Fireman Sam (A Review)

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I'm often on the lookout for new apps for The Boy to play, an app that is centred around a CBeebies character, or other well-known character, is always a success. I've discovered though that you need to be more direct with the iTunes search though, a broad search term either brings back a plethora of hits or nothing.

We were recently given the opportunity to review the Fireman Sam: Junior Cadet app which is designed for iPad and iPhones, which of course means it works on an iPod Touch (our chosen Apple device). Released in mid-December 2011 by P2 games, this is the first official Fireman Sam app and features a good selection of games with a special bonus virtual sticker album once they're completed.

  • HOSE PRACTICE – Learn how to use the hose with Elvis by filling buckets with water.  This activity can also be played against the clock, which provides an extra challenge! And you can accidentally soak Elvis, which is quite amusing.
  • HIDE ‘N’ SEEK – Norman is up to his old tricks and has hidden lots of objects around the fire station.  Help Fireman Sam to find them. Watch out for Norman, bonus points available for catching him.
  • LOAD JUPITER – Fireman Sam needs your help to load Jupiter.  Find the correct items by matching the shadows.  This activity can also be played as a memory game, which provides a challenge for older players.
  • SKY HIGH RESCUE – The cats have escaped and Fireman Sam needs some help catching them.  A great chance to practice rescuing skills!
  • FIRE FIGHTER – Finally: a call out to the first fire!  Use hose targeting skills to put out all the fires!  Good luck!

The Fireman Sam app on the AppStore is a really nice little find with plenty of different activities to suit children of different ages and abilities. The Boy particularly likes the Hose Practise and Hide 'n' seek activities. At £1.99, this is a good app and I'd recommend you download it for fun and logical development.

I was given a code to download this for the purpose of this review. My opinion is honest and unbiased.

Snap Happy!

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I'm a little obsessed with cameras; my own camera of choice is a Canon EOS 300D purchased eight years ago when I was in my final year teaching in Reading. It's taken some amazing photos over the years of many different locations and the difference between that and a standard digital is astounding. We've got a couple of 'point and shoots' in the house, and therefore it was only going to be a matter of time before The Boy wanted to start taking his own photos. He's played on the iPod Touch but the camera on that is quite frankly a bit pants.

Therefore when The Boy was sent a child-friendly camera to review, he was very excited and my DSLR breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief.

The VTech Kidizoom Twist is an improved version of the Kidizoom with a rotating camera lens to face conventionally, angle it through 180° and finally face the photographer to take self-portraits. This in itself makes it a big hit with The Boy who is fascinated with taking pictures of himself and frquently pulls faces at the camera while taking a series of photos. (Just to avoid confusion, the flash is where there is conventionally a lens. Obviously this doesn't work when facing the photographer!)

His ability to take photographs is improving as he remembers to frame the subject in the good-sized screen on the back. There are two ways to take a photograph. Either by pressing the button on the top (in the normal place) or by pressing the 'ok' button. As The Boy's hands are only little, he can't quite reach the main button and therefore happily presses the 'ok' button which rests just above his thumbhold. The camera doesn't react straight away and it's taken a little while for him to understand that he needs to wait until he hears the shutter sound before moving the camera away.

One of the other features of the Kidizoom Twist is the instant photo-editing function. There are a variety of frames and special effects which can be previewed on the screen before taking the photo and they made us chuckle.

The technical bit:

  • 2 mega pixel camera with twisting lens
  • 4x digital zoom
  • 256 MB of storage and SD card slot for memory expansion (necessary with The Boy as he snaps away and 60% are of his forehead, feet or blurred)
  • built-in flash
  • Also features video taking, voice recording and 5 built-in games
  • Connect to the TV or edit and view photos linked to a PC
  • Dual viewfinder in addition to the digital viewfinder (screen)

Other functions on this incredibly cool camera are: a sound recorder and audio manipulator (The Boy is too young to understand this properly yet, but I've recorded my voice and then slowed it down or sped it up and it made me chuckle like an eight year old); and five games (again we haven't explored this yet).

The Kidizoom Twist is robust and sturdy. The big grip handles eitherside are rubberised, which a) make it easier to hold, and b) mean if it does drop, it bounces. In fact, everything that protrudes from it, and could get damaged (lens, viewfinders) are rubberised. Clever designing there.

My only negative on this camera is the slight time-delay between pressing the button and the photo being taken. Other than that, this is pretty much perfect.

We were sent the VTech Kidizoom Twist for the purpose of this review. Our opinions are honest and unbiased.

A Man's World?

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I have issues.

For the sake of clarification here (because quite frankly I have a lot of issues ranging from an intense dislike of the colour orange to why I can't pull the plastic wrap off microwave meals) I feel it necessary to point out that my issue in particular is about men and ICT.

As an ICT co-ordinator who has just led her school through a successful assessment of our capabilities, I find it infuriating that the male (in theirs 20s) staff are assumed to know more than me. I'm very competent in this area and when I was on maternity, I am told that it was tough without me.

I really do think I'm quite astute when it comes to technology, it's partly my downfall in my job. I should just co-ordinate the teaching of the subject but because I understand infrastructure, hardware, software, etc. I am called upon to help like a technician.

This morning, my shadow co-ordinator (male) and I were on separate ICT courses. Mine was hard-core, brain-blowing infrastructure stuff, his was to do with Apple products. We sat down in the staffroom at lunchtime, alongside the other young bloke and started chatting with others around us. Another male teacher walked in and talked to the pair of them about technologies and ICT, ignoring me who was slowly cogitating and stewing in the corner. That was until I was asked an ICT question by my shadow.

My response?

"I'm sorry, I can't possibly talk to you about technology as I don't have a penis!"

Review: BigTrak

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When a parcel arrives containing an item for review, it is usually The Boy or Me who squeals with delight at the contents. This time, I actually heard my husband inhale sharply.

Inside this box was a product which he only craved as a child. Inside was a six-wheeled tank with a front-mounted blue photon beam headlamp, and a keypad on top. Inside, was a BigTrak!

I'm handing over to him:

Back in 1979, the concept of a 'home computer' was still a rarity, and my own (ok, it was probably my Dad's) Commodore PET was still a year or two away from being delivered.

So when  Milton Bradley (later known as MB Games) launched the BigTrak, it caused quite a sensation. Most toys of the era could emit simple beeps and make small movements, but here was a vehicle that could have a complex set of actions programmed into it.

Fast-forward 32 years. Computers are everywhere, with capabilities that weren't even dreamt of in the 1970s and… the BigTrak is back! Made now by Zeon Tech, the new BigTrak is an exact replica of the original version complete with original sounds and programming interface.

Not having experienced it personally the first time around, I was quite surprised how simple it was to use; within a minute of reading the (brief) manual it was scooting around the room, firing its phaser at random items then heading straight back to me. The angles and distances aren't completely accurate, and as a result it can quite easily overrun the intended destination, but that's part of the fun. The only thing missing is a volume control – the reviewing had to be done through several closed doors to make sure I didn't disturb the Boy's sleep!

With childrens' experiences with computers more about getting the highest score in the latest game than treating them as a tool to be wielded, anything that can spark an interest in programming can only be encouraged. The BigTrak can provide that spark, and make it fun at the same time!

So he's happy then! Why not get a BigTrak for your secret-geek this Christmas and make his time-travelling day?

I was provided with this product by Find-Me-A-Gift for the purpose of the review. Our opinions are honest and unbiased.