Daddy's Fish BowlA Clear View Of A Father's Family Experiences

Ty’s Tuessday Toy Review 1-15-13
Spy Gear Spy Motion Alarm 

Name: Wild Planet Spy Gear Motion Alarm

Manufacturer: Wild Planet

Price:  $13.99

Length of Ownership: 3 weeks

Rating: 3 stars

Toy Review: WhooHoo, the first toy review of the New Year.  What better way to set off the New Year than to talk about Spy Gear?  Let’s face it, as kids, ever since we saw our first Bond flick, we ALL wanted to be Spies, Secret Agents, or just an all-around badass.  The only problem with that is that during our childhood, we had to make up gadgets and pretend to have the tools that the pros used.  Spy Gear is here to solve that issue, they have a complete line of toys devices that would make ‘Q’ blush like a giddy school girl.

Bond references aside, this toy is designed to allow kids to protect their toys, mp3 players, diaries, and basically anything else that children value in their lives these days.  How does it protect valuables?  Does it cast a net that confines the thief until the authorities arrive?  Nope, nothing that sophisticated, it basically makes a really loud and annoying sound that will make any would-be criminal want to smash this toy until it stops working. There is an on/off switch and that’s about all; my biggest gripe with this toy is that there’s no delay from the time you turn it on, to the time you set the trap.  As you’ll see in the video, the device is prone to giving itself away by going off before the person who set it walks away.  Other than that, it does function as advertised, there is a motion sensor that if fairly accurate in dectecting movement and contrast in light.  The alarm will continue to ring until it no longer dectects an object in front of it; which is pretty cool.

As with any “pretend play” toy, imagination is a requirement for the toy to be a success.  I could see children using this toy during a play session of super-secret spy, where all involved are aware of the device and its capabilities.  Criminals would run away or be captured immediately once the alarm was set off; it’d be a fun game.  Unfortunately, these toys are marketed to make children believe that they can actually work to transform them into a real spy.  When we first got this toy, Ty set it up to protect his favorite toy from his little brother, he quickly discovered that this item wouldn’t actually thwart off anyone when Tre took the toy AND the motion alarm.  There was a hint of disappointment in his face that day and since then they toy has been used as more of a prank (open the closet and a blaring alarm sounds, not fun at 7AM), than a spy device. 

In the right child’s hands, this toy can open up a world of fun imaginative play, but realistic expectations for its capabilities should be set from the beginning.

There you have it folks, another one in the books, this toy is Ty tested and Daddy undecided, buy at your own risk!!!

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 7-17-12
Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS

Name:Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS

Manufacturer: Nerf

Price:  $37.99

Length of Ownership: 9 months

Rating: 4 stars

Toy Review: IT’S NERF OR NOTHING!!!! That slogan dominated the nearly a decade of my childhood.  As a kid, Nerf toys transformed you from a scrawny little child to a lean mean battling machine.  Front lawns became battlefields, living rooms turned into gladiator arenas; there was no limit to the fun and excitement that Nerf could bring to the table.  Even now, 20 some odd years later, Nerf is still bringing the heat and providing hours of entertainment to kids everywhere.  That’s why today’s post is a very exciting one for me to write; anytime a company can adapt their products to span 20+ years and still remain relevant is an extraordinary feat.

But we’re not here to review Nerf as a company, today, we’re talking about one of their products specifically, and that product is the Nerf Stampede ECS; and what a product it is!  This toy is a beast, I mean that literally!  I was genuinely afraid to go up against this thing in a battle with Ty.  Let’s review some of the specs briefly: It comes standard with a battle shield to help deflect oncoming (un)friendly fire, it also has a bipod that can be used while prone to line up the perfect shot, let’s not forget the 3 extended magazine clips which hold 18 darts each, and then theirs the express clip which gives you a quick 6 shot burst, not to mention everything is motorized!  WOW, now those are some great stats, but does the Stampede’s functionality keep up with its impressive features?

The answer is an astounding YES! For the most part, I guess that’s not very astounding then is it?  Seriously though, this toy performs very well.  The darts fly surprisingly straight in rapid fire succession, the clips are easy to load and refill (although with 60 darts flying around, some fatigue may set in while retrieving them), and shooting is as simple as pressing a trigger.  You can’t really beat that right?  So why didn’t this thing get 5 stars you may be asking.  There’s a few reasons why the Nerf Stampede didn’t score the coveted 5 star rating, but none of them were significant enough on their own to cause any serious issues.

