iPong Original Table Tennis Training Robot

by iPong

• Be in control. Use the wired remote to adjust power, frequency, and spin
• Choose your spin. Practice returning infinite variations of backspin and topspin
• Set your own pace. Challenge yourself and increase the frequency of balls per minute as you improve.
• Holds over 100 balls.
• Warranty: One year limited manufacturer's warranty.

Product Description

Amazon.com

No more waiting for a practice partner. iPong is the affordable, portable table tennis practice partner that plays with you tirelessly. You can set your own pace with this attractive centerpiece, from a casual to blistering ball-feed and give yourself a world-class workout. It's more like a live opponent than a ball feeder, iPong can continuously shoot more than 100 balls before reloading. Use the wired remote to adjust for backspin, topspin, or heavy topspin balls without having to leave your side of the table. What's more, the iPong assembles in seconds with only three essential pieces to put together--no tools or equipment necessary. All you have to do is snap in the pieces, plug in the power, and enjoy your iPong.

iPong can continuously shoot more than 100 balls before reloading.

Features:

• Sharpen your table tennis skills without need for a training partner
• Remote control adjusts power and spin on the ball
• Underspin, topspin, or heavy topspin settings
• Increase or decrease the frequency of balls per minutes as you improve
• 110 ball capacity; adjustable frequency from 12 to 70 balls per minute
• Easy to use and assemble

Specifications:

• Adjustable frequency (balls/minutes)
• Ball Capacity: 100+
• Net Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Spin: Underspin, topspin, heavy topspin
• Compatibility: All standard size table tennis tables (9 by 5 feet)
• Warranty: One year limited manufacturer's warranty
• Includes:iPong Robot, Remote Control, A/C adapter, Setup and Instruction manual
• Measures 18.75 by 11 by 11 inches (H x W x D); 1-year manufacturer's warranty

Product Description

Joola iPong Original Table Tennis Practice Partner. iPong is the affordable, portable table tennis practice partner that plays with you tirelessly. Set your own pace with this attractive centerpiece, from a casual to blistering ball-feed, and give yourself a world-class workout. No more waiting for a practice partner! More like a live opponent than a ‘playback feature,' iPong can continuously shoot more than 100 balls before reloading. Use the wired remote to adjust for backspin, topspin, or heavy topspin balls, without leaving your side of the table! To sweeten the appeal, this sleek robot assembles in seconds with only three essential pieces to put together! No tools or equipment necessary. Simply snap in the pieces, plug in the power, and enjoy your iPong! Size: 10.75"L x 1.75"W x 18.75"H

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11 x 11 x 18.8 inches ; 2.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002R1ZYEM
• Item model number: I1
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars it does the job December 16, 2009

By Erik1988 TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

1) As with the other reviews, I too had trouble lining up the parts to connect them. I was trying to be careful, because it seemed that it would easy enough to break off any of the pieces that hold it together, then how do you connect it? Also, I feel that if you tried assemble & disassemble between uses, then you greatly increase of wearing down the connection pieces and thus snapping off a key piece of plastic. Thus plan to keep this assembled

2)Part of the product description says, "Sharpen your skills without need for a training partner." It's true you won't need a training partner, but you will need a 2nd person to help you run the thing. The second you turn it one it starts firing balls. No delay.

3) You get an AC adapter with something like a 4ft cord. Thus you better have an extension cord handy.

4) For the price they should have thrown in at least 50 one-star balls. . .anything to practice with. I was looking for the big bold letters that said "Balls Not Included". This would have been a good laugh if they had this on the packaging somewhere too.

5) Any kinda of device with dials gets me worried, but I have to say that the knobs felt firm and turned easy enough.

6) Yes, the motor is a bit loud, but big deal. It's a sports tool after all.

7) Running a bunch of balls through it, the machine seemed pretty consistent. About 5% of the balls would fly into the net

OVERALL: This product is the basic device to help someone practice. I took this to work and my co-worker who has no forehand skills to speak of was excited to try it out, as it could keep throwing balls to the same side and help him practice.
Is it worth the cost? That's for you to decide, considering it's all "manual" other than the actuall ball launching and you're paying for a motor surrounded by questionable plastic parts.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Wait a Few Years for Joola to Improve this "Training Buddy" ... December 21, 2009

By Erica J. Dymond VINE™ VOICE

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I must agree with the other reviewers here: the price of this product is not justifiable.

The plain, brown cardboard-box (with no print on it what-so-ever) inspires little confidence. It would be an awkward gift, to say the least (considering it looks a bit like something Ted Kaczynski would mail). Likewise, the black-and-white leaflet (a single, folded page) provides sparse information about this pricey little toy. (I guess I expected a glossy little insert from the popular Joola company ... not something made at their local Kinkos). Now, I will admit that the "Training Buddy" is packaged VERY well. The polystyrene hugs the components tightly ... I can assure you, this item WILL reach you in mint condition (and, to be generous, maybe this this where Joola invested their money ... and who can argue with that?)

Assembly was easy; however, the flimsy plastic made me a bit concerned I was going to snap the "Training Buddy" into tiny, little pieces. (And, if you have children, you may want to take care ... I do not believe this product can survive any type of accident). Likewise, I was unprepared for the excessive noise. But, that's fine because where else am I going to find a product like this? And, admittedly, the super short cord meant I had to make a mid-week run to Wal-Mart for an extension. *sigh*

Here's the kicker ... ping-pong balls are not included. For $150.00, one would imagine those bright-orange balls would be stowed in the box (or at least otherwise noted BOLDLY in the description). Why even show the balls if they aren't included? That trip to Wal-Mart was more expensive than I care to admit. Perhaps I'd forgive Joola ... but their company actually MAKES ping-pong balls. They could include them at little cost to their business. (And I am not the only reviewer irked by this strange omission).

Yes, the "Training Buddy" does work (almost all of the time). But, I guess I'd rather just flip-up the other end of my table old-school style (that's how I've practiced for fifteen years ... and I don't have to pick-up one-hundred balls when I'm finished). Between the noise, the extension cord, the extra balls, the occasional "serve" into the net, and the clean-up ... well, it's just not worth the trouble or expense.

Maybe if this were $49.99, I could endorse it. But, for nearly triple?! Certainly not. Wait for Joola to make some improvements to the "Training Buddy." In the meantime, just flip-up that table and keep practicing:)

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect serves almost everytime. December 19, 2009

By J. Dugas

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

The iPong sits on the ping pong table and sends servers across the table perfect almost every time. Maybe 1 or 2 in a 100 misfires short. I'd say that's about as good as you get. I've never seen a baseball, tennis ball, or football thrower shoot 100% all the time.
The top spin, heavy top spin, and down-spin worked flawlessly for me. The only thing I would have liked to see is a delay on the first ball, since most of the time anyone uses this they will not have someone there to turn it on. You can slow down the serve speed so you won't miss too many balls on your way back to your side of the table after turning it on(1-2 balls missed).
There is no side spin option in case you are wondering.