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VTech V-Motion and V.Smile Cyber Pocket - Yeah! Fun!

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

We’re finally wrapping up the VTech campaign, which was extended to accommodate some additional reviews of a second product, the V.Smile Cyber Pocket. But first, let’s finish summarizing the feedback on the VTech V-Motion Active Learning System.

It never fails to make a kid’s day when a package arrives for him, no matter what that package contains:

When the game arrived, I opened the box and Dawson began to jump for joy.

“Is this for me?” he asked.

“Yes, Bug, it’s for you!” I said.

“I LOVE THE MAIL!” he exclaimed. “It brings me toys!”

Yes indeed, it was a toy that arrived at several more bloggers’ homes and was met with similar excitement: “…he practically clubbed me with the cool wireless controller so he could commandeer the system.”

It’s definitely designed for the younger set. One blogger commented: “The system has child-friendly buttons and the controller is appropriately chunky.” Another inadvertently tested its durability: “It can also take a beating. I accidentally knocked it off the mantle and it came crashing down on to the tile in front of the fireplace. I was surprised that the plastic didn’t shatter. There wasn’t even a scratch in it. (It’s mom proof!)”

As before, the kids happily named off their favorite games:

And a couple moms bought additional games for their kids already: “We love the V-Motion so much that we bought Dawson the Thomas the Tank game that teaches spelling and counting as well.”

The games, and the manipulative skills required for them, are geared for three to seven year olds, but the actual results were mixed. It was a little tough for a few of the younger ones to get started. One girl was initially frustrated, but “once [my daughter] understood what was expected from her she really started getting into sorting colors and counting numbers.” Unfortunately, another girl never did get into it: “She had a lot of difficulty mastering the games. So much trouble, in fact, that she’d get frustrated and tearfully beg us to take over.”

At the other end of the spectrum was an older boy who wished that the games were tougher: “The games that come with the unit are fun, but not all that challenging intellectually for a six-, almost seven-year-old, even when played at the more advanced of two levels.” His mother went on to conclude: “If [he] were three, four, or five, the V-Motion system would have much more staying power at our house. It’s entertaining – no doubt about it. But I’d suggest to VTech that V-Motion be relabeled as appropriate for three- to six-year-olds.”

Then again, another six year old boy - who initially thought the V-Motion wouldn’t be anything special - had a blast with it: “But he was just as animated as could be, swaying from side to side and moving around trying to get the characters to move like he wanted.” And the parents of the first little girl “did see some actual learning happening; [she] got much better at rattling off her numbers in correct order where before she would have to stop and think what came after the number 11.”

This mom seemed to echo the group when she concluded that V-Motion was best suited for the younger set, especially those who were accustomed to gaming: “For younger children, the V.Motion Active Learning System is a good video game console system. Not only will they learn from the games, they will move their bodies while playing. For a lot of kids, this feature will make learning much more exciting and fun.”

Next up, the V.Smile Cyber Pocket. It’s a handheld game for kids age five and up, and just like the V-Motion, it’s compatible with the entire line of Smartridges: “We already owned the original Vsmile console, and all the Smartridges that we have for that also work in the Cyber Pocket, which is a big positive with me.”

That’s not to say that most parents got a chance to get acquainted with the system. One blogger admitted: “In the spirit of full disclosure, here is the extent to which I even came in contact with the VTech V.Smile Cyber Pocket: I brought the package into the house. At that point, it was out of my hands, and the 7yo and 9yo took control: They opened the box, they opened the packaging, they read the directions, they installed the batteries, they hooked it up to the television, and then they argued over whose turn it was next. Now, right there is a good recommendation for this new-fangled screen-toy thingy.”

But just from watching over their kids’ shoulders, the parents were certainly impressed with the educational aspects of the Cyber Pocket: “What I was most intrigued by, though, was how many skills this single game covers: spelling, synonyms, antonyms, 3D puzzle building, logic, arithmetic, vocabulary, sentence structure, reading comprehension, beat and rhythm, and more. With such a wide variety of skills emphasized, kids can be both confident in the skills they’ve already mastered (earning lots of coins!) and challenged by those things that they are still working on, but having fun in the process.” A mother of a younger child - one who’s not yet a gaming aficionado - agreed that “this one really does address all types of educational goals without kids even being totally cognizant of the fact that they are learning.”

As with the V-Motion, the V.Link USB connection was a high point: “Their points get transferred to their accounts online, which can be used to unlock MORE games. I like to think of it as motivation for them to get better at the games… which, by the way, are educational.”

The Cyber Pocket was a hit even with older kids:

“So, are you learning anything?

9yo: Well, most of the stuff I already know. But it’s cool! It’s fun anyway!

7yo: Yeah, fun!

9yo: Well, I did learn about different landmarks in the one puzzle. Like some castle in Spain and windmills in the Netherlands.

7yo: I learned a lot of opposites.

9yo: And the Math Maze on the highest level you have to do multiplication and then know greater than or less than. I learned all that in second grade, but it’s still good practice. And fun!

7yo: Yeah! Fun!”

Yeah! Fun!

It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Check out the V-Motion and the Cyber Pocket - they’d make great holiday gifts for some lucky little gamers!