Reviews (29)

Finally a modest Barbie
I have two daughters,a 6 year old and a 4 year old.It has been a struggle finding dolls they can play with that are beautiful, but still modest in their clothing and looks.My girls love this doll and I'm excited to give them a role model that I agree with.As for the old concern of the Barbies' figure being unrealistic, I grew up playing with Barbies and still gained a realistic understanding that a Barbies' figure is unrealistic.It's a toy.Children understand that if the parents explain it to them.

Lovely!
My three year old daughter loves this barbie doll. She has Erika also and loves it too. She plays with these more than her other barbies probably because they sing and she pretends they are sisters. I help her maintain her barbies though; she can be a little rough. Over all good by for barbie fans.

Beautiful Barbie Doll
I bought this doll as a gift and was very happy when she arrived.

She is even prettier than in the picture and very well made. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Princesses   

Editorial Review

Did you know that painted ladies (the butterflies, that is) taste with their feet and have 10,000 eyes? You and your kids will be fascinated by all you learn about these beautiful creatures with the Butterfly Garden from Insect Lore. The kit comes with a relatively easy-to-assemble observation chamber; supplies for feeding the butterflies (you provide only sugar and water); an informative booklet of clear instructions and butterfly facts; and a certificate for three to five free painted lady caterpillars. The metamorphosis from larva to butterfly takes about three weeks from when you receive the caterpillar larvae (which arrive in a small container with all the nutrients they need). Your children can watch the larvae increase dramatically in size, form chrysalides, and finally emerge into full-fledged painted ladies (it's suggested that they release the butterflies after a few days of observation). This would make a wonderfulactivity for families with kids of any age, but younger children will need help assembling the observationchamber and reading the instruction booklet. (Note: The manufacturer recommends that butterflies should not be set free in temperatures lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.) --Rachel Radway ... Read more

Reviews (65)

DEAD BUGS
I purchased this for my 7 year old daughter for christmas. I was guarenteed 3 live larve.They are all dead and I can not get ahold of the company. I would rate this a big Zero

Butterfly Garden
My sister gave this to my 8 year old daughter for her birthday.I also have a 4 year old daughter.This is one of the best gifts my children have ever received!From the start, both of my children were enthralled with the metamorposis from caterpillar to butterfly.The bonus is that there is very little that is required of parents except to make sure the instructions are followed.The caterpillars come in a plastic container that has all the food they require to grow and change.Even though one of the chrysalides fell off the paper disc under the lid, it still was able to continue metamorphosis at the bottom of the butterfly observatory.We just released our three beautiful painted lady butterflies yesterday after three weeks of wonder and excitement.Luckily my daughter's birthday is in July so we could release our butterflies when the weather is warm and the flowers are in full bloom.I recommend that you keep your butterflies safe in their observation chamber for at least two days.Two butterflies emerged before the third one did and I was afraid they weren't eating the food I provided (sugar water).Not wanting the first two to starve, I had my daughters release all of them less than a day after the third butterfly emerged.That third butterfly didn't seem ready to fly off yet and stayed in the garden on a post unmoving for a long while. I watched it to make sure it was unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief when it finally flew off.I couldn't have asked for a more fun and educational gift!

Excellent
I purchased this for my daughter's 4th birthday. The caterpillars arrived on her birthday, which she loved even more. They are now in chrysalide form and she is so excited because she can see them grow and grow every day. This is an awesome toy and have reccomended it to everyone with and with out kids. I also bought a book called "From Caterpillar to Butterfly" and it describes the metaphorsis excellently to her. 2 thumbs up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Learning    3. Science    4. Bugs    5. Butterflies   

Editorial Review

This award-winning globe could help children become A+ geographystudents. The Explorer Globe II is jam-packed with hundreds of facts, trivia,and useful scholastic information about every aspect of the geographical world.It electronically verbalizes everything from area population, capitolcity/country, state/province, large bodies of water, currencies, high points,distance, and more. Other remarkable features make the Explorer an even moreuseful reference tool. It has a world clock that, once set from your home area,will tell the time in every other part of the world. And any country can beselected to hear a sample its national music (yes, Tahiti does have a nationalanthem). The globe sits on a sturdy base, which features a dashboard full ofinteractive functions and an attached soft-tipped stylus. This stylus is the keyinstrument: use it to touch virtually any point on the surface of the globe toretrieve information. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Problem Stylus?!!
Got it as a birthday gift for our daughter - great product to teach kids about "the world around" and she adores it.

The product lacks precision and accuracy. At the beginning the problems started with identification of smaller state/country and later ended up in total chaos. Manufacturer suggested replacing the stylus (FYI - Leap Frog identifies this as a generic complaint and will replace 2 styluses free of cost), but the problem continues to exist. Leap Frog once again suggesting the stylus replacement!?

