Express your feelings and ideas
Glogster (www.glogster.com) is a platform that gives users a new way of expressing their moods, feelings and ideas. Glogging has been described as creating personal scrapbook pages that can be shared with friends and other Gloggers. Glogster allows members to create and share Glogs by using text, images, voice, video, special effects, links, sounds, designs and more. Gloggers are able to bring YouTube videos into their Glogs simply by pasting in a URL into the import section of the Glog. Gloggers can also grab original media from their webcams — including video, audio and still pictures, and integrate it into their Glogs.
Disney family trivia showdown
Not into video games that are filled with violence, car chases or sports? Then try this fun-filled release from Disney Interactive Studios. Disney “TH!NK Fast” has a TV game show format hosted by the wisecracking but always charming Genie from Disney’s “Aladdin.” In the game, one to four players are challenged with more than 5,000 questions on topics ranging from Disney-themed questions to general knowledge.
Playing as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck or other Disney characters, contestants compete in a variety of trivia rounds ranging from multiple-choice questions to exciting mini-games set in themed locations based on Disney classics such as “The Lion King,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Lilo & Stitch” and “101 Dalmatians.” TH!NK Fast is available for the Nintendo Wii or PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. For more information, click to www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.
Best toys for all ages
With the holiday season upon us, many parents will be out purchasing gifts. Some families don't use Internet resources before visiting the local toy store — but they should. There are not only lists pointing out the best toys available on the market, there are also websites that detail which toys shouldn’t be put into any child’s hands.
W.A.T.C.H. has announced its annual “10 Worst Toys” list, nominating representative toys with the potential to cause childhood injuries, or even death. View it at www.toysafety.org/worstToyList_index.html. And the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has pages of recalled toys which unfortunately are too often sold in other markets once they have been banned by American authorities. Check out the information on all those toys at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html.
Finding the best toys available is a much more amusing endeavor. Amazon.com has released its 2008 Holiday Toy List at www.amazon.com/holidaytoylist. The list features over 300 of this year’s top toys, video games, sporting goods, electronics and DVDs. Powered by Amazon Windowshop, an immersive shopping platform, the Holiday Toy List allows customers to experience products in a new and unique way. Each “product window” contains rich media content including a combination of images, videos, audio and written content. Customers are not just looking at Amazon.com's top holiday picks, but experiencing the products at the same time.
One of the oldest independent reviews of children's toys is the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio. The organization recently announced its Platinum Award Winners for 2009. If a toy made this list you can be certain that both experts and kid testers thought the toy was outstanding. Consumers can also find some comfort in knowing that companies whose toys were included in the list signed a verification form indicating that their toys met new safety standards — including being lead free. Review the list at www.toyportfolio.com.
Finally, consider the toys suggested in the “Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products” Awards Program 2008. The program was developed by child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., as a service to consumers who desire to purchase safe, affordable, educationally oriented, stimulating toys and products for children.
Dr. Toy’s annual report (www.drtoy.com) includes company customer service numbers, website URL, age range, price, and full description of each product. The on-line magazine, Dr. Toy's Guide, features full color photos of each product, links to companies to learn more, interviews with and articles by Dr. Toy, plus hundreds of “Best Classic” and “Best Vacation” products. At this time over 4,000 products are included plus links direct to companies, toy stores online, toy history, parent resources and much more.
New kind of controller
From Aptus Games comes the Mini-Motion, which combines an interactive game and a specifically developed motion sensing controller designed to look, feel, and play like the real thing. Each proprietary controller will be shaped to resemble the most identifiable equipment for each sport, hobby or style of game. Aptus Games is introducing games in four popular categories including skateboarding, RC cars, baseball, and futuristic racing games. The game packages will be priced at $19.99. Check them out at www.aptusgames.com.