25.9.2014

My daughter (nearly two) loves my iPhone, particularly the Duplo and Toca Boca apps, and I was keen to see whether a dedicated child tablet would be a more appropriate option. Although the recommended age for the LeapPad is slightly older, I took her dexterity with the iPhone (and increasingly regular demands to use it) as a sign that she might be ready for something like this. Here's what we found;LOOK & FEELFirst things first, this tablet is pretty heavy. The look is suitably child-friendly, and the casing feels very heavy-duty and capable of a few knocks and bangs without coming to harm. Think `Tonka-tablet' and you won't be too far off. The screen follows this trend,feeling like thick plastic rather than the glass of an iPad or Galaxy Tab, so again it all feels very tough. The weight takes a few minutes to get used to, but when the alternative I suppose would've been a more fragile tablet it's a good compromise. It's reassuringly well-built. A stylus is stored in the rear of the casing, attached with a cord so it doesn't go missing.SET-UPThe initial set-up, assigning a wi-fi network, creating parent and child profiles etc, was quite frustrating, mainly due to getting used to the touchscreen. The sensitivity felt quite random to begin with, and is a world away from the touchscreen quality of modern smartphones or tablets. I wasn't sure whether some touches had registered, some taps required four or five presses to work, and the required pressure seemed to range from the slightest brush of fingertip to a hard, sustained press. The stylus is essential at times. Aside from the unfamiliarity of the touchscreen, the whole process takes around 15 minutes and felt rather laboured. I know, I know... that sounds ridiculously impatient, but I mention it to make the point that we're probably at a stage now where we expect these devices to be a little more immediate.PLAY AND EDUCATIONThe bundled apps are a thoughtful selection of games and learning programmes, providing a good out-of-the-box experience. The pet one is a surprisingly in-depth game, and perfectly pitched to pre-schoolers. The art app (Art Studio) will be familiar to anyone who has used Peppa Pig's Paint Pot on iOS, and is another fantastic outlet for creativity. It's early days in terms of how long we've had it, but over time I think this device will be a really positive addition to playtime, rather than something that's mindlessly consumed. With lots of cartridges and apps available the potential is very strong.APP CENTREThis was one of the things that sold me on the idea of the LeapPad, a nicely-stocked, pre-vetted selection of fun and educational apps. The first thing to mention here is the excessive price of them. If you're coming from the Apple App Store and Google Play you're in for a shock. I wasn't exactly expecting freebies or 99p choices, but I equally wasn't expecting £20+ apps either. It's almost like Leap Frog are taking a handheld console (3DS, Vita) approach to the game pricing, but I sincerely don't believe that is the right direction for app-based purchases, especially on a child-orientated system. That said, the selection is high quality, and there's a lot for all tastes. I suppose being used to a cheap, largely poor quality app store rather than an expensive, well-curated one is the issue here. The upshot being that app purchases are more like significant presents, not very regular and not at all like the throwaway process of getting a phone app for fun. In terms of functionality and user experience within the app store, it isn't too good when you get away from the featured app lists. I just can't get the search function to work properly - I click on the search box, get the cursor flashing in the box awaiting typing, but the keyboard doesn't appear. Also some infuriatingly stock-looking icons appear from time to time, miniscule forward/back arrows and red `x' buttons pop up in the top corner - too small to accurately touch, and jarring horribly with the kid-friendly design of the rest of the interface. Not major issues, but noticeable all the same.OVERALLDespite my initial disappointment with the touchscreen and rude awakening with the app prices, the Leap Frog tablet is a great idea and product, and on the whole it's executed very well. Once I got past the idea that it wasn't an iPad or Galaxy Tab so shouldn't be judged on those devices' merits, I grew to love the LeapPad for what it was. Of course, my opinion is definitely secondary in this whole thing, with it being a kid's tablet! My daughter absolutely loves it. The bundled apps provide more than enough entertainment, and the camera functions are an unexpected hit. Really, had this device simply had the camera function I think it'd still have been a major hit with her.I'd recommend this device to any parent who is looking to continue their child's development on touchscreens without giving them access to more expensive, advanced and potentially harmful (ie; accessing internet etc) devices. The idea of owning their own `special' tablet is lovely, and with the LeapPad you've got nothing to worry about.

