Technoglam

REVIEW: DS Junior Brain Trainer

Junior Brain Trainer is the children's version of the hugely popular Dr Kawashima's Brain Training. Aimed at three years and over, there's 100 different brain games from memory and logic puzzles to maths and English that complement learning. Fun game rewards are added after the player has completed the daily training and there is a very enthusiastic squirrel screen guide to encourage players.

Whilst the game is aimed at children as young as three, I felt that children would only really benefit from this game once they understood the basics of reading and writing so three year old players probably wouldn't find much to interest them, where as our four year old tester, who has mastered the basics of the alphabet, was quite keen on the handwriting tasks which involved copying the lower and uppercase letters.

Daily training games are accessed from the top menu where a series of small tasks are set such as copying shapes on a grid, guess the extra word, 'drag and drop' to complete the word, guess the number sequence, a set of multiplications using 'drag and drop' numbers, compare 'less' and 'more than' numbers, dominoes with count the dots, additions table and ordering numbers with games changing each time the training programme is accessed. The maths games were really suited to a slightly older player who had gone through the basics of maths and probably just starting their multiplication tables. An adult may also need to be on hand for younger children who are will no doubt know the answers but may not be able to read fully enough to complete the task alone. We also thought that if children are already taking their first steps on a PC, a virtual QWERTY keyboard may have made more sense for some of the word games than an alphabet grid.

So that the daily brain trainer aspect doesn't seem like work, every daily task is rewarded with a game that many parents will recognise such as Snakes which zips round the screen picking up jewels, simple card game Beggar My Neighbour, Ghosts and Balloon Pop. There's also a quiz to test knowledge and a progress chart with a virtual star chart.

The graphics were very child friendly - animated mice, cows and ladybirds all made an appearance alongside the squirrel with cute cloud backgrounds.

I felt the graphics were intended at the younger age range but that it wasn't patronising and remained very child friendly. This game is ideal for parents who have bought their children a DS but want to ensure that their offspring are getting something cerebral out of it, rather than just playing a game, and it would make a good game for parents and children to play together.

Age range: Box says 3+, we say 4+ with occasional help.
Type: Children's/Puzzle
Price: Around £15

Technoglam rating: 4/5

Like this? DS Review: Barbie: The Island Princess

REVIEW: Motormouse

Normally I would shrug a themed mouse off as a naff gimmick but the Motormouse has won me over. Shaped like a Porsche 911, it's a mouse that boasts a smart metallic red finish - there's black or silver if you prefer - rubber wheels, an opening boot that stores the batteries and 2.4G wireless receiver. The mouse wheel is a thick rubber tyre that feels much more substantial than your bog standard mouse wheel plus the buttons have the added novelty of flashing lights. The wheels itself don't turn but it can still be zoomed around the desk with a little imagination. One thing I was concerned about was that it could be mistaken for a toy and pinched by younger family members so you'll have to take care to store it away from sticky fingers.

For £29.99, I think it represents good value and would make a good gift for Porsche fans or as a fun update to boring beige PC mice.

Motormouse will be bringing more models out this year, including the Audi TT, VW Beetle and a garage for storing it.

Motormouse

Review: Intempo InSession iPod speaker-dock

With a plethora of iPod speaker-docks on the market, there's an awful lot of competition but I'm pleased to say that the Intempo InSession dock can hold it's own. It's a little chunkier than its slimline competitors and whilst I probably wouldn't put it in my bag and take it on holiday with me, I'd certainly be happy to display it at home.

The simple black frame with fabric grill makes it ideal for use anywhere at home be it the living or dining rooms, bedroom or office where it won't take up much space on a unit and will certainly mean you can put your CDs into storage and do away with that oversized stereo.

With 25watt speakers and an integrated subwoofer, music is far from tinny and it throws out great sound that really defies its small form. A palm-sized remote control is included with functions for adjusting bass and treble and it was easy to adjust the volume thanks to the two buttons at the front of the dock. The InSession is adaptable for all iPods thanks to a range of included easy to fit adapters that help the iPod slot into place though it won't charge the shuffle. Two and three pin plugs are included along with a 3.5mm line-in and a mini USB port for connecting to iTunes via the PC.

I thought it was a good size and the low weight meant it was easy to move around though I would have liked to be able to slot the remote in for safe keeping. The sound was good quality when playing a variety of music styles and the simple styling means it won't date.

It's on sale at Amazon for £73.23 / Intempo Digital

DS Review - Barbie: The Island Princess

The game: Barbie becomes Rosella, a shipwrecked princess who makes friends of the island's animals. There are four games, each with a sub-section of four games and you have to complete each game several times before the next level will unlock. As mini games are completed, new items such as dresses and accessories are unlocked for the user to dress Barbie up in in The Dressing Room and users are also treated to video segments from a Barbie movie though otherwise I didn't notice any obvious product placement. The games are certainly suited for a 3+ child and mostly uses the control pad though I think younger player will struggle with the Ringing Bells game which requires players to repeat an audio sequence with the stylus. Graphics are very sweet and I think this is a good introduction to the DS for younger players.

I played this game purely for the purposes of this review I tell you and the fact that I enjoyed it despite being a couple of decades over the age suggestion is something we'll keep between ourselves, 'k?.

Age range: 3+
Type: Children's/ puzzle
Price: Around £18