When Daisy Morris was four years old, she found fossilized bones of a previously undiscovered species of the flying reptile beast pterosaur. Now, at nine years young, scientists have decided to name the reptile, which lived during the same time period as dinosaurs, after Daisy. It’s called Vectidraco daisymorrisae. How cute. More »
A fire truck. This swamp thing action figure. My Ninja Turtles Shellraiser. Those were my favorite toys growing up—I loved ’em so much that I still remember them to this day. That’s why it’s so interesting to see the toys that kids give special attention to. They’re going to remember it for life. Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti’s Toy Stories photography series show children from all over the world with their most prized possessions: dolls, stuffed animals, board games and… guns? More »
Amazon doesn’t have any original programming just yet that can quite compete with the buzz of House of Cards or the resurrection of Arrested Development. What it does have, however, is a compelling lineup of exclusive children’s programming from big names like Angela C. Santomero and Carol Greenwald, the people responsible for Blue’s Clues and Curious George, respectively. The two are collaborating on Sara Solves It, the second project from Santomero for Amazon’s burgeoning Prime lineup. The series, which stars bother and sister Sara and Sam, was created with help from WGBH Boston (home of Frontline and Nova), where Greenwald works and is currently under contract for 12 episodes. It’s unclear when the duo will begin solving their “absorbing and relatable” math mysteries, but our friends across the pond can rest easy knowing the interactive children’s programming will be coming to Lovefilm in the UK and Germany as well.
Shameless in-game purchases aimed at kids have been in the new recently. But this five-year-old kid spent more than most: he blew $2,500 on in-game junk in just 10 minutes. That’s impressive. More »
Kids have it all these days — tailor–made gadgets, their own little corners in mobile platforms, and of course, loads and loads of content. The latest to hit the wires is the Nick app for the iPad, offering a slew of Nickelodeon programming wrapped in a swipe-driven, tyke-friendly interface. The goodies include animated shorts, videos, games, the ability to mark favorites, plus a smorgasbord of funny interactive elements and a “Do Not Touch” button that promises disruptive fun. Full episodes of the current shows can also be accessed if you’ve subscribed to Nickelodeon’s TV package via any one of eight providers. Seems like a swell way to keep those tech-savvy rug rats occupied between outdoor adventures and some DIY action. The 45MB payload is waiting at the source link, yours for the hard-to-argue cost of free.
Source: App Store
When you think about child labor, chances are your first thoughts aren’t “Wow! Awesome!” And if they are, you’re probably a monster. Perhaps the sole exception is if you’re thinking of this video. Granted, this is dangerous, and no kid should be doing this, but damned if it isn’t impressive how competent the little guy is. More »
If you’re not keen on giving your little tyke the latest and greatest in terms of smartphones, but still want them to be a call away, the VivoPlay could fit the bill. Evado Filip US, the company behind the device, is packing GPS, WiFi and a GSM connection into a wristwatch form factor, which it claims is the world’s smallest communications and location device for helping families stay in touch. Parents can call the device and chat with kids and even give their rug rats the option to call up five pre-selected phone numbers. If a child were to wander away with the VivoPlay on their wrist, parents are alerted if they leave or enter a geofenced area and can pinpoint them on a map via a smartphone app. Were a youngster to find themselves in an emergency, they can hit a button that will ring up to five predefined numbers and report their location. The idea sure is a noble one, and the devices we saw looked more than child-friendly. Evado Filip reps told us that the device is being crafted with just that in mind, and the chunky rubber enclosing the communicator sure bears that out. The charger is enclosed for that reason as well, offering a decent bit of protection from the elements (and from childhood).
There’s no word on pricing or availability, but we’re told the outfit is working with carriers and that pre-orders will begin in Q2. Check out the neighboring gallery or hit the jump for the full press release.
Gallery: VIVOPlay hands-on
Filed under: Misc
If you’re a raging geek with offspring, firstly congratulations on convincing someone of the opposite sex to procreate with you. Second: get these electronic component plushies for your child immediately. More »
When you think high-tech, you don’t necessarily think kids. But as any parent who owns an iPad can tell you, that tablet is fast-becoming a pricey toy (or distraction). Which is why Fisher-Price has crafted the Create and Learn Case which, itself, is no great slice of cutting edge tech. In fact, it’s a rather dumb case, seeing as how it merely offers a kid-friendly holster for that iPad. Download the company’s free companion app and you have a recreational learning tool for children that separates its programs across three categories: create, learn and explore. Those first two offer different activities encompassing free drawing and letter learning. But the most exciting element of the case is the pack of 13 double-sided augmented reality cards tucked away in its back. Using the rear camera, kids can select cards to display 3D interactive models, obviously geared towards education. And for a more precise input option, the case also features a tethered stylus, which can be mapped to the left or right sides. The Create and Learn Case is targeted for a fall release and should hit the market at $40 in two colors.
Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
Details of OLPC XO-4’s release and price won’t be revealed until later this week, according to Marvell, but the company was happy to let this editor smudge the laptop with his fingerprints. It’s not the fastest machine imaginable, but it switched between screens and loaded content snappily with its Marvell-made 1.2Ghz dual-core ARM processor. A slight hint of choppiness appears when scrolling through lists, but the hardware is definitely useable and doesn’t aggravate. The unit on display didn’t have an internet connection, but Marvell was happy to point out that their hardware provides the laptop support for 802.11n, as opposed to only 802.11b/g.
The pint-sized laptop isn’t the sleekest or most compact device we’ve laid hands on, but it feels sturdy enough to survive abuse thrown its way from drops and temper tantrums. Its infrared touchscreen — which is optimized for small fingers — can be used in conjunction with the small keyboard, or swiveled around and laid on its back to transform the device into a chunky tablet. Odds are that fully grown hands won’t be comfortable with the kid-friendly keyboard. The OLPC 4.0 performed admirably during our brief stint with it, but you can look forward to more impressions when we eventually put it through our review gauntlet. In the meantime, hit the neighboring gallery for hands-on shots of the machine.
Gallery: OLPC 4.0 hands-on
Filed under: Laptops
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