Powerball Techno (Sports)

Fun, but choose the Neon Pro instead if you want the scoring modes It's a neat toy and works well. You can really feel it fighting your grip. It's also a wonderful gimmick, if not so practical. The display is hard to use. I've seen videos of people who've obviously got the knack of it and can hold it out and read off their score, but it will take some time to get this. If you score too low then you see text instead of a number. Even if/when I learn to use it, anyone I give it to would not be able to. The ones with the LCDs will be much easier to use. They also have more modes. Techno has simple speed mode and 30 second strength mode and you switch them by spinning at the right speed (6000 rpm or one red dot spinning round) for the right time (18 seconds) and watching to try to work out which lights are showing (blue flashing). On the LCD ones it's a button press to select mode and you know you can always see the scores. So the LCD ones are easier to use, and if you want flashing lights the Neon ones give you that. I wonder how much energy they take from the rotor and if that's significant for those trying for high scores. Concerning the comment about letting it dangle: The instructions tell you to keep hold otherwise you'll wear it out quicker. I think it's noisier when dangling so wonder how practical this advice is.

Great Gadget! I am a fencer, and often suffer from tennis elbow in my sword (right) arm. I had been looking for a way to ease it, and when I saw that Powerballs can be used for this, decided to buy one. I went for the Techno, as it looked quite fun, and I must say that these things really are addictive! With regard to the score being difficult to read on this model, this is true, but with practice you get better at steadying the rotor, and I look at this as being part of the challenge. I would certainly recommend one of these to anyone looking to use it at low speeds for rehabilitation, as it certainly has helped my tennis elbow. One word of caution though: If, like me, you have small hands, you may find you blister your fingers, with excessive use at higher speeds - I took the skin off the side of my little finger on the first day! Don't let that put you off though, these things are great.

Techno Had a go on a powerball and realised I had to get one. The techno is great fun and the scrolling LED display's a nice idea but doesn't work very well. I don't regret buying it due to the price, but in retrospect wish I'd gone for one of the neon-pro or signature ones with the simple display that also gives more features. The techno will only give you the fastest speed of that session but no fastest ever score. The dangling technique to view the display does work (just hang it by its wrist strap), but the ball starts to make a gravelly sound which apparently will increase the more you do it.

Can't see the point of this model... After trying out my friends powerball, I was hooked and wanted to buy one immediately. In my haste, I ordered this one because I thought they were all the same, but they AREN'T! While this is effectively a powerball, and will therefore do the same thing, plus some pretty lighting effects, it is seriously hindered without the LCD display. Part of the reason for buying one is that on Christmas day it would be nice to have everyone play about with it and try and beat the RPM score. While everyone had fun, without the display the product is really crippled. Supposedly, the LEDs show the score, but I only found out after reading reviews, even then I still can't make anything out. Shame really. If you don't care about keeping score (which IMO is half the fun) and like flashy lights, then buy this model, but I would rather have brought a "Pro" model purely for the display.

" DANGLE IT " I recently bought the "TECHNO POWERBALL" and soon learned how to use it, but I just couldn't get the score to scroll across the rotor. After reading reviews by other users I found that the following tip did the trick: attach the wrist strap (provided) to the ball and when you have finished "spinning" it let the ball dangle freely and,indeed,the score will scroll across the rotor . Hope all the bad reviews about "scores not working" will be retracted - give it a try - good luck !