The LeapMove is a gamified camera designed to get kids off the couch
The LeapMove will be available through retailers including Target, Walmart, and Amazon for $69.99, and comes with 25 motion-based games designed for kids aged 4 to 7. It might be hard to pull the older end of that demographic away from games like Roblox, Among Us, and even Fortnite, but in addition to motion detection, the LeapMove uses its camera to make players appear as themselves or 'whimsical characters' in several games, which may appeal to younger kids.
The games cover 'foundational school subjects' including math, reading, and spelling, and require players to do everything from dancing around to waving their arms and even attempting to catch on-screen objects. The LeapMove connects to a TV over HDMI, and instead of rechargeable batteries it needs access to a power outlet. It can be used either sitting beneath a TV or perched atop it like a webcam using a fold-out support.
LeapFrog says additional games will be made available for the LeapMove at a later date, which can be loaded by connecting the device to a computer and using the company's LeapFrog Connect desktop app. They won't be free, but unlike the Nex Playground, the LeapMove doesn't come with any subscription fees.
Parents concerned about privacy, particularly with devices that rely heavily on a camera, may appreciate that the LeapMove has no wireless connectivity. In 2018, VTech, LeapFrog's parent company, agreed to settle for a $650,000 fine after the FTC alleged it collected kids' personal information, including names, emails, and genders, through its KidiConnect mobile app. The LeapMove is completely standalone and keeps track of up to three players' progress locally.
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Buzz Feed
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The Verge
an hour ago
- The Verge
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Why would anyone choose to use an assistant that is getting paid to push specific products? One of those higher tiers for Alexa Plus Jassy hinted at could be an ad-free version, as TechCrunch first speculated. Amazon did exactly this with Prime Video, creating a higher price, ad-free tier and booting everyone else to ads. But either way, Alexa will really have to prove its worth if we're going to pay for its new capabilities. Based on my initial testing of Alexa Plus, it's not at a point where I can delegate my daily tasks and chores to it, as I would do if I could ever afford to hire a real personal assistant. But the potential is there. There's no doubt that generative AI is going to transform how we use digital voice assistants, and Amazon has a head start. It has actually launched its revamped assistant with more conversational natural language abilities, something neither Apple nor Google seems close to doing. Alexa Plus is also one of the few generative AI-powered services that can take actions in real life. Whether people will be willing to pay for AI features is still being tested. OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and others currently charge for different tiers of access to their more advanced AI-chatbot tools. As an Alexa user for many years, I'd consider paying for a really good Alexa that does what I ask without fail, has all the features Amazon has promised are coming, and never shows me an ad. However, what I know for sure that I don't want, is a chattier AI pushing products at me in my home. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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