zoombox

DVD Entertainment Projector

USER GUIDE

EXT. IN

VIDEO DVD

Thank you for purchasing the ZOOMBOX DVD Player and Entertainment Projector. Be sure to read and follow all instructions carefully before using this product.
Take your entertainment to the wall by turning any room in your home into a personal theater. Play your favorite movies, video games and music on a wall or ceiling for a larger-than-life-size experience. Zoom in, kick back, relax and enjoy! Entertainments better when its BIGGER. Batteries not required. 12V AC Adaptor included.

PROJECTOR SPECIFICATIONS

DVD/CD Player TFT LCD Projector Resolution 557 x 234 Brightness: 8 ANSI Lumens 35 Watt MR-11 12V Bulb 1000 hour lamp life (average)
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with a dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manfacturers instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or third grounding prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. Use only with the stand provided with the apparatus.
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. If servicing is required, please contact Hasbro Consumer Affairs at 1-800-844-3733. Do not look directly into the lens when the lamp is on. Keep plastic, paper, and combustible material at least 0.5 m (2 ft.) away from the projector lens and vents. Do not put anything on top of the projector. Use only enclosed power cord rated for the voltage and current marked on the product label. Do not stand the projector on its front surface. Do not touch the lens with your fingers. See Cleaning the projector lens on page 13. Do not open the projector except as instructed by this guide on page 14 and only after allowing the projector to cool down. Warnings and power rating information are located inside DVD compartment and on the bottom panel. Place the projector on the table top and open environment when it is operating.

Manual Focus Lens

Handle/Adjustable Stand

Lens Cap

SUBTITLE

DISPLAY

SETUP MENU

Stereo Speakers

Previous Directional Pad

= = = =

(Zoom)
Disc Menu = Show DVD Disc Menu

(Setup Menu)

Up/Slow Motion Down Left/Rewind Right/Forward
ANGLE SUBTITLE AUDIO ZOOM DISPLAY SETUP MENU

Shift = Shift functions

(For more detailed information please see page 6)

Enter =

(Angle) (Subtitle)

/Play Stop

Pause = Pause/Step Forward

(Audio)

(Display)
NOTE: Items in parenthesis are Shift functions.

AV Plugs

[yellow = video, white = audio left, red = audio right]

Mode Switch

Volume Dial

Air Vent

Headphone Jack

12V DC

Power Jack Power Cable

End A End C

ATTENTION:
Use the supplied power adaptor, type number: KSS60-12.0-5000 only. 4

On/O Switch Lamp Switch

FUNCTION KEYS DESCRIPTION Printed Name 11 /PLAY II/STEP I I DISC MENU SHIFT Description Up/Slow motion Down Left/Rewind Right/Fast forward Play/enter Pause/step forward Stop Previous Next Show DVD disc menu Shift functions When Play ///116 2/4/8/16/32x 2/4/8/16/32x Pause Stop Previous Next Disc menu Play Previous Next Disc menu When Stop Play 1 step Stop Previous Next Disc menu When Pause In Disc/ Setup Menu Up Down Left Right Enter -

SHIFT-FUNCTIONS Printed name 5 Angle Subtitle Audio Zoom Display DVD Select viewing angle provided by the DVD disc Select subtitle provided by the DVD disc Audio CD
Select language or audio effect provided Select MONO LEFT, MONO RIGHT, by the DVD disc MIX-MONO and STEREO Zoom 2x / 3x / 4x

Title 1 Title 2

Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4 Track 5 Track 6
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 1 Chapter 2
Show title # / chapter # / time in different way : - Title elapsed (e.g. TT 01/04 CH 01/02 0:02:13) - Title remaining time - Chapter elapsed - Chapter remaining time - Off 6 Setup menu Enter setup menu
Show track # / time in different way : - Track elapsed time - Track remaining time - Total elapsed time - Total remaining time - Off

Enter setup menu

SET UP
Rotate the Handle/ Adjustable Stand until you reach your desired position.

VIDE O

To watch your movies or play video games on the wall, place your ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector on a at, hard, stable surface. Do not place it on a carpeted or upholstered surface. Position approximately 8 feet from the wall for a 60-inch diagonal picture. For best results, use in dark room on a light colored wall.
To watch your movies or play video games on the ceiling, place your ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector vertically on its base on a at, hard, stable surface. Do not place it on a carpeted or upholstered surface. For best results, use in dark room on a light colored ceiling.

GETTING STARTED

1. Plug end A of the Power Cable into the Power Jack on the Projector. 2. Plug end C of the Power Cable into the jack on the AC Adapter. 3. Make sure the On/Off Switch is in the Off position. 4. Plug end B of the Power Cable into a wall outlet. 5. Move the On/Off Switch to the ON position. 6. Move the Lamp Switch to the ON position. The lamp will begin warming up. You will see an introductory screen on your viewing surface. 7. Move the Mode Switch to DVD if you will be watching a DVD or listening to a CD, or EXTERNAL if you will be playing a video game or connecting your ZOOMBOX to any other external devices such as a video camera, digital camera, VCR, cable box, plug n play game console, etc.

1, 2 & 3

LAMP MAIN 12V DC

4&5

LAMP MAIN

EXT. IN VIDEO DVD

Your DVD or CD will automatically begin playing when inserted.
NOTE: At any time you can adjust the focus of your screen by rotating the Manual Focus Lens clockwise and counterclockwise. NOTE: Keep the air vents clear of any obstructions.

SETTINGS

1. Press the Shift button and then Setup Menu. 2. The Set Up Menu will be displayed:
NOTE: Setup Menu is only available in DVD mode.
3. Use the Directional Pad to scroll to the setting you would like to adjust and press ENTER. 4. Use the and keys on the Directional Pad to raise or lower the value of the current setting. Press ENTER when nished to set the value. 5. Press Setup Menu again to exit.

BRIGHTNESS CONTRAST

Brightens or darkens the picture. Sets the dierence between light and dark areas.

COLOR TINT

Adjusts the intensity of colors. Adjusts the shade of the colors.

