The Big Trends in Hi-Tech, Family-Friendly Gifts 2015
Playing together:
The best trend in hi-tech gaming is family-friendly gaming. Look for games that fight isolation, and encourage positive socialization. Here are a few of the best:
- Skylanders Superchargers, from $39.99
New to Skylanders this year is the addition of vehicle toys to increase the fun both on-screen and off. They add new dimensions to the type of game play in Skylanders. There are boats, wheeled vehicles, and planes, so entirely different play modes are available. Beyond the action adventure part of the game there is also a card game called Skystones that players of some earlier sets will remember. I like the idea that sometimes winning is about thinking, not just how fast your thumb is and Skystones brings this concept to the table. Parents should know, however, that there is plenty of cartoon-like shooting in this game. If you have a no gun rule, this - and just about every other platform action game - is not right for you.
- Guitar Hero Live, from $64.99
Guitar Hero Live comes to the next-gen platforms for the first time, and uses live action footage to make you feel like a rock star. With free music channels and premium content the beat goes on and on. The set is available packed with one or two guitars, plus you can add an optional microphone. The reworked guitars now have three rows with two buttons each, so that the fretting works more like a real guitar with simulated chords.
- Just Dance 2016, from $35.99
Just Dance 2016, gets everyone off the couch and dancing. In the next-gen version up to six people can play; all they need is their smartphone, and the free App, no extra accessories needed. It comes with forty+ tunes and an optional subscription service serves over 150 more, all with spectacular video effects.
- Just Dance: Disney Party, from $19.99
and Just Dance Disney Party 2, from $26.99
I love both this year and last year's kids version of Just Dance. This year's focuses on the Disney Channel's musical lineup. - Hasbro Family Fun Pack, from $19.99
Hasbro Family Fun Pack comes with four games: Trivial Pursuits, Risk, Scrabble, and Monopoly. These are games that everyone can play, fast reflexes not needed, so it is somehting that can be the basis of a shared, fun, experience by all members of the family.
- but, don't forget the benefits of classic board games:
Monopoly Game (80th Anniversary), $22,62
This isn't your father's Monopoly. More like your great-grandfather's. It is a beautiful, retro set of the classic board game. The game offers ample real-world opportunity for your kids to practice arithmetic and reading skills.
Dolls can be political lessons:
While Toyland is still awash in sexual stereotypes some toys have gone out of the way to show girls that their are many options for them as they grow.
- North American Bear Company Baby Hero Girl Doll $24.99
- Stargazer Lottie Doll ($59.99)
- Barbie Careers Eye Doctor Playset ($19.99)
and
- Barbie Career of The Year Director Doll
Hi-tech for the youngest in toyland
- Noggin Stik Baby Toy $22.99
This hi-tech rattle has a face that changes colors, and a high contrast base to appeal to the youngest techies in the house. It has a quiet rattle sound when shaken.
- Mirari Pop! Pop! Piano Toy
Hit the keys and the stars pop up and jump from one cylinder to another. There are two sound modes, one musical the other funny sound effects; both pleasant enough. Older players may try to play tunes or get the colors into the matching cylinder; for babies this is more of an instant gratification toy that empowers their sense of being able to make things happen. Marked for 1 and up, but my sitting up grandson, Miles, loves making it go, even as he gains hand control by making it work. - Playskool Sesame Street Play All Day Elmo $42.99
This season's interactive Elmo is larger and softer than usual, which makes him cuddlier than Elmos of the past. There are two modes of play: a setting for toddlers with simplest games and another for preschoolers, a nice feature, although his speech tends to be less clear than previous Elmo dolls. There are no accessories to put on and take off. All the action is built into the doll. To activate, just squeeze Elmo's big soft orange nose and he plays eight games. Of course, Elmo is "the boss" of all, telling kids let's play pat-a-cake, hop and count, freeze dance, guess colors, red light/green light, and animal sounds. Elmo also takes naps and sings a lullaby before he goes quiet until someone is ready to wake him up and play some more. Marked for 18 months to 4 years. The sweet spot ages are probably just between those-- as in 2's to late 3's.
Smart Toys
- Anki OVERDRIVE Starter Kit $134.99
Anki Overdrive is the 21st century’s answer to slot cars. You control the rechargeable, wireless cars using your smartphone, racing against up to three opponents, live or AI. The basic set comes with two cars and enough track to create up to eight layouts, then you can add additional cars and stunt track pieces. The cars level up the more you play!
