 - Portable notebook-style computer with gray-scale LCD screen, QWERTY keyboard and plug-in mouse
- 80 Engaging activities teach multi-curricular school skills in English and Spanish
- Artificial Intelligence technology guides children through activities with advanced level memory system
- 2 Interchangeable cartridges provide bonus reading games and foreign language activities
- With its cool look and design, Nitro Notebook is power packed with learning tools and fun
List Price: $49.99
Lowest Price: $49.95 
Product Description: Master reading while having fun. With its sleek, laptop computer design, Nitro Notebook is the ultimate high-tech learning tool for today's emerging readers. Kids love having their own computer with an endless selection of fun games and activities that help them master reading in two languages. The computer reads aloud stories to teach phonics and improve fluency. Developing readers learn at their own speed as Artificial Intelligence technology tracks their performance and adjusts the skill levels as needed. Note: Image shown features a color screen; actual item features a black and white screen. Requires 3 "AA" batteries (not included). Measures 16" x 13". Amazon.com Product Description: Youngsters will love whipping out this very grownup-looking laptop for a little educational funactually, a lot of educational fun! With 80 activities in such skills as language, math, Spanish, social studies, reading, art, and music, the Nitro Notebook packs a true academic punch. The sleek blue computer looks like a standard laptop on the outside, complete with mouse and pad, but features developmentally appropriate games for kids six and older. As players explore games in Science World (match the animal to its shadow), Word Zone (spell the word to help the puppy cross the river), Creative Studio (create a musical masterpiece), and more, an artificial intelligence tool tracks their progress, automatically upping the challenge quotient as their skills progress. Two bonus cartridges (Story Time and Sing-Along) take kids still deeper into their journey of knowledge. This is a terrific way to improve school skills at home. Three AA batteries or 9V 300mA adaptor required (not included). (Demo batteries included.) --Emilie Coulter 
Nitro Notebook is power packed with learning tools. | 
This fun and educational tool delivers many computer-like laptop features. View larger. | Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-04-28
Perfect for a 7 year old girl and her Spanish class
Bought this for Christmas gift for a 7 year old girls. She loves it. We didn't even know about the Spanish ability when we bought it (was looking for math drills and spelling help).
She has taken her laptop to her spanish class and even the teacher was impressed with the learning drills and has asked her many times to bring it back for the others to use as well.
The case has held up very well for three long distance trips, and a number of trips to Grandpa's. She loves the laptop and even now (6 mos after getting it) she plays with it several times a week.
Rating: 
Date: 2008-03-20
My Stepdaughter's love it!!
My mother purchased two for my stepdaughter's (8 & 9) this past Christmas and they absolutely love playing with them. They like the games okay, but they love the feature where their dad and I can leave messages for them. Every time they come over it's a mad rush to their "laptops" to see what messages they were left. They just love them!!
Personally, I was disappointed that it didn't come with a cord to plug them in with, but hopefully they will be sick of them by the time the batteries die (finger's crossed lol). Also the screen is very small and has no backlight, which makes it very difficult to read, at least for 30 year old eyes. They do take quite a beating though as my SD's have put those thing's through everything imaginable and they're still working great!!
So the kids love them and I could go either way. As long as they enjoy playing with them though, I like them too!! Rating:
Date: 2008-02-18
Mom of a Smart 2 Year Old
My son has known his letters, numbers, colors and shapes since he was one. Not because he's unusually smart, but because as a stay at home mom, I was able to teach those things early just through our everyday play.
He is now almost 2 1/2, and I was looking for a realistic computer toy (since he seems so interested in my laptop) that will challenge him with new things for the next few years. Something that would grow with him. I think this toy is PERFECT! I am going to outline the biggest PLUS points, and then a couple of minor minus points that others have pointed out as well.
Most kids laptops do not have the keyboard letters arranged the way a real computer does. I see why they do it, to make them easier to find (since many know the order of the alphabet at a very young age). Well, to me, that's silly. And most laptop toys don't look like real ones either, they look like toys (which we all know, doesn't fool a child). This computer LOOKS and FUNCTIONS in a realistic way. Why not teach them the REAL keyboard arrangement? They will eventually memorize where the letters are, and then they'll be prepared for the real computers at school. Also the mouse is real, and moves the way a real mouse does, teaching the child the fine motor movement required to move a mouse to EXACTLY where it needs to be, which is one of the hardest things for young kids ot master on a real computer.
The other really BIG THING that I love about NITRO is that it is intuitive. Without reading the manual, it is easy to figure out how it functions... because it functions exactly as you would expect it to. When you turn it on, it automatically starts introducing the games it offers, so the child doesn't have to know how to find the game, the games are introduced one by one, until the child either presses enter to select it, or clicks on the mouse. YOu can teach this to a child, no matter how young, in seconds. The games are all assigned numbers, so older kids can just type in the number of the game they want, without listening to all the introductions. Another example... while you are playing a game, lets say there's a letter floating on the screen, and the child is supposed to choose one...what I LOVE about this toy is that there is more than one way to choose an answer. You can either use the mouse to point to the letter and click it on the screen, OR you can type the correct letter on the keypad, OR you can use the left, right, up, down arrows to move the cursor over it, and then press enter. HOW GREAT IS THAT? ! !
