Anyone have the Vtech Vsmile for their kids?

[shewasmyshadow]

I'm looking into getting the Vtech Vsmile for my son. I just can't figure out if it's going to be a good buy. Some of the reviews are terrible! Oh, the kids LOVED the system, but the system kept breaking down. Some of the reviews said it worked fine, but most said it was a piece of junk!

Anyone have one? Like it? Hate it? Please help me! :help:

[BlaiseGlaze]

raven LOVED his when he was a kiddo.
no problems, handed it off to a friend who used it for a couple years too

[shewasmyshadow]

Which version was yours Blaise? Was it the one with the writing pad on the controller?

[BlaiseGlaze]

uhh, mind you this was... 7 yrs ago when i bought it
i dont think it had a writing pad, just buttons, like a lil fake mini laptop (now called a netbook?)

[AppyLover]

Go leap frog. My kid loves it and the newer systems can be plugged into tv or computer. Plus I think leap frog has been around longer and their products are just better in my opinion.

[lovesfortune]

We have a Leap Frog for my son. He loves it. We got the kind that is a "book" and then you get books/cartidges to go with it. I got it on ebay used with about 50 books/cartridges.

The only drawback is that it's sometimes hard for him to use the attached pen and he figured out how to take the cartridges out so I have to watch carefully so we don't loose any.

[shewasmyshadow]

Go leap frog. My kid loves it and the newer systems can be plugged into tv or computer. Plus I think leap frog has been around longer and their products are just better in my opinion.

Okay be more specific... What the exact name of the system, if you know it... I'm not having any luck finding it. Is it a handle held. I was more interested in one that would use a TV.

[shewasmyshadow]

We have a Leap Frog for my son. He loves it. We got the kind that is a "book" and then you get books/cartidges to go with it. I got it on ebay used with about 50 books/cartridges.

The only drawback is that it's sometimes hard for him to use the attached pen and he figured out how to take the cartridges out so I have to watch carefully so we don't loose any.

I have that kind and Ethan does get it at ALL. :(

[AppyLover]

http://www.leapfrog.com/en/families/leapster/leapster_learning0/leapster2_learning_system.html

I thought you could plug it into the tv too. but I may have to look at the manuals that came with it to figure that part out. My daughter just plays with it as a hand held.

ETA: my bad looks like it is just pc friendly not tv.

[Fjords <3]

I had a Leap Frog when I was little! I loved it :]

[shewasmyshadow]

http://www.leapfrog.com/en/families/leapster/leapster_learning0/leapster2_learning_system.html

I thought you could plug it into the tv too. but I may have to look at the manuals that came with it to figure that part out. My daughter just plays with it as a hand held.

ETA: my bad looks like it is just pc friendly not tv.

How old is your daughter, if you don't mind me asking? My son just turned 3 and he's FASCINATED by the computer and dad's XBOX. That's why I thought the Vtech might work. Plus it's SUPER cheap. I could get everything for around $20. That way if he hates it I won't have lost too much $$.

[AppyLover]

My little girl just turned 5 years, but she has been playing with the leapster since she was 2 years.

That is not a bad price for the V-tech. It probably would not hurt to try it. The leapsters can be kinda spendy but we started with the books and she just loved it so we upgraded to the hand held and then this year just upgraded again to the newer leapster 2.

[shewasmyshadow]

How about the LeapFrog Clickstart? Ever heard of that?

[shewasmyshadow]

GAH!!!! I got bid on one on ebay!! I must be out of my mind!! :doh:

[miatapony]

i would go with the leapfrog they are much better.. i have friends that have the Vsmile and she thinks it sucks ... bad it didnt read half the crap on the cds

[Equine_Woman]

My son has a leapster 2 he got for Christmas and it has been the hit of the season. He's a HUGE fan of it. I like it because it's portable. May be too much for a 3 year old though since they have to hold it. It's like a gameboy.

[shewasmyshadow]

Yeah, we'll start with the Clickstart and if he likes it, then we'll get a Leapster2.

[shewasmyshadow]

Ended up buying a Vtech Vmotion for Ethan today at Target. It has a 90 day return policy, so we'll see how it goes...

[miatapony]

good luck with it .

[shelsnsaus]

We have the v-tech v- motion. We are on our 4th one in less than a year. For no apparent reason, they just seem to stop wanting to work. We originally got it when the girls were 3 and 5, they are 5 & 6 now. They do love it, and when it works its great. It can be rather frustrating when it doesn't. Hence the reason for the leapsters they have now. Seems they've been a better buy. They take a bit of a licking (since they are portable) and they keep right on ticking. Keeps the kids off the x-box and puter and has them situated with their own games that are geared to their own level. Some are more educational than others.

[42many]

I got here too late to help, then, but I'll comment anyway! :)

We have the Vsmile (with the book attachment as well, now, and the microphone) and both my 3yo and 5yo boys enjoy it very much. I agree with issues on breaking down, though - they actually like it enough that I got a replacement for Christmas because the console and controller on the old one kept futzing out. We lost out plug awhile back so we have to run ours on batteries, which is a drag (and unknowingly the "new" (used) one that I got to replace our old one also had no plug with it!). Most of our problems with this new one have been related to the batteries not seating right. It will stop turning on, then you pop out the batteries and stick them back in and it starts up again. Crossing my fingers because we haven't had any issues in the last week or so of that sort!

We also have the Leapster 2 for my 5yo and he does VERY well with it. The original Wall-E cartridge he has for it is only partially playable by the 3yo (some of the games are easy enough but not all), but we got a new PetPals game for Christmas and both boys are really enjoying it. In fact, my 5yo was livid with me the other day because I "borrowed" it for the 3yo to play with when we went to a Dr's appt. We ended up waiting in the office for over 1.5 hours, and about half of that time he spent messing around on the Leapster 2. We have had NO technical issues on that device and I would recommend it even for the 3yo - it is amazing how quickly kids nowadays move past the bottom-rung technological devices. Heck, my hubby and I splurged on a wii for ourselves and the 3yo can run that thing, too!