Here’s a sneak peak at our April issue (April 2010 Volume 18, No. 4, Issue 121). Not a subscriber? Sign up now, for just $24/year for an instant download, and help support this commercial free work.
Inside the current issue: Why does Pokémon work? We look closely at Pokémagic, and help you understand the elements of design that can be applied to any other new media product. Also, we bring you news from the FredForward conference on children and technology, and we list web resources to help children understand how GPS works.
DIRECTORY OF REVIEWS
Alice 3 Animal-themed Computer Mice Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny Bermuda Triangle Brushes, iPad Edition Califone Listening First Headphone, 2810 Chronicles of Mystery: Curse of the Ancient Temple Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life Classic Chatter Telephone Daring Game for Girls Read the rest of this entry »- Reading: "Text Alerts for Baby Care – Gadgetwise Blog – NYTimes.com" ( http://nyti.ms/dcCjbY ) #childrenstech #
On March 22, 2010, Don Marinelli sat down with Warren Buckleitner (CTR) and Chip Donohue (Erikson Institute) for a conversation about learning, schools, augmented reality, the philosophy of the ETC (Entertainment Technology Center), innovation in the United States and his upcoming book about the founding of ETC center with his late friend, Randy Pausch.
- Reading "A Parent’s Guide to the Pokéwalker – Gadgetwise Blog – NYTimes.com" ( http://nyti.ms/9K2rk0 ) #dustormagic #
- Home from Fredforward and there's an DSi XL on my desk! Life is good. So far, just like a DS, only bigger/graphics seem surprisingly grainy. #
- Lombardi: what would Fred say about how children are using tech today. Does it pull us together or pull us apart? #fredforward #
- Jerlean Daniel: Are there people of color who are part of your work? In this conversation? #naeyc #fredforward #
- Lombardi: We need a set of guiding principles. (NAEYC tech position statement will help w/this; due next January) #fredforward #
- Jim Gray: The world's tallest preschool teacher. "How can we use existing technology (public/private partnerships)?" #
- Lombardi: ECE is not a program. It is all the things that make up life of child. ECE is leading the way; the rest will catchup #fredforward #
- "Fred put the You in the Tube" from Milton Chen's PPT at the Fred Forward event. #fredforward #
- A child told Ellen Galinsky "The first day of school you can look at the eyes of a teacher and tell if she cares or not." #fredforward #
- Theater and story telling is in the DNA of CMU's ETC; is a product of right brain/left brain collision #fredforward #
- …what your kids imagine, they can now act on farther, faster, cheaper than ever before — as individuals." http://bit.ly/9DQKmP #
- Reading "A Parent’s Guide to the Pokéwalker – Gadgetwise Blog – NYTimes.com" ( http://nyti.ms/9K2rk0 ) #dustormagic #
- Home from Fredforward and there's an DSi XL on my desk! Life is good. So far, just like a DS, only bigger/graphics seem surprisingly grainy. #
Reading “A Parent’s Guide to the Pokéwalker – Gadgetwise Blog – NYTimes.com” ( http://nyti.ms/9K2rk0 ) #dustormagic
Home from Fredforward and there’s an DSi XL on my desk! Life is good. So far, just like a DS, only bigger/graphics seem surprisingly grainy.
- Lombardi: what would Fred say about how children are using tech today. Does it pull us together or pull us apart? #fredforward #
- Jerlean Daniel: Are there people of color who are part of your work? In this conversation? #naeyc #fredforward #
- Lombardi: We need a set of guiding principles. (NAEYC tech position statement will help w/this; due next January) #fredforward #
- Jim Gray: The world's tallest preschool teacher. "How can we use existing technology (public/private partnerships)?" #
- Lombardi: ECE is not a program. It is all the things that make up life of child. ECE is leading the way; the rest will catchup #fredforward #
Lombardi: what would Fred say about how children are using tech today. Does it pull us together or pull us apart? #fredforward
Jerlean Daniel: Are there people of color who are part of your work? In this conversation? #naeyc #fredforward
Lombardi: We need a set of guiding principles. (NAEYC tech position statement will help w/this; due next January) #fredforward
Jim Gray: The world’s tallest preschool teacher. “How can we use existing technology (public/private partnerships)?”