My number one complaint with this toy is the fact that is requires 6 ‘D’ batteries for operation; that’s colossal!  When you’re at war, you want to be lightweight and agile, lugging around 6 ‘D’ batteries doesn’t necessarily fit into that description.  We’re already talking a pretty large Nerf gun here, so you can imagine what those batteries do to the weight of this thing.  For older kids, it may not be much of any issue, but it definitely isn’t ideal.  I guess having automatic firing comes at a price, our old school pump and shoot models weren’t heavy, but they couldn’t shoot 18 darts in a matter of seconds either.  Another gripe I have is with the magazine clips, Nerf puts warning all over the clips that you are not to exceed 18 darts per clip, but there isn’t really an easy way to gauge how many darts you’ve loaded other than keeping count.  I’m no math wiz, but I can count to 18 pretty effectively, but throw me into the middle of a battle and all of that goes out the window.  You may find me crouched behind a tree using fingers and toes to ensure I don’t overstuff my magazine.  There is also the rare occasion of jamming and dart damage, but these things are inherent with all models of this sort and the frequency that they are witnessed is so minimal that it’s definitely forgivable.

Given the tremendous benefit that this toy offers to those brave enough to yield it on the battlefield, the negatives don’t really hold that much weight (pun intended).  So I definitely recommend it.  I even liked it so much that I purchased one for myself.  Now that’s saying something, anytime you can get an adult to purchase a toy from a company that they loved as a kid for their own personal use is really spectacular.

This toy is Ty tested and Daddy approved, go buy it now

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 3-6-12
ProTunes I Am T-Pain Mic w/ Portable Speakers

Name:ProTunes I Am T-Pain Mic – Gold – With Portable 2-in-1 Speakers

Manufacturer: Jakks Pacific

Price:  $89.00

Length of Ownership: 3 months

Rating: 2 stars

Toy Review: T-Pain, the guy who brought you such great classics as: “I’m In Love With A Stripper” and “Booty Work” is now invading your child’s toy box with his new “I Am T-Pain” microphone.  I was a little apprehensive about purchasing this toy for Ty for two reasons: 1) At times I honestly think the boy is tone death & 2) I would be supporting T-Pain. But Ty really wanted it, so I put my better judgment aside and got it for him.  If a vocorder could make T-Pain’s voice marketable, then it should at least be able to make Ty sound bearable right?  Let’s take a deeper look at this toy and find out.

Once we opened the packaging, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the microphone came packed with a multitude of features. I honestly have to say that I wasn’t expecting much; so all the extra bonuses made me feel as though I didn’t completely throw my money away.  The mic came equipped with several different instrumentals that could be used for background music while your child sings their heart out in preparation for the next round of American Idol auditions.  However, these instrumentals were a double-edged sword; they were good for drowning out the child whose voice is on par with Steven Tyler while singing the National Anthem, but they also give the child the opportunity to perpetually be off beat. Pick your poison I guess.

Next up on the features list is the ability to record the beautiful music that your child has created.  Whether your child is kicking it accapello or unsuccessfully trying to catch the beat, they can record the catastrophe masterpiece and play it for your listening pleasure until your ears bleed heart swells with joy.  Something that is missing however is the ability to save the recordings either by plugging the mic into a computer via USB or some other viable option.  Even though some of Ty’s songs make me want to sit in a room full of chalkboards while 30 kids run their fingernails down them, I would still like the option to save a few and torture him with them play them for him when he’s older.

Another nice touch is the attachable speakers, which allow the performance to be broadcast to a larger audience.  Transition between microphone and speakers is seamless and only takes a few seconds so the show can be broadcast to all family members at the drop of a dime.  There is also the option to utilize one speaker and clip it on your belt for a more mobile performance.  The speakers aren’t necessary because the microphone is loud enough on it’s own, but I do think it was a nice addition that really adds value to the toy.

So we’ve spoken about a lot of the features of this toy, but we haven’t touched on the sole purpose of this toys existence: its sound.  There’s a reason for that, as you can see from the vid above, the sound quality is sub par at best.  The words and sounds come out muffled and it is very difficult to make out what is being said at times.  A toy that doesn’t achieve it’s main function isn’t a very good toy in my book.