TO PLAY A DVD

1. Make sure the Mode Switch is set to DVD. 2. Press the OPEN button. 3. Insert a DVD. 4. Gently close the lid of the projector. You will hear a click. 5. The DVD will start up. Use the Directional Pad to scroll through the DVD Menu. 6. Press ENTER to select Play from the DVD Menu. 7. Use the Play, Pause, Next, Previous and Stop buttons to navigate through your movie. 8. Rotate the Volume Dial to the right or left to increase or decrease the volume of your movie.

TO PLAY A CD

NOTE: Move the Lamp Switch to the Off position when playing a CD. Having the lamp OFF will help conserve bulb life.
1. Make sure the Mode Switch is set to DVD. 2. Press the OPEN button. 3. Insert a CD. 4. Gently close the lid of the projector. You will hear a click. 5. Press the Play button to begin listening to your music. 6. Use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate through the playlist. 7. Press Stop to stop playing your music or Pause to pause the current song. 8. Rotate the Volume Dial to the right or left to increase or decrease the volume of your music.
TO CONNECT A VIDEO GAME CONSOLE
1. Use your gaming consoles AV Cable to connect your video gaming console to the ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector. Make sure you match the colors of the plugs (White = Audio Left, Red = Audio Right, Yellow = Video) to the colors of the ports that are on the ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector. 2. Move the Mode Switch to External. 3. Your video gaming consoles main screen will appear. Use your video game controller to navigate through the menu and play your video game. To access the Setup Menu, set the mode switch to DVD.
You can also connect a variety of other electronic devices to your ZOOMBOX such as: video camera, digital camera, VCR, cable box, plug n play gaming console and more!

video camera

digital camera

cable box

plug n play
LISTEN WITH YOUR HEADPHONES
If you prefer to listen privately with headphones (not included) simply insert headphone plug into the headphone jack located on the side of the projector.

NOTE: Turn down the volume before inserting headphones.
CONNECT YOUR POWERED EXTERNAL SPEAKERS
If you want to add more sound to your entertainment experience, connect your powered external speakers (not included) by inserting a speaker plug into the headphone jack.
CLEANING THE PROJECTOR LENS
You can clean the front lens of the projector using the following recommendations. You cannot clean any of the internal surfaces.
To minimize the risk of damaging or scratching the lens surface, blow dust particles off the lens with clean, dry, deionized air. If this method does not work, use the following method:
Wipe the lens in a single direction with a clean, dry cloth. Do not wipe back and forth across the lens. If the cloth is dirty or smears the lens, wash the cloth. If the cloth is still dirty after washing it or the fabric is damaged, replace it. Do not spray any type of uid or cleaner directly on the lens surface. Cleaners might damage the lens. Do not use fabric softener when washing a cleaning cloth or softener sheets when drying the cloth. Chemicals on the cloth might damage the surface of the lens.
Cleaning requires special consideration:
Do not store a cleaning cloth in contact with the lens for a long time because doing so contaminates the lens with dye from the cloth. The cloth can be contaminated if left in the open air.

TO REPLACE LAMP BULB

As the projector operates over time, the brightness of the projector lamp gradually decreases and the lamp becomes more susceptible to breakage. You can install a new lamp at any time to bring the projector up to factory-fresh brightness. The lamp bulb has approximately a 1000-hour life. The lamp operates at a very high temperature, so wait 30 minutes before removing the lamp bulb. Use a 35 Watt 12V MR-11 lamp bulb, found where standard light bulbs are sold in home improvement and hardware stores.
1. Turn off ZOOMBOX and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. 2. Unplug the power cord.
3. Use a Phillips/cross head screwdriver (not included) to unscrew the cover and remove. 4. Use a Phillips/cross head screwdriver (not included) to unscrew the inside panel. Panel stays attached.
5. Remove existing bulb. Use a soft cloth to prevent breakage. 6. Plug in replacement bulb. 7. Reattach panel. 8. Reattach cover.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

START UP PROBLEMS
If no lights or sounds turn on:
Be sure that the power cord is securely connected to the projector and the other end is plugged into an outlet with power. Be sure the lens cap is off. Press the On/Off button again. Unplug the power cord for 15 seconds, then plug it in and press the On/Off button again. Be sure volume is turned up.
If the image is too small or too large:
Move the projector closer to or farther from the viewing surface. Go to the main menu and try adjusting the Color, Tint, Brightness and Contrast of the picture.
If the projector colors seem slightly wrong:

INTERRUPTION PROBLEMS

If the projector stops responding to all controls:
If possible, turn off the projector, then unplug the power cord and wait at least 15 seconds before reconnecting power. A minor power surge might cause the lamp to shut off. This is normal. Wait a few minutes, then power on the projector.

PICTURE PROBLEMS

If the image is out of focus:
When displaying the main menu, adjust the manual focus. Ensure the projection surface is between 4 and 8 feet away from the projector. Check the projection lens to see if it needs cleaning.
If the lamp shuts off during a show:
FCC STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy, and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. - Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. - Connect the equipment into an outlet on the circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. - Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Product and colors may vary. 2005 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. TM & denote U.S. Trademarks. 75052 PN 6515800000

EDITORIAL GUIDELINES. In order to protect review integrity, CTR follows a set of editorial guidelines that governs our relationships with publishers, found at (www.childrenssoftware.com/editorialguidelines.html). Highlights include: We dont sell software or profit from the sales of products that we review, directly or indirectly. We dont distribute/trade or sell our subscriber information. CTRs review process is available for public examination. We want our readers to know that there are no ulterior motives behind our reviews. PUBLISHER INFORMATION Childrens Technology Review (ISSN 1555-242X) is published monthly for $96 per year by Active Learning Associates, Inc. Periodical-rate postage paid at Flemington, NJ 08822 and at additional mailing offices. USPS 012-003. POSTMASTER: Send address changes or new subscriptions to Childrens Technology Review, 120 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. Use of this publication for any commercial publishing activity without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Readers are subject to the TERMS OF USE found at www.childrenssoftware.com/disclaim.html Entire contents 2006 by Active Learning Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Warren Buckleitner, Editor
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Childrens Technology Review August 2006