Lombardi: ECE is not a program. It is all the things that make up life of child. ECE is leading the way; the rest will catchup #fredforward
- "Fred put the You in the Tube" from Milton Chen's PPT at the Fred Forward event. #fredforward #
- A child told Ellen Galinsky "The first day of school you can look at the eyes of a teacher and tell if she cares or not." #fredforward #
- Theater and story telling is in the DNA of CMU's ETC; is a product of right brain/left brain collision #fredforward #
- …what your kids imagine, they can now act on farther, faster, cheaper than ever before — as individuals." http://bit.ly/9DQKmP #
“Fred put the You in the Tube” from Milton Chen’s PPT at the Fred Forward event. #fredforward
A child told Ellen Galinsky “The first day of school you can look at the eyes of a teacher and tell if she cares or not.” #fredforward
Theater and story telling is in the DNA of CMU’s ETC; is a product of right brain/left brain collision #fredforward
…what your kids imagine, they can now act on farther, faster, cheaper than ever before — as individuals.” http://bit.ly/9DQKmP
- So, is there a social media equivalent to Mr. Roger's Neighborhood? I welcome any ideas to share at this conference http://bit.ly/aQvw1j #
- Want to thumb type like a teenager? Here's how http://bit.ly/bwUEIe #
- So, is there a social media equivalent to Mr. Roger's Neighborhood? I welcome any ideas to share at this conference http://bit.ly/aQvw1j #
- Want to thumb type like a teenager? Here's how http://bit.ly/bwUEIe #
So, is there a social media equivalent to Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood? I welcome any ideas to share at this conference http://bit.ly/aQvw1j
Want to thumb type like a teenager? Here’s how http://bit.ly/bwUEIe
PRESS RELEASE
FISHER-PRICE® LAUNCHES UNIQUE “MOMENTS TO SHARE”™
APPLICATION BUILT ON FACEBOOK® PLATFORM
EAST AURORA, N.Y. – March 18, 2010 – Fisher-Price, Inc. (a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. NASDAQ:MAT) today launched the innovative, new “Moments to Share”™ application, built on Facebook® Platform. The unique application makes it easy for parents to record their child’s milestones and special moments in a dynamic timeline they easily create with digital photos, videos, dates, captions and stories.
Read the rest of this entry »
FISHER-PRICE LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER IPHONE APPS
Classic Chatter TelephoneTM, See ‘n Say®, Little People® Farm Toys Transform into Magical, Fun iPhone Games
EAST AURORA, N.Y. – March 18, 2010 – Fisher-Price, Inc. (a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. NASDAQ:MAT) today put a fun, digital spin on some of its beloved, iconic toys by launching its first-ever iPhone applications, enabling children to experience classic toys in an exciting new way. The Chatter Telephone™ toy (first introduced in 1962), See ‘n Say® product (first introduced in 1965) and Little People® Farm (the Little People® brand was first introduced in 1959) applications, for ages 2-5, are available for download on the iTunes App Store now for $.99 – $1.99 each.
Recently, the head of public relations from the Baby Einstein Company (owned by Disney) asked if I would take a call from Susan McLain, the General Manager of the Baby Einstein Division. They wanted to find out what I thought about what they called kids and screen time, given the famous rebate issue. The line from the email was: “Given the fact that I’m a children’s technology reviewer and an advocate for screens, was I a friend or a foe to the Baby Einstein concept?”
That’s what led to this post. I certainly don’t like being characterized as an advocate of anything other than developmentally appropriate experiences for children, be they on a screen or off. Regarding Baby Einstein, was I a friend or a foe?
Not shown in the video, besides the selection of tasty food in the cafeteria, was a walking tour through some of the cubicles, where I met some Steve Grove’s news team (with a mascot beagle). At one point I asked that question about “famous people who have visited YouTube” and I was told the story of a not-to-be-named Presidential Candidate who famously asked “where do you guys make all the videos?”
Here’s some good news for media watchers. Quality appears to be increasing. We’re not talking about violence, gender or ethnic stereotypes or Internet safety. We’re talking about old fashioned quality, as measured with the same instrument over the past 17 years. The instrument, designed to quantify five factors (ease of use, educational value, entertainment value, design features and overall value) has been used on 7,302 interactive products that cover approximately 18 platforms, spanning 1993 to 2010.
- Home sweet home after a nice MACUL and bad flight. So nice to see so many freinds. #
- Getting ready to migrate home, to the MACUL conference. Say hi if you're at Devos Hall; sessions at 11 and 4, Thurs. http://bit.ly/bL4enV #
Home sweet home after a nice MACUL and bad flight. So nice to see so many friends.
Want to go for a walk? This low impact walking simulator turns your Wii into an endless treadmill, complete with scenery, record keeping and a virtual coach. Your walking motion is captured with either the Wii Remote, the Wii Balance Board, or a vinyl dance pad; none of which are included in the $30 price. Because there are one or two player options, we were able to dig up two mats previously used with Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), plug them in, and start striding. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating, and see why this received our Editor’s Choice Award.
