. ProsSmartphone app lets parents communicate with the device. Memory card slot. Bundled rechargeable battery. Proprietary Wi-Fi connectivity. Backwards-compatible with all InnoTab game cartridges. KidConnect feature allows parents to send emails to device from their smartphones.
ConsNoticeable lag in boot up time, as well as when moving to different apps. No more dedicated stand. Card slot now for MicroSD rather than SD. Card slot is hard to access. Bottom LineWith its improved controls, increased storage and bundled rechargeable batteries, the VTech InnoTab 3S is an attractive tablet for those who bought the previous iterations. But the laggy performance frustrates, and its addition of a MicroSD card slot (rather than the SD slot of old) is a head scratcher.The InnoTab 3S is VTech's latest salvo in the toy tablet battle.
For the same price as its previous iterationand $50 less than the it adds more storage, rechargeable batteries, and redesigned controls. But laggy performance at boot-up and when moving through appsas well as replacing the SD card slot with a MicroSD slothold it back. The InnoTab 3S measures about 5.7-by-8.3-by-1 inches (HWD). It's smaller than the LeapPad Ultra, and the VTech InnoTab 2. But that's not the only difference. With the InnoTab 3, VTech has done a complete overhaul in terms of the controls. The main change is that the orientation of the device is mainly landscape mode, rather than portrait mode (as it was in the previous iteration).
The 2-megapixel, 180-degree rotating camera is now located on the middle of the long side. The device offers over 55 photo features and special effects. VTech has done away with a physical camera button; instead, there is a camera button on the screen when the user is in camera mode. VTech does add a new toggle button to the left of the screen. The home button is at the bottom of the screen, with volume up and volume down buttons located on either side of it.
All the buttons have icons, except the Enter button to the right of the screen, right under the Hint button. The omission of an icon on the Enter button is puzzling, as parents who can't find the instruction manual will be mystified by it.The device comes with 4GB of onboard memory that can expand to 32GB via micro SD, as well as a pop-up onscreen keyboard and stylus with a storage slot. The MicroSD slot is a head-scratcher for me. Not only is the slot still hard to access (it's still located very close to one of the battery compartments), but a MicroSD card is not as common as an SD card in most people's homes.
It comes with two stylii (one is a spare) as well as a string to connect the stylus to the device.The InnoTab 3 features a five-inch touch screen and tilt sensor. It also has a built-in microphone, headphone jack, and four different media players: an e-book reader, MP3 music player, photo viewer, and video player. One feature I'm going to miss is the stand present in other iterations. It was a convenient way to prop up the device when watching videos.When I first turned on the InnoTab 3S, there was a noticeable lag in having the device boot up.
I thought it was an anomaly until I started going from screen to screen. Again, there was noticeable lag, something I didn't see with the LeapPad Ultra. That lag could prove frustrating to young users who have no real concept of delayed gratification.The device comes with 20 free apps loaded out of the box. In order to use the Wi-Fi enabled features such as Wish List Maker, Kid Connect, and the Web browser, you need to register the InnoTab 3S on the Learning Lodge program, which is bundled as a CD that you have to install on your PC. While installing the Learning Lodge software via the included CD was easy, the actual setup was difficult. I chose the InnoTab 3s as the device during setup.
But when I plugged the device in, the Learning Lodge program didn't recognize it. The only device that showed up was the InnoTab 2. I ended up doing a search online and downloading the plug-in for the InnoTab 3, then unplugged and plugged the InnoTab 3s back in. After a couple of tries, the Learning Lodge finally recognized the device.Then the Learning Lodge informed me that it needed to download a firmware update, which took 10 minutes. It was another 10 minutes of waiting for the firmware update to be downloaded into the InnoTab 3s.