Just wondering if I could get a total replacement and the product remain worry free for a while!

great
this is a great globe bout it for my daughter for her communion she loves it thanks

Not builtto last
My kids who are 11 and 8 got this globe for Christmas.They had it for about two weeks when it suddenly died.I thought maybe it was the batteries so I changed them and it still did not work.They never really got any use out of this.In the brief time that I did work it always acted as if it were "shorting out" or something.This toy is NOT worth the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Geography    4. Activity   

Reviews (1)

EXCELLENT!!!
We have an original version for my 3 year old son, his 6 year old sister fell in love with his and they were "sharing" the one - it was a well thought out decision to buy a second, only I was concerned with making sure which belonged to whom.The pink version was the perfect solution!Great addition to this family of super star toys! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Worth every penny.
Bought this for my 3 year old daughter who gets a new toy just about every other day.As a result, she is really spoiled and will typically discard her old toys for the latest present.Not so with the Leappad.She loves it!It really is neat.The books that come with it are great -- one asks you questions, like your name, favorite food, favorite color, etc.; you talk into the microphone; and then it uses your responses throughout the story.The other book is about a frog (the Leapfrog?) and it has a story and games -- like rhyming games -- and helps out with your letters (something she is very into right now).She also has a PowerTouch system, and while she will tote that out from time to time to play a song from Blues Clues or Elmo, she never had much interest.I have a feeling this is something that she's not going to lose interest in or outgrow too quickly.A steal for $20!

leap frog microphone is AWESOME HERE!
This is a DEFINATE MUST HAVE!My kids LOVE the fact that they can hear their voices reading what is written.... I have bought like 3 additional microphone abled books. They are a BIG HIT in this house hold.We buy lots of leap frog products, and this one is my children's favorite.They could play and play and play.... I love the fact that they like this item so much!It is suppose to help with fluency and it does, my daughter absolutely loves reading and is doing wonderfully with this item.... To give you an idea what products we have from leap frog: My first leap pad, original leap pad, leap pad with microphone, and quantum, and the leap pad plus writing, turbo twist, spelling and a brain twist one, 2 leapsters which my kids love too! 40 some leap frog books......imagination desk, leap frog princess computer....This one is my families FAVORITE other than the leapster!Hope they come out with more microphone type books...A+++ leap frog! Keep up the AWESOME job!!!! :)

BEST TOY MONEY CAN BUY!
This is by far the BEST toy I purchased for my children this Christmas.I actually purchased it in exchange for the InteracTV that I was very disappointed in.Boy am I glad I did.All four of my children, ages 2, 3, 8, and 11, have fun playing with this Leap Pad. And I love that it will last them for years, and is also compatible with the Quantum books.
I bought my 11 year old his first Leap Pad when he was 5, and paid over $50 for it, but he used it for years.The Leapfrog company even sent me a new stylus when the original no longer worked. Unfortunately, after years of being banged around, our old leap pad now doesn't read cartridges, and I decided to purchase a new one.This particular Leap Pad with Microphone is worth every penny!When your child points to a red dot, it asks a question like, "What is your name?""What is your favorite food?""how old are you?", etc etc... and incorporates your child voice into the story.Easy enough for my 2 year old, but fun enough for even me!I'm so glad I returned the InteracTV and bought this instead.(Same price at my local Toys R Us!) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Math    3. Reading    4. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    5. Electronic    6. Alphabet    7. Preschool    8. Counting   

Editorial Review

You adjust your fingers to get a better grip as you steady your tagger and watch the "locked on" icon flash in your HUD. With a grin you squeeze back on the trigger and score another hit for your team. Welcome to the new extreme in electronic tag! With two extremely durable taggers and connecting Heads Up Display units you’re ready to play almost right out of the box (you’ll need 6 AA batteries for each unit that aren’t included). Once you’re set you’ll find an almost endless amount of options such as one-on-one classic games, Hide & Seek, King of the Hill, or those totally customized by you. The HUD lets you see when you’re tagged, when you’re locked on someone, or even when someone is nearby. You also have the option to use shields to add some extra protection. You’ll learn everything you need with instructions that are almost better than perfect.--Chip Quinn ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The 21st Century of Lazer Tag
Whoops forgot to log in :(
Hi, I have loved lazer tag guns and Lazer Tag Team Ops (will calll ltto later) is the best ive seen. It's like how much Mike Jordan vs a 2 year old in basketball win. Now, nerf fans out there ( im still a VERY big 1 :)) but this thing compared to it: DROP NERF!!!!! This gun may seem very complicated, but for those people that dont wanna read the manual, here are the steps:
1: turn on the device.
2: select LTAG on the menu.
3: learn to shoot and reload and ur good to go!
I SERIESLY RECOMEND READING THE MANUAL!!!! This thing, like I said, may be complicated, but give a good 10-20 min to the manual, and u will be ready in no time!

Ok your probably saying, I cant hit crap! Well, i found the solution: BUY THE SCOPE AND THUNDER PACK SET! the scope dosn't zoom in, but really helps. U will be really lucky without the scope to hit a target 75ft+ STANDING STILL WITHOUT THE SCOPE!!! With the scope, easly hit 200ft moving. Now, thats worth it for 10$ extra! Now, since that I only have 1 scope and play 1-on-1s, the person with the scope wins, but I still dish out 4-5 without it( most people dont do as good as me, rarely hit me without it :)) Note: the scope is usless if ur playing indoors in a small room. Ok, ill write a review for da scope l8tr. Now this gun(by estimating) goes a WILD 350ft+!! Most guns have a limited range of 150-200ft. those old areanes for lazertag will soon be deserted- theres a new gun in town-LTTO!!!!!


P.S: Havn't tried the LX-31 (whatever the pistol is called), so dont know if its better. Also, don't buy the camo gun- just paint ur own gun.

the 21st Century of lazertag
Hi, I have loved lazer tag guns and Lazer Tag Team Ops (will calll ltto later) is the best ive seen. It's like how much Mike Jordan vs a 2 year old in basketball win. Now, nerf fans out there ( im still a VERY big 1 :)) but this thing compared to it: DROP NERF!!!!! This gun may seem very complicated, but for those people that dont wanna read the manual, here are the steps:
1: turn on the device.
2: select LTAG on the menu.
3: learn to shoot and reload and ur good to go!
I SERIESLY RECOMEND READING THE MANUAL!!!! This thing, like I said, may be complicated, but give a good 10-20 min to the manual, and u will be ready in no time!

