Lelo F1s Developer’s kit: a programmable masturbator

The Lelo F1s Developer’s kit is a programmable masturbator. A sex toy aimed first and foremost at geeks? Interesting…

For now, it’s a “Developer’s kit”, that is to say, a prototype intended primarily for programmers. But details about it remained vague. Sextech is all the rage, and sometimes the result is ultra-fun sex toys like the Lovense Lush, but there are also plenty of flops. So, is the Lelo F1s a genuine innovation, or an underdeveloped gimmick? I had to try it out to find out more.

There were already a few tutorials online on how to hack your sex toy. But this is the first time we’ve seen a sex toy sold as a finished product designed to be programmed by its users.

So here’s my review of the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit.

Acheter chez Lelo 

The principle behind the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit

On its official website, Lelo describes this sex toy as “the very first pleasure object for men with an SDK”. An SDK, or software development kit, is a set of tools for developers who want to create software for a given platform. The Lelo F1s SDK, released under a Creative Commons licence, is available on GitHub, in Android and iOS versions.

Put like that, it makes you wonder. Am I going to have to programme an app before I can use this thing to masturbate? Thankfully, no. The sex toy gives its users the option of developing new apps that make use of its basic functions. But it does come with a so-called “demo” app. Although simple, it’s actually rather well made.

However, we’ve read all sorts of nonsense about this sex toy.

The words “VR & AR compatible” on its packaging can be misleading. In theory, you could use it as a controller in a virtual reality or augmented reality app, or in a Sudoku game, why not… But someone would have to develop the apps to go with it first. In the meantime, no, you’re not going to enter the Matrix through the tip of your knob by the magic of F1s technology.

What the F1s and its SDK offer is simply a software library to connect it via Bluetooth, control its two motors using software and monitor the status of its various sensors. Put like that, it sounds a lot less futuristic, but the result could still be fun if some imaginative developers get stuck in.

After a bit of research online, we couldn’t find anything else for now besides the demo app. But perhaps that’ll come with time.

I’ll admit I don’t have the motivation or the time to try programming an app for this masturbator. So I made do with its demo functions.

Sex toy packaging

As for the Lelo F1s packaging, everything is beautifully finished. But Lelo has gone against its usual style with the appearance of the box, probably to appeal to a geekier audience. It looks more like packaging for a high-tech product, made of thick red cardboard and decorated with a diagram of the product and a few technical specifications.

When you open it, you’ll notice that a lot of accessories are included.

Among other things, you’ll find the sex toy’s charging cable, a storage case, a tube of Lelo cleaning spray and two samples of lubricant.

Okay, some things are a little superfluous, admittedly. Such as a sign that says “Don’t. F1s experiment in progress”. To be honest, I doubt many men would want to put a sign on their bedroom door, or on the door of whichever room they masturbate in, announcing what they’re up to at that moment. But it is funny.

And a pair of non-slip mitts. Admittedly, when you masturbate, you can get lubricant everywhere, and then everything gets slippery, even the outside of the sex toy, which could slip out of your hands if you’re not careful.

But do you really need Formula 1-driver-worthy gloves to pilot the F1, or to grab your penis? Absolutely not, but they’re still a nice accessory to have. You’ll become a real cock mountaineer. Or not.

The look of the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit

As for its look, it’s clear that Lelo wanted the F1s to appeal to a geeky audience here too. The sex toy has a high-tech appearance, with a window that lets you see what’s going on inside… To put us off our predictable urge to take it apart?

Its outer surface is black, while the inside is red.

Texture and materials

The outside of the sex toy is made of rigid plastic, but the part that comes into contact with the penis is a very soft silicone sleeve, which is fairly thin. If you put your finger inside, you can feel that behind this soft membrane are two piston-like things that you can move around easily.

Powering the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit

The Lelo F1s is rechargeable. Its charging cable is the same as the one supplied with the brand’s other sex toys.

You plug it into a USB port. At the other end, a proprietary connector fits into a small port concealed beneath a cover at the base of the masturbator.

I didn’t time either the charging time or how long it lasted afterwards, but this masturbator caused me no battery problems.

The Lelo F1s is waterproof. If your smartphone is too, you can use it in the shower or bath without any problem.