5.10.2014

The LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra XDi Learning Tablet is pretty similar to the previous LeapPad Explorer models with a few upgrades and/or nicer features.The first and most noticeable difference is with the large 7 inch touch-sensitive screen. The previous model (the LeapPad 2) had a 5 inch screen. This much larger size screen allows for more apps per page, larger pictures for your kids to draw and more involved gaming / animated storybooks. In fact, having already owned a couple LeapPad 2’s, we’ve found that the larger size screen on the new Ultra XDi really does enhance the tablet tenfold.Secondly, compared with the previous model, the external casing on the new LeapPad XDi feels much more solid and hardwearing,with a built-in shock absorbing design that protects the tablet a heck of a lot better than the old one had. Indeed, we had to buy a further protective sleeve for the old LeapPads in order to protect them against drops, knocks and bangs. This isn’t necessary for the new ones as they can withstand this sort of everyday punishment at the hands of kids.This new LeapPad Ultra also includes a built-in rechargeable battery allowing you to easily recharge the LeapPad by simply plugging it into the mains etc. The previous models required batteries to be inserted into the back, which was always a hassle when you had a protective sleeve on the LeapPad. This new in-built battery is by-far-and-away better.Another key feature to this new LeapPad is with the added bonus of Wi-Fi ‘kids safe’ internet access. This is into a protected and closed internet environment which allows kids to search (very limited) online content without the worry of stumbling across anything that’s inappropriate.For those that are not already familiar with the LeapPad style tablets, basically they’re a learning tablet that are aimed at children from three years old all the way up to around nine years old.Whilst charging the LeapPad up you can set-up your account and choose your free Apps to download and install. To be fair, this was an absolute doddle to do. Just go online to the official LeapPad website, follow the online procedures to link up a PC/laptop to the tablet, and after following all the steps which will take about 10-15mins, you'll be ready to go.Once my wife and I had downloaded our four freebie Apps, we then perused the numerous other apps that are available to buy for the LeapPads. Flicking through the various pages of Apps available shows just how big of a choice there is. But wow!!! Some of them are a little on the pricey side. I strongly recommend that you go onto the Leapfrog website, go to the App Centre, and have a look at the various Apps and prices BEFORE purchasing the LeapPad. Some of the games and 'Ultra eBooks' are the equivalent to modern console game prices - especially if they involve popular cartoon characters.Anyway, once you're all set up, with your first Apps downloaded and ready to use, you'll find that the LeapPad Ultra XDi is incredibly easy to get familiar with and learn how to use. Each menu screen tells you what you can do, directing you through the App with a twee American voiceover that helps the child learn what to do at each stage.The LeapPad Ultra XDi also has two built in cameras / video records, positioned on the front and back, allowing your little ones to snap off pictures of themselves as well as whatever's in front of them. With the various art and creative Apps available, your child can then play around with these pictures, incorporating their face into video settings and artwork.The LeapPad Ultra XDi really is geared towards being educational and creative in a fun way. With the games on offer there's always a learning element attached to it, such as with spelling, counting, questions etc. Furthermore, the parents can also monitor their child's development with these games, with their online parent monitoring page which is installed onto your PC/laptop at the beginning.To be honest, we expected the LeapPad Ultra XDi to be pretty good considering the various reviews and write-ups you can see across the net. Apart from the cost of the Apps, everyone seems to absolutely love the tablet. And both my wife and I 100% agree (as do our two kids). And what's really good about the tablet is that it can be enjoyed from three years old all the way up to nine years old - just by downloading more advanced Apps as your child gets older.