Ok your probably saying, I cant hit crap! Well, i found the solution: BUY THE SCOPE AND THUNDER PACK SET! the scopedosn't zoom in, but really helps. U will be really lucky without the scope to hit a target75ft+ STANDING STILL WITHOUT THE SCOPE!!! With the scope, easly hit 200ft moving. Now, thats worth it for 10$ extra! Now, since that I only have 1 scope and play 1-on-1s, the person with the scope wins, but I still dish out 4-5 without it( most people dont do as good as me, rarely hit me without it :)) Note: the scope is usless if ur playing indoors in a small room. Ok, ill write a review for da scope l8tr. Now this gun(by estimating) goes a WILD 350ft+!! Most guns have a limited range of 150-200ft. those old areanes for lazertag will soon be deserted- theres a new gun in town-LTTO!!!!!


P.S: Havn't tried the LX-31 (whatever the pistol is called), so dont know if its better. Also, don't buy the camo gun- just paint ur own gun.

the 21st Century of lazertag
Hi, I have loved lazer tag guns and Lazer Tag Team Ops (will calll ltto later) is the best ive seen. It's like how much Mike Jordan vs a 2 year old in basketball win. Now, nerf fans out there ( im still a VERY big 1 :)) but this thing compared to it: DROP NERF!!!!! This gun may seem very complicated, but for those people that dont wanna read the manual, here are the steps:
1: turn on the device.
2: select LTAG on the menu.
3: learn to shoot and reload and ur good to go!
I SERIESLY RECOMEND READING THE MANUAL!!!! This thing, like I said, may be complicated, but give a good 10-20 min to the manual, and u will be ready in no time!

Ok your probably saying, I cant hit crap! Well, i found the solution: BUY THE SCOPE AND THUNDER PACK SET! the scopedosn't zoom in, but really helps. U will be really lucky without the scope to hit a target75ft+ STANDING STILL WITHOUT THE SCOPE!!! With the scope, easly hit 200ft moving. Now, thats worth it for 10$ extra! Now, since that I only have 1 scope and play 1-on-1s, the person with the scope wins, but I still dish out 4-5 without it( most people dont do as good as me, rarely hit me without it :)) Note: the scope is usless if ur playing indoors in a small room. Ok, ill write a review for da scope l8tr. Now this gun(by estimating) goes a WILD 350ft+!! Most guns have a limited range of 150-200ft. those old areanes for lazertag will soon be deserted- theres a new gun in town-LTTO!!!!!


P.S: Havn't tried the LX-31 (whatever the pistol is called), so dont know if its better. Also, don't buy the camo gun- just paint ur own gun. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity   

Reviews (6)

GREAT GREAT GREAT
I got this toy as a gift and it was so much fun and now my brother cant say I cant swim AND I TRY NOT TO TEASE HIM ABOUT IT BUT THIS TOY IS FUN AND FAIRLY CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

awesome
my kid is 9 years old and he LOVES this cruiser. my older kids actually get in the pool and play with it too. they are 16 and 19. it is safe and all around just a great item. its inexpensive too! ---probably one of the kids most favorite toys!!

I WAS TRICKED
I purchased this after reading the reviews and the age limits and I am angry. When it came age stated on the box was a much younger age limit and a maximum weight of 80 pounds that was stated no where. Picture of a young child was on cover of box looked like a baby gift for a 12 year old. It was for a birthday present and had to be given, but I was not told the truth in the description by Amazon.I feel I was stolen from.Item cute as can be though. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Guess what! Dora the Explorer has jumped on the royal bandwagon! This intrepid explorer is now a fairy tale princess with magical hair that grows when the jewel in her crown is pressed with a wand. Dora talks and sings, too, in both English and Spanish: "Vamanos! Let's go to fairytale land! Will you brush my hair?" The 14-inch-tall plastic doll is not designed to be cuddled so much as played with and groomed. She is attired in a satiny yellow gown trimmed in pink and purple, and has a brush, barrettes, and magic wand. The magical tresses emerging from the hair-growing tube are quite realistic, although grownups, at least, might be a little unnerved at the sleek brown hair oozing in and out of Dora's head. Still, children are experts at suspending disbelief and accepting weirdness in the world, so they probably won't mind a bit. Four AA batteries required (included). --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Not as happy as I thought!!!!
We bought this for our daughter Brittney (39 months), she wanted it so bad, then after a few days she just stopped playing with it. I don't think she's into the hair brushing and that sort of play just yet. She still loves dora's house, and her other dora dolls which include star catching dora, cowboy dora, buenas noched dora, magic surprise dora and some other ones.

A review for my Sister
The first day my sister ever saw this item, she wanted it for her birthday, but she got it for Christmas. Thanks to our best friend, Pat, now living at Bethel Retirement Home. When my sister got this, she thought that Dora looked cute in the box. My sister really likes the song that Dora sings. One time, my sister combed Dora's hair too much and too hard. Then it didn't work. My father fixed it on the day he got batteries for my MindMania Spelling Clip. Last, my sister doesn't play with Dora oftenly. Dora uses 4 "AA" batteries (included.)- Cristian and Alejandra Mojica.

