We're only 16 days away from the official start of the 2009 Formula 1 season and some hardcore Lewis Hamilton fans (along with a bit of help from Vodafone and McLaren we assume) have put together what has to be one of the sweetest ads / elaborate stunts / examples of corporate viral advertising for the BlackBerry Storm ever. LOVE IT!
Watch the video. Seriously?! An RC car controlled by the Storm? An F1 car controlled by the BlackBerry Storm? I wants it!!!! After BlackBerrys and smartphones, Formula 1 is my passion (can't wait for Melbourne!). So if you're reading this McLaren, how about you bring this CrackBerry Addict down to Monaco this season for a pit tour :-)
[ via PitPass ]
Reader comments
Sweetest Vodafone Storm / McLaren F1 Video Ever!
Faked or not .. who fereakin' cares,.. it's the concept that matters.. get yer groove on will ya ! IT ROX
Usually I hate internet videos, but that is SICK.
Unless Vodafone, RIM or someone on the Vodafone F1 team comes out and proves this is legit. It's completely FAKE and all done for the advertising of three companies involved.
Think Creative Suite 3 or 4 and Final Cut Pro first before assuming such.
There would be no purpose or business sense to make a remote controlled F1 car other than the cool factor or to prove a point that it can be done.
So, I shared this with all my friends and not ONE of them with an iPhone had any comment...lol!
Don't believe this. It's a total FAKE people. If it's not then show me another video showing how they did this. Notice the front wheels don't move when they turn the storm.
Complete FAKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in an f1 car the wheels don't turn unless the motor is on ....MORON
The motor IS running..
This is a FAKE!!!!
So why are you fiercely defending this without proof? Show me where an F1 car can NOT turn it's steering wheel without the engine running.
Your B/S is running out.
ohhhh your talking about when it was running and he turnd the wheel watch the video again IT DOES TURN again morons!
F1 cars can be steered without the motor running. If not many bad things would happen when the motors blow at 180 MPH!
True, it may be fake, but I'm not sure what part you're talking about. I've watched the video about 10 times and haven't seen a place where the front wheels don't turn when the Storm is turned. With the technology available it is completely possible for this to be real. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the team already had most of the equipment on hand for testing purposes to make this possible. All it would be is a matter of programming an app for the Storm to make it control the already existing equipment in the car.
No the front wheels do not turn left or right when he turns the steering wheel, with the engine off or on..
You need to watch it in HD, go to 2:14 in the clip. They do a close-up of him turning the Storm. The steering wheel turns but not the actual front steering wheels. LOOK closely, not too hard to miss.
Besides do you really think they would trust a $400 Storm with a 4+ million dollar F1 race car..
I think not.
At 2:14 I can not only see the tires moving, but I can hear them squeaking on the floor. It is clear to me that the steering system is at least connected to the wheels.
As far as the dollar amount of the car, you have to keep in mind that these teams usually have test cars, promotional cars, and even old cars. It's entirely possible that they used one of last year's cars or even older that they just don't worry too much about anymore. If it's a promotional car then it would have less expensive components, lesser engine, etc. than one of the actual race cars.
Again, I'm not saying that it wasn't controlled through another method, just that I can see and hear the tires moving and I find it completely possible that this was actually done.
quote
"As far as the dollar amount of the car, you have to keep in mind that these teams usually have test cars, promotional cars, and even old cars. It's entirely possible that they used one of last year's cars or even older that they just don't worry too much about anymore. If it's a promotional car then it would have less expensive components, lesser engine, etc. than one of the actual race cars."
Even the test, promo and old cars are very expensive. the chassis alone is north of $100k.. Their is no such thing as a cheap F1 mock up or not. You have no clue on how much effort this would take to get done. This is something you just don't do in a weekend, especially on an F1 car. F1 cars are NOT toys! People can kill them selves if they don't know how to drive one. Again these cars are not TOYS!
There is no way their insurance company would touch this with a 10' pole..
That is fucking way cool!
Best invention ever!
Magic love it! So I got the phone just need the car!
this is awesome i want it and would pay for it
AirFix mp4-21..that's the rc car i believe could only find Pricing Between £ 21-25, no American dollar but i did a quick search
Sick video
They have to market this... I will be the first one to buy it!
Well, since I know I can't afford the F1, I guess I'll have to settle for the RC model version...now, how the heck do I do it???
That was freakin killer. Largest RC car I have seen.. Sign me up. Lets do this to my Jeep JK.!!!
That is just AMAZING! wow, that was awesome. Good on you chaps for finding this brilliant video.
This is so cool
off the chain, how do i do it?
Now I bet the damn iPhone can't do that, never been a fan of the iPhone,cause of all the features it lacks vrs. BlackBerry. True Loyal fan of BlackBerry...
That was a great video, thanks. Congratulations Lewis.
Yet, our OS still wont enable messenger to send pictures, BB Messenger to send voice files; keep the phone from locking up...and lagging...
That was freakin awesome! LOL funny and uber cool!
That was awesome! I can't wait for the season to begin. Just wondering whther Ross Brawn's team will be any better than Honda was last year...guess it would be hard to be much worse!
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!!!
Hamilton, I mean.
Great vid =]
Has to be one of the coolest things ever!! +50 Awesome Points for you guys!!
Being a big BB Addict and an even bigger racing fan......that was amazing! Probably one of the coolest videos I've ever seen. Lewis Hamilton driving the McLaren with a Storm!!! I hope someone has contacted RIM about this!!!
Go Massa!
That's just f'n kewl!
SWEET!!
Now I want to get rid of my 8900 for a storm!
Where can I get the app... does it come with the F1 ? :o)
It'd be better in a Ferrari. :(
HOOOOOOOOOOOOLY CRAP!
And I'd like to know where I can purchase that remote controlled F1 car.
Let's just hope they don't get a phone call!!!
CRASH!
That is pretty cool... I thought that little RC one was bad ass but to control a real F1 car now that is something!
That was sick, i had no idea that the storm was capable of doing that.
Awesome.
Wow!!! I can't believe they can do that with a phone. That was freaking awesome.
I guess I'm not done buying accessories for the Storm. Now I need to buy a Formula 1 car...lol! Awesome!
Awesome! It really proves that men never get too old for toys...the toys just get more expensive!
so what happens if the Storm crashed? any backup?
wow.. thats amazing.. now i dont even need to be in tha driver seat!
Can Lewis be replaced???? They need to show this on Top Gear!!!
TAKE THAT IPHONE!!!!
That is as cool as it gets right there...hands down. I love F1 and have been following in since way back in the day when the M.A. was still king.
This seems like a real simple app, just utilizing the phones radio to transmit a signal just like the garage door opener app...I want this so bad then I can load my jeep up with some servos and go Jippin in the woods with her! :D
Next lets see the Storm fly a plane! :D
disregard... my adblock was blocking it, my bad.
pretty awesome video.
If this was a TV commercial here in the U.S. I do believe Blackberry would have a hard time keeping the Storm on the shelf.
I love my storm by the way.
wheres the video?? i cant seem to find it.
That was awesome! I need to be able to do this with my car!!
Man, I am one jealous Canuck. That was awsome, cant wait for the F1 season to start too!!!
Now I really want a storm! And a McLaren F1 car lol
Holy crap, two of my favorite things in life AND LW gave it a try as well ... that video just made my day.
that is fuckin SICK!!!!
That is absolutely INSANE!!!!
That was soooo cool !!!!!!
DieHard Mclaren fan here.
Thanks for posting that video!
I want one of these. This summer, I want to go to the park and race my Storm-controlled RC against the lids with their big, clunky remotes.
One question... What happens if I receive a call in the middle of a race? Hmmmm.......
One video to show down the pub later! On my storm ofcourse.
With my Storm it depends on the app that's being used. If I'm in my browser and change to landscape it takes 1 or 2 seconds. Maybe I should start cranking it like that guy was with the F1! :D
The RC car was cool enough then they do it with an F1! Crazy delicious.
sickkkkk i want the app lol... cani do that with my buggy?
That is amazing... I guess the one on the real car isn't controlled via bluetooth?
Sorry Guys, I guess I got a little click happy after watching the video
SUUUUUWEEEET, Thats what is possible with the Storm, Lets hope this give the app makers a vision for what is possible.
SUUUUUWEEEET, Thats what is possible with the Storm, Lets hope this give the app makers a vision for what is possible.
SUUUUUWEEEET, Thats what is possible with the Storm, Lets hope this give the app makers a vision for what is possible.
That was fantastic. I love it.
that has to be the coolest video i have ever seen
that is freakin awesome
That is incredible. I would much rather use my storm for controlling a car than my garage door.
that is very impressive
1 word: WOW
Sweet where do I get one of those blackberry storm controlled cars.
I want me some of that!!!!
O M G
W O W
If that's not a spoof and its real, that's sooo cool... I think it would be easy to do this, since its using BT.
Most BT receivers only work upto 30FT, but there are others that can go beyond 100Ft.
I love F1 and my Storm.... great combo!
Hope they took out the connectivity link off the F1 car.... wouldn't want his race botched for '09! lol
HaHa That's Great Dude
Maybe this is the only thing that will make Hamilton win this year.
Intresting comment when your talking about the defending champ. I think its the rest of the field that needs all the help they can get to come to grips with Lewis.
let's say he got lucky.. remember? last curve?
let's say he got lucky.. remember? last curve?
I ssssooooo want 1!!
where can we pick up this app? HAHA
i want it now, lol. where is the app and the car.
Ha! That was great. I'm watching that again!
Now, that is what the Storm was meant for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can see a bunch of guys sitting up in the driver’s suite looking down at the track controlling their F1 cars around the race track, Storm in hand, while sipping their favorite beverage. No in-car drivers needed... that would be very cool!!!!
I'm speechless!
Berry Noice!
if im not mistaken that was NOT and iphone. 2points for bb storm 0 for iphone!
Awesome!!!!
That is so awesome! can I control my remote control helicopter? Where can I get one?
(Didn't know BT could reach beyond 30 ft.? Is this like that Nike/Ronaldinho commercial where he keeps kicking the ball against the upper bar of the goal posts and it's so hard to believe?)
For starters the 'upper bar of the goal posts' is called the crossbar! and secondly that video with Ronaliniho hitting it repeatly from the edge of the box is a fake which might be why its so hard to believe! and bluetooth only has a range of 10 feet which leads me to believe that this is a fake too. The little remote control car could well of been rigged like that with the bluetooth (Sony ericsson did a bluetooth remote control car years ago) but on the real thing some how i don't think so!