Want to see a 21st century rattle? Innovative and easy to use, this bite-sized App engages young children with music in a way that could only be done with a motion sensing device like an iPhone or iPod Touch. You start by choosing one of six sound sets: chimes, a flute, drums, barnyard sounds, a xylophone and a random mixture. The instructions are short and sweet — “Tap the screen to add sounds.” From this point, your iPhone or iPod Touch screen becomes a musical open-ended busy box, where every tap becomes a ball, that rolls around the screen, using the accelerometer to detect the motion (hence the term “shaker”). Longer touches result in higher notes and larger balls, helping children understand musical relationships. This is part of the Tickle Tap Apps series. Teaches: music, scales, causality, logic, fine motor skills. zinc Roe Design. www.zincroe.com, $1.99. Best for ages 3-5.
Rating: 
or .96%
Inspired from the UK television show with the same name, this DS-only game puts you in the role of the sheep, Shaun. In the story, the other sheep have escaped and you must find the rest of the flock before the Farmer returns home. As you explore the barnyard, you must find hidden items, and interact with characters from the show such as Shirley, Blitzer and Timmy.
There are three modes: Story Mode, Mini-game Mode, and Collection Mode, with eight unlockable mini-games such as Baath Time and Bend It Like Shaun. Based on the television series from Aardman Animation. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
One of a library of Qbooks, Sebastian’s Tail is an eBook on an iPhone with excellent text decoding, but some weak points in the interface. There are also two additional games: concentration and a word search. After you choose your language option (US English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and NZ Maori) you can either hear the book narrated, or explore the words and draw on the illustrations yourself, or (for the iPhone only) record your own narration. To record your own voice, you find the recorder button, which pops up quite frequently, and start talking. The next time you touch the words, you hear your voice. We reviewed the Lite (free) version. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
What could be better than an old-fashioned dot-to-dot puzzle? A touch-screen version, naturally. To connect the dots, children touch the letters or numerals in sequential order; gradually forming an outline. Correct connections create a line, and when the last dot is touched, a picture appears. Puzzles are grouped by category, including 26 transportation pictures, 35 musical instruments and others. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating, and see why this received our Editor’s Choice Award.
Update 2010: Now a thriving social community, (much like Club Penguin) Moshi Monsters (www.moshimonsters.com) is a family of six zany monsters that live in their own virtual home. The site is free to get into, but uses a velvet rope model; showing children content that requires a subscription to access. The cost is $6/month and up. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating, and see why this received our Editor’s Choice Award.
- Getting ready to migrate home, to the MACUL conference. Say hi if you're at Devos Hall; sessions at 11 and 4, Thurs. http://bit.ly/bL4enV #
Easy and fun to play, Pony Friends 2 gives you what you’d hope for in a virtual horse game. After you customize and name your pony, you can earn points with good care, love, and winning at contests. In the Wii version, the Wii Remote and Nunchuk become the reins. Lift one higher to turn, or pull back to stop. We did not test the PC or DS versions, although we did notice that the DS version lets you talk to your horse using the microphone. Created by Tantalus and Eidos for Square Enix. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating, and see why this received our Editor’s Choice Award.
This one player helicopter flying game lets you buzz around a fictional Pacific island, shooting at tanks, buildings, boats and so on. There are 18 missions that use homing missiles, rockets, and cannons. You can fight against enemy helicopters, tanks, gunboats, troops and AA-guns, using the Wii remote to steer, control speed, take-off and land, and attack. Created by Team 6 Game Studios for Zoo Games. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
Combining a musical guitar game with a scavenger-hunt, this game lets you move around the Jonas Brothers studio, as one of the band members. The goal is to collect items, wake up the other band members, and perform in six concerts. As you explore, you can visit with the Jonas Brothers’ friends Macy & Stella, visit the TV show, and play along with songs including Live to Party, Keep It Real, and Why. Created for Disney by Altron. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
Like a lot of horse care and riding simulations, this one follows a familiar script. You are in charge of a horse, and must keep it healthy and happy by completing a variety of tasks. You start by signing into one of three game save slots, and choose a horse: French Saddle, English Thoroughbred, or Arabian. You can assign your horse a name and coat color, which is saved on the game cartridge. You can use the touch screen and microphone to soothe your horse, ride it and feed it treats. To ride in a ring, you must carefully follow a moving dot in a circle. If you get behind, you are faulted and must start over. Other times, you must tap on a set of dots, in rhythm. If you do a good job, you can purchase up to 80 items. The goal is to do well in the competitions to earn enough money to be able to unlock a hidden horse breed. Created by Neko Entertainment for D3 Publisher. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.