3 yr old likes maybe too much
Dora is still doing okay considering what she has been through since Christmas.Her pretty hair do was taken out of its rubber bands fairly quickly.She has gotten an unrequested hair cut, luckly not much was cut because I caught my daughter in the act.She gets played with somewhat often even by visiting children.I do sometimes have to take Dora away when the kids start fighting over her.She doesn't look as good as new anymore, but well loved. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls    2. Fairies    3. Princesses    4. Toddler Dolls    5. Ethnic   

Reviews (1)

Record & Play is a nice set
I have a ton of LEGOs, including a Mindstorm and a Spybot, so what's different about the Record & Play?The core of this set is the brick with two motors with integrated rotation sensors.Push the red button and push the robot through it's moves (up to 20 seconds).Then hit the green button to play it back.It plays back fairly accurately, although it is a bit jerky (it doesn't play the motors slow, but short bursts of fast).As a bonus, the tail end of the brick has a shaft input that does the same thing as pressing the play button every time the axle turns.This is useful for building something that has the motor block hidden inside, making the buttons hard to reach, or for making the 'bot respond to some stimulus (My next plan is for a passing LEGO train to flip a lever, causing the shaft to turn, which will trigger the playback to lower and then raise the crossing gates).There is an on-off switch on the bottom, and the robot will remember it's programming even when turned off, as well as an auto-shutoff if left alone for 10 minutes to save batteries.
Normal play mode runs through the actions once and stops.Hold down the play button for a couple seconds and it switches to mode 2, which repeatedly plays the commands forwards and backwards.Pretty cool.Do it again to get into mode 3, which repeatedly plays the commands forwards.This is very handy too.
The 192-page book shows how to build five models: a bug that hops along on two wheels and 2 legs, a dog with 3 wheels, a pen plotter, a 4 legged crab with claws, a standing-up walking robot, and a drummer.Much briefer instruction are shown for a dune buggy, a catamaran walking bug thing, tractor, a grabber, a block thrower, and a card dealer (and probably a few more).
The other pieces included in the set are fairly standard, a nice mix between Technic and standard bricks in pleasing tan and greens (lime and forest).The only really new piece is a right angle 1:1 gear box.Two are included in the set.
I like the fact that there is no real programming involved, no computer required, and it is very quick to get the bot moving.The kit has LEGO's usual excellent quality throughout. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction   

Editorial Review

The ProMedia 2.1 THX-Certified, three-piece computer audio system from Klipsch transforms your desktop into a high-performance audio entertainment center. Two 35-watt satellite speakers deliver full-bodied stereo sound, while a floor-thumping 130-watt subwoofer provides low-end slam from your favorite music, games, and movies, reaching down to an impressive 31 Hz.

The satellites' exclusive Klipsch MicroTractrix horn maximizes clarity and high-frequency dispersion from CDs, MP3s, streaming radio programs, and other audio. The high-output, digital-hybrid-amplifier-driven ProMedia 2.1 offers a convenient headphone jack and dual stereo analog inputs, one for a more or less hard-wired connection from your computer's line or headphone output jack, the second to accommodate a portable audio device such as an MP3 or minidisc player/recorder.

Klipsch operates with a philosophy that demands accuracy in every aspect of sound reproduction, which--in the case of the ProMedia 2.1--has resulted in THX Certification. THX is an exclusive set of standards established by the world-renowned film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., and products undergo rigorous quality and performance tests in order to receive this certification.

What's in the Box
Two satellite speakers, one subwoofer, two 9.5-foot lengths of speaker cable (22 gauge), a user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• THX-certified, three-piece computer audio system
• Exclusive Klipsch MicroTractrix Horn maximizes digital technologies such as CDs, MP3 downloads, and streaming radio programs
• 200-watt digital hybrid amplifier driven ProMedia 2.1 incorporates a convenient headphone jack as well as a miniplug input
• Compatible with gaming consoles and most portable audio devices
• 31 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response range

Reviews (115)

Amazing sound quality
I have had many different sets of Computer Speakers for many different computers. I am using these with my laptop, when I am at home. I am a serious audiophile, who like just about every kind of music you can imagine... needless to say I wanted a set of speakers that would sound great, not kill my pocketbook and be reasonable when it comes to space management. All I can say is that having never bought Klipsch before I didnt know what to expect, I had heard good things but I wasn't sure. If you are feeling like me, trust me they are AMAZING.

Right out of the box it took me less that 5 minutes to set them up get them plugged in and ready to go. I started out listening to some Alternatve (Smashing Pumpkins) and thought WOW these sound really good. I threw in some Rap and Hip Hop and I was even more blown away. I threw some Trance and just sad staring at my screen. For two satellite speakers and a sub, I was blown away with how clear the sound was, how loud it could get, and the fact that there was no distortion at higher volumes, while retaining the ability to distinguish different instruments/sounds.

After reading another review, I would agree that this system is not for those with very thin walls (at least if you want to be considerate). While you can play music at lower volumes and the quality is just as good as it will be at the higher volumes, the bass does tend to travel.

Pros: Price (compared to the Bose system that runs $250, or other systems that run between $200-$500 this system is as good for less money. Headphone and Audio input on Left speaker great, dont have to swap out the speakers to throw on headphones and the abilty to use on MP3 players is great. THX Certification... really speaks for itself, these speakers are top quality and are endorsed by one of the most stringent testers out there.

