Leapfrog, makers of educational quasi-computers and gaming consoles for kids, has put their first bit of software on the Apple iPhone App Store: Number Rumble is a $3 math game designed for kids six to ten.
When companies that build their entire business around selling software for their proprietary devices start making software for someone else‘s hardware, that’s an interesting sign. (I wouldn’t expect LeapFrog to leave the hardware game anytime soon, but they don’t want to leave money on the table, either. But then again they never put out a game for the Nintendo DS, which they clearly saw as either a competitor or as something that would sully their “educational” reputation.)
Also interesting: That the iPhone and iPod touch are no longer so precious that children aren’t allowed to play with them.
kids should not be allowed to possess things that cost more money than they can objectively conceive of. that would be, namely, when they’ve amassed that much money through savings and work. then if they decide to blow the first $300 they’ve ever had on an iPod, they can do whatever they want. buying a 7 year old an iPod touch is like buying a 15 year old a ferrari. they ought to be enamored with the simpler things in life. when they get older and find out that life is a cock and blowing money on gadgets is one of a very few remaining joys, they’ll have all the time in the world to spoil themselves. til then, make em play with dirt.
I suspect you’ll find that Nintendo didn’t want to sully the DS with the “education” label.
One of the reasons I moved up to an iPhone was specifically so that I would have ready entertainment for my daughter, 4.5 years old when I got it. And it has not disappointed in that regard–most of the apps I have are entertainments appropriate for young children.
She really likes Finger Maze and, of course, the etch-a-sketch app. I found Off World’s recommendations for iPhone games to be quite helpful as well.
On a nearly totally unrelated subject, I got to compare the “bubble-level” apps on the Google phone and the Iphone/Itouch the other day.
Apple version costs money to get full feature set, has remarkably unrealistic bubble action (too slow) and wonderfully detailed useless eye candy background.
Google version is (reportedly) free, works exactly like a real spirit level except that it can also give you numeric readouts, and has no background.
The Google phone’s starmap app is also made of pure awesome.