Phew, Phew, lasersssss (You knew I’d throw that in there, don’t even act surprised or taken aback). But why did I? Because Spin Master Toys - in association with Appfinity - has done the unthinkable: they’ve FINALLY enabled us to turn our beloved iPhone into a full-fledged laser; yup you read that right. But how? Not long ago Spin Master Toys released a physical controller called the “AppBlaster”, a fully interactive toy made to harness your device and work seamlessly with augmented reality games. One of which - and my for a personal favorite - being “Alien Attack” which allows us to rid the world of Aliens the old fashioned way: brute force.

Read on to find out my thoughts on Appfinity’s AppBlaster.

Size: listen, it’s big, BUT and that’s a big but, when you are buying a toy like this… the size is kind of expected. At a solid 18-inches long it’ll probably prove to be the largest iPhone accessory you’ll ever buy. However, in fairness, the shoulder harness is removable. So regardless of your gun-holding preference, you can go Duke Nukem on the Aliens in style.

Usability: at its core, the AppBlaster is just a toy, there is no software or special technology to learn; you literally just drop your iPhone or iTouch into the white plastic holster and away you go.

On the handle there are two triggers, with a corresponding pad on top of the gun that moves forward to touch the iPhone screen, where compatible games have placed their fire buttons. Metal inside the triggers connects to the pads, so that trigger pulls are read as finger taps; it’s seamlessly-awesome, and gives the nostalgic feeling of using a Nintendo handgun ala DuckHunt from back in the day - yes, DuckHunt is available for the iPhone, and WILL work with the AppBlaster!

Performance: the game is just awesome. From the beginning everything is seamless and easy to use - my 3-year old nephew even was able to start the game by himself.

How it works: by using the iPhone’s Gyroscope and camera, the game creates an Augmented Reality around you, a full 360-degree view - making every surrounding you happen to be in seem like it’s being invaded by those pesky Aliens. For the record: if there was ANY game you wanted to play to destroy all productivity, this is it; it’s as fun as it is addictive and supports all sorts of obnoxious victory dances as you beat levels - the phone cage is sturdy enough to handle the beating without letting your phone meet an ironic end.

Overall: For $20, Spin Master has a sure-fire winner - pun completely intended. The AppBlaster is a no-brainer for those fresh out of stocking stuffer ideas, regardless if you’re buying it for the under-stimulated office executive or bored-easy teen - both will have hours of fun (so long as they’re iPhone users ) and will look at you like the rockstar you are for discovering it. If they ask, tell’em the “Guru” recommends it.

For more information on Spin Master’s “AppBlaster” or to pick one up click here