Cons: No remote or controller. (Its not that bad because there are the controls for the Sub and Main speakers on one of the satellites (for me thats the left).Power off on the sub, mentioned before not that bad but its a little bit of a nuisance.

Overall, I would say that this is a great value and I highly recommend this speaker system to anyone who loves music and looks for high quality sound.

Cheers

Almost Audiophile
I was able to pack away my stereo system after hooking up this set.The music is accurate.For example, I was able to clearly distinguish the bass drum from the stand up bass without any trouble (The CD I used was Apostolic Polyphony).That is pretty rare for a bass reflex system.Prepare to be surprised.

Satellite DOA
Sounds like this system might have been alright, but it's hard to tell a good stereo when you only hear out of one of the channels. The other satellite speaker is completely dead, right out of the box. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science    3. Bugs    4. Computer 3 (2.1) speaker system    5. Activity    6. Games   

Features

• Infra Red Remote Controller
• Up to 84 program steps, with 4 program modes for advanced operations
• No computer required, an ergonomic remote control handles all functions and programming
• Runs on regular batteries for over 6 hours
• 3 demonstration modes: Dance, kung fu and "personality"

Reviews (67)

Robosapien Rocks!
I love this robot, in fact I bought two regular Robosapiens and one mini Robosapien.It has a ton of personality, great sounds, and most importantly, it's funny as hell.There are over 67 different moves it can make.It actually walks and turns quite well, and runs for a long time on one set of batteries, which much longer than other robot toys I have.

In addition, there are tons of modifications out there that you can try, to enhance the Robot.Just search Google or Amazon's A9 for "Robosapien Hacks".There are also great free programs that you can use to greatly extend the "play life" of this little guy.

My personal favorite is a free open source program on SourceForge that let's you control him with your voice, and easily create complex scripts to make him do all sorts of wonderful thing. It's great for impressing your friends or making your own robot movies.Unfortunately you need a Windows computer and an infrared transmitter to run the program, but you can get the transmitter for cheap and most of us already have a Windows computer.

Just go to SourceForge and search for "Robosapien".It's called the Robosapien Dance Machine.

Entertaining for a short time
I had higher expectations but this was for my son in the first place, I'm not sure he shares my expectations but the robot isn't getting much use so that may say something in itself.

The fluid motion is actually kind-of cool to watch, atleast for a short time.

He can't grab anything but the cup without a lot of trial and error and the objects have to be at his side in just the right place. I was under a false assumption that you could literally make incremental movements like moving the arm and hand to just the right spot then grab etc. you can't, you have a button for "pick up" and that's one motion targeting the pickup to one particular spot - the ankle area.

he looks like he's going to fall down when he walks, he doesn't it's part of the motion, sort-of an overdramatic swagger which is fun for awhile.

He throws things interestingly, that's providing you can get something picked up.

The controls are complicated but with a little time you can make sense of them.

The programing of multiple tasks aren't saveable. you loose them once you shut him off.

So this device is relegated to crashing through blocks while pretending it's doing more things. For the money I don't believe it's all that it's cracked up to be.

do not buy
if you are going to waist mony this robot then go to E-clec-tech and spend $160.00 on a pino dx. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Reviews (264)

Have it ...DEAD
Two words IT (...). Nintendo revolution comin in 2006 cant wait for the systems controller A controll stick and and one big DUB button...NOT!!!!!

Worst gaming console out of Xbox, PS2, and this one.
Let me just start this review by saying that i used to be a huge fan of nintendo. Its games were great and beyond addicting, the graphics were pretty good CONSIDERING the gaming systems back then and overall it was just a wonderful system. I also used to have all of the portable systems to including gameboy advance, sp, color and the normal gameboy.

When gamecube came out, all of this changed.

If you go to the stores you will see that this system is much cheaper then the rest of the systems, over $50 cheaper, (therefore making it a worse system then PS2 and Xbox.) If you look at the controllers you will see that they are horrible gimicks. It looks like someone has taken all of the buttons and placed them randomly around the surface of the controller. Also, the size of the buttons are completely "messed up." The "A" button is twice the size as any other button on the controller. The "B" button is smaller then the xbox's "black" button. The "y" and "x" button are just long strips that look retarded, and overall the controller just looks like its from another planet and is extremely confusing when you are trying to play a game, unless you are used to it. The only pro i give this controller is that its extremely comfortable unlike the Xbox and PS2 controller, but thats nothing to brag about Xbox's and PS2's controller makes more sense and are way better then this "hunk of junk."
The gamesystem itself is actually ok. Its quite small unlike the other up to date systems, just a small cube, (hints the name "gamecube") making it very portable and easy to travel with if you want to bring it to your friends/family's house to play. Xbox's and PS2's are much harder to do this, considering they're size is much bigger then nintendo gamecube's size.

Now on to the games. The games are actually "ok." They are obviously geared more towards kids considering that 75% of their games are rated "E" for everyone. Now this doesn't mean that the games are bad. Gamecube does have some great games such as Mario Kart Double Dash, Metroid Prime Echoes and Resident Evil, which are all very fun and challenging games to play.

The graphics for this system are ok, they're not bad, but they're not great. Considering the mind blowing graphics on Xbox, Gamecube doesn't even come close to this, and i think that if they are going to come out with a gamecube #2, they need to rethink how good and accurate the graphics will be in comparisn to the other systems that are coming out around the same time as the sequel is to gamecube. The only problem with the graphics on the gamecube is that its very colorful and adds more of a "kid" like theme to it, most of gamers are over 13 and prefer Xbox and PS2.

