Vtech - V.Smile Baby - Infant Development System
by V Tech
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Our Price: $81.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $21.01 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Vtech - V.Smile Baby - Infant Development System
Customer Review: Great "First Game System" for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
First let me state that I have read most of the other reviews posted.
I will first address the cons listed:
1. Poor graphics-This is not a wii or nintendo. However, I think that the simple graphics are actually nicer for smaller children (under 3). The games are simple and not too "busy".
2. Short attention span-Many reviews stated that it failed to keep their children interested. I actually always "play" with my child with this system. Children under 3 (in my opinion) tend to be interested in what mommy and daddy are doing. Whether I am cooking, cleaning, reading, or playing my little one wants to be involved. I love this age when you can give them a spoon and pot while you are cooking and they feel that you are involving them! This game was not designed to be a babysitter. Instead, it is designed for you to work with your children.
3. Mispronounciation-I haven't noticed any words being mispronounced. However, sometimes I wish that the voices were clearer and not so baby talkish. I would say that it could have better enunciation.
4. System control board doesn't light up-I agree with this complaint. I wish that the control board would light up.
5. Too much time elapses in the game without giving children the command to interact-Most of the games teach via repetition. So, quite a bit of time can elapse before the game commands your child to push another button on the console. However, some games still react when your child pushes bottons even in the middle of the lesson. For example, the background of the screen may change to the color coinciding with the button pushed.
6. Battery powered only-This really isn't an issue for me. The batteries last a very long time.
The pros:
1. Educational system for early learning-Fun and teaches learning through sight, sound and touch.
2. You can purchase Bailey Bear to act as the "remote" to the system-This is a really cute bear and he comes with his own game. Very cute. He can be used with the game or just by himself.
3. There are many games available for purchase.
4. System control board has a removable cushion. If you want to lay of the floor on your tummy, it is very comfortable to use.
5. System is very durable and can take the beating that a toddler can shell out.
6. Spot to store extra games (4).
7. There are different modes of play. You can simply play with the control board, watch TV, or interactive mode.
Conclusion:
I think that this is the best system for infants and toddlers from 9-36 months. However, it should be used with a parent. The graphics are very simple. It works on the principle of repetition. Lessons are kept fairly short. My biggest complaint is that they should have made the control board light up. I would recommend this system. I highly recommend also purchasing the bailey bear as well. You can use the bear in lieu of the control board. The bear is more interesting and much cuter.
Customer Review: My son LOVES this toy!!! :)
Summary: 5 Stars
My son got this item for Christmas. He just turned one a few days before. He absolutely loves this toy. As soon as he wakes up in the morning he picks it up and hands me the board telling me he wants to play. It's all about baby v tech. I saw so many negative reviews on this product and am completely confused by what they are complaining about. I just felt I should add my positive experience with this product. The graphics are fine for a child. They are not elaborate 3D. They are simple, colorful, and entertaining, this is a great educational toy. This is not a toy to use as a baby sitter. If you want your child to enjoy it you have to play with them. I am not saying that some kids still will not be into it. I realize they are all different but for me it worked, because I was interested and was spending time with him he was interested and now obsessed. I put my son in my lap and the play board in his and let him go. Sometimes I hit different shapes or colors. I also talk and repeat to him things that are going on with the game from time to time. A lot of mornings I just sit with him and relax for an hour. It's amazing that a one year old can stay interested that long. The only problem I had with this item was with my TV not the system. The one I use in my sons room has the audio and video inputs on the front instead of the back. If they get bumped the screen disappears and gets lines. I just tap it back in place and all is well again. I know all kids are into different things but if you are looking for a great educational toy to buy for a young child and you want to actively participate with them this is a great toy. Amazon carries a nice selection of games for this and so does Target. One thing about this system is that there are three modes or levels, so all of the games can be played differently depending on what mode it is in. And some of the games for older children (3+) games such as Diego and Dora Bob the Builder etc. say that they are compatible with all V smile systems although I am not sure if that includes baby v-smile. I am going to look into that but I know me I will probably just buy the next system up if I think he is ready for those games anyway. Set up for this system was so easy. The play pad is cordless It takes AA batteries. All I did was set the system part on top of the TV and plug two cables in, one to video and one to audio. I really recommend this product I have never seen my son get so excited to play something day after day.Customer Review: V.smile Baby vs. little leaps
Summary: 4 Stars
Okay, my husband and i were torn between the v.baby smile and the leap frog little leaps for our daughter's first birthday. I spent DAYS online reading and comparing reviews. After hearing so many conflicting opinions we finally decided to buy them both and figure it out for ourselves. Here is what we came up with. Yes, the graphics are WAY better on the little leaps. But thats about the only thing we liked about the little leaps in comparison. The V.smile baby has graphics that will definately get the job done and was easier to set up. But the thing that REALLY sold us on the v.smile was that when you pressed a button something IMMEDIATELY changed on the screen. Even when the cartoons are talking and you are not instructed to push a button something little will pop up after a button is pushed. The cartoon continues explaining so you dont loose any information but the child can also see the effect of pushing that button. With the little leaps if you pushed a button out of turn nothing happend. And they talked alot and asked for little response. When they did want you to press a button the screen would just pause until you did. So to me it felt like watching an educational video and the child just has the pause and play buttons. Since we are buying it for our daughter's first birthday that would put her in the lower end of the recommended age for these toys so we wanted to go with the one that would hold her attention longer and would enforce things like cause and effect because she is going to care more about something popping up when she hits a button than what the cartoon is saying to her, atleast for now. Another plus to the v.smile baby is that the activity panel is a toy on its own and it offers sign language. Hope this helps anyone else that was in the same situation as us. Keep in mind that we did not buy any games for the systems since we were just testing them out so this review is based on the sample games that come with the systems. Also this review is based on what my huband and i noticed when we played with it, its a gift for our daughter so she has not yet played with it so i cant tell you how she responded to either of these toys. End result, the little leaps is getting returned and the V.smile is getting wrapped for her birthday.Customer Review: Has great possiblities...
Summary: 4 Stars
When I first saw this product in the store, I was thrilled. I've read a few other reviews by frustrated parents whose children wouldn't leave the computer alone. This was a way my son could work with the keyboard and have something "happen" without locking up my computer.
It was requested for Christmas and given to him as a gift. We worked with him on the play alone function at first, and he really liked how it would talk to him when he pushed the buttons. My son, however, is one of the most impatient people when it comes to getting results. Ergo, the "gregreegreegreen square" began to rake on our nerves quite a bit. The noise button (cloud) was another favorite that he would never allow to complete its full function.
We decided when he was a little over a year to hook up the TV console and let him play with it. He really enjoyed the stories and graphics. However, we continued to run into the impatience problem. He loved the pop-up graphics when you would push a button so much, that when we put it on a "sequencing" game, he would never get it right. (ex. Console: Push heart, star, triangle, heart. My son: square, square, square, square.)
The games also never tell your child he/she is wrong. They just say "that's different." One game we have to go with the console is Winnie-the-Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood Adventure. One of the games is Tigger paints with colors. It has three different levels of play. On one level, the child is to pick the color the console tells him/her to pick. "This is a yellow bee. Push the yellow button." My son, impatient imp that he is, pushes the green square. "Oh, a green bee," the console tells him. So, he never really learned that bees are yellow. He learned he could turn a bee green by pushing the green button.
My overall review: This is a wonderful learning tool as it has games that run the gamet on counting, word recognition, sound identification... It just didn't fit my wonderfully impatient child. This product has a great range of possiblities for a child that has patience.
Customer Review: Dissapointed isnt the word P.O.ed works better!
Summary: 1 Stars
My daughter got the vsmile learning system which is great graphics kinda suck but for a first system its ok. My son got this for Chistmas. Graphics are worse then even poor. It's so bad it drives you crazy. My real issue though was the AV cord. There is something wrong with mine. I'm not upset that there is something wrong with it cause every company spits out a few buggy systems. I call to have it replaced and thats where I get really pissed. Now I get a lady on the phone. She spoke pretty good English but she was on drugs or something. She would say three words or so of a sentence then just stop talking. She made no sence and randomly stop talking for long periods until i would say "hello are you there?" Then she would say yes and again stop talking. I believe I asked if she was there around 25 times. I got fed up and asked for a supervisor she argued and I ended up asking for a suprevisor around 3 or 4 times. Finally got a supervisor, The supervisor wasnt much better but atleast I knew what was going on with her and she made some sence. Horrible service though. She told me that I would have to send the system to her and eat the cost for shipping. I told her that made no sence when it was their problem not mine and now I have to pay shipping because they screwed up and she said that was their company policy. I told her I will never buy one of their items again and that I will be reporting my service on the internet to help others realize this company is a mistake. I Wish I had gone with the leapfrog/leapstart items but I guess we all make mistakes. I do not plan on paying the shipping for this item I actually plan to return it to the store and have it exchanged for a new one. I would exchange it for one that is not vtech but my son is very attached to the toy part of this system.
PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS COMPANY. THIS COMPANY IS THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DELT WITH!!!