Controls and modes

Without the app

Using the Lelo F1s without its app is very basic. There’s one button to turn it on or off and two buttons to control the strength of the vibrations. That’s it. There’s no way to control the two motors independently.

With the app

With the demo app, it’s much more fun, and, above all, much more adjustable.

But let’s start with a few technical details. The app, simply called “F1s demo app”, is easy to download from Google Play or the App Store.

Then all you have to do is switch on Bluetooth and connect the sex toy. Note that this app requires location permissions, without which it won’t work.

What are they for? Not much, other than displaying the sex toy’s coordinates: let’s not forget that this is a demo app.

With its “car dashboard” design, the app shows us two control dials.

• The top one controls the motor at the back of the masturbator. It also displays the motor’s speed.
• The bottom one controls the motor near the entrance of the sex toy. It also shows us the temperature and pressure, but, again, this is just to demonstrate the variables that Lelo’s SDK lets you access. It’s purely for information; this isn’t a heated sex toy, although of course the inside of the toy tends to warm up during use because of its movements and your body temperature.

Using the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit

The Lelo F1s seemed to have a huge amount of potential. When I put my finger inside, I could feel that its two motors, very different from one another and vibrating intensely at independent speeds, had the potential to produce some interesting sensations.

Indeed, at least as described by its manufacturer, the Lelo F1s tries out quite a few good ideas to set itself apart from other masturbators. Its principle is similar to that of the formidable Sona Cruise, which my partner can’t live without. Like the Sona Cruise, it supposedly delivers “sonic pulses” (now known as “SenSonic technology”). It also features “Cruise Control”, a clever system that compensates for any dips in the motor’s performance, so the sex toy never runs out of power.

It all sounded promising… But unfortunately, it was a flop. And for a very silly reason. My penis simply won’t fit inside the thing! Well, if I push like a bull with lots of lubricant, I can get the tip of my glans inside, but there’s no way to reach the area powered by the second motor (the one with those famous sonic pulses) without getting my willy stuck first because the diameter is too narrow. In short: I can’t use it.

And no, I’m not trying to impress you by bragging that I’ve got a massive cock. My penis is perfectly normal, perhaps a little above average, but still within the average range.

This means that a considerable proportion of men who buy this sex toy simply won’t be able to use it! What a pain… I was lucky enough to get the Lelo F1s for free in exchange for this review, so I’m still glad I had the chance to take a look at it, but if I’d bought it, I’d be pretty damn gutted.

I could have expected the app to be awkward to use, or the vibrations to be too weak, but this is just ridiculous! It would have been so easy to solve this problem. Couldn’t the brand have made several sizes?

Conclusion on the Lelo F1s Developer’s kit

The good points:

• Offering a programmable masturbator is a good idea in itself. The demo app shows us that the thing seems to have plenty of potential.
• The two motors can be controlled independently, and one of them uses the same technology as the Sona Cruise clitoral stimulator. Their very distinctive vibrations sound promising… Well, they would if you could reach them without getting stuck first.

The bad points:

• It’s too small for my willy, to the point that I can’t use it. Perhaps it would be cool otherwise, but I won’t get the chance to find out.
• One of the main attractions of a programmable sex toy would be being able to use all the compatible apps available. But for now, it seems that apart from its demo app, which is really just an ordinary remote control with a few indicators that will probably delight the curious, no one has programmed much at all. It’s a bit of a vicious circle, really: it’s hard to feel like programming something when only a handful of people might use it. For more people to take an interest, the thing would first have to become more popular, and for now, the lack of compatible apps is putting people off buying it somewhat.
• Its price is a bit off-putting too. It costs around 170 euros.

The Lelo F1s Developer’s kit is a promising masturbator, but this sex toy is not quite finished.

First of all, there’s a rather serious issue with its size. It won’t suit every penis. Not all willies are the same. And buying a sex toy you can’t use is a bit of a problem… It’s not as if you can send it back to the shop and say, “honestly, it’s never been used, it only touched the end of my willy, but I couldn’t get it inside!” Given the strict size limitations of the Lelo F1s, why not offer it in several sizes?

Then there’s the lack of apps, which holds back its popularity, and therefore the number of people who might want to create compatible apps. Perhaps Lelo should set up a few partnerships with well-known sex games or porn platforms to make the F1s more popular.

Acheter chez Lelo