The sound on the Gamecube obviousely depends on the game, but is usually pretty average. Its ok, but once again, its nowhere near how good it could be if nintendo put some more time into making this sytem.

More problems with the gamecube are that you are not able to upload music onto it from CD's like you are on the Xbox. There is also no online capability like their is on Xbox and PS2 which is an extremely fun experience playing with other people online but once again, Gamecube fails to add another great feature into its poor system. You are also not able to watch DVD's like you are on the PS2 and Xbox which is another wonderful feature if you don't have a DVD Player, but most people do now-a-days. Another one of my few pros that i give gamecube is its extremely quick speed in both loading and gameplay. You hardly have to wait anything for it to load, and when your actually playing, the speed is rather impressive, might even be as good as Xbox, definetely faster then PS2.

Overall i think that Gamecube was extremely rushed in terms of time so that it could come out around the same time as Xbox, (PS2 was made over 1 year before both of these systems came out) therefore was nowhere near as powerful and fun as the Xbox console. It is very obvious that Nintendo is definetely geared towards younger kids, but the fact is, is that most of the gamers now-a-days are definetely over thirteen and are playing more of the "adult" games. I think that if Nintendo had put some more time into creating this system, it could have been way bettter then it is now. Thats some advice for you guys nintendo for when you make your sequel to gamecube!

Graphics: Pretty average graphics, nowhere near as good as Xbox and PS2's graphics though.

Speed: Very fast, one of the few pros for gamecube is how quick it is in terms of gameplay and loading time.

Gameplay: Ok, not great, but definetely not bad. Not as fun gameplay as PS2 and Xbox. (In my opinion.)

Online: No online capabilities for the gamecube which is a huge downfall, perhaps one of the reasons why nintendo is quickly slipping in economy.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
This really stinks.My cousin has it and he likes it.But the buttons are too far away.THIS STINKS!!!!Dont buy it.THIS STINKS!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Consoles    4. Bundles   

Editorial Review

It's still hard to get a triple word score, the tiles are still made of wood, there's only one "X" in the whole box, and family feuds are increasing exponentially. But after 50 years, Scrabble has had a face-lift: a swivel base allows the board to turn so players don't have to work upside down, a plastic grid helps keep tiles in line, and a handy bag stores the letters when they're not in use. The premise hasn't changed at all--two to four players battle it out to make high-scoring words from seven little letters--so choose a dictionary before play begins to avoid ugly confrontations. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Deluxe not like the old Deluxe
I purchased the new deluxe Scrabble game for my sister in January and was terribly disappointed in how it was made.We both love to challenge each other in Scrabble matches when we are together and her game really needed to be replaced.I was embarrassed at how cheaply the new game is.For the wonderful game that it is, I do believe they could have made a much better version of the turntable model for the price I had to pay for it.Hope they will improve it soon.

Fantastic fun for those who love words and word play...
This along with the official scrabble dictionary is the perfect gift for those who love scrabble. It has a TURNTABLE, that is all I need to say.The turntable makes this so much more enjoyable as it is so easy to manuever it to view it straight on in front of you. I wish the game were a bit more substantial but it is a vast improvement over a traditional set because of the turntable as you just store everything in the base.

Before you buy this...
Check eBay for a complete older version.This one is poorly made,I remember the old deluxe was deluxe.For the new one the best price is here, that I found.And you can't live without this game ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Classic Games    5. Word Games    6. Learning   

Features

• Frame Construction: Heavy Duty Galvanized Steel--Strong and durable frame material that is built to last.
• Surface Material: Poly Vinyl Chloride --Provides you a heavy duty jumping surface for exercise.
• Frame Pad Material: Polyethylene --Durable material that provides you with added protection.
• UV Resistant Surface--Protects the jumping surface from harmful UV rays.
• Water Resistant Cover--Provides protection against wet weather.

Reviews (12)

i don't understand
my daughter would love a trampoline and i would love to buy her one but i don't know which one to get her.the airzone 8' trampoline seems perfect but i also read the reviews for the airzone 13' trampoline which got terrible reviews.i don't know what to believe.can anybody help?

SO MUCH FUN!!
My [former] friend HAD one in blue..We spent long summer days playing on this toy!! And it was so much fun! But eventually it wore out and now theres a big hole in it. I think it has cause a whole bunch of people jumped on it at once (remember, 2 at a time!!) so much fun, but doesn't last long.

5 stars is yes!
this toy is one of the best my mom have ever bought me thanks! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Play   

Reviews (54)

Absolutely Wonderful Toy!
The whole family enjoys this toy! It took us a few minutes to get the sensitivity just right, but once we did, we loved it.My 2-year-old loves to dance and run around to make it play music.My 9-month old laughs as it plays music when she crawls around it.It even makes music when the cat approaches it!This is a great toy.I would highly recommend it!

We Love Musini
My 6yr & 15mo old both love the musini, as do my husband and I.The volume is loud enough and the machine has been tough enough to withstand being dropped by my 15mo old.There are a lot of different sounds and songs, especially with the extra cartridge.The only problem we have encountered is when it gets set at the highest sensitivity (10)it doesn't play but if I turn it down slightly it works perfectly.This has provided hours of entertainment for my family.

Never worked very well.
Maybe we were using this incorrectly, but it never seemed to work very well. Music stopped and started sporadically. Kind of a disappointment for [$$].