Directory

PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN Charlotte's Web, Sega of America, Inc., www.sega.com, 16 Comfy EasyPC Keyboard, ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, 16 Comfy Joy of Music, ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, 6 Comfy World of Colors, ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, 6 Fridge Phonics Lower Case Letters Expansion Pack, LeapFrog, www.leapfrog.com, 16 Leapster: Disney Pixar Cars, LeapFrog, www.leapfrog.com, 12 My First Story Reader, Publications International, Ltd., www.pubint.com, 12 Story Reader Video Plus, Publications International, Ltd., www.pubint.com, 14
New titles are listed here, grouped by age.
SCHOOLS AlphaSmart Neo, Renaissance Learning, Inc., www.renlearn.com, 5 iMac for Education, Apple Computer, www.apple.com, 17 InspireData, Inspiration Software, Inc., www.inspiration.com, 8 Nova 5000, Fourier Systems, Inc., www.fourier-sys.com, 13 Pokmon Learning League, Pokemon USA, 18 Timo's Lesson Creator, Animated Speech Corporation, www.animatedspeech.com, 18 PSP Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (PSP), Buena Vista Games, www.buenavistagames.com, 13 CONSOLES Elebits, Konami of America, Inc., www.konami.com, 16 Monster House, THQ, Inc., www.thq.com, 11

Big Brain Academy, 5 I SPY Mystery, 8 Kaplan 2007 Gold Edition SAT ACT PSAT, 9 Kaplan's SAT Online Prep, 10 Miss Spider Harvest Time Hop and Fly, 11 My First Story Reader, 12
CTR Editors Choice Selections for August, 2006
As we go to press with this issue, were testing the titles below. Have you used them? We welcome your feedback, at http://ctr.childrenssoftware.com/writeuser.html 100 Hoops Basketball Counting Game Ant Bully, The Designer's World FLYware: Fly Through Writing Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set Giga Pets Bunny Giga Pets Explorer TV Game Giga Pets Tomcat LeapsterTV Learning System Monster House V. Smile: Spider-Man & Friends - Doc Ock's Challenge World Tour Soccer '06
Coming in the September 1st Issue
EARLY ELEMENTARY I SPY Mystery, Scholastic, Inc., www.scholastic.com, 8 Knowledge Adventure Books by You, Knowledge Adventure, www.knowledgeadventure.com , 17
UPPER ELEMENTARY Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure, Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com, 15 ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector, Hasbro, Inc., www.hasbro.com, 15 FLY Through Algebra, Leapfrog, www.leapfrog.com, 7
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL Kaplan 2007 Gold Edition SAT ACT PSAT, Topics Entertainment, www.topicsent.com, 9 Kaplan 2007 Platinum Edition SAT ACT PSAT, Topics Entertainment, www.topicsent.com, 9 Kaplan's SAT Online Prep, Kaplan, Inc., www.kaptest.com, 10 Merriam-Webster Dictionary and MP3 Player, Franklin Electronic Pub., www.franklin.com, 11 Nancy Drew: Danger by Design, Her Interactive Inc., www.herinteractive.com, 18
HARDWARE & PERIPHERALS MacBook, Apple Computer, www.apple.com, 17 Gateway NX260X, Gateway Computer Corp., www.gateway.com, 7
NINTENDO DS Big Brain Academy, Nintendo of America, www.nintendo.com, 5 Dino Master, Majesco Entertainment, www.majescoentertainment.com, 6 Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi: The Genie & the Amp, D3Publisher of America, Inc., www.d3publisher.us, 17 Magnetica, Nintendo of America, www.nintendo.com, 17 Miss Spider Harvest Time Hop and Fly, The American Game Factory, Inc., www.gamefactorygames.com, 17 Sudoku Gridmaster, Nintendo, www.nintendo.com, 18 Super Princess Peach, Nintendo, www.nintendo.com, 18 Ultimate Spider-Man (DS), Activision, 14
GAME BOY ADVANCE Garfield and his Nine Lives, The American Game Factory, Inc., www.gamefactorygames.com, 7

Children's Technology Review, August 2006
FEATURE REVIEWS, AUGUST 1, 06

Page 6

Comfy Joy of Music
Designed for the Comfy EasyPC Keyboard (required), this is a collection of "press any key to see a routine" activities. There are a 13 language options, including Turkish, Hebrew, Italian and Korean, making this a useful early language experience. In this title, children press keys to participate in the concert of band of instruments. At any time, they can pick up the phone to call one of the characters, or press one of the color key to see screen illustrations change colors. It is fun and easy to explore with this title. Details: ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, $25, for ages 2-5. Runs on Windows XP (requires the Comfy Keyboard). Teaches: language experience, exploring music. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.3 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Comfy World of Colors

Designed for the Comfy EasyPC Keyboard (required), this is a collection of "press any key to see a routine" activities. There are 13 different language options, including Turkish, Hebrew, Italian and Korean, making this a useful early language experience. The content in this title is designed around an attempt to help a dog find his lost bone. Children press any key to see screen illustrations change colors. It is fun and easy to explore with this title, as with other Comfy titles. The narration is good quality (we checked both English and Italian). Details: ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, $25, for ages 2-5. Runs on Windows XP (requires the Comfy Keyboard). Teaches: cause and effect, colors, foreign language (French, English, Arabic, Hebrew). Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Dino Master

This poorly designed puzzle role-playing game for the Nintendo DS lets you search for fossils, and then battle up to three other players using the DS wireless features. The game play is frustratingly complex and the educational value is very limited. The first challenge is to retrieve the fossils. You do this by choosing a continent, which brings you to the first level of game play, regardless of how many levels you advanced last time you played. This means that you must constantly replay the same levels over and over ESRB Rating: Everyone again in order to gain more powerful dinosaurs. In order to find fossils, you use the stylus to drag a line around the perimeter of a region, before time runs out. This will seal off the portion of map, killing any enemies and revealing any hidden fossils. When you seal off 70 percent of the level, you move on to the next, regardless of whether or not you have recovered any fossils. The controls are very awkward to figure out. When you run out of your three lives, you are taken back to the main menu, and from there, you can rebuild your fossils into one of 100 dinosaurs, which are added to your "Dino Book, that lists their name, time period, approximate size, and a relatively accurate drawing of what they looked like. You can then pit your dinosaurs in combat with the dinosaurs of other trainers by selecting where on the opposing dinosaur you want to attack and where you want your dinosaur to defend itself. The battle then plays out with minimal animation, making it a tedious experience. Despite this game's unique concept and comprehensive roster of dinosaurs, the clunky, frustrating fossil-gathering system makes this a game that will quickly become extinct. Details: Majesco Entertainment, www.majescoentertainment.com, $19.99, for ages 5up. Runs on Nintendo DS. Teaches: science, dinosaur facts. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 3.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Page 7

