LeapPad is an educational toy released in 1999. It is one of LeapFrog's most iconic and well-known products.
Product Overall[]
The LeapPad Learning System is an educational device whose product is intended for use in conjunction with books and cartridges designed for it, which include the original LeapFrog characters (which their own titles have been used as the "Alphaville Learning Adventures", and uses the branded characters: Leap, Lily, Tad, Mrs. Frog, Mr. Frog, Grandpa Frog, Casey, Della, Dan, Parker, Tim, Dot, Edison, Professor Quigley, Mr. Websley and more) and popular TV program and movie characters (e.g. The Cat in the Hat, SpongeBob SquarePants, Jay Jay the Jet Plane, Dora the Explorer and numerous Disney/Playhouse Disney characters to name a few examples).
Production[]
It was developed by a team from Explore Technologies, Inc. acquired by LeapFrog in July 1998. It uses the same patented "NearTouch" technology developed for the Explore Technologies Odyssey Atlasphere. Investigation and development were started in December 1997. Its former title was called "The Book Wizard", but it got changed to LeapPad.
Design[]
It is a book-like device which looks like a large lap-desk but has a pen attached.
Technology of the LeapPad[]
The LeapPad features a device called "The Magical Pen" which allows stories to come to life. By using the pen, the reader can activate the different pages such as activating a new page by touching the green GO circle, touching pictures to hear them come alive, touching words to hear them read, sounded or spelled aloud, playing a game by pressing a unique icon for each book, listening to some music or a sing-along song or adjusting the volume.
The audio hardware includes CELP Compression, and the MIDI on-chip synth called The Leap-font Wavetable Synthesis.
Directions And Use[]
To use the LeapPad, the reader touches the power button and begins play. They can touch the green “GO” circle to start the fun or stop the play with a stop sign. If desired, they can also read the story to themselves, and use the pen to tap a word they are unsure of to receive help from the offscreen narrator (named the LeapPad Storyteller). The reader can touch the ear/speech bubble to hear the pages read out loud.
There may be different icons to play a game; the games are designed to not only enhance the enjoyment of the story, but to sharpen key skills such as letter and number recognition, following directions, logic, memory, and so on.
When the illustrations are touched with the pen, character dialogues as well as brief sounds and music will play. There is also a music note that makes stories come to life through the magic of music or sing-along musical numbers when they tap it.
To preserve battery life, the LeapPad says "Bye bye!" and automatically turns off after several minutes of inactivity. If it is not used after turning the unit ON, the LeapPad automatically turns off after 30 seconds. (For other variants, click here.)
The LeapPad will also auto power off when the batteries are very low. When this happens, the player will hear a horn loudly honking, followed by "Time to change your batteries! You need 4 new AA batteries". This message sometimes alters between books.
Models[]
It is available in a number of different models, including the LeapPad Pro, LeapPad Plus Writing (sometimes with "Plus Writing and Microphone"), LeapPad Plus Microphone, My First LeapPad, and Quantum LeapPad.
LeapPad Models List[]
- Main article: LeapPad Models
LeapPad Variations List[]
- Main article: List of LeapPad Variations
Replacements[]
The LeapPad has since been supplanted by The Tag System, an iPad version of it, and LeapStart - a device that is similar to it but remains generally available for purchase.
Book List[]
- Main article: List of LeapPad Books
Trivia[]
- When the LeapPad thinks a cartridge is not compatible, it says "Whoops! That's not a LeapPad cartridge!".
- Without a cartridge from the LeapFrog Schoolhouse LeapPad US model in 2000-2005, it will say "Welcome to the LeapPad Learning System! You'll need a LeapPad cartridge and book or game card to begin."
- Without a cartridge from the LeapFrog LeapPad UK model in 2003-2008, it will say "Welcome to the LeapPad Learning System! You'll need a cartridge and a book to begin." followed by "Bye-Bye!", then automatically shut down.
- When the cartridge is taken out when it is turned on or the cartridge slot pins are shorted with something like a paperclip, sometimes it will cut out, make gurgling sounds, a high-pitched noise, or play random sounds.
- There is a Japan exclusive version of the LeapPad called the CoCoPad.
- In the episode of My Wife and Kids titled Sharon's Picture a Green & Blue LeapPad can be seen on there living room desk.[1]
Technical Details[]
- The speakers in the LeapPad are a 57mm paper cone speaker, rated for 16 ohms and 0.25 watts.
- The LeapPad systems use storage from SunPlