Reading: “Cops: Flemington woman stole iPad in Hunterdon Hospital’s ER | NJ.com” ( http://bit.ly/akDwsy )
Reading: “IPad a Therapeutic Marvel for Disabled People – NYTimes.com” ( http://nyti.ms/cnNSlo )
I uploaded a YouTube video — buckleit’s webcam video October 15, 2010, 01:40 PM http://youtu.be/Np-szbpL7Kk?a
The game looks and feels a lot like past versions of Mario Party, and there’s a LOT of content, with 80 diverse activities found in 13 party game modes. In Animal Tracker, for example, you place two or four Wii Remote controllers on a table. The game will make a noise, and the first player to grab the remote associated with the noise wins. Hide ‘n’ Hunt has one player asking the other players to leave the room while the Wii Remote controllers are hidden. When the other players return they have only a few seconds to find the hidden controllers. More traditional minigames include Derby Dash (use the Wii Remote as if you were holding a whip to spur your horse to victory); and Chop Chops (use the Wii Remote to see who can cut through vegetables the fastest). 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 twist on Plants vs. Zombies features Yumsters — stretchy creatures who eat colored fruit as it appears on a grid. They have long necks, which form lines that can only be crossed in certain ways, creating a fast-moving logic puzzle. Content includes 64 levels with 7 bonus levels. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
This clock drill app features offers three modes: each with three difficulty levels (easy, medium and hard). In Tell The Time, your child turns the hands of a traditional clock to match a spoken time, e.g., “it is 2:00.” In Match The Time, children are exposed to digital timers, as they drag and drop to match matching times into place. Parent & Child mode is designed for free-play with the hands of a clock. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
This one player DS game lets you create your own fairy avatar and fly into Fairy Camp, where you visit various locations using a map on the top screen. As you fly around and talk to different fairies, you collect seeds and take items to other fairies, lending a scavenger hunt play pattern to the experience. Your goal is to find and grow the rare Rainbow Lily. Content includes six fairies and mini-games that ask children to memorize patterns and find hidden seeds. You can customize your fairy avatar with fairy talents, facial features, hair style, outfits and accessories. You will also compete in quests, and time-based minigames that use specific fairy talents for arts & crafts, baking and decorating cookies and more. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour lets you play as either the U.S. or European squad and play your way through the Rider Cup tournament on the Celtic Manor Course, taking on the role of the team captain if you like as you participate in various competitions including foursomes, fourballs and singles. An online mode lets you play with or against up to 24 players. 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 is a sandbox App, where children can freely tap, trace, drag and drop their way through a set of numbers, from 0 to 9. According to the documentation materials, the app was modeled after the teaching methods of Maria Montessori. There are three modes of play, each hosted by either Tam or Tao, two children with strange accents, as judged by someone in New Jersey. The Draw mode turns the iPad into a slate, where children can draw with eight colors. 123 Play consists of a ten screen ebook, with hidden animated sequences, one per number. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
[This press release was sent to me on 10/18/2010]
CLOSE TO HALF OF TOTAL DOLLARS SPENT ON KIDS IN JULY 2010 WAS SPENT ON PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THEM
PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, October 18, 2010 – According to Spotlight on Kids: Understanding Cross-Category Purchasing: Data from July 2010 – Back To School, a consumer tracking study from leading market research company, The NPD Group <http://www.npd.com/> , of the total dollars spent on kids in July 2010, 49 percent was spent on items specifically requested by the children.
Read the rest of this entry »
Sports Champions is the game that comes bundled with the Sony Move controller, which is required in order to play the game. You start by choosing an avatar, and then choose from Disc Golf, Gladiator Duel, Beach Volleyball, Archery, Table Tennis and Bocce. Each controller must first be calibrated — a 30 second or so routine in which you line yourself up with an animated figure on the screen. 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.
The game takes place in four universes from Spider-Man lore, each with a distinct art style(Amazing, Noir, Ultimate, and 2099). Each Spider-Main has special skills and strengths. The game takes you to new locations not seen in previous Spider-Man games including jungles, deserts and urban terrain’s as you try to contain the magical energy of the Tablet of Order and Chaos, which has been shattered and sent hurtling across parallel universes. 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.
We’ve all grown used to the talking greeting card. Record a Story, ($20, from Publications International) takes that idea up a notch, by letting you record your own 45 second message on each page of an eight page book. To record your voice, you turn to the page, press record, start talking or reading, giving a young child an good excuse to read the words, or even stray from the script. To hear your masterpiece, you simply turn to the page — a series of holes marks each page. There is no limit to the number of times the narration can be re-recorded, and it is possible to save the current recording using a lock switch in the battery compartment. The book is powered by three AAA batteries, included with the book. Titles include Guess How Much I Miss You, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Sesame Street: Together at Heart, and Dora the Explorer; all for sale starting today at www.pilbooks.com. Teaches: reading or language. Publications International, Ltd.. www.pubint.com, $20. Best for ages 3-up.
Rating: 
or .94%
Polar Plunge is a simple sledding game adapted from the Webkinz.com web site. You can pick up to four routes that vary in difficulty, and then race down a slope. To speed up, you lean right. To slow down, you lean left. You can jump over logs by tapping the screen. The better you do, the more Kinz cash you earn, and the cash is deposited directly into your online account, providing you’ve purchased one of the animals, creating a clever extension of Webkinz Online to your pocket. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
This sixth App from Duck Duck Moose is designed for iPhone and iPod Touch and contains seven easy to explore games, each with multiple ways to explore some powerful math concepts — of the variety that will someday loom at the root of an SAT question. The games include Swing (Count up to 50 as a rabbit swings. You can either watch, or “push” the rabbit with your fingertip); Slide (Help ducks climb to the top of a slide. Quantities are show both visually and in an equation, simultaneously); Seesaw (Balance a seesaw by adding and subtracting mice); Apple Tree (Subtract as apples fall from a tree); Sandbox (Complete patterns by dragging and dropping toys); Bench (put dogs and numerals in order, from smaller to larger. It’s especially nice that you can make the order from either left to right or right to left); and Picnic: Counting (Feed a hippo the correct number of food items). 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.
Put a 17 key (octave + 2) piano keyboard on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch with this app. The program starts with four modes: Play and Sing Along (play “Old MacDonald” by following highlighted keys), Learn the Song (play and sing along, also with highlighted keys), Karaoke Mode (record your voice and piano playing by following words in English, Spanish or French) and Free Style Mode (free experimentation). On the iPad, the keys are nearly the same size as a regular piano. Features include eight piano voices including flute. 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 just in — We’ve just received an email from David Lord, President of Knowledge Adventure, that an iPad verison of JumpStart will soon be released. The title will be called JumpStart Preschool The Magic of Learning 1; a suggestion that a bite-sized approach will be taken, despite the listing of four games.
This is a huge step toward DAP gold mining for the JumpStart franchise, and we think, a very smart step. But (a) will it be something that can compete in the app ecology, and (b) can they make money with app store pricing? Remember when the first copy of JumpStart Kindergarten sold tens of thousands of copies at $34.95 each?
JumpStart for the iPad
Have you registered for Dust or Magic 2010? Are you worried about logistics? Here are the ten most common questions:
Cold Beer & Hot Hardware: A First Look at the “ePad”*
By Warren Buckleitner, Editor, Children’s Technology Review
Originally appeared in the EdNET Insight on May 07, 2010
I was sitting in a Silicon Valley brewpub last month, enjoying a glass of cold lager to wash away the stress of a hard day. I had just ordered a fresh pint when I noticed a stray iPad-like device, wedged in between the cushions of a nearby booth. On first glance, I thought, “Some poor geek lost an iPad.”
Just 9 seats remain for Dust or Magic 2010. I’m really looking forward to this year’s gathering; group is shaping up nicely.
The Sims 3 is coming to game consoles Oct. 26 for the first time. (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii) plus Nintendo DS and PC/Mac; rated T
There aren’t many mysteries when it comes to the design of this 23rd interactive edition from the Nancy Drew series. This time, Nancy is off to Japan, where she meets up with friends Bess and George and tries to figure out why a ghost has been scaring away the guests of a hotel. As you explore, you pick up some authentic Japanese culture, trying your hand at origami, a tea ceremony, and calligraphy. 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.
MySims SkyHeroes is a flying simulation with race and dogfight modes. In the game, you try to shoot down Morcubus and his drone army, and his plans to take over the skyways. Better flying earns you plane upgrades better engines, and things like camouflage to conceal the plane and avoid enemy fire. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
If you’ve ever tried to bounce a ping pong ball on a paddle, you get the idea of Motion Math — a math drill where you lean your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to steer a bouncing ball to the right spot on a number line. After you choose a difficulty level, you see a number line, along with bouncing ball, with a fraction shown on it. If the ball shows 1/2, you try to hit the center of the line, 50% between the 0 and the 1. The ball might alternate between a percent, mini pie-charts or a fraction. If you miss, a set of arrows provides hints, helping you to visually approximate, say, the difference between 1/2 and .65. 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 interactive comic book lets you become either Iron Man or The Incredible Hulk as you save the universe. In the story, the Super Hero Squad must find the lost Infinity Stones and battle evil villains, including Thanos and Dr. Doom, who are trying to destroy the universe. You smash your way through each level, in the three game modes, unlocking new costumes, powers and challenges. The DS version features six levels. 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.
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 features levels inspired by the first four Harry Potter stories. Designed with TT’s famous drop in, drop out interactivity (so you can explore and collaborate with a second player). As you explore, you can do more than walk — you can can also drive a cart and fly a broom. 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.
Featuring five modes of play and a clunky design, the Jungle Time app combines an interesting collection of jungle sound effects with workbook-like time telling exercises.
While the actual exercises are dry, the options menu lets you adjust the challenge level, adding to the potential utility of the program. Teaches: telling time with analog and digital clocks. Andrew Short. http://jungleeducation.com/, $0.99. Best for ages 5-8.
Rating: 
or .7%
Testers found this year’s FIFA Soccer 11 to be more realistic and hard to stop playing. New features include the ability to compete 11 versus 11 in online play, with control of all 22 players in your hands, including the goalie. The game also introduces new Pro Passing where pass accuracy is determined by your ability on the control pad, and player skill, situation, and urgency on the pitch. Prices are $60 for Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, $50 for the Wii, $40 for PS2 and PSP, and $30 for Nintendo DS. We tested the PS3 verison. 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 scavenger hunt/platformer lets you assume the role of Fancy Nancy — a ballerina- like avatar who dances her way through different levels to help her neighbor get ready for a tea party. As you stroll through the neighborhood, you will collect tea sets, stickers and other items that you can bring to the party. When using the DSi, you can also take pictures of yourself or friends using the camera function and create fancy stickers to post in the Sticker Album or insert into the game and become a guest at Mrs. DeVine’s tea party. Content includes five mini-games. Created by Webfoot Technologies for THQ. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
This iPad edition of the Periodic Table of elements is loaded with visual surprises, with links to the WolframAlfa encyclopedia. The app features 500 examples of the chemical elements in virtual form, and every object can be spun around a complete circle with the touch of your finger. Language options include US English, British English, French, German and Japanese. 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 who-done-it mystery party game for one to four players (either competitive or cooperative) lets you and your friends play as detectives. You become part of the Dickens Detective Agency as you investigate a series of crimes and identify the guilty party. You will search the crime scenes for clues, question suspects, and use the Wii Remote as a lock pick, flashlight, magnifying glass, and other sleuthing tools as you try to solve the mystery and unmask the bad guy. 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 trivia game for the Wii and DS lets you explore in a virtual town and schoolyard, where you encounter random motivational quotes from famous women mixed with mini-games. These include sliding puzzles, soccer goal making, tetherball, basketball, and multiple-choice-style trivia games. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
Club Penguin: Game Day is a collection of 12 multiplayer minigames designed for the Wii that can optionally be integrated with the Club Penguin virtual world. So it is possible to earn coins in the game, that you upload to your online account. In addition, you can download your online penguin’s identity to your Wii Remote and take it to a friends house. You start by creating a penguin (or you can download your penguin from the Club Penguin website), then find some friends. For children with no friends, the computer can fill in. 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 party game (for up to four players) for the Wii contains 18 activities inspired from Chuck E. Cheese pizza restaurants. To start, each player chooses from one of six avatars. Good scores earn tickets that can be traded for up to 50 prizes. An online leaderboard lets you compare scores with others. Subscribers, please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating.
I uploaded a YouTube video — Mediatech SGTC Weekly Report for October 8 http://youtu.be/CfBED22wMiQ?a
Who said:
“I came to the country at age six, and I immediately went to a Montessori school, actually, which was remarkable because my family was penniless, and they sent me to a private school at that time. I benefited from the Montessori education which in some ways gives the students a lot more freedoms to do things at their own pace, to discover. Interestingly my partner Larry Page also went to Montessori for preschool and kindergarten; that’s something we share in common. I do think that some of the credit for the willingness to go on your own interests — you can tie that back to that Montessori education.”
Top 10 Ways Parents Can Protect Kids From Cyberbullying, with advice from Robin Raskin — FoxNews.com” ( http://fxn.ws/aDWmhj )
AGENDA
Day 1, Sunday, Sunday, November 7, 2010. Note that until November 7, this is a draft. Call if you have any questions.
| Time/Place | Event |
| 3:30 PM Inn Lobby |
Arrive and register, The Lobby of the Inn at Lambertville Station, 11 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530 Informal greetings, wine and hors d’œuvres |
| 4:15 PM Riverside Room | New 2010 Product Briefing There were over 400 new children’s hardware and software products in 2010. Which ten (or so) will most shape our group conversation over the next 36 hours? This year, we’re doing something different, by moving into the Riverside room before dinner for a close examination. Expect to see and discuss the Sony Move, Microsoft Kinect, Nintendo 3DS, FaceTime and GameCenter on a new iPod Touch, iPad News and the most significant app trends of 2010. |
| 6:00 PM Restaurant | Banquet The Lambertville Station restaurant. Dessert with Ann McCormick. “Unauthorized History of The Learning Company.” Reflections on the wild and crazy early days of children’s interactive publishing, with advice for those just starting out. Welcome and Introductions (Warren Buckleitner and Daren Carstens) |
| 7:30 PM Riverside Room | Lane Merrifield
Executive VP, Disney Interactive Media Group and Co-Founder and GM, Club Penguin. This is Lane’s promised return to Dust or Magic. We’ve asked him to tell some stories from the early days of Club Penguin |
| 8:30 – 10:00 PM | Informal conversation |
Day 2, Monday, November 8, 2010
Here’s a more complete geek test than mine, obviously made by a geekier person ( http://bit.ly/9Xyh27 )
How do you score on The Geek Test? – http://childrenstech.com/blog/archives/2687