This year, Techno Source offers the Kurio 7s Tablet, a 7-inch, Wi-Fi-enabled Android 4.2 tablet that lets kids email, search the web, read e-books, and more with the protection of Kurio parental controls. The Kurio Touch 4s Handheld is a 4-inch, Wi-Fi-enabled Android 4.2 device that lets kids watch and record videos, listen to music, play with the apps, and surf the web. Parents can determine the child’s level of Internet access. This fall, Kurio will debut the Kurio Xtreme, which is a 7-inch tablet available in two versions, one offering Wi-Fi, the other a 4G LTE version that runs exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network. Kurio 7s Tablet
Suitable for kids ages 18 months and up, Tiggly Shapes, from Tiggly, is an iPad learning toy that helps develop spatial thinking, motor skills, creativity, and language development using a set of four geometric shapes. Durable enough for toddler play, Tiggly Shapes is also gentle enough for iPad screens. Three apps are included—Tiggly Safari, Tiggly Stamp, and Tiggly Draw—and all come in eight different languages. In addition, Tiggly Shapes has a bilingual code that allows children to learn two languages simultaneously.
16 • THE TOY BOOK
The InnoTab 3S WiFi Learning Tablet, from VTech, offers an extended software library designed for kids ages 3 to 9. The new VTech Wi-Fi capability offers the unique Kid Connect app, which allows kids to text parents, siblings, and selected parent-approved caregivers, and offers a unique role-playing option for kids that uses real texting with emoticons, visuals, and simple words. The VTech Learning Lodge software library includes more than 650 educational and entertainment games, e-books, music, and videos, with age-appropriate content across a wide variety of curricula. Parents can also track their child’s progress and determine the next software in order to challenge their young learner.
The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, from Samsung, is a new 7-inch kids’ tablet that integrates solid hardware with a physical home button on the front of the tablet. Parental controls include options for setting time limits and controlling which apps and websites are available from the extensive library in the Google Play Store, as well as access to just about everything Google, including Google Maps, Google Search, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Plus, YouTube, and more. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids has a 1.2 GHz, Android 4.1 operating system with 8 GB of internal memory, a micro SD slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth access, and a USB port. The front camera is 1.3 MP, while the back-facing camera is 3 MP. The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is suitable for kids ages 3 and up, and comes preloaded with 28 apps, including Toca Train and Toca Hair Salon 2, as well as several video selections.
MAY/JUNE 2014