22.9.2014

This is the latest LeapPad by LeapFrog - the LeapPad Ultra. Much of what you get is similar to previous models, but there are some major additions. To begin, the LeapPad has a shock absorbing frame and a larger protective screen. It has a slightly different age range from previous models - 3-9 years. This is not a huge difference, but the fact they are suggesting it can be used a year younger than the last model and grow with your child means that they must obviously cater to that younger user. The casing feels much more secure and robust and is supposed to survive being dropped. Hopefully, we won't test this out too quickly, but the Pad certainly seems quite strong,although it will need a case.You can set this device up while it is charging. Instructions are fairly easy to follow, but it takes a while to register the device, set up the Wifi and then create Parent controls and Child profiles (you can set three different children's profiles on the same LeapPad, which is really useful). The Parent controls include a four digit code to allow you much more control and flexibility over what you want your child to access - for example, you can stop them purchasing from the App store.The LeapPad Ultra comes with a rechargeable battery, 8GB storage (which apparently can store up to 40,000 photos), 2 cameras/video recorders and several included apps - plus a choice of 1 app from the store (from a limited range, which is a little stingy perhaps, but there are some fun games included). As well as a calendar, calculator, notepad, clock, voice memo and stopwatch, there are Photo Fun Ultra, Pet Pad Party game, Pet Chat (a kind of kid texting, which I have reservations about, especially as it requires another child fairly nearby with another LeapPad...). This actually brings us to the new `peer-to-play' apps, which enables your child - theoretically - to play games with another child. Again though, they need another child in the same house with another Pad. As the LeapPad has the capacity to allow different children their own profiles, this seems a slightly strange addition, but some people may find it useful. Personally, I can't comment on how well it works as I was unable to try it out, but I think it has limited use and appeal.The biggest change is the way your child can access the internet, which, although quite limited, gives a safe online environment and is a good introduction to using the web. The LeapPad uses LeapSearch, which is a closed internet environment - all the available content is reviewed and approved by a team of learning experts. I found that the internet was quite slow (obviously that could be down to my browser too) and what your child can see is very limited, but it IS safe, there is no possibility of them coming across inappropriate content and for the younger age group using this toy then it does create a safe online environment for them. Just be aware that they cannot use this like an iPad, which has both advantages and disadvantages, so don't expect them to have complete internet access. Likewise, they cannot download music which is not approved by LeapPad onto the device. Although you may not wish your child to purchase apps, you can set up a wish list for them on the App store, so they can add things they are interested in which you can purchase later.The App store itself has a huge range of content, with over 700 games, books and videos. If you select a game, it will adjust to your child's ability, which is excellent and means the same App can be used for different children. The touch screen can be used with a stylus or `swiped' with a hand. This is great fun, looks appealing and is a robust toy. As a child's tablet, it is very limited in what it can do, but the range of Apps available are excellent. This is a good, educational and fun toy, which offers a great first experience of using a tablet for young children.

27.10.2014

My little boy has been borrowing my smartphone for some time now. He loves anything with a screen that he can touch and interact with, and I thought it was time that he had something of his own (he's already smashed one of my phones). The LeapFrog Ultra XDi certainly fits the bill for him, he loves to interact and play with it and it keeps him away from my phone. I'm OK with this because I know he's not messing up the settings of my device, and if he does break the tablet it's a lot cheaper than a modern smartphone.Setup was quite easy, but obviously intended to be done by you, the parent, before giving the tablet to your little one. This is solid advice for any toy though,you get to take away any packaging and battery frustrations before the toy is used for the first time if you open it first. On setup the tablet asks to connect to your WiFi and asks you which of three free apps you would like to download.It's taken my boy no time at all to adapt to the built-in stylus, but he's just as happy to use his fingers to navigate the tablet. The stylus is attached with a short bit of string, so it shouldn't get lost. The screen is a "resistive" type, which does require more pressure than a modern smartphone. The few buttons are quite chunky and easy to push with little fingers, but slightly recessed so they're not accidentally pushed. The case is quite big, and the tablet reasonably heavy, so I don't know how well it will hold up to bangs and drops yet. The outside is quite hard plastic, it would look tougher and possibly be easier to hold if it was rubbery.The built-in apps are very good and have kept my boy entertained for quite some time already. He especially likes the painting/drawing app, which also includes a variety of stickers and backgrounds. It's nice and easy to save his little creations to the built in memory, so I'll be able to see how his drawing skills progress. The built-in virtual pet is another of his favourites - he's been able to create and name a pet and likes to play the mini-games with him. This is the sort of thing that's going to be just perfect for car journeys or other "boring" times where we're not able to bring a lot of toys to keep him amused.The e-books are worth a mention in themselves. They're beautifully illustrated and will read the text out for you if you'd like them to. All of the characters in the illustrations have sound effects that play when you press them, so it's more interactive than a normal book, but still something that I want to share with my boy rather than leave him to read by himself. There's still lots of scope for us to interact with each other while reading an e-book, and it's more fun for both of us that way!The app store is a bit hard to use, some parts didn't load for me, and it's all quite expensive. The cartridges are also very expensive, but do come with quite a lot of functionality. I've seen them half price from time to time, so it's worth waiting for a sale before buying a cartridge. Prices for apps and cartridges seem to go from £6 to £30, so I don't think we'll be buying many. This is one of the big let-downs of the system to me, I think it's too expensive.I'd like to see it open and close apps a lot faster. The several second delay that it takes to turn on, or open an app is OK for me, but I can see that it is frustrating for the little ones. I'd like to see things open at least twice as fast as they currently do and it gives the tablet the feel of having a very underpowered processor. The speed of the tablet and the possible limitations of functionality due to the price of the apps is what stops me from giving it five stars.