Lastly, the feature that may be the most important of them all: the fact that the T-Pain effect is optional!  Yup, you have to actually press a button to utilize the T-Pain effect, which means if your child desires to let their natural singing voice shine through they most certainly can.  Nothing against T-Pain, but his effect can certainly get worn out pretty quickly, so I appreciate the fact that it isn’t mandatory.

Bottom line here is that this microphone is a low budget karaoke system that lacks many of the main features of your standard karaoke machine.  Although there are some pretty cool add ons, I don’t think they’re enough to make this toy anything more than an attempt to license T-Pain’s “fame” and get some quick bucks.

I’m sorry to say, but this toy has been Ty tested, however, it isn’t Daddy approved!

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 11-15-11
Beyblades Metal Fusion Battle Top

Name:Beyblade Metal Fusion Super Vortex Battle Set

Manufacturer: Haboro

Price: Varies ($6.99-29.99

Length of Ownership: 9 months

Rating: 3 stars

Toy Review: What can be said about Beyblades other than: KIDS FREAKING LOVE THESE THINGS! We all have our vices, and for Ty, his is Beyblades. It’s as if Pokemon have come back reincarnated or something because Ty truly thinks that he has to catch em all. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into the review shall we?

I personally think Beyblades are pretty cool (I actually own one), the thing that stands out the most to me is the fact that they pack a ton of action into such a small product and still find a way to keep the toy pretty inexpensive ($7-10). A standard Beyblade pack comes with a Beyblade top which consists of 5 interchangeable pieces, a launcher, a ripcord, and an assembly tool. In addition, each Beyblade comes with a series of stickers that help customize the toy. For the most part, these stickers are completely useless as they are too small to actually be effectively placed on the toy, but hey “A for effort” right?

So now that you know what a Beyblade is, you may be wondering what in the world are you supposed to do with them. Well that’s simple, they battle each other. Each person assembles their Beyblade, places it on its launcher and then LET IT RIP (Beyblade speak). The tops basically spin around and “attack” each other until one top stops spinning. The last Beyblade spinning is declared the winner, easy as that. This is basically taking the old spinning top routine from our childhood and revamping it for our children’s enjoyment. Beyblades try to spice things up a bit by adding battle strengths (attack, defense, etc) to each top, and claiming that by mixing and matching the various components that construct the Beyblade, the user can create a top for every type of battle. I’ve found this to be a complete exaggeration and it’s part of the reason that these toys don’t score as high as others we’ve reviewed.

Ty tries his hardest to develop the best combination of attack, stamina, and defense to become the best Beyblader in the world, but at the end of the day, it merely comes down to how hard you pull your ripcord. The harder you pull the more spin you get, end of story. So there is no magical formula to being the best, in my opinion, there’s no need to even try and collect them all. Because although each piece is listed as having strengths and weaknesses, they all pretty much function the same.

With that being said, Ty seems to believe there is merit to all of the different Beyblades and he does truly enjoy them. The switching of components allows for a deeper level of involvement than we had as kids. Even if it is superficial at best, it does add complexity to the toys which is welcomed in this day and age.

This toy is Ty tested and Daddy Tolerated! It’s worth taking a look at.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 2-22-11
Cadaco My First Magic Set

 Name: My First Magic Set with DVD Instructions

Manufacturer: Cadaco

Price: $15.99

Length of Ownership: 3 months

Rating: 5 stars

Toy Review: I honestly must say that this is one of the best magic sets available for a young child.  It has a plethora of different tricks, many of which can be mixed and matched to add additional flare.  All of the tricks are easy to perform and simple to understand, which is excellent for those kindergarten magicians.  The tricks range from the usual “make something disappear” to magically changing the color of different items.  There are a total of 10 tricks to learn, but as I said, most items are interchangeable, which adds a bit of shelf life extension to the experience. Everything is housed in a corrugate carrying case which makes taking your magic show on the road a breeze. In addition to all of the props and written instructions there is also a DVD that comes with this set.  The DVD does an excellent job of showing how the trick is performed, and then going back and explaining step by step how to pull it off.  My son has been able to watch that DVD and perform a few tricks on his own without any parental assistance.  This is a big boost because it really makes him feel like a true magician who never has to reveal his secrets.  I would definitely recommend this magic set to any parent that has a child who has shown the slightest bit of interest in magic.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 2-8-11
Leapfrog TAG Reading System

Name: LeapFrog TAG Reading System – Green

Manufacturer: Leapfrog

Price: $39.99

Length of Ownership: 2 months

Rating: 2.5 stars

Toy Review:  We all want our kids to grow up and be excellent readers right?  Well the Leapfrog TAG Reading system is another tool that will help your child along the path to reading glory.  But is the TAG Reading System all it’s cracked up to be, or is it another gimmick that feeds on parents’ yearning for increasing their child’s potential to learn? Let’s take a look at the meat and potatoes of this “toy” (and I use that loosely) and attempt to answer that question.

