Children’s Technology Review • November 2011
Vol. 19, No 11, Issue 140
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We’ll Miss You, Steve Jobs
Since this is our first post-Jobsian issue of CTR, let me pause for a moment to pay tribute to *the* original magic seeker. Sure, Steve Jobs didn’t invent stuff like chips and multi-touch gorilla glass, any more than Julia Child invented butter. But he was adept at mixing them up to create magical results, and his products have empowered many, many children over the years. This is also a good time to remember that Steve wasn’t finished with his grand scheme of digital domination, and that he left a lot of key ideas in the hands of a smart team with a lot of money. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography, Steve was eyeing the multi-billion dollar textbook industry as a next target for digital transformation. One can only hope. Without Steve’s hardware, we would never had software, and without software, we’d have nothing to review. To quote one clever tweeter, “thank you Steve, for the jobs.”
Microsoft Presents “Kinect for Kids”
Last month in New York, I attended an extravagant press event targeting children. It was sure fun watching the kids try to figure out the tiny cheeseburger hor’dourves. In the past, Microsoft’s attempts at the children’s space have lacked credible titles (remember Viva Piñata?), but not this time. Besides unveiling partnerships with Sesame Workshop and National Geographic, they gave the audience a chance to try Once Upon a Monster (on the cover of this issue). Don’t miss the review of this important product, with analysis on why it is pushing innovation in children’s interactive media right now. See the review on page 15.
Learn About Pianos
What do Elton John, Lady GaGa, and Mozart have in common? They all started playing the piano when they were four years old. Learn more about this magical musical machine on page 3.
A Closer Look at Apps for Learning to Read
According to neuropsychologist Jeannine Herron, “Most of the apps currently being developed for teaching children reading skills have this serious gap of phoneme awareness that will hinder, not benefit the development of skilled reading because they produce inefficient wiring in the brain.” Do you agree? Have a look at page 4.
One iPad, Forty Kindergarteners and Some Respect
“Wow, I could really use this” said Kindergarten Teacher Chris Crowell, as he started exploring ways to tap the power of the iPad. Using the camera feature, he figured out how to help his children understand ideas related to respect. See page 6.
Research Watch: Who Said TV is Dead?
Besides the death of Steve Jobs, October 2011 will go down as a big one for new research unveiled about kids and media use, a least in terms of Google new alerts. Fortunately for us, Scott Traylor covered both events, and he had his camera. See page 7.
REVIEWS IN THIS ISSUE
AbcDay, page 8
ABCKit, p. 8
Appfinity AppBlaster, p. 9
Bartleby’s Book of Buttons Vol. 2*, p. 9
Booksy!, p. 18
Cinderella, p. 18
Clicky Sticky Cars, p. 10
Crayola Creative Studio, p. 18
Cut! It’s a Wrap! The Secret of the Mummy from the Cellar*, p. 10
Eddy’s Number Party, The, p. 19
GameChanger, p. 19
Go Vacation, p. 10
Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two Towns, p. 19
Howtosmile.org, p. 19
I Am T-Pain Mic, p. 11
ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, p. 20
JibJab Jr. Books*, p. 11
Kinect Sesame Street TV, p. 20
Kinect Sports: Season Two*, p. 11
Kinectimals Now with Bears, p. 12
Kineo Android Tablet, p. 20
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, p. 21
Lettersaurus, p. 21
Magic School Bus, The: Oceans (DS), p. 12
Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz, p. 21
Me Books, p. 22
Millie Was Here*, p. 13
Moxie Girlz, p. 22
My Discovery House, p 22
Pillow Pets p. 22
Pokémon Rumble Blast*, p. 13
Poky Little Puppy, The*, p. 13
Project Columbia, p. 22
Punch-Out!, p. 23
Puss in Boots: The Video Game*, p. 14
Puzzingo, p. 14
Puzzle Pop*, p. 14
Scribblenauts Remix, p. 23
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster*, p. 15
Sing N’ Match: Head To Toes!, p. 15
Skylee Lovable Dragon, p. 16
Sleepy Mole’s Moving Day, p. 16
Tetris Axis, p. 16
Ugly Duckling, The by TabTale, p. 17
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