My child is two, and can play 2 games by himself. One is like a falling letters game where bubbles with letters in them float up the screen, and several in a row are the same letter, the child clicks on the groups of same letters and they clear away (like tetris). Another game he can play is number stars, where simply there is a star with a number in it, and my child has to type that number on the keyboard. I think by next year, he will play even more... however we play several games together, and he enjoys the various animations and music and enjoys watching me do the more complex games. If a child is playing on their own, the toy eventually gives the right answer, so even if the child gets it wrong several times in a row.... they learn what the real answer was. All the games have 3 levels of play (simplest setting is the default), but as the child gets older they can press the LEVEL button to increase the difficulty, so the games have a longer life.
Some minor minus points are: As others have said, the display is small, and hard to see in certain light. This doesn't seem to bother my son at all, but an older child used to XBox or other advanced display games may not like this. Also I do think this should be advertised for ages 4-7 or 8. Every child is different, but by 8, I think a child should know most of what this teaches, but I think some 8 year olds would still WANT to play with it.. I just wouldn't buy it for an older child, I would buy it for a young one, and keep it aroud as they grow. Also, the spanish section is the first section in the menu, so when the computer turns on, it is the first set of games in the order. This seems dumb to me, it should be last. But you can easily skip them by pressing the second silver button, which brings you to the second set of 10 games. My son already can do this on his own. The Spanish games are simple, and a good introduction, however my child is still too young, and the second language will always be a second priority to all the other things I want him to learn, so it should be located in the last slot, as a "it's here if you want to learn it" option. Just a design flaw in my opinion. One good thing about the display though, is that it doesn't eat batteries like other games. And since this is a great mobile toy, not changing the batteries often is a real plus. And that's probably why it's designed this way.
I do want to point out that it seems expensive to me. But I was easily able to find one on EBAY, which is what I would recommend. I found one that was an open package item, but brand new and missing the song cartridge. I paid $14. I'd say it's worth about $25 - $35. So if you can get it for that, it's well worth it. Buy one from a mom who's child outgrew it. It does seem to only have the 2 cartridges.. but I haven't even used it (I only have one) yet. The 78 activities are more than enough. But more cartridges would be great.
I think most children would love this toy. It teaches responsibility too. I teach my son to close it gently, and to not bang on the keys indiscriminantly... it's great prep for the real thing. And he believes it's the real thing right now. And when he's older, I think he'll be excited about learning the games himself. He already loves the praise that it gives you for right answers. It gives different praise "fantastic" "terrific" "great job" it's not the same message over and over. Animals do cartwheels, cheerleaders wave pom poms... he loves all of that, and I think it would make older kids feel proud to "get it right". Later, when he plays on his own, I will press the re-set button and then I can periodically check his progress report to see how well he's learning the different games (pressing re-set will get rid of all the playing around that he and I do together on it now).
If you have a very young, bright child 2-5, that is generally gentle in nature, and seems to enjoy learning new things, and is easily pleased with most toys they are given, then I think this is a perfect first computer. I treat it as a special toy, that he only gets sometimes, when he's good, or after he eats all his food. He asks for it every day! When he's older, I'll give him full control over it. It seems pretty durable, but I do have a gentle child. Some versions come with a bag, I wish I had a bag for mine, so I will get one so we can bring it around more. So get one with the case if you can. And don't bother with the JUNIOR version, get this one. Because if some moms think this one is to simple, than the JR one must reall speak down to kids. In my opinion, with supervision, even really young ones will get something out of this, and then it grows with them. Put it away for awhile, then bring it out again if they don't take to it right away.
Overall I can see how a mother of an 8 year old that paid $49 for it, would be dissapointed... thinking, this is all I get for $50? But if you can get on in the price range I suggested, for a child in the age range I suggested..I think most kids would benefit from the lessons, and enjoy getting better at them on their own. WE LOVE IT IN THIS HOUSE! Rating:
Date: 2008-02-11
My Kid Loves It
I got this for my 5 year old daughter about 8 months ago. She loves it and it keeps her away from my computer. It's a great product for kids who are starting to learn how to read, but I think it would be pretty lame for older kids. I think ages 4 - 8 might do well with this product. My daughter enjoys using it in the car. She unplugs the mouse and uses the mouse on the keyboard. The batteries have lasted a really long time too. This has been a favorite for my daughter and it has taught her a lot. A parent can go into it and check a "Report Card" as it tracks how well your child is doing in different areas. This has allowed me to work with her on areas where she isn't scoring very high. Great product. Rating:
Date: 2008-01-18
Grandson loved it!
I bought this for my grandson at XMAS and he loved it. I was amazed to see that it teaches other languages to young children in a way that they understand. Great purchase! |