FLY Through Algebra
This talking Algebra coach is for beginning Algebra students. While the content is limited and there is a finite supply of the scratch paper, it is a potentially useful utility that could provide rather unique hand-holding for a struggling student, as long as the problems are not more difficult than 3x - 6x < 12. Contents of the package include a software cartridge that snaps into the FLY pen (the pen is not included) and a soft lead pencil replacement that screws into the pen (replacing the ink tip). Other components consist of a large glossary card with 72 touch and hear definitions of terms like "slope" and "product of powers," a soft eraser, and a two 50-sheet tablets of 8 1/2 by 11-inch sized paper, one for questions and the other for graphs. This paper contains the nearly invisible dots needed so that the pen can get its bearings-remember, the pen's electronic eye can't get its bearings on regular paper. After you master the basics of the pen's operation, you start by writing a "FLYcon" on some FLY paper (AL for Algebra). The pen then lists five menu choices. You can solve equations in a step-by-step manner, simplify an expression, factor an expression, set up the pen and program inequality buttons. To solve an equation, you must write it neatly on the lined paper. You quickly learn that this pen can be finicky. For example, the pen doesn't like multiple variable equations "too complex" or fractions that are not perfectly written. Also, it can't recognize inequality symbols, which must be entered using a control card, or by setting up icons for each symbol. However, once you have your equation you can solve it, step by step. The magic of this product is with the context sensitive verbal hings, such as "Isolate the variable by subtracting seven from both sides." The only problem is that the problems can be so basic that students will outgrow the challenge before the paper is used up. Details: Leapfrog, www.leapfrog.com, $35, for ages 12-14. Runs on FLY Pentop Computer. Teaches: algebra, math, equations, variables, graphing, listening skills, following directions. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.
Ease of Use Educational Durability Design Features Good Value
Garfield and His Nine Lives
This classic platform game features Garfield through 12 maze-like levels. The goal is to collect food items, avoiding bad guys and get to the next level. Levels include a farm, haunted house, circus, the sewers, a tree (with plenty of jumping), an alley, a school and a kitchen. The game is easy to play, and reading is minimal, making this a viable title for younger children. Up to two games can be saved in memory for ongoing play. In the rather obtuse story Garfield goes on one of his eating binges, and has strange dreams. If youre looking for a simple, fun platform title with minimal reading, this is a good choice. Available in English, French or Spanish. Details: The American Game Factory, Inc., www.gamefactorygames.com, $20, for ages 7-up. Runs on Game Boy Advance. Teaches: logic, spatial thinking. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

ESRB Rating: Everyone

Gateway NX260X
Light and powerful, the the Gateway NX260X is great for wireless web access and has Microsoft Word and Excel preinstalled, as part of the price. You'll have to pay extra for PowerPoint. The base configuration includes the new 1.6 GHz Intel Centrino Core Duo processor, one gigabyte of memory and an 80 gigabyte hard drive. Talking to cell phones or printers is helped with the entegrated BlueTooth and a 7-in-1 media card reader. The CD drive lets you play DVDs, but you can't burn them. You can burn and play regular CDs, however. Unfortunately, our tester computer came with McAffee virus control popups which barge right over your work along with Gateway's "Bigfix" utility, which found three problems right out of the box, including "Vulnerabilities in MSDTC and COM+." You get the feeling that you need to buy more things in order for this computer to be "safe" -- a problem with current Windows computers. Windows-related headaches aside, the computer auto recognized our wireless network, and the strong battery charged quickly. It is also fast, and the screen looks great. If you're looking for a solid all purpose student computer, this is a good choice. Details: Gateway Computer Corp., www.gateway.com, $1000, for ages 5-up. Runs on Windows XP. Teaches: a Windows laptop computer. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.3 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.
Ease of Use Worry Free Durability Design Features Good Value

FEATURE REVIEWS,

Page 8

I SPY Mystery

The "greatest hits" of the I SPY software series, I SPY Mystery consists of 56 riddles, many recycled from previous releases. Fun to play alone or with a group, this is an excellent exercise in visual discrimination, and is one of the very few software titles that uses poems, double word meanings, puns, and other rich, playful uses of language. The riddles are organized into 13 mysteries, which can be selected from the main menu. Each case requires carefully scrutinizing four or five of the riddles in search of a tiny but important clues that are listed on the bottom of the screen in the context of a poem. One of the clues is common for the mystery. For example, in "Old Thunder," players search for a lightning strike, embedded in nautical-related scenes. When all the lightning strikes are found, the riddle is solved, and an animation is shown (the ship sinks). Other cases include the Mystery of the Knight Fall, the Locked Gate, Midnight Mouse and Skeleton's Books. Common themes are science, art and spooky places. New riddle screens include the Sand Castle Exterior, Pirate Petes Treasure, Dungeon Gate and Machine Diagram. Because you sign in at the start, some of the scenes include your name; a nice way to personalize the experience and save progress over time. The only drawback, besides the addictive quality to the puzzles, is that when you get stuck, you can become frustrated. The best solution is to get somebody else to help search, increasing the collaborative play value of this title. Our testers also lost interest after they found all the riddles, and wanted a larger conclusive "final act" that tied all the mysteries together. If you buy just one I SPY software title, make it this one. Details: Scholastic, Inc., www.scholastic.com, $20, for ages 6-up. Runs on Windows XP, Mac OSX. Teaches: language, reading, logic, visual discrimination. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.8 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

ESRB Rating:

