| VTech V.Smile Blue Bundled with Thomas & Friends | 
| Brand: VTech
Category: Toy
List Price: £39.99
Buy New: £19.99
You Save: £20.00 (50%)
New (5) from £19.99
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 66
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.6
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 10 x 3.5
MPN: 75273
UPC: 050803752736
EAN: 0050803752736
ASIN: B000SQLEAG
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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Product Description
Learning is child's play with the new and improved TV pre-school console that turns gaming into a learning adventure! Learn spelling, object identification, colours, counting, shapes and problem-solving with Thomas and Friends. Teaches children all the pre-school basics (English, maths, logic, science, etc.). Connects directly to your TV (not included).
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| Customer Reviews:
 V tech V smile - V Unhappy! July 26, 2008
J. Hiles (Cheshire, UK)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
I had been trying to think of ways for our 3 and half year old to start recognising his alphabet - unfortunatley he hasn't taken to the jigsaws my older son enjoyed and I didn't want to push him into anything, but wanted to make it fun.
When I saw the V smile I thought 'Bingo!' - this will interest him as he is already familiar with playing basic games on cbeebies website and I noticed there was an alphabet game available (together with his interest in Thomas - I thought I'd cracked it!!!!)
So - I read 1 or 2 vague reviews here and there - but convinced myself that this was definitely the toy to have.
I decided to get everything working when the boys were in bed - so that I could avoid the inevitable impatience of me unwrapping and setting everything up. I cannot put into words how disappointed I was with the whole thing. Thank goodness they didn't see it (and never will).
Firstly the most noticable thing is the awful quality of the graphics
Secondly the sound quality isn't up to much at all and how a child is supposed to follow the vocal instructions I'll never know
Thirdly the controls for the games and the variation of what they need to understand to control the game is so confusing - I cannot comprehend that we're in the 21st century and a major toy company can get away with selling this as a quality educational toy.
As far as I'm concerned V-tech have created this cheap to manufacture but relatively costly toy (especially as you think you should buy the mains adaptor and the 2nd joystick and not to mention the phenomonally dear games)as an introduction to 'gaming' and not a quality educational toy.
I have definitely learned my lesson - going forward I will thoroughly research a toy before getting drawn into the hype.
If you're happy with the 1980's quality of the 'ZX' computer then go ahead and buy it - but I strongly advise you to re-think how you are spending your hard-earned cash.
Disappointing... January 4, 2008
The Smiths (UK)
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
V-tech promises an award winning learning platform with entertaining graphics and funky coloured consoles but in reality the product is somewhat of an enigma.
The console and joystick are all well styled, feel durable and the whole system is easy to set-up. My kids were really excited at the look of it and even more engaged with all the enticing images on the packaging and individual games.
It looks like they spent a lot of time and effort designing it....and then you turn it on!!
The graphics are appalling with a fuzzy distortion which makes it very difficult to sit in front of for more than a few minutes. Added to this is a muffled sound navigation which is barely audible and text navigation which isn't always easy to read against the background.
I completely concur with a previous reviewer who likened this console to an early 80's computer and, whilst I didn't expect something that delivered XBOX or Nintendo gaming, it really disappointed against the most basic of expectations.
 Keeps the kids quiet. December 11, 2007
M. Foster
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
Not sure what the previous reviewer was expecting for less than 40 - an XBOX 360 perhaps? Clearly this isnt a games console its a learning *toy* which our children like very much. We had the vision to buy the 2nd controller which was bundled with a game so was almost free anyway.
Graphics and sound are basic but not as bad as made out by previous reviewer - think Sega Master System rather than Vic20!!
All in all not a bad buy, the main downside is that the kids will grow out of it in time so think of it as having a lifespan of about 5 years max.
Not recommended... December 8, 2007
The Frog (UK)
16 out of 19 found this review helpful
We were really disappointed with this console.
Our pre-school children find the controller confusing. Its got big buttons and little buttons, and coloured buttons, and a pen pad, and a joystick. If I'm honest I find it confusing too.
On screen, the user interface is very inconsistent. The children can't work out which buttons to press.
The graphics look like something from the mid 1980's, think Vic20/ZX Spectrum quality and you won't be far wrong. The sound seems muffled, making it difficult to hear what's being said. The music is ZX Spectrum quality - you'll want to make it stop after 2 minutes.
Inserting the games requires more force than our kiddies can muster.
Many of the games and navigations rely on text... which is fine for older children, but pre-school kiddies can't read. Though some navigation items are also spoken, the sound is so poor its often hard to make out whats being said.
There is only one controller in the pack (even though some games for the console are two player). Which provokes fights between our two. Additional controllers are ~ 15 new (half the price of the console!).
Overall, we were very disappointed. If you're looking for a Christmas or birthday present think hard before you buy this.
Good PC games are generations ahead of this console (try Bob the Builder's Castle Adventure for example! I like playing that one, so do the children).
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