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Music    5. Activity    6. Musical   

Reviews (1)

Great Bike!
I just got this bike for my nephew and he LOVES it!
I upgraded him (5 years old) from his 12" bike because he was having a hard time pedaling it up even the smallest of hills.
Once he got on this bike, he didn't stop!!!He climbed hills twice as long and steep than hills he couldn't get up before!
I am telling you, this is a GREAT bike to begin on.The training wheels are solid, and adjust to lift up as his skills improve.
I can't wait to watch him grow with this bike! ... Read more

Features

• Star Wars Galactic Heroes Millennium Falcon.
• Features opening entry ramp and cockpit, authentic movie sounds and voices of R2-D2, Chewbacca and C-3PO, repair station and authentically styled interior, laser cannons that fire as they move back and forth and a flip-down panel with flashing lights!
• All figures store inside the playset!
• Includes Millennium Falcon, Han Solo, C-3PO, and Chewbacca.
• Requires 3 AA batteries (included). Details subject to change.

Reviews (18)

Wonderful toy for any Star Wars fan's child!
Being a Star Wars Fan from growing up watching the Original Trilogy I wanted to pass on the joy of Star Wars to my 2 year old son, which in turn has become quite a fan himself (after watching my Trilogy Collection on DVD)!I felt the 3.75" action figures would be too fragile and full of small parts (pistols, lightsabers, gadgets) for such a small child.Enter Star Wars Galactic Heroes.These little figures are great.They're made out of a rubber like material which withstands all the abuse any small child can dish out and then some.Being a Star Wars Fan from growing up watching the Original Trilogy I wanted to pass on the joy of Star Wars to my 2 year old son, which in turn has become quite a fan himself (after watching my Trilogy Collection on DVD)!I felt the 3.75" action figures would be too fragile and full of small parts (pistols, lightsabers, gadgets) for such a small child.Enter Star Wars Galactic Heroes.These little figures are great.They're made out of a rubber like material which withstands all the abuse any small child can dish out and then some.The only flaw I can find is that the loading latch falls out quite often after a while and in turn is sensible to break.But this thing has been dropped over and over for the past 6 months and looks just as it did the first day we got it.

But the truly amazing thing is the likeness the Millennium Falcon has to the OTC spaceship.It's full of wonderful things to do:realistic sounds from the movie (engine going to lightspeed, laser cannons and character sound bite: C3PO, R2D2 and Chewbacca) moving cannons; rotating radar, opening cockpit to place Han Solo into, and more.The educational value from my point of view is how it trains a two or three year old child's fine motor skills;They have to open the back of the Falcon and press a button to fix it's hyperdrive and they have to manipulate all the moving parts. It's a lot of fun for kids and adults as well.We spend hours recreating scenes from the movies and he loves it.

This toy has brought my son and I closer in this fantasy world of Star Wars!!The Millenium Falcon is made out of high impact ABS which can take even more punishment than the figurines.The movable pieces come loose when its dropped from great heights which prevents them from breaking. The only flaw I can find is that the loading latch falls out quite often and after a while becomes likely to break.But this thing has been dropped over and over for the past 6 months and looks just as it did the first day we got it.

But the truly amazing thing is the likeness the Millennium Falcon has to the OTC spaceship.It's full of wonderful things to do:realistic sounds from the movie (engine going to lightspeed, laser cannons and character sound bite: C3PO, R2D2 and Chewbacca) moving cannons; rotating radar, opening cockpit to place Han Solo into, and more.The educational value from my point of view is how it trains a two or three year old child's fine motor skills;They have to open the back of the Falcon and press a button to fix it's hyperdrive and they have to manipulate all the moving parts. It's a lot of fun for kids and adults as well.We spend hours recreating scenes from the movies and he loves it.

This toy has brought my son and I closer in the fantasy world of Star Wars!!

A bit of tough love can't hurt this toy.
My son got this a few months before his third birthday (xmas present). He is a bit rough with his toys at times, and this has survived his 'tough love.'He really enjoys the little figures (since then we've gotten him more), and plays with them on their own.The Millennium Falcon has given him a bit of fustration since the guys can't go easily up the ramp, and it tend to pop out as a result of the fustration.I do however greatly appreciate the fact that the pieces 'pop off' instead of breaking off in the hands of a fustrated 3 year old. They are also easy to put back on. His 5 1/2 year old sister likes playing with it as well, and the adults get a kick out of it.If the child you're thinking of getting this for is an extremely rough kid, I'd hold off on it.I'd definately recommend the little figures though.

very cool toy with a poor design
first of all, don't buy this toy for a child under five. it falls apart easily and small pieces could break off.it's a cool star wars action set, but the pod falls off and the entrance hatch broke off in the first month. the chubby guys that are included couldn;t fit up the ramp anway. chewie is adorable. keep out of reach of fellow star wars fans who might klepto it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action Figures    2. Movies    3. Collectible Action Figures   

Editorial Review

You can really bug out with this 487-piece LEGO set especially aimed at the creative entomologist. The set could be used to make anything from dinosaurs to deep space stations, but the thick (83-page) manual is aimed squarely at the Legologist who wants to design crawling critters. Spiders, scorpions, snails, and worms--if it buzzes or slithers you can make it. Frogs, lizards, a crab, and a bird round out the suggested menagerie, and of course there’s no rule against inventing new species of imaginary arthropods. Hop on over to this set and get bitten by the LEGO bug! --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Bugs & Other Wild Creatures Fun
I recently purchased this for my four year old son and we have a great time building the creatures in the booklet.So far, we've built the spider, lizard, and crab.He loves it!The many intricate details do challenge him but we work together and have great fun.I did purchase a container to store and separate the colors and various bricks so we can find the pieces efficiently.I am amazed by all the various pieces and how much lego bricks have evolved over the years.This set definitely provides hours of fun and creativity.We would purchase other Make & Create sets in the near future.