InspireData
Every teacher needs a utility to quickly and easily turn student survey's into visual data. That's the mission of InspireData, created with NSF funds (so why so expensive?) by Chris Hancock and Scot Osterweil of TERC, the same group that created TableTop Math back in 1994, that was the basis for The Logical Journal of the Zoombinis. The program makes it easy to collect information; say a group of children's favorite flavors of ice cream, or the number of days it takes for a bean to sprout, and then pull the information into one database. Data can grouped in different ways, or imported from comma separated text fields (e.g., from Excel). It is also possible to use aquestionnaire feature, which also feeds data directly into a database. Once a data set is in place it can be displayed in a variety of ways. This is where this program shines. You can choose a Venn diagram where all the students who like chocolate ice cream are shown inside a circle. If you switch to a bar graphs, the icons flow to their correct category, in real time, making this an excellent way to help students see quantifiable relationships. You can also step through time units in order to see the rate at which the beans sprouted, for example. It is easy to change grouping criteria, or create formulas on the fly. Weaknesses include a limited ability to format the graphs, for publishing or presentation purposes. For example, we could not find a way to easily change a font, or alter the patterns of legends. Graphs cannot be opened in Word, Excel, or other presentation programs. You can export graphs as a graphic file. You can also easily import or export raw data as comma separated text. The version we reviewed (1.0, build 974), on a new Gateway laptop crashed when resizing windows or when when working with multiple projects. Perhaps is because InspireData was created using Lispworks. We did not test the Mac OS version. For making data come alive in a visual sense, and for tranforming students into researchers, InspireData is a welcome addition to any teacher's toolkit. We'll look forward to version 2.0, with some of the kinks hopefully worked out. Details: Inspiration Software, Inc., www.inspiration.com, $79, for ages 8-up. Runs on Windows XP, Mac OSX. Teaches: math, statistics, quantitative relationships, science, social studies. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.3 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Ease of Use Educational Longevity Design Features Good Value

Page 9

Kaplan 2007 Gold Edition SAT ACT PSAT
This is the best CD-based test prep option available for the money. The core test prep experience is similar for both the Gold and Platinum packages as well as the more expensive online service, so it makes sense to stick with this $20 gold version. Note, however, that there are no personal essay coaching features. Also, there are few content differences between this and last year's edition of this title. Students looking for a solid self-paced test prep experience will appreciate the sophisticated features, including several full length practice exams, a diagnostic test with perspective features, and the ability to zoom in on specific areas that require practice. Details: Topics Entertainment, www.topics-ent.com, $20, for ages 16-18. Runs on Windows XP, Mac OSX. Teaches: test taking skills for the PSAT, SAT and ACT. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.6 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.
Kaplan 2007 Platinum Edition SAT ACT PSAT
There have been many CD-based test prep packages over the years, and this is one of the last remaining. Most, including The Princeton Review have become online services, costing as much as $400 for a subscription. The core test prep experience is similar for both the Gold and Platinum packages as well as the online option, so it makes sense to stick with the less expensive gold version. Also, there are few content differences between this and last year's edition (also made for the "new" SAT format), which you can also find on the discount racks. Students looking for a solid self-paced test prep experience will appreciate the sophisticated features, including several full length practice exams, a diagnostic test with perspective features, and the ability to zoom in on specific subjects. Additional content, found on the additional CDs in the package are designed by a different company (WayForward) and are not worth the extra money. Writing and Vocabulary contains a diagnostic multiple choice test, and a series of written tutorials that cover basic writing and vocabulary. Biology & Chemistry is similarly designed; also very dry. Our recommendation is to get the Gold edition. Details: Topics Entertainment, www.topics-ent.com, $50, for ages 16-18. Runs on Windows XP, Mac OSX. Teaches: test taking skills for the PSAT, SAT and ACT. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.4 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

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Kaplan's SAT Online Prep
Part of the Washington Post Company, Kaplan's SAT Online Test Preparation provided our testers with a well-designed but expensive service that was easy to use, compared with ten other online test prep services. Two high school students tested the service during the summer months of 2005 as part of a project sponsored by Consumer Reports Consumer WebWatch, and reported it to be effective in combining smart tutorial features with a clean interface. SAT Online Prep is just one of a variety of services for sale at kaptest.com. The service is marred by a confusing registration process that includes a rather sneaky "spring loaded" registration form, where a forgotten field results in opting into "receiving promotional offers from Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions on behalf of its affiliate partners." After some initial trouble finding the Login page, students were able to sign in and take a "course introduction" section of the site. The features are clearly explained, both by reading and by audio. The first step is to take a diagnostic exam. Based on your performance, a personal calendar is setup for you that includes time lines and a recommended study plan based on an anticipated SAT test date. Unlike the College Board service, the planning calendar is filled in, and students are told what they need to do and when. The service provides comprehensive progress tracking, using roll-over graphics and color bars. Students liked the extra hand holding when they needed it. Kaplan's was the only service to provide remedial lessons recommended according to students' individual needs. Lowest scores are worked on first, "for fastest score gain." Note that many of these same features can be found in the lower cost ($20) CD-based version. After answering each question, students are provided with immediate feedback on their answer, shown the correct procedure if needed, in step-by-step fashion. This level of detail made Kaplan's service the best-liked among our testers. Other features include the ability to design personalized practice quizzes, and the ability to turn audio on or off. A set of flash cards is available for vocabulary work. Testers noted that the math section seemed harder than the actual test. One of our Kaplan testers, had her identical twin (with nearly identical first SAT scores of 1220 and 1260) sitting next to her, taking the similarly priced Princeton Review service. After five days of testing, both agreed that while The Princeton Review was very useful and well designed, Kaplan's provided a better overall test preparation service. Our second Kaplan's tester also rated the service "way better than Number2.com." Missing is an essay grading feature. Kaplan's SAT Online Test Prep is run by a known company, with functional email and telephone contact numbers. Refund and guarantees are defined (Kaplan uses a higher score or money back) although you are required to print out the guarantee to understand how it works. Kaplan seems to make every effort to harvest a student's email address by "spring loading" a rather complex registration page so that any missing field will result in the repopulation of three radio buttons that must be checked in order to give Kaplan permission to share student information with promotions. As we learned with The Princeton Review, this oversight can lead a student within one click of giving a social security number to the armed services, or receiving a stream of offers from student loan services. Kaplan's registration process is a good reminder to stay alert when filling out registration forms. Details: Kaplan, Inc., www.kaptest.com, $399.00 for 6 months, for ages 16-18. Runs on Windows XP, Internet Exploror. Teaches: SAT Test Preparation. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.4 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Ease of Use Durability Longevity Design Features Good Value
Miss Spider Harvest Time Hop and Fly
Here's something rare-- a one-player Nintendo DS game that is preschooler friendly. Educational The object of the game is to help Miss Spider's children collect food for the winter ahead. Entertaining This is done with four types of games that involve steering Miss Spider toward things like honey suckle blooms and acorns, and way from thorns or falling leaves; or bouncing through Design Features a forest maze. Unlike many rather complex Nintendo DS titles, this game uses a simple, well Good Value designed scoring mechanism to help children understand how much time they have left in ESRB Rating: Everyone the race, or how many points they need to get to the next section of the game. Informal learning opportunities include timing and classification along with some problem solving (you have to plan in order to store up enough jumps in order to get to the top of a tree, for example), and a rare opportunity to exercise fine motor skills (you use the stylus to circle fruits you want Miss Spider to collect in one game). Another game requires blowing into the microphone, in order to give Miss Spider the lift she needs to surf the wind. The more children play, the harder the challenge. Progress is saved automatically (no sign in is required). We'd like to see more games like this one. Created by Shin'en Multimedia for The American Game Factory. Details: The American Game Factory, Inc., www.gamefactorygames.com, $20, for ages 4-up. Runs on Nintendo DS. Teaches: logic, sorting, fine motor skills, planning. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.4 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