For someone as used to firmware updates as I am, it was still annoying for me to have to wait so long to even start using the device. I can only imagine how typical parents will feel having to go through the same thing while their youngsters ask repeatedly to use the device. Still, once the updates were done, the device worked smoothly. I also had no problem downloading previously purchased games from Learning Lodge to the InnoTab 3S.Like the LeapPad Ultra, the InnoTab 3S is backwards-compatible with all InnoTab game cartridges, a boon to parents who really don't want to have to purchase a whole new library of games and ebooks.Having played with previous InnoTab iterations, my five-year-old tester had no problems navigating the InnoTab 3S. He did express frustration at waiting for each app to load, but he had a lot of fun playing with the Art Studio and WonderCam apps. I tried sending him a message using the KidConnect App on my smartphone. Although it took a little while for the email to reach the InnoTab 3S, he thought it was the greatest thing to get an email on his own account.The InnoTab 3S has brought some welcome updates to VTech's InnoTab line, such as more memory, a battled rechargeable battery, and a toggle button.
The fact that its $50 cheaper than the LeapPad Ultra only adds to its attractiveness. But the lag time is problematic to me, and the MicroSD card slot (as well as the removal of the stand) is a head-scratcher.
Thus, the LeapPad Ultra remains the Editors' Choice in the toy tablet category. That said, if you are already well deep into the InnoTab line (i.e., you have all those game cartridges in your possession), then the InnoTab 3S is a great tablet to get.
CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - VTech ® , a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children, today announced award-winning Android™ 1 learning apps available for the company's new InnoTab ® MAX children's learning tablet.
The content, which has been pre-approved by educators, can be downloaded and purchased through VTech's Learning Lodge ® app store and includes over 200 titles 2 from Spinlight Studio, Thup Games, Brainchild, 22learn, Cupcake Digital and more, with additional apps continuously being added.' We are thrilled to partner with so many leading software companies to introduce Android learning content to our InnoTab MAX tablet,' said William To, President, VTech Electronics North America. 'The new Android apps have been educator-approved to meet the quality and caliber of engaging, educational titles parents and kids have come to expect from VTech to make learning fun.' Spinlight Studio, known for their award-winning, educational content packed with fun, offers 14 apps focusing on subjects such as reading and language arts, creativity and problem solving, science and social studies, and math. The Spinlight Studio content is spearheaded by its popular AlphaTots app, an interactive game that helps little ones learn their ABCs with fun games and songs, and Geography Drive USA, which helps kids learn facts about U.S. Geography, from oceans and rivers to state capitals and flags, while exploring key moments in history.Creator of popular children's early learning apps, Thup Games offers four apps available for download on the Learning Lodge, covering reading and language arts, science and social studies, and math. Featured among the titles is the acclaimed Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, a collection of exciting educational games for preschoolers, teaching colors, letters, counting, differences, matching and more.With Common Core & State Standards continuing to be widely adapted across the country, Brainchild, a leading educational software company, is offering its World Class Math and World Class Language Arts learning programs, featuring 20 lessons in each app.
Built from the new Common Core standards, each lesson has a one-minute teaching segment, followed by a Study mode where kids learn at their own pace with feedback and step-by-step solutions. A Test mode keeps scores so parents can track progress. World Class software gives students extra help at home that they can't get at school.22learn, known for creating interactive media for children, offers 10 apps for the InnoTab MAX.
Its endearing apps for playful young minds inspire children's creativity, spark imagination and encourage learning. The educational apps, such as Alphabet Aquarium and Animal Train, focus on creativity and problem solving and reading and language arts.There are 10 apps available from Cupcake Digital, giving kids the opportunity to interact with the characters they love by transforming children's entertainment properties into delightful apps infused with teaching moments.
Tested by kids and educational experts, the titles, including Wubzy's ABC Learn & Play and Animal Planet Hide & Seek Pets, cover subjects including reading and language arts, creativity and problem solving, and science and social studies.' Curated collections, like those provided by VTech in its new tablet, offer a great solution where parents can know that these apps are not only safe for the devices they are on, but they are also fun, age-appropriate and embodied with learning principles,' said Dr. Eric Klopfer, VTech Expert Panel member and Platform Learning Expert.The Learning Lodge gives parents and children access to purchase hundreds of engaging, age-appropriate games, videos, e-books and music. More than 650 titles teach reading, math, social studies, handwriting, science, problem solving, geography and more. The wide variety of educational and engaging content and curriculum is tailor-made for each age group and is suitable for toddlers to grade-schoolers, giving every child an opportunity to expand their learning potential while keeping them entertained.
