Carrie Melago – NY Daily News
Toddlers can soon obsessively text and type like their parents on a pint-sized personal digital assistant made by LeapFrog.
Unveiled at a toy fair in England, the Text & Learn will land in the United States this summer – and perhaps prove as addictive as the real-life “crackberry” is to adults.
Some parents who are constantly pulling their devices out of their kids’ hands – and mouths – were amused by the colorful toy.
“I would definitely consider getting one for Pete – in the vain hope it would keep him away from my cell, which he thinks is the seventh wonder of the universe,” said Katy Hope of Brooklyn, whose son turns 1 this month.
The gadget (pictured), recommended for ages 3 and up, is designed to teach spelling and computer skills. It doesn’t connect to the Internet but allows kids to text, play games and navigate with arrow keys.
“Busy 3-year-olds will love to ‘play’ like their parents do,” LeapFrog wrote about the toy, which will go for $21.99.
Some parents liked that the toy looked like a real phone without the risks – like swallowing parts or accidentally calling another country.
“It would disturb me if it were wired, but it sounds like it just looks like a BlackBerry and has some educational value,” said mom-of-three Bay Brown of Brooklyn.
Other moms think the toy could encourage consumerism. If they are using a fake BlackBerry at 3, what will they be asking for at 6?
“I think technology for small children is just plain wrong,” said Kathy Striegel, a mom of two in Maryland. “There’s so much in the real world to learn and so many basic human skills to develop.”
As realistic as the gadget looks, Annie Keating of Park Slope, Brooklyn, a mother of two, thinks kids will quickly wise up and realize the toy isn’t the real deal.
“They have antennae that detects, ‘It’s not my mom’s BlackBerry, this is not the iPhone I crave,'” she said.
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