The Apollo Power Stroker was a surprise hit in the bedroom - it was so great to finally find a toy that my husband not only loved, but wanted to use again and again. As good as the product was, it wasn't without its problems. So I was very excited when I saw a few months back that Cal Exotics were releasing a new version of the Power Stroker - one that looked like it was going to address all the concerns I had with the original power stroker. My husband was also extremely interested... First Impressions: Like the original Power Stroker, the toy arrives in a very flimsy cardboard box - and I mean, flimsy - it creases and wrinkles and looks incredibly cheap. However, the toy in hand feels anything but cheap. It's been redesigned and is now coated in what feels like a very thin, but very smooth layer of silicone. It feels nice and weighty, and it starts to live up to its price tag. It's about the same size as the original (perhaps about an inch taller) and features a new textured sleeve that is now removable for easy cleaning. The inner wall of the canal (which is made from TPE) is dotted with long, soft, flexible fronds - and at various places there are little bumps on what will become the bottom when your using it, and at the end. Initially the OH was worried when he saw pictures of the texture - and when you first look at it, you think "Oh well that doesn't look like it will be too comfortable" - but it's so deceptively squishy - they act like little cushions during use. This unit now takes AAA batteries, and is supposedly waterproof. A quick test in the shower confirmed that it is indeed waterproof - meaning the suction cup now has a real use! How to use: Well the use of the toy is exactly the same as the Power Stroker - simply lube yourself and the textured canal, insert yourself inside and then press the power button. This will turn it on to its lowest speed. As you press the pattern button, it will cycle through its 30 speeds/patterns (yes, 30!). Underneath the sleeve, there is what is essentially a vibrating egg stuck to the side of the toy, so when you insert, your frenulum comes into contact with the egg - sending waves of vibratory pleasure down your member. The little nodules and fronds caress every inch of you, and if you slowly stroke with the toy, it does give a oral sex-like sensation - however like the original Power Stroker, as you 'get going' - the tendency for the toy to make 'squelchy' splat noises is quite high - it doesn't bother me - but it might bother some people. Another new feature is the 'state-of-the-art Memory Chip' - which will remember the last setting you used when you come back to use the toy. This is both a blessing, but more a curse. In the original Power Stroker, if you were cycling through the modes and went passed the one you wanted - you simply turned it off and scrolled through again. This time, you do indeed have to scroll through all 30 settings to get back to the one you wanted (as turning it off doesn't help anymore!) - so it's a good idea to actually explore all the different modes before you properly get into it - because if you do end up 'over-shooting' the pattern you want, well it can kill the mood trying to get back again. In terms of sensations, both myself and the OH agree that the new textured sleeve works really well, and helps transmit the vibrations all over - we also both agree that the Hydro Stroker feels stronger in terms of vibrations - it did feel a bit more powerful (even when compared side-by-side). The one thing that is still bugging me about this toy (and it was what annoyed me about the original) - is that this is a toy that is still battery operated! It needs to be rechargeable! Thankfully this doesn't seem to eat through batteries too quickly, but any toy that's battery operated can be a pain as they don't often give you any indication that the power is about to run out! Clean-up and Maintenance: Clean up is finally a breeze! The textured sleeve can now be removed for easy cleaning! Simply unscrew the little ring at the top - pull out the sleeve and then rinse under the tap with some toy cleaner! Then leave to air-dry before popping back in the Hydro. Cleaning the case is easy - you could rinse it quickly under the tap, but found that actually, just a damp cloth is enough to keep that clean. You will definitely want to keep this in its box - the TPE sleeve picks up dust and hair really easily - when I first took it out of the box, it looked like it had been rolling around on the floor all day. Summary: Well it's definitely an improvement over the original Power Stroker - it's waterproof, the textured sleeve is much more stimulating, the vibrations seem stronger and it's so much easier to clean! However that memory chip function could irritate some people, and the fact it's still not a rechargeable toy still just doesn't make any sense to me! However, in this case, the many improvements do allow me to actually recommend this product - to both people who may have been tempted by the Power Stroker, or those who HAVE the Power Stroker, and are looking to upgrade their fun.