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Ease of Use 9 80% This one-player scavenger hunt-style game lets you explore a dark house using a 9 Entertaining flashlight and a very large squirt gun. Your mission is to find all the missing items in order to Longevity 6 save the neighborhood. We played through the first level of the game (PS2) and found it to Design Features 7 be easy to play. There is no worrisome content, other than the general theme of smashing things to find tokens. There is a nice subtitle feature and minimal reading is required in order Good Value 9 to use the hint system. At various points in the game, you play as one of three players from ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+, Comic Mischief the Monster House movie (DJ, Jenny or Chowder), each of which has a unique set of Fantasy Violence actions and fighting skills. Content includes a game shown in the movie; a 2D version of Thou Art Dead. All in all, this is an easy to play format with a theme that children instantly get. Games are saved automatically on the extra memory card. Note: the price is $10 less for the GBA & DS versions of the game. Details: THQ, Inc., www.thq.com, $39.99, for ages 8-up. Runs on PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS. Teaches: minimal problem solving. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Monster House

My First Story Reader
Affordable and easy to use, this $20 electronic book reader is an excellent bridge between printed and spoken language for very young children. Like earlier editions of the last year's Story Reader, the product gives even the youngest child success. Just open the magnetic cover of the reader to hear a narrator read whatever page the book happens to open on. There is no need to register a page, or "press the green GO button," as required with the LeapPad. There isn't even an On/Off switch. Controls consist of a volume dial, a toggle switch for changing between "Read To Me" and "Question/Answer" modes on any given page, and three light-up push buttons. Another new feature is the inclusion of three light-up, shape buttons, used to answer story questions such as "What shape is the moon?" or "Which button is the color of the sky behind Eeyore?" The stories, while lacking in any depth, contain age-appropriate themes and quality narration. Child control is very highat any point a page can be turned or a button can be pressed, to yield a sound or associated narration. How does it work? Each page has a uniquely shaped magnetic film embedded inside of it so the reader can match the narration with the page. This improved page sensing technology enabled Publications International to put as many as three 14-page books on one cartridge. The Reader comes with three Baby Einstein stories already in memory, so no cartridge is required for these particular titles. Faults include the lack of a headphone jack and we noticed that the rounded plastic case rocks on a flat table. Also, children may need help changing cartridges, or to snap new books into place. But these are minor points. Additional books are sold in sets of three for $15. Each set includes three 14-page books and one ROM cartridge--one with Sesame Street characters and the other with Winnie the Pooh. Both are of good quality. This is an excellent early language experience for any price; but is especially good at $20. Details: Publications International, Ltd., www.pubint.com, $20, for ages 6 months - 3. Runs on Smart Toy. Teaches: reading, language, literacy, letter/word association. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.7 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

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Nova 5000
It looks more like a Leapster than a computer, but don't be fooled by the toy-like look of this device. When fully configured, the Nova 5000 ($400 and up, www.fourier-sys.com) is a full powered touch screen computer, which could the start of a promising trend for educators;cheaper, smaller, specialized computing devices designed for individual student use. We reviewed the most expensive (EX) configuration, sold for $600. There are two cheaper versions. Understanding this device is made easier by understanding the company that makes it. Fourier Systems is best known for science sensors (data loggers, probes, and other accessories). In the past, they've made devices for the Palm. The Nova 5000 is designed around these sensors, with four data-logging ports and preinstalled software for graphing data from light sensors, digital thermometers and over 60 other types of sensors. Fourier has also partnered with other peripheral companies like Digital Blue, to offer additional classroom options. The unit we reviewed was not without problems. After fully charging the batteries, we had to do a hard reset, four times before the computer would turn on. At one point, the batteries had to be removed to restart the computer. The stylus kept falling out of the holder, and one of the screw holders feel out of the back. Internet access is achieved with an external USB wireless adapter that protrudes from the computer like a sore thumb. On one occasion our test computer overheated when the batteries were charging, becoming too hot to touch. Keep in mind that there is no CD-ROM, so all new software must be downloaded. The computer runs Windows CE, which looks a lot like Windows ME, with simplified menus and better power management features. For example, a sleep button offers instant off/on features. There is no keyboard or mouse, although these can be attached through the four USB ports. The computer has rechargeable batteries that promised four hours of life, and a clear 9.7 by 5-inch color screen. Other pre-installed software includes Internet Explorer, WordPad, Windows Media Player and Adobe acrobat. Windows CE comes with handwriting recognition software, and a virtual keypad. A version of Microsoft Office can be installed at an extra cost. There are three configurations of the Nova 500, from the bare bones BX ($400) to the EX ($600). Site licensing options are available. Our recommendation is to procede with caution with this computer. Let the company work out some of the problems before investing in more than one unite. Also keep your eye on the price of bare-bones laptops are falling in price. Fourier has made an important contribution to educational computing with this device. But it needs to evolve another step before it can be used with a group of students. Details: Fourier Systems, Inc., www.fourier-sys.com, $400 to $600, for ages 7-up. Runs on Win 98, Win XP. Teaches: a Windows based computer. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 3.6 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