- Wonder Workshop Dash Robot ($149.99)
Much more than a remote controlled robot, Dash can be programmed by kids using a drag-and-drop interface on a tablet. New this year is a ping pong ball catapult that is also programmable. - Miposaur ($89.99)
If all the Miposaur did was demonstrate his gyroscopic prowess by roll about balancing on two wheels while moving about the room he would be pretty cool. But Miposaur truly has a bit of personality and that makes him more than a machine. He can be controlled by app from a smartphone and can also track and respond to his "training ball". - Minecraft Stop-Motion Animation Studio $39.99
If you have a Minecraft fan in your house, you'll want to check out this new stop-motion movie creator. You'll need a smartphone to take the pictures with (it fits on the provided stand) and then your child's imagination takes over. Choose one of the six backgrounds and then yell "action" as you move the three Minecraft figures around your set. The APP then lets you create your own movie and share it with other people. Our testers had a new appreciation for what goes into animated movies. - Stikbot Stikbot Studio $19.99
The free Stikbot Studio app, available on iOS and Android, snaps individual photos and stitches them together into a film. The set comes with two posable stick figures that have suction cup hands and feet to facilitate posing. The app is complete with music and sound effects. - littleBits Electronics Gizmos and Gadgets Kit
I've been a big fan of the littlebits kits, but I have mixed feelings about this one. Like previous sets, kids can build a variety of projects putting together electronic building blocks that connect via magnets. Unfortunately, in the kit I was provided, while the magnets worked, the pieces did not fit securely on the non-magnetic baseboard which is supposed to hold things together, particularly where there are moving parts.
Tablets for kids
- LeapFrog LeapPad Platinum Kids Learning Tablet, $98.44
LeapFrog used to have the whole kid's tablet market to itself; this year there is competition. I still like the huge collection of educator, parent, and child tested content. - Nabi Collector's Edition Tablet: The Force Star Wars Accessory Bundle Light Side, $169.99
Nabi tablets come in a variety of sizes and specifications, but the idea is that they are specially designed, Android-based devices for kids, and there are different models for different age ranges. The tablets come pre-loaded with content, but they also have a subscription plan that brings in music, games, ebooks, and some videos. This year there are two Star Wars inspired tablets for kids aged 6 to 9. They have 7" screens, decent (but not killer) resolution, and 16GB of storage. You can buy a Nexus 7 with better specs for less, but it won't have the big glow in the dark bumper, Star Wars frame, parental controls, and content.
- Amazon Fire Tablets
Amazon sells a wide variety of tablets under the Fire brand. Based on a version of Android, but with a special (and sometimes option limiting) skin, they are somewhat controversial, but undeniably inexpensive. In particular, their Fire Children's Edition ($84.95) is critizied by many for interface and space limitations. The tablet comes with a one year subscription to Amazon's Free Time Unlimited
content package for kids, and with more than 10,000 things to download, the tablet can quickly fill up. Some suggest that the standard Fire tablet has more storage, and greater flexibility. The Children's Edition also includes a protective bumper and a two year warranty against accidental damage, things you'd need to purchase separately with the standard Fire Tablet.
Star Wars:
The Force will be inescapable for the rest of the year. With so many licensed products the quality is bound to be uneven, but some of the products I like include:
- Sphero BB-8 App-Enabled Droid
A rolling droid you control from your smartphone.
- Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack, from $49.99
A video game/action figure hybrid that aims for the tween market. Though kids will be initially drawn into the games, they may find that the best, most addicting part of the software is the Toy Box, an area where they can build their own worlds and games, and even share them on-line. - Star Wars: Battlefront, from $59.88
Available on the major next-gen platforms and PCs, this is not a game for young kids. Fast, fun, easy to play, it is all about killing, dying, and killing some more, albeit bloodlessly. The game puts you in the middle of the biggest, best, battles of the Star Wars Universe, from the forests of Endor to the frozen wastelands of Hoth. Never has a video game so realistically captured the look-and-feel of Lucas' movie creations. There are solo games, co-op modes, and then massive battles with up to forty players.
- Turtle Beach - Star Wars X-Wing Pilot Gaming Headset ($49.99)
- Star Wars R2-D2 Bento Box, $20.44
Virtual and Augmented Reality products will be the big story in 2016.
Some are already here, but the big players will make their debut after this holiday season. Products to watch for:
- Sony Morpheus
- Oculus Rift
- HTC Vive
- Samsung Gear
- Google Cardboard
- Microsoft HoloLens
The decisions you make now will affect what you can play next year.
- Action Cameras go VR: 360fly 360 Degree Action Camera, $499
The best way to understand what this camera is capable of is to look at videos shot on it!
Gaming Platforms are maturing, but the vast majority of video gaming is still violent and aimed at older audiences.
- PlayStation 4 500GB Console - Star Wars Battlefront Bundle ($349)
Arguably the most powerful of the next-gen platforms, with some of my favorite kids friendly titles, like Little Big Planet 3 ($19.96)
- Xbox One 500GB Console - The LEGO Movie Bundle (Note: does not include Kinect motion controller) ($348.85)
The interface gets a huge overhaul this year, and the platform gets backward compatability with many of the Xbox 360 titles, plus it will have the ability to stream video games to your Window 10 PC. - Nintendo Wii U Super Mario Maker Console Deluxe Set ($399)
The largest number of kid friendly games is on the Nintendo platforms. However, many rely on some form of combat: Kicking/jumping/shooting. Two games I like this year are:- Super Mario Maker ($52.99 or included in console bundle, above): Nintendo has a history of innovation that push the boundaries of video gaming, and Super Mario Maker is a prime example. Though kids love platforming games, parents are concerned about turning their kids into mindless zombies who fall under the addicting spell of the genre. Super Mario Maker turns the genre on its head by empowering kids to become game designers! Games can be created by kids and shared online. In particular, this is a game that makes great use of the special Wii U gamepad controller; its stylus is used to draw the levels. You can switch between "drawing" and "play" to test your designs as you go.
