droolicious : video

Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure

elizabeth leach — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Elmo and Friends: Tales of Adventure is a new Sesame Street video that will take you and your child on three exciting adventures. Each adventure is packed with fun music, the Sesame Street characters they love, as well as monsters and mystery!

The Golden Triangle of Destiny stars Telly, Elmo’s Amazing Alphabet Race stars our favorite red monster, Elmo, and Adventures of Little Big Bird stars the one and only Big Bird.

Purchase Elmo and Friends Tales of Adventure here for $11.49.

CES 2009: Canon Vixia HF200 HD Camcorder- Great For New Families

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

At the Canon booth I asked one of the camcorder representatives to suggest a good HD camcorder for new families. The scenario I gave him was a couple is having a baby for the first time, and they want to buy a camcorder that still recorded in HD, but wasn't too expensive. The camera he suggested was the Canon VIXIA HF200.

The Vixia HF200 records in full HD (1920x1080) directly to a SD card. It has HDMI out, face detection and image stabalization. It doesn't have an on-board memory (the SD card is the only option) but at that price it's a camcorder with a ton of features that you'll be sure to have for more than a few years.

Canon Vixia HF200 will retail for around $849 and should be available in the US in March.

CES 2009: Special Deal On Vado HD Camcorders From Creative

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:30:00 GMT

A few companies at CES were showing off small video cameras - the kind that you put in your pocket and keep with you all the time. And the coolest one I saw at CES was the Vado HD camcorder from Creative. Oh, and they're running a during (and after) CES sale this year that you can take advantage of too.

The Vado HD is a full HD camcorder that records in 720p HD and will output to 1080i. It has 8GB of on board memory for 2 hours of HD video, and has a two inch screen and HDMI out. And like the flip video camcorder, it has a handy USB dongle that comes out of it for you to hook it up to your computer.

And right now through January 17th, you can get it for only $199. Just visit us.creative.com/ces for all the show specials from Creative.

CES 2009: iLuv Multimedia Player - Portable Entertainment For Kids

Chris Ford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Watching video on your iPod may be fun for kids, but getting more than one child to look at that little screen without fighting over it is a challenge. With the iLuv Multimedia player might just stop those fights before they start. Oh, and it plays DVDs too.

The iLuv Multimedia Player has an 8.5" screen and will play movies from an iPod (classic sized, not iPod Touch). There is also a DVD player in there too - the whole thing splits in half and opens up like a clam shell allowing you to put DVDs in. Battery life isn't great (about 4-5 hours) but honestly if you need more than that before recharging you might want to think about getting the kids a book.

iLuv Multimedia Player, $269.99 from i-Luv.com.

We Love You, too, Elmo!

elizabeth leach — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:30:00 GMT

"Elmo Loves You" is a video by Genius Products that's like a Valentine's Day gift to you and your child from Elmo. With fun songs, sign language, Sesame Street skits and, of course, plenty of Elmo we learn about friendship, love and emotions.

The best part of this video? R.E.M. singing "Furry, Happy, Monsters Laughing". This video is the perfect introduction to Valentine's Day. Find it here for $12.99.

Abby in Wonderland and Elmo’s Countdown to Christmas

elizabeth leach — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

The holidays are the perfect time to have new videos on hand. Here are two new ones that star our kids’ favorite characters on Sesame Street...

After Elmo turns into the rabbit and takes Abby Cadabby’s wand, Abby searches for her wand and takes us on a journey in Abby in Wonderland. This wonderful and hilarious re-telling of Alice in Wonderland is extremely entertaining and clever. The Count plays the Caterpillar (the Counterpillar!), Cookie Monster is the Cheshire Cat, Ernie and Bert are Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and wait until you see the Mad “T” Party! It’s mad, I tell you. Abby in Wonderland is full of surprises and I’d say it’s “fun for the whole family”, but that sounds so cliché. I’ll say it anyway because this is the best example of fun for the whole family that I know.