Parents can even track their child's learning progress online.The new downloads can be found at. For more information about InnoTab MAX, please visit.About VTech ®VTech ® is a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children. As a pioneer in the learning toy category, VTech develops high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children's development and make learning fun. With a rich, almost 35 year history, VTech has not only established itself as a learning authority but also consistently remains at the forefront of innovation with multiple award-winning products such as the InnoTab ® MAX, VTech's first children's tablet with Android™ learning content, Kidizoom ® Smartwatch, the first smartwatch for kids with a built-in camera, InnoTab ® 3S, MobiGo ®, V.Reader ® and V.Smile ®. The Learning Lodge ®, VTech's comprehensive app store, features a robust library of more than 650 educational and entertaining games, e-Books, music and videos with engaging age-appropriate content across the widest variety of curricula, with content expanding to offer even more titles. The company also has a broad range of award-winning infant and preschool products available in 24 different languages worldwide, with more than 100 new products introduced every year.
In order to further strengthen VTech's position as a learning authority, the company's Panel of Experts, with esteemed experts in reading, language arts, science, math, and child development, consult on new product introductions and Learning Lodge content.VTech Electronics North America, LLC is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. VTech Electronics Limited is headquartered in Hong Kong with distribution globally. VTech is the global leader in electronic learning products from infancy to preschool.For more information on VTech's additional product lines, visit, on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.About Spinlight StudioSpinlight Studio is an award-winning educational app developer and publisher that passionately believes learning should be fun. Since 2011, the company has released 14 best-selling titles for the iOS, Android and Mac OS platforms, creating apps that children love and parents appreciate for their strong educational value. Spinlight has earned numerous Parents' Choice Awards, ON for Learning honors and a Children's Technology Review Editor's Choice Award for a long list of titles covering math, reading, geography and more.
Critically acclaimed for their unique blend of education and entertainment, Spinlight apps have been featured in USA Today, Us Weekly and on national news shows, including Fox News and the NBC Today Show.About Thup GamesFounded in 2002, Thup has created all kinds of games for all kinds of people. In 2009 Thup launched their first app, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, recognizing the need for learning apps that kids would relate to and love.
Innotab Downloadable Games
Since then, Thup has created five preschool games starring the loveable Monkey character, available on a universe of mobile devices through Apple's App Store, Amazon App Store and Google Play. Thup is proud to have been named to 'best kids' apps' lists by CBS New York, Conde Nast Traveler, Babble.com and Parents Magazine as well as having been awarded an Editor's Choice award from Children's Technology Review. Prior to launching their own portfolio, Thup has produced games for media companies like Viacom and Turner Entertainment.About 22learn22learn is an award-winning educational studio developing applications for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and primary grade students. Founded by parents of four, 22learn is a model example of a family-operated play studio where all developers share passion for children, education, and play. Its best-selling titles include: Abby Basic Skills (proud winner of Recommended Seal by Parents' Choice Foundation), Phonics Island (bearer of Approved Seal by Parents' Choice Foundation), Abby Toddler Animals, Animal Train, and Preschool Shape Puzzles. With almost 3,000,000 downloads, 22learn is one of the largest producers of mobile preschool applications in the world. All Material and Software (C) 2012 22learn, LLC / All Rights Reserved.
Innotab 2 Downloads
Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. And/or other countries.About Cupcake DigitalFounded in 2012, Cupcake Digital gives kids the opportunity to interact with the characters they love by transforming children's entertainment properties into award-winning apps. We bring Peanuts, Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba!, RIO, How To Train Your Dragon, The Smurfs, Madagascar, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Wow! Wubbzy!, and many others to life in enhanced storybook, imaginative play and learning apps. Our team makes digital products that kids love and parents value. Cupcake Digital apps are widely available to consumers on their favorite app stores for iOS and Android devices. For more information about Cupcake Digital, please visit.1 Android is a trademark of Google Inc.2 Available by end of 2014.SOURCE VTech Related Links.