- Yoshi's Woolly World ($44.96 or
$59.99 when bundled with Amiibo Action figure)
The artwork and gentle style of this platformer makes it a winner for younger gamers. Everything in the game, characters included, seems made out of yarn, cotton and string! This affects not only the "look" but the way your character moves and fights. It has been decades since Yoshi appeared as the main character in a home console game, and this one is a winner.
- PC Gaming continues to grow, and this year there are many add-ons that make it even more fun.
- NVIDIA Shield ($199.99)
This is an ambitious device with three main functions. First, like a Roku, it can stream high definition content (even 4K), like movies, to your TV. Then, it can also be used to play games installed on your computer on a big television screen. Finally, there is a subscription service that you can use to access an on-line collection of games.
- Steam Link ($49.99)
and Steam Controller ($49.99)
The Steam Link is less ambitious (and less expensive) than the NVIDIA Shield. It does one thing, stream games from your Steam account on your computer to a TV. With a fast computer and a fast router it does a good job. However, like the Shield, it ties up your computer while you're gaming on a TV. I like that you can hook up a keyboard and mouse to the Link or use a controller.
- Gaming is one of the big reasons to upgrade to Windows 10. Better graphics drivers and the ability to stream games from an Xbox One to your computer screen is another.
- EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti ($690)
The graphics cards in some gaming computers cost more than many laptops! What you get for that price is speed and dazzling graphics. The GTX 980TI delivers enough power for gaming on a 4K monitor at high settings and will have more than enough power when you want to hook up an Oculus Rift up to it when it becomes generally available next year. The EVGA GeForce GTX 970 ($309)
, at less than half the price, is still powerful enough for almost any game on a standard monitor.
- Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset ($199.99)
- Razer BlackWidow Chroma Clicky Mechanical Gaming Keyboard ($169)
- NVIDIA Shield ($199.99)
One idea is to get add-ins for the platforms that give new functionality:
- Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller ($149.99)
- Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel ($349)
- Seagate Game Drive for Xbox, 2TB ($112)
Drones
There are a lot of them out there. Our tests found that they were potentially dangerous (falling/crashing, propeller hazards), and easily destroyed by trees and water. Kites suffer from some of the same issues, but generally cost less!
Family Hi-Tech Gifts
- Roku 3 ($99)
The Roku 3 plugs into one of your TVs HDMI ports and, after connecting to your home network, can stream content from Netflix, Amazon, and many more services. You can control the Roku with an app on your smartphone, or with the supplied remote. The remote is the special sauce that raises the Roku 3 above the competition. When you plug the (included) earbuds or your own headphones into the remote, the sound on the TV cuts out and plays only through the headset! This means you can watch TV while those are trying to read, sleep, or otherwise be undisturbed by your programming. A slower model without the ability to broadcast sound to the remote is available for $49.99
- Amazon Fire TV Stick, $49.99 with voice remote, $39.99 standard remote
I hesitate to mention Amazon's Fire Stick, and do so primarily to criticize the company's decision to delist competing products from Roku and Google from the Amazon store. The Fire Stick is not a bad product, in fact it has some very good features, but in my opinion the decision not to carry competing products in the general store shows a lack of confidence in its own product. - SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick, Wireless Flash Drive for Smartphones, Tablets and Computers (from $39.95)
We all have music, photos, and videos on our phones and digital devices. Accessing and sharing them can be a pain, plus I'm always running out of room. With the Connect Wireless Stick from SanDisk, music, photos and videos can all be stored in this little package. Then, just put it in your bag or pocket, and watch, listen, and share your files, wirelessly on your pc, tablet, or smartphone. Amazing. They come in sizes all the way up to 128GB!
- Logitech 915-000238 Harmony Home Hub for Smartphone Control of 8 Home Entertainment and Automation Devices (from $89.99)
I've been using the Harmony system since it first came out, but the newish ability to control all your electronics via smartphone (as well as the many remotes also available) is a real winner. In truth, I prefer controlling harmony with an iPad or Android Tablet over the remotes. We have one hub in the living room and another in our bedroom and no longer need to go hunting for the TV remote, Cable Box remote, and others. Just launching the app brings total control, regardless of where I am in the house.
- Kindle Voyage and Paperwhite 2 (from $99)
I was a latecomer to eReading, and I still prefer the tactile experience of curling up with a book. Nevertheless, the improved display and fonts on the new Kindle Paperwhite 2 and updated Voyage have made reading an ebook much more pleasurable, an less expensive.
Disclaimer: Activision, SanDisk, Ubisoft, and Anki were sponsors of the JamesGames Satellite Media Tour in November 2015. They did not have editorial control over this article.
