LeapFrog® Tag Reading System (16 MB)
by LeapFrog
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List Price: Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of LeapFrog® Tag Reading System (16 MB)
Customer Review: Software is HORRIBLE
Summary: 2 Stars
I recently purchased this for my 5 year old daughter. I thought the idea of it was great, and she loves to read. However, the software for this tool is so bad as to render it almost unusable. First, I installed the latest software from the internet, skipping the CD. As soon as it was installed, it told me I needed an update for it to work. Took 4 times before the update finally was able to install. Then I downloaded three more books of audio files from the Connect website. But I am now unable to synch the new files with the pen. I have tried repeatedly and it always fails. So, as of now I have three worthless, but pricey, books, and the only book that is on the pen is Cat in the Hat which came with it.
It is unbelievable to me that they can't get this to work. The technology for synching files between two devices has been around for what? TWENTY YEARS???? at least.
Also, the software interface is horribly slow. This is really not that complicated of a system - please, leapfrog, just spend the money to do it right. Do you really want reviews like this?
FYI: I am an IT project manager and work with technology all day everyday.
Buyer Beware......
Customer Review: It does what is says...
Summary: 5 Stars
The LeapFrog® Tag Reading System does what it says, it gives your child a hand held tutor for reading a Tag book. The "read the entire page" function is helpful when the child does not want to read the book, but only hear the story. Initially I thought that this feature was defeating the purpose of getting my child to read the book, but I discovered later that it actually increased his enthusiasm to try to read it by himself. I did find though, that the word games provided the most interactive experience for him. He liked the story comprehension challenges that the game questions posed.
In short, he memorized all of the words of all the three books I bought him. At first I thought this practice defeated the purpose of teaching him how to decode words, but after placing him in a summer reading program, I was informed that word memorization was actually the preferred method of sentence decoding. After trying to explain the rules of phonics and vowel usage for words like "rough", "tough", "brought", "know" and "said"...I surrendered to the word memorization method. It seems to be working for him, but occasionally he does go back to word decoding by way of phonics.
Customer Review: Great idea, neat technology, lacking memory
Summary: 4 Stars
Architecture is key to design. This device works great, is innovative and exciting for my 5 and 2 year old to use. The books are okay and the process is somewhat educational, although mostly they zone out while playing with the pen and books and don't "learn" with others.
The nagging feature, for all that is good, is that the memory is limited. One can only download a limited number of books onto the pen, in order for it to work with a book (about 4 or 5 books at one time). My kids bounce between the 7 or so books we have (some were gifts). My wife is not a techie and could not configure or download the books to the pen. Although I don't think it is that hard, I put that out there as evidence that people who check email and surf to shop may have trouble installing and configuring this device.
Lastly, the process of "reading" the story interactively is slow. While the read-back voice is nice, it is too slow for my kids pace and they often miss the story via the pen. They often read the book or look at the pictures sans the pen.
Battery life is good on the pen and the technology is amazing. Overall we are happy with the product.
Customer Review: Best Commute Option Ever
Summary: 5 Stars
We use this toy for our almost-five-year-old during our daily commutes. It's wonderful because a) it grabs her attention and delights her during what is usually a very shaky, depressing, hungry time of day, b) it's not like a video game in which you have a catatonic child in your backseat who refuses to talk--it's an interactive learning toy that prompts questions and interesting conversations, and c) it's not obnoxious--no weird beeping, no shooting noises, no electronic "music." It's filled with great music that's real. (The most obnoxious it gets is when she repeatedly clicks on an interesting phrase. Last week we heard "It was spectacular!" five times, before she informed us what she believes "spectacular" means.)
It's not often when our child thinks that a toy is as awesome as her parents do. But I can tell this one is definitely on her short list. It's the only toy that regularly travels from the car to the living room, to the kitchen table, to the bedroom, and then back to the car. That's right. She *carries* it. She doesn't ask us to carry it around for her. As far as I'm concerned, that's the highest praise you can give.
Customer Review: Tag Reader Stylus Failed
Summary: 2 Stars
We purchased the Tag Reader system for our grandchildren last Christmas. We also purchased several books including the now famous "Walter the Farting Dog". The kids and us really enjoyed the books and the way the Stylus "read" the books to them. The memory in the Stylus wasn't very good--only 16Mb--so it would only hold a couple books. The newer version holds 32Mb.
Unfortunately the Stylus failed in less than 8 months. Apparently one of the kids had sucked on the tip of the Stylus and it stopped functioning. This failure is unacceptable. Young children tend to suck on the tips of things. They don't treat objects such as pens and other similar objects with kid gloves. In my opinion the Stylus should have been much more rugged and childproof. Now the kids have a bunch of Tag Reader books and have to read them the old fashioned way.
Apparently one can not simply replace the Stylus. One has to purchase the book and stylus together for $40. If you decide to purchase the Tag Reader system, don't let young children use it without close supervision or without providing detailed operating instructions--heh heh, heh heh.