27.2.2015

Excellent product, my kids love it. We bought two, one each for our 5 and (nearly) 3 old kids.Our 5yo previously had the LeapPad 2 and she loved it. It was a sturdy and tough product, and it copped all kinds of abuse! It even worked after our youngest threw it in the bath tub, I dried it out for a few days and it was still useable in spite of the screen being a bit fuzzy. The poor old Leap Pad 2 ultimately met its demise when my husband accidentally stepped on it, the force of which completely obliterated the screen - disappointing considering everything it had survived! But we were thinking about upgrading anyway as both kids love Leap Pad.A few reviewers have complained about the screens breaking easily on the Ultra,but it seems as tough as the Leap Pad 2 to me and as with any electronic product you do have to exercise care as nothing is unbreakable. My 2 (about to turn 3) year old is currenlty putting the Ultra through its paces, but I'm more mindful to maintain control of it this time! i do believe my 5 year old gets better value out of Leap Pad as most games are geared to that age, but I figure the younger one will grow into it in time.In relation to education, I think Leap Pads have some educational value but I didn't really buy these consoles for educational purposes. I think it has helped my oldest child most with writing and drawing, and she also loves the camera. The leap pad is very good for creative activities, and to me it's just a fun toy for the kids to play with rather than an educational tool. Also be mindful that the kids may get bored with it just like any other toy, at which point I recommend putting it up in a cupboard (out of sight) for a few weeks. When you give it back its like Christmas has come early!The Leap Pad Ultra has better graphics and camera than the Leap Pad 2, it also comes with more pre-loaded apps. I only bought two additional apps just as a treat, and they are apps both kids can use. I find that less is more with these apps, and you're better off buying one or two of the more expensive apps than a whole lot of cheaper ones as they usually have a wider range of features and little games within the game. My kids like the Penguins of Madagascar and Mr Pencil, and we have the Crayola Art cartridge from the old Leap Pad which also works in the Ultra. Also don't bother with e-books, they're a waste of money! Just buy games or videos and read real books!As a side note, the wifi is GREAT, the LeapPad 2 didn't have wifi and you had to connect it to a computer every time you download an app, it was such a pain! With the Ultra you can download straight to both devices, it's fantastic. I recommend buying the apps as a download rather than a cartridge, we have a couple of cartridges from the old Leap Pad and they either go missing or cause fights over whose turn it is to play!

15.10.2014

My 5 year old has had various leappads (including the ultra), and the somewhat uninspiring Innotab. Despite this, she still prefers to borrow my Galaxy S4 to play games on! The main reason seems to be that even though these tablets are aimed at young children, they are often difficult to navigate, the screen resolution is disappointing and therefore the games do not look half as inviting as they do on a grown up device.So in steps the new leap pad ultra XDi. Its other added benefit is the ability to connect to the Internet via wifi instead of USB cable as with previous devices. This is now more like a Nintendo DSi so much more appealing,

4.12.2014

I have taken my time with this review as I wanted to really explore this piece of kit.From the outset let me say that if you are looking for something that compares with an iPad or ultra-modern tablet, this is not it; nor (in my opinion) is it intended to be. Don't let this put you off as the performance is more than adequate and there is much to be enjoyed here!Here are my comments:Build: It seems very well made - robust (which adds a bit of weight) with good battery life once it is charged up - enough to keep a little one happily entertained on a long journey. The layout is very simple with ongoing voice and visual help /

27.10.2014

This childrens Tablet is supplied in a solid packaging which would not be damaged in transit, there is a well defined description on the outer packing and it is very simple to set and test.There is a good length of flex from wall socket to leappad making it easy to use either on a desk or from and armchair. Light in weight to hold and good size screen, the casing is sturdy and could be wiped clean easily, there are no sharp edges making it relatively safe for kids to use. The stylus pen is very suitable for younger children can could save the touch screen from smears.Set up is not complex and setting up parental controls via a code can be performed without difficulty.