Well worth the money
When my son was four he was such a fan for bugs and animals that I decided to buy the Lego Wild Collection for his fifth birthday.I knew he would be a year younger than the recommended age of 6+, but I figured I could help him. When he received the toy he was thrilled and immediately engaged me to build the Crab.It was very hard because there were about 500 pieces, most of them very small pieces, but after an hour of "needle-in-the-hay-stack" hunt I succeeded in locating all the necessary bits.My boy was able to put most of the pieces in by consulting the book's step by step instructions, but about 10% of the time he couldn't understand it and I would have to show him how.Although he isn't a patient boy he was engrossed with the project and never lost focus, and in the end he was proud of the Crab and admired it for hours.

After I complained to my husband, a plumber, about the difficulty in locating the tiny pieces, he suggested that I go to the hardware store and buy a utility box that contained different compartments for the various parts.I found one such box with a lid and 12 compartments and sorted all the chunks out by size and color.Everything was a breeze to find after that - I wonder why Lego doesn't provide such a box.

Since then my son and I have dedicated about 12 hours building various creatures such as snakes, snails, spiders, scorpions, birds, fish, jelly fish, mosquitoes, daddy-long-legs, and we are not even half way done with all the possible 63 creatures yet.It was fun even for me because back when I was a kid Legos weren't half this fancy.The Lego website shows many extra pictures of various things one can build with the Wild Collection.We did have one missing piece - the Ant's belly - but Lego is sending it for free after I ordered it from their website. Today my son succeeded in building the Ant by substituting the missing piece with a different piece.He worked on it for 4 hours, mostly by himself because I couldn't find the time to do it with him, and he succeeded, to my total amazement, since the Ant is one of the hard ones to build.(There are 3 levels: easy, medium and hard.)It is amazing to see how fast he is learning to put the pieces together.

I would like to yell "Bravo!" to the Lego designers for coming up with such a wonderful toy.It isn't cheap, but in comparison to the amount of time a child spends with the toy, I think it is more than worth it.One can, of course, get a small, cheap Lego thing that can build only one thing, but after the child builds the same thing a couple of times he gets sick of it.This way, because there are so many pieces, there is a huge variety of things one can build, so you pay four times the money but you build a hundred times more critters too because you can reuse the parts.I just think it makes much more sense this way, and I highly recommend this toy to anyone.

Tip:There is a grey piece shaped like a handle.It is for taking the built legos apart.It doesn't say that in the instruction booklet, but that's what I figured it must be after I spent a few days prying stuff with the butter knife!

The part of the review is added 2 months later:
My son is done with the wild life lego set.I would say that he's spent more than 200 hours on it.On some days he worked on it day and night, and he can build every single critter in their without any help from me.Familiarity definitely breeds understanding in this case.Now he is moving on to the other Lego designer sets.

Beastly Fun Building!
My seven year old loves LEGO's, and is thinking of them in a whole new direction with this kit.Before he would only make cars, buildings and etc. (I'm not complaining!).He loved building the creatures in the book, and has started using them to invent his own animals.The creatures in the book are at different difficulty levels, but you can build even the biggest ones and still have enough left over to build more.My son has at least three of the biggest put together now, at the same time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction   

Editorial Review

Fully equipped for looting and plundering across the high seas, this pirate ship sports a massive wooden hull powered forward by six sails, three adorned with skulls and crossbones. Triple-firing cannons lay above and below deck, while a sword-wielding captain commands two crew members. A parrot can rest atop the captain's shoulder. There's also a working wench for hauling up all that misbegotten treasure and a removable dinghy for one-off raids. Other elements include a deployable anchor, a walking plank, and a yellow guard rail that circles the deck. The boat measures over 2 feet long once assembled, and can be put together in several ways, outlined in the accompanying booklet. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (26)

FUN - BUT ONLY IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY PLAY WITH IT!
I BOUGHT THIS TOY FOR MY 5 YEAR OLD, TOOK A BIT TO PUT IT TOGETHER, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME DOING...PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER. SO, IF YOUR KIDS DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO PLAY WITH IT, JUST PUT IT TOGETHER, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT'S GREAT. BUT IF THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO HAVE THE "PIRATE ADVENTURE" , IT COMES UP A BIT SHORT.
SAME GOES FOR THE ISLAND.

great for imagination
My son got this for xmas and absolutely loves it, we are now moving onto the knights and castle.He(4) and his sister(3) spend hours having pirate wars and finding treasure. GREAT toy, LOTS of little pieces,so just be careful of younger siblings.Would definately recommend to anyone whose interested in pirates.

This one's for Momma!
Well - we have the entire Medieval line and most of the Pirates.This ship I saw and had to have!! She's a beauty!So, my wonderful husband made sure that it was under the tree for me.The kids are drooling!

We have had battles and voyages for cargo with the smaller ship and then the skeletal crew attacks!Great fun.Again my family is two girls two boys and two parents.We range from 38 to 4 years old and ALL love Imanigext. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Boats    3. Construction    4. Building Sets