (OUCH!) and the cars $7 each. I think at that $170 price tag, it will, ultimately, fail.
According to the Apple website, the cars themselves are $7 each, seemingly reasonable given the tech and details on them. Yet, the track set is a whopping $180.
There was a Lamborghini Miura casting in the old 100% Hot Wheels series.
As for this, it looks interesting, but I’ll only pay attention to new licensed castings.
I’ll preface this by saying this is not up my alley at all, either in concept or price point. But I won’t be negative about it, because it shows that Mattel is at least trying to remain relevant and innovate into new areas of the hobby. If this does well, I welcome it because maybe some of those dollars get funneled into something I AM interested in, like more of (and greater varieties of) licensed castings in the good ol’ low-tech 1:64 mainlines. There is room for different product like this to exist side-by-side with what we all already collect. I do hope this doesn’t get relegated to the dustbin of history by failing to capture an audience, because that could very well serve to stifle the willingness to branch out and innovate that any collectible product line (toy or otherwise) needs to survive. Time will tell.
I will say that their model choices are commendable. They very easily could have gone with some of their more out-there robotic-looking fantasy vehicles, especially considering the focus on techy-ness of this product line, so it’s nice to see real-life cars here.
I don’t own anything Apple and I guess I still won’t! Way too much money for a track and Hot Wheels. Pass.
Maybe they can get Apple to fix the RLC website so we can get our orders in!
Scalextric rules… You know where you are with that….. Is this for kids?!?!….. Tech is getting too much now..and what’s its doing.. Sorry this will flop. Mattel’s financial plans to this. And killed the mbx brand.👏 real imagination toys and collectable as was……my phone runs on coal and smoke signal’s blackwind…. ih8 tech….👍😀… Mattel when’s the hoverboard out?. A bit over due now….well the future is hws with drip trays?
I hope that is works well. I like the castings done do far and idea behind is fitting into the tech age. Hopefully the costs can be brought down in order keep up the interest up. I thought I saw hotwheels set up that used a iPad type setup on kount 5s channel a while ago. I think it used special cars as well.
Where’s the Muscle 🙁
So it’s “toys to life” but with actual toys instead of just statues? Sounds like a winner.
That track is far too expensive, and the Apple store is the wrong market, though. It needs to be on a shelf at Walmart and Target next to Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and Nintendo Amiibo, for a similar price.
I remember reading a business article a while back that preview this line and the article indicated that the chips are available for a penny a piece. Hot Wheels is going to make some money on this line even if it is a flop! I will try to find the article And post the details here.
Why are some Tesla Model S ID HW labeled “limited run collectibles” and others not?