We tested 20 different "laptop" toys this Christmas, including several of the Discovery Kids laptops. They all have slightly different games, but they are all essentially the same. In fact, most of them get their LCD screens & game chips from the same manufacturers, so just the packaging is different.
But, we discovered something that surprised us even: Many of these games are recycled from 30 years ago! We have what's called a "V-Tech Smart Start Advantage" (1980, bought it at a garage sale for 25¢), and it has some of the exact same games!
So, two things every consumer needs to know about these laptop toys:
#1) Despite the packaging (whether the toy looks like a laptop, an iPhone, etc), these LCD screen toys are old technologies that don't change, but are being repackaged to look more modern. I predict they will soon repackage the same thing to look like a Kindle, e-book reader, iPad, etc. But it's the same toy from the 1980's.
Which leads to #2: This product is recommended for 6 years+. HOWEVER, if your child has ever seen a REAL laptop, Wii, iPhone, etc., they will get bored with this in 30 seconds. In other words, by the time they're old enough to use the educational games, they will have outgrown the technology. Let me be perfectly clear: If your 4, 5, or 6 year old is tech savvy, they WILL get bored with this. My 5-year-old nephew spent exactly FIVE SECONDS with this, then went back to his train set.
I actually recommend this product for 9-36 months (and give it 3½ stars for that age range). Here's why:
I've already said our 30-year-old V-tech does essentially the same thing. But we were drawn to the Discovery laptop anyway because it looks like a realistic laptop. We have a 12-month-old, and when mommy & daddy are working on laptops, she wants one too!
So please FORGET about this toy for the intended audience (6+), and I will continue with the review assuming it's for a toddler:
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PROS:
The Discovery laptop has a real keyboard, with the tactile "stroke" of hitting real keys, which most other toys (including our 1980's V-Tech) do not have. And it has a fake mouse, a fake touchpad, etc., which make it look and feel like a real laptop. Perfect for our 12-month old.
Also, we like the black/white LCD screen (instead of a real computer screen) because there's no radiation, and full color computer screens mess with brain chemistry levels in children. So it's a healthier/safer option for kids. And they can run on very low energy (just 2 AA batteries).
It has 64 games, which is nice, even though our daughter will outgrow it before she will understand most of the games. One of the games is musical instruments, so each key represents a different instrument bagpipes, steel drum, french horn, oboe, etc.
The screen pivots, which is a neat feature but I can already tell the hinge will wear out fast. And the speakers/sound level is great impressive, actually.
CONS:
No AC adapter (2 AA batteries).
Does not turn off automatically when closed. It does, however, time-out after 5 minutes.
The LCD screen is temperature sensitive you cannot see it in cold weather. The screen is dim to start with, and if the batteries are low it will fade quickly. And it's small (2" x 4.25"). Please be aware of this, as some of the product photos are a bit misleading 2x4" is just barely larger than a credit card.
BOTTOM LINE:
We ended up buying the Discovery Kids Laptop at Bed Bath & Beyond on clearance ($9.99 + $5.00 off coupon + $5.00 gift card = our final cost of 4¢). The price was right for us! I realize that the current price point on Amazon for these kids laptops (regardless of brand) is $30-$60, but I personally believe the price point should be $10-$20.
It's chinsy, but our 12-month-old is happy with it.
Update! Over a year later (11/11/2012) and this laptop still works just fine! I've only replaced the batteries once or twice (occasional use, not daily). I think my son will still enjoy this a year from now. :)
It seems my son's goal in life is to destroy my laptop at any means possible lol, so I purchased this laptop (used) in the hopes it would distract him from mine. It does exactly what I purchased it for, distract him, and now my laptop can sit here without fear of being crushed, thrown, hit, all those great things that rowdy little boys love to do. I'm not sure how it would work for older kids who want to actually play the games on it. My son is 19 months old. I was thinking of attaching shiny mirrors and/or stickers to the area without a screen so it would look even more like a laptop, but I haven't had the need to. The keyboard is just like a real one. The mouse can be unplugged and is great for swinging around lol. There is a music button that plays a song over and over, and you can change the songs by pressing it again. It turns itself off after a few minutes of not being used. Only slight downfall when using it this way is that it's hard for a baby to open. You have to pull down on a button on top to open it. I put brand new batteries in the day I got it and it hasn't died or slowed down at all. I'm very happy with this and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to give their toddlers a real looking laptop to play on.
