The world may be waiting in breathless anticipation for the arrival of Apple’s widely hyped iPad, but Taiwanese AIPTEK has come up with a device that may well be a better choice for children. Its
Story Book inColor lets kids enjoy a variety of illustrated audio stories without the risks or distractions of an internet connection.
With a book-like form factor including fold-back cover, Story Book inColor comes preloaded with 20 built-in stories including both illustrations and narration. A bookcase metaphor on the device simulates the feeling of choosing a book from a shelf, and page transitions mimic the experience of reading a real book. Many more stories for Story Book inColor are also available on AIPTEK’s site, including English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese contents as well as motion formats. The device’s 1GB of internal memory can store up to 45 titles, and more can be saved to SD/SDHC, MMC, MS pro and USB storage. After 20 minutes of reading, Story Book inColor even pops up an icon to remind children to give their eyes a rest. When not in use as an ebook reader, the device can serve as a digital photo frame. Pricing on Story Book inColor’s books ranges from USD 4.99 to USD 9.99. The device itself is available at a variety of Chinese retailers for TWD 6,900. In the U.S. it’s
available online for USD 179.99.
AIPTEK plans to develop stores in the US and Europe, according to an article in the
Taipei Times; one to partner with in your neck of the tablet-crazed woods…? (Related:
Online platform for long-distance bedtime stories —
Personalized e-stories for kids on iPhone and Kindle —
iPhone app narrates stories for young kids.)
Spotted by: Satyamadhav Mohapatra
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