23.9.2014

The one I was offered is supposed to be pink but am very glad to see that it is more like a mauve. Leah is currently rebelling against pink.Would highly recommend doing the set up before giving it to a child. Particularly as you can take photo's and stuff they can immediately play with. There is a front and back camera so that was easy to do, both myself and the cat are now immortalised.Drawback is that the packaging looks a little rubbish as had to apply the nail file etc to get in. Quite a lot of sellotaping later and smoothing of ripped cardboard it looked new enough to fool a three year old.As someone constantly loosing my tablet and phone to a three year old this is a fantastic introduction to a tablet and one where the maker has a good reputation when it comes to learning software.

16.10.2014

A very robust children’s tablet that aimed at the age 3+ market with some very nice features.The tablet has a 7” screen and very easy and intuitive to use. Kids will pick this up in no time. It is mains charged which is a must with tablets and comes bundled with 11 apps including an MP3 music player plus a few games and some utilities.Leap Pad have their own App Store for their tablets which is accessible on the main Leap Pad website, or you can copy and paste this link in to your browser >> www.leapfrog.com/en-gb/app-centre/. Games seem very expensive with best sellers like the Octonauts Learning Game costing £20 Which may put off a lot of people,

3.11.2014

The LeapPad keeps my two kids (4 and 5 years) amused for hours on end, even with the default software supplied. It speaks to them to tell them how to do something, and uses intuitive symbols, so they don't need to navigate by reading words in a menu system. The screen is very touch sensitive (it's capacitive) and, while not as responsive as an iPad (it has a much more humble processor), it's plenty good enough for its purpose. My kids were both using it without any instruction within minutes of first turning it on, and they fight over who gets to use it. When theyhave access to an iPad and an Android tablet both containing games they enjoy playing, that's no mean feat. It has 6GB of memory built in,

5.10.2014

This is a sturdy tablet with a good quality screen, a stylus attached and the ability to both download games from an app store and buy them in cartridge form to slot into the tablet at the top. The big question with this item is whether it represents good value for money when compared to buying a straight tablet. The advantage with the Leapfrog gams is that you know they have all been vetted beforehand and contain at least some kind of educational element within them. The tablet is also set up with lots of parent control features and safe browsing for the kids. Basically, there are lots of parents out there who will plump for this in order to feel safe about what their kids play with and

10.12.2014

I have already wrote a review of the LeapPad 2 power before, so what can i say in this review for the updated version? Well a fair bit. This upgraded version of the LeapPad is actually very good. You have all the fun gadgets that came with the power but now there's better attributes to this version.Firstly bigger screen and better touch screenThey can now surf the web and they can use the net to do their homework on their LeapPad which has a kid friendly interface that allows kids to surf with safety, although for some reason it won't allow YouTube (although part of me could see why, YouTube is basically the place to find nearly everything on the web, not just gore and partial nudity.

3.4.2015

Having researched many machines for our 5 year old, we opted for this. It is well constructed and feels as though it is made with strength in mind. Children can can often break their toys, be it by accident. Most toys one wouldn't worry about too much but with a slightly higher purchase price than the average 'disposable' toy, you would want this to last a few years. I would definitely give it the thumbs up for build quality and construction. When it comes to software and games available for the machine, there is quite an extensive choice. You get a few things bundled with the item originally, but the kids will soon want more. Prices vary from free to around £10. Even though some of them seem a little expensive,

2.10.2014

As we have a 2 year old nephew lovingly called 'destructor' who is obsessed with tablets/phones/tv remotes/games controllers/anything with buttons on, how could we refuse this!Its a kid friendly tablet, its quite heavy, sturdy feeling with a solid build quality. We havent tried it but i imagine dropping it wouldnt be as catastrophic as with Uncle's tablet!It comes preloaded with a variety of apps, including a rather fun draw program that should keep any artists busy for hours, a way of customising photos you take that could keep ME amused for a while (i looked v funny as a dog and if i could have worked out how, it would have been my new facebook profile pic!) It has a few songs,

LeapFrog LeapPad XDI Ultra - Reviews

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