Buy Discovery Kids Teach 'n' Talk Exploration Laptop Now
We tested 20 different "laptop" toys this Christmas, including several of the Discovery Kids laptops. They all have slightly different games, but they are all essentially the same. In fact, most of them get their LCD screens & game chips from the same manufacturers, so just the packaging is different.
But, we discovered something that surprised us even: Many of these games are recycled from 30 years ago! We have what's called a "V-Tech Smart Start Advantage" (1980, bought it at a garage sale for 25¢), and it has some of the exact same games.
So, two things every consumer needs to know about these laptop toys:
#1) Despite the packaging (whether the toy looks like a laptop, an iPhone, etc), these LCD screen toys are old technologies that don't change, but are being repackaged to look more modern. I predict they will soon repackage the same thing to look like a Kindle, e-book reader, iPad, etc. But it's the same toy from the 1980's.
Which leads to #2: This product is recommended for 6 years+. HOWEVER, if your child has ever seen a REAL laptop, Wii, iPhone, etc., they will get bored with this in 30 seconds. In other words, by the time they're old enough to use the educational games, they will have outgrown the technology. Let me be perfectly clear: If your 4, 5, or 6 year old is tech savvy, they WILL get bored with this. My 5-year-old nephew spent exactly FIVE SECONDS with this, then went back to his train set.
I actually recommend this product for 9-36 months (and give it 3½ stars for that age range). Here's why:
I've already said our 30-year-old V-tech does essentially the same thing. But we were drawn to the Discovery laptop anyway because it looks like a realistic laptop. We have a 12-month-old, and when mommy & daddy are working on laptops, she wants one too!
So please FORGET about this toy for the intended audience (6+), and I will continue with the review assuming it's for a toddler:
========
PROS:
The Discovery laptop has a real keyboard, with the tactile "stroke" of hitting real keys, which most other toys (including our 1980's V-Tech) do not have. And it has a fake mouse, a fake touchpad, etc., which make it look and feel like a real laptop. Perfect for our 12-month old.
Also, we like the black/white LCD screen (instead of a real computer screen) because there's no radiation, and full color computer screens mess with brain chemistry levels in children. So it's a healthier/safer option for kids. And they can run on very low energy (just 2 AA batteries).
It has 64 games, which is nice, even though our daughter will outgrow it before she will understand most of the games. One of the games is musical instruments, so each key represents a different instrument bagpipes, steel drum, french horn, oboe, etc.
The screen pivots, which is a neat feature but I can already tell the hinge will wear out fast. And the speakers/sound level is great impressive, actually.
CONS:
No AC adapter (2 AA batteries).
Does not turn off automatically when closed. It does, however, time-out after 5 minutes.
The LCD screen is temperature sensitive you cannot see it in cold weather. The screen is dim to start with, and if the batteries are low it will fade quickly. And it's small (2" x 4.25"). Please be aware of this, as some of the product photos are a bit misleading 2x4" is just barely larger than a credit card.
BOTTOM LINE:
We ended up buying the Discovery Kids Laptop at Bed Bath & Beyond on clearance ($9.99 + $5.00 off coupon + $5.00 gift card = our final cost of 4¢). The price was right for us! I realize that the current price point on Amazon for these kids laptops (regardless of brand) is $30-$60, but I personally believe the price point should be $10-$20.
It's chinsy, but our 12-month-old is happy with it.
Read Best Reviews of Discovery Kids Teach 'n' Talk Exploration Laptop Here
This thing and all Discovery Kids stuff is so cheaply made, it will break quickly, even with proper non-abusive use. And, if you don't buy directly from their store, they will not honor the warranty.
Save you money and look for something better quality to buy your kid.
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My mother was so excited to buy this for my "soon to be" 5 year old. My daughter really wanted a computer for her birthday. When I gave it to her, she thought it looked cool and could not wait to get started. TOTALLY LAME! The games were so boring and the monotone voice just drove us crazy. Your child has to be able to read to operate the games, my daughter is about to turn 5 and is not a great reader, so that was a huge wall. Personally, I think it would not keep an older child's attention for more then a couple of minutes. My mom was heart broken and so was my little one. Don't waste your money.
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I ordered this cart for my 16 month old son after a trip to a children's museum where he fell in love with a mini shopping cart. I was very excited for the item to arrive. However, when it did I was very disappointed. The wheels were plastic and did not roll smoothly. They scratched the wood floors! The seat is actually a piece of fabric, not plastic like I would have thought. It is not worth the money. I sent it back and I am currently looking for a replacement.