If you are not familiar with the TAG Reading System, here’s a brief overview.  It is a system that has specialized books, which allows you to take a “reader pen” and perform specific tasks.  Those tasks include reading the entire book, pronouncing specific words, and playing mini-games related to the story.  Sounds pretty action packed doesn’t it?

Let me start by saying the TAG Reading System does its job and it does it fairly well.  The reader pen is extremely responsive and can detect each word without a hitch. It is simple to use, pretty much point and press on the page in the appropriate area and you will hear the associated word, phrase, or description that you have selected.  Ty had no issues with utilization of the reading system at all.

Previously, I mentioned using the word “toy” loosely; let me touch on that a bit.  Most of the books for the TAG Reading System include several different games, meant to break up the monotony of reading.  The games are easy to play and we’ve found that they don’t offer up much excitement for a kindergartner.  There is also a rewards system, it unlocks different rewards based on your child’s progress, and you can connect your reader pen to the computer to view these rewards.  I’ve found that this feature has added very little to the experience.  Ty has never said “time to play TAG, so I can earn more rewards”.

In terms of an educational tool, I have to say that I am not very impressed.  For a kindergartener, this is not something that you can just let your child venture off on their own to explore.  They’ll need guidance to learn how to properly use the reading system; otherwise, they will just click on each word, without attempting to read them first.  That isn’t teaching them much is it?  The fact that the system can read the entire book to them, kind of felt like this is a parent replacement.  If the TAG system can read the book to my child, what do they need me for?  I personally enjoy reading time with my children and feel as though this system could potentially infringe on that quality time.  To be fair, as parents, we cannot devote all of our time to reading with our children, so this is a good replacement to help them along the way when we are not available.

The TAG Reading System does exactly what it says it will do; it assists with reading skills, reads to your child, and provides an entertainment factor.  The question is, are all of these things which can easily be provided by the parent value added?  Based on the cost of the books,  my answer would have to be no.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 1-4-11
Wild Fire RC Monster Truck

Name: Fast Lane Wild Fire Monster Truck

Manufacturer: Fast Lane

Price: $89.99

Length of Ownership: 2 weeks

Rating: 4 stars

Toy Review: This remote controlled monster truck is pretty awesome. I’m just gonna come out and say it, I love (almost) everything about it. Ty loves (almost) everything about it. Before I get to the almost, let me tell you all the great things about this truck, once I finish, that “almost” really won’t matter.

To start off, this thing is huge, I mean it’s really big, it gets one star based on its size alone.  It truly dwarfs most RC cars/trucks that I’ve come across.  Not only is it large, but it is really fast. For a truck of this size, the speed that it can reach is pretty phenomenal.  Another good thing is that with such great size and speed, durability is a must have and the Wild Fire surely has it.  We have taken this thing down a couple of stairs, run it into walls, demolished other toys with it and it still runs like new.  I was a little worried about how this truck would handle, but right out of the box Ty was able to maneuver it like a pro, its gets pretty good distance as well.  To add on to the standard remote control features, it also comes equip with real life monster truck sounds that simulate firing up the engine and several other monster truck sound effects.

So where is that “almost” you told us about, you may be wondering.  The only thing that I could find wrong with this toy is the horrific battery life.  When I say horrific, I truly mean it.  After about 15 mins of playtime (10 mins with sound on), the truck starts to get lethargic, a few minutes later and it will barely move.  The bright side to this is that the truck does come with its own battery pack and its the same one used by most other RC cars.  So you can easily swap them out if you have an extra one laying around the house, if not, I’d recommend spending an extra $10 to pick up a second battery pack.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 10-19-10
Hot Wheels Color Shifter – Custom Garage Color Shop

Name: Hot Wheels Color Shifters Custom Color Shop