Elmo’s Countdown to Christmas follows the story line of those Christmas videos I grew up with – stories where Christmas almost doesn’t happen and our hero saves the day. Ben Stiller plays the host and he’s the one who almost ruins Christmas. Many stars have cameos like Cheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Fox, among others. My favorite scene is when Jennifer Hudson sings with the forest animals. She plucks an owl form a tree that stares at her sweetly. It’s adorable and very funny. And two guys from Soprano do a very funny skit with the joke “you’ve got a banana in your ear” except it’s a gingerbread man. With jokes and songs that mom and dad can appreciate and enjoy, this video is another crowd pleaser. So, pop the pop corn and gather everyone together for some family fun!

Buy both videos at here for $10.99.

Father's Day Gift Alert: Flip Video Mino Released Today

Chris Ford — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:02:00 GMT

Looking for a good Father's Day Gift? Check out the Flip Video Mino. Flip Video is a brand of camcorders that are small, compact and incredibly portable. Small and simple to use, they basically are the point-and-shoot of video cameras. The new one that's out today, the Flip Video Mino, records full VGA video in a camera that's a pocket-sized 4" x 2" x 1/2".

I've had a Flip Video camera (the Flip Video Ultra) for a few months now, and It's been really great to have. I keep it in my pocket most everywhere I go with the kids, and it's perfect for recording the spontaneous moments that you want to remember - without having to go dig the camcorder out of the closet.

The software to download the video to your computer (or do simple edits) lives on the video camera itself, and the USB plug "flips" out of the camcorder, making the whole thing really easy to operate. It's Windows and Mac compatible, and has 2GB of flash memory which records one hour of video. The Mino has a rechargeable battery (like an iPod) while the Ultra takes AA batteries (and personally, not having to worry about it being charged or not is something I like better).

Check out the Flip Video Mino, $179.99 at Amazon.com. (The slightly larger version, the Ultra, is $129.99).

Sesame Street "Old School" DVD: Not For Kids?

Chris Ford — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:20:00 GMT

A good friend of mine the other day sent me this link to a NY Times article by Virginia Heffernan about the DVD release of Sesame Street: Old School (1969-1974). Apparently there is a disclaimer at the beginning of the DVD saying that it's for adults, and not meant for children today. Which is, I suppose, PBS' way of saying that it would never hold up to our modern, Nick Jr/Noggin/PBS Kids standards of what is appropriate for young children.

The article is really great, and reminds those of us who grew up in those times what Sesame Street was really like, and how if you think about it, it's kind of the anti-Elmo's World. Nowadays they couldn't even create a character like Oscar the Grouch, or a furry elephant/monster (Snuffleupagus) that only Big Bird can see, which is why I'm going to get a copy to watch with my kids as soon as I can.

Sesame Street Old School: 1969-1974, $39.98 from Sesameworkshop.org (and get it from them so the Workshop gets all the support they can).

The Babble Review: BOB The Screentime Controller

Chris Ford — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:54:00 GMT

If you're looking to limit the amount of time your children spend on any one electronic device (like a video game machine, television or computer) without fighting them about it all the time, BOB from Hopscotch Technology might be something you should check out. The idea is simple - control the power to the device and you can control how much your kid can use it. My full review is after the jump.

The way it works is, you plug the power cord of the device you want to limit into the BOB, where it gets locked up with a key. Then you plug the BOB into the outlet, and BOB determines how much power flows through to the device. Everyone who wants access gets their own password and account on BOB, and the parent sets usage time limits for each account. You can also set up blocks of time when the device can't be used at all as well as add time on the fly if you want to reward your child (or let them finish a movie for instance).

I was able to use one for a couple of days and, although my children are still too young to use it, I have to say it works pretty well. When the time limit is almost up it gives a loud annoying beep for a minute, warning you to finish up what you're doing before it shuts things off automatically. There is even a feature that allows for devices that need to have power running to them all the time (like a computer). In that mode BOB monitors the power flow to the device, and if there is an increase (when you turn the device on) it sends a minute warning and then shuts the power down if you don't log in. It will even report back to the parent that the device was turned on without permission.

With usage reporting for the parent as well as the ability to add flex time, I have to say it seems they've though of every feature a parent could possibly want. Keep in mind the device will only work with things that need to be plugged in (so it won't work with a Nintendo DS or a PSP for instance) and it only works with the power cord. If the device you're using has a removable power cord (like a video game system), it would be possible for an enterprising teenager to just buy another power cord and keep it hidden. But other than that extreme scenario, if you're looking to let your child manage the time you give them with a television or similar device, BOB might be for you.

BOB from Hopscotch Technology is available for $78.87 from Amazon.com

Modo Steady Helps Stop Shaky Home Videos

Chris Ford — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:58:00 GMT

If you got a brand new light-weight camcorder this past holiday but aren't too happy with the quality of the shots you've been taking of the kids, you might want to check this out. It's the Modo Steady camcorder "stabilization system" by Manfrotto. The Modo Steady keeps your camcorder level and reduces the shakiness and jitters you sometimes get with trying to keep one of these new, super small camcorders steady.

There are three ways to use the Modo Steady. The most useful (and unique) way is you attach your camera to the top, and then the long swing arm counter balances it underneath while your camera pivots on a single point (pictured). The counterbalance keeps everything nice and even when you move the camera around. If you like, you can also move the swing arm to rest in the crook of your arm, so you can keep the whole thing steady kind of like a gun stock would keep a gun steady against your body. And if you don't want to hold it at all, the handle also folds out into a table top tripod.

I realize it's kind of hard to explain. Check it out at their website, and view the Modo Steady video for a better illustration of how it works.

Modo Steady by Manfrotto. $184.95 from B&H Photo.

CES 2008: Panasonic SD9 High Definition Camcorder

Chris Ford — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:18:00 GMT

If you're shopping for a new camcorder for that new baby, you may want to hold off for a few months, because I'm pretty sure the Panasonic SD9 is going to be worth the wait. It's fully HD and feature-packed, but I think it's the price that's going to make most people really excited.

The Panasonic SD9 is a 3 CCD camcorder that records full 1080P high definition video on small SD media cards. Getting about seven minutes per gigabyte, you'll be able to record about 224 minutes on one 32GB card (or 112 minutes on a 16GB card). The incredibly small media size also allows the camera itself to be incredibly small. I don't know if you can tell from the picture I took, but the camera is not much bigger than the palm of your hand. It basically feels like holding a lens with an LCD screen attached.

The camcorder also has a really cool face recognition feature. Basically, it notices when there is anything resembling a face in the view finder, and then automatically focuses and adjusts the lighting so that you can see the face. It even works in extreme backlit situations and seems like a really useful thing to have.

But like I mentioned, the best part is the price. The SD9 will have an MSRP of $799, which is considerably cheaper than what the current HD camcorders from Panasonic were selling for just a few weeks ago. According to the rep at CES, the camera should be available in the US sometime after May of 2008.

Check out the SD9 at Panasonic.co.jp.

Capture Holiday Memories on the Fly with Flip One-Touch Camcorders

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 18:05:00 GMT

If you're looking for a no-fuss way to capture family memories this holiday season, Flip Video's Ultra Series Camcorder ($179.99, or $149.99 for the 30-minute model) will make you the envy of everyone within viewfinder range. Small enough to fit in your palm, it's just about the handiest (no pun intended) digital-camcorder line going, with one-touch recording and 2GB of built-in memory -- enough for around 60 minutes of high-quality video -- making it even easier to use.

It doesn't look half bad, either, with a variety of color choices, from pink/white to sleek black, designed to match both gender and style preferences. The camera's built-in software lets you upload videos to AOL or YouTube, and it plugs into your TV (via a cable) and your PC (via the ultra-cool USB arm, pictured below) for instant sharing.

Perhaps the best feature, though, is the size: It's compact enough to keep tucked away in your purse/murse at all times, which means no more forgetting to pack the camcorder the next time you're rushing out the door to holiday dinner, kids' soccer games, school assemblies or any other occasion you'll regret not having filmed later.