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Ease of Use 7 83% Based on characters from the original cartoon (not the more recent movie) your task is N Educational to move Spider-Man through a series of hostage situations, shoot silk from Spider-Man's Entertaining 9 wrists and save people from danger. The game is difficult at first, but once you get used to Design Features 9 the two-button combat, and determine a good strategy for defeating enemies, the game really gets fun. The vibrant, cell-shaded, cartoonish style and comic panel cut-scenes makes Good Value 8 the game feel as though it really is an interactive comic book. The controls are simple and ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+, Cartoon Violence easy to get used to, but sometimes the environments get too cramped and you find yourself attacking in the wrong direction or not being able to jump over an enemy. These minor details add to the already challenging task, making this game unsuitable for younger Spider-Man fans. When playing as Venom, players can launch tentacles at innocent civilians and sap their energy, a rather intense concept. This is a fun action experience that is challenging and full of brutal action. It is best for ages 10 and up (like the ESRB rating accurately states). If you match that criterion and have $40 to spend it is worth consideration. Details: Activision, , $39.99, for ages 10-up. Runs on Nintendo DS, Wireless Single Card Play. Teaches: timing. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006. Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure
This expansion pack that requires Zoo Tycoon 2 to play, something to keep in mind before you buy this $30 add-on. Content includes 20 new African animals including the striped hyena and African buffalo and the ability to build exhibits from maps based on African locations like the Atlas Mountains, the Congo River Basin, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Sahara Dessert. There are ten new challenges, including trying to get rare animals to breed in captivity, herding meerkats, and capturing photos of the elusive secretary bird. Despite the $30 price, the game contains commercial content from Jeep. The look and feel of the game is not nearly as good as the Sims. Details: Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com, $29.99, for ages 10-up. Runs on Windows 98, Windows XP. Teaches: business, animals, biology, science, logic, creativity. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Ultimate Spider-Man (DS)

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+, Cartoon Violence
ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector
From the makers of the Easy-Bake Oven comes another light bulb powered toy--the ZOOMBOX DVD Entertainment Projector ($300, www.hasbro.com)--designed to project DVD movies or video game images onto the wall or ceiling of a darkened bedroom. For slumber parties or sleep overs, it is a viable option. Standard features include an integrated audio CD and DVD player, good quality stereo speakers, a headphone jack, and three RCA plug inputs (two audio and one video). There is no VGA input option, and the lens does not actually zoom. In fact, the dim image reminds you why computer projector bulbs cost $300. The ZOOMBOX uses a common 35 Watt halogen bulb, which costs about $6 and lasts 500 hours. The projector is made to be moved, with a large handle that doubles as a prop for beaming the image onto a wall. Or you can lean it onto its back, to point straight up at the ceiling, which our child testers preferred. While the video quality is poor, the audio quality is excellent, and it is easy to play music CDs, providing a potential bedroom sound system. Just remember, like the Easy-Bake Oven, the ZOOMBOX is more of a toy than a real projector. Details: Hasbro, Inc., www.hasbro.com, $300, for ages 8-up. Runs on DVD or game console. Teaches: a video projector for DVDs and video game consoles. Rating (1 to 5 stars) = 4.1 stars. Review date: 8/1/2006.

Other New Releases

Charlotte's Web Designed by US-based Backbone Entertainment for Sega, Charlotte's Web comes in three different formats, each with different features. The Nintendo DS and GBA versions are one-player adventures, where you explore four areas of the book, such as the Junkyard, playing as either Wilber or Charlotte. Each area has four environments. The DS version includes 12 minigames; some with wireless game sharing abilities. These include several pen-based games, such as the the bejeweled-like Snacktime for Templeton, where you try to match patterns in food, or a spelling game where you find words hidden in Charlotte's web. The GBA version has a similar platform design, but has just five minigames. The Windows version is a very different type of experience, starting with a Nintendog's-like treatment of Wilber, where the goal is to give him the attention and food he needs in order to stay happy and healthy. All of the games are easy to play, and are designed to be used by younger children. For example, while there are blocks of text, children can click through and still know what is going on. Coming November 14th, 2006 Details: Sega of America, Inc., www.sega.com, 415-701-6000, $20 for PC, $30 for GBA and DS, for ages 4-12. Runs on Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Windows XP. Teaches: logic, timing, spatial relations, patterns, spelling, taking care of needs. Review date: 8/1/2006. Comfy EasyPC Keyboard Note: This review was updated in August of 2006. It is proper to question whether children under 3 should even spend time with a computer? After all, by its very nature, it is an abstract, symbolic experience. So any computer experience needs to be "high causal"in other words, any action should yield a quick, clear response so that it is easy for a child to gain feelings of control. The Israeli team that created the original Comfy Keyboard in 1995 understood this, but getting the keyboard working with Windows 3.1 nearly killed the product. Fortunately, Windows XP and the USB port has helped to fix these problems. The 2006 edition of the keyboard is smaller and seems cheaper, with buttons that are harder to press. This is a minor issue; children have no problem understanding what to do, and the graphics and sounds are highly responsive. The plastic colorful console sits in front of your computer monitoryou move your keyboard to the side. There are 20 large, color-coded keys, a telephone and a roller bar. There are three software titles (First Steps comes with the keyboard). Once the software is started, a child starts pressing keys, to large onscreen results. Pressing the Red color key, for example, turns the entire screen red. Three weather keys (Sun, Night and Cloudy) show a related animated screen. Pressing one of the keys by the Phone calls up one of the five Comfy characters. The routines are well designed, featuring large faces, silly routines and, in the later levels, clear verbal labels in up to 15 languages (an adult chooses the language when the software is first started). There are eleven software titles, as of Spring 2006, sold for around $25 each. Details: ComfyWare, www.comfyland.com, 866-372 6639, $79.99, for ages 1-4. Runs on Win 98, Win XP. Teaches: language, classification, music. Review date: 8/1/2006. Elebits This action/adventure game for Wii is like hide and seek with Elebits, little creatures that are the source of the worlds power. Children use the Wii controller to push, pull, lift and throw things in the environment, and bag the little critters. As they are captured, they provide more power needed to control machines to use in the search. Coming Fall 2006. Details: Konami of America, Inc., www.konami.com/usa/, 650-654-5600, $call, for ages 6-up. Runs on Wii. Teaches: logic. Review date: 8/1/2006. Fridge Phonics Lower Case Letters Expansion Pack This is the expansion pack to the original Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set which only featured upper case letters. It allows you to turn your refrigerator door or any other magnetic surface such as a file cabinet, into a simple phonics game. All the letters sing, teach and work with all the Fridge Phonics products. Just place any letter into the letter reader and press it to hear its name, sound, and a phonics song. Details: LeapFrog, www.leapfrog.com, 800-701-5327, $10.99, for ages 2-5. Runs on Smart Toy. Teaches: language, early reading, letter recognition. Review date: 8/1/2006. Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi: The Genie & the Amp This game follows the adventures of Japanese pop stars Ami & Yumi. The girls are behind schedule in recording their new album, but find a genie who helps them as they explore ten levels on a search to find hidden musical notes. Players can play as either Ami or Yumi, each with different abilities. There are mini-games, and both single or multiplayer wireless modes. Developed by Sensory Sweep for D3Publisher, Details: D3Publisher of America, Inc., www.d3publisher.us, 310-268-0820 x129, $19.95, for ages 7-up. Runs on Nintendo DS. Teaches: music, logic, memory. Review date: 8/1/2006. Page 16

Aut Edit

OTHER NEW RELEASES AUGUST 1, 06 iMac for Education

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Available for schools and institutions, this computer is the same as the $1200 iMac, with a 17-inch LCD screen, a 1.83 GHz Intel processor, built-in iSight video camera and iLife '06. This computer will replaces the much larger eMac, which was Apple's last Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)-based computer. So it is much lighter, cooler and easier to move. The iMac for education also includes a combo drive for burning CDs and reading DVDs (it won't burn DVDs), 512 MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 2 GB and hard drive storage capacity up to 160 GB. It comes with a 30 day version of Microsoft Office Student Edition, which can be unlocked for an additional $150. Note that Apple will only sell this computer to institutions, and not individual college students or teachers. Details: Apple Computer, www.apple.com, 800-282-2732, $900, for ages 2-up. Runs on Mac OSX. Teaches: a computer for education. Review date: 8/1/2006. Knowledge Adventure Books by You There's no better way to teach a child to read than to make the child the author. That's the guiding idea behind this $20 CD-based literacy package, designed for either home or classroom use. Coming in October, this is a make-your-own book package, with four fill-in-the-blank templates. The books can be printed locally, made into a PDF, or sent away for professional binding. Children start by taking a questionnaire, given by author/actor John Lithgow. The child's answers are then woven into the story. It is possible to import digital pictures as illustrations. A book promotion option lets kids print a poster or a press release to promote the book. Details: Knowledge Adventure, www.knowledgeadventure.com, 310-533-3400, $20, for ages 8-up. Runs on Windows XP, Mac OSX. Teaches: reading, writing, creativity. Review date: 8/1/2006. MacBook This year's back to school laptop option from Apple Computer is the MacBook, which replaces both the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook G4. Features include the faster Intel Core Duo processor, a bright 13-inch widescreen display, integrated bluetooth, a web camera, wireless and software for editing video, photos and music. The Apple remote turns the computer into a portable theater for videos. All in all, this is a significantly better value than last year's G4. Details: Apple Computer, www.apple.com, 800-282-2732, $1100, for ages 5-up. Runs on Mac OSX. Teaches: a laptop computer. Review date: 8/1/2006. Magnetica The object of the this addicting logic game is for players to connect marbles of the same color to eliminate them before they reach the end of the line. Marbles roll down a twisted spiral path toward the goal, and players must stop them by firing correct matches. When new marbles appear in the launcher, players grab them with the DS stylus and fire them (with a tap) into the oncoming ones. If players match three or more of the same color, they will disappear. There are 3 different single-player modes, and a challenge mode features 99 levels on four difficulty settings. A Quest mode offers many different missions. In Puzzle mode, players must eliminate all marbles on the screen with a limited supply of their own. In the Versus mode, two players compete over a wireless connection using either one or two game cards to see who is the Magnetica master. All in all, this is a fun way to pass the time, especially if you have a friend with a DS who you can compete against. Details: Nintendo of America, www.nintendo.com, 800-255-3700, $34.99, for ages 6-up. Runs on Nintendo DS. Teaches: puzzle skills, logic, matching, patterns, timing. Review date: 8/1/2006. Nancy Drew: Danger by Design The 14th title in the Nancy Drew series, this mystery takes Nancy to Paris, France where Nancy's friend is trying to finish her Spring fashion collection. However, her investors notice something is wrong. Her friend has fired most of her staff, started wearing a mask and has started to drink unusual tea. It is up to Nancy to find out what's behind the designer's erratic behavior. Children explore underground catacombs, ancient bunkers and abandoned metro tunnels in search of clues, following the tried and true format of previous Nancy Drew adventures. There are pictures puzzles to place together, photos to develop and circuit board puzzles to complete. A second chance feature allows players to take risks without starting over from the beginning. There are different difficulty settings to allow players of all skill levels to solve the mystery. We notice plenty of learning opportunities. Look for a full review in the next issue. Details: Her Interactive Inc., www.herinteractive.com, 800-461-8787, $19.99, for ages 10-up. Runs on Windows XP, Windows 98. Teaches: logic, history, spatial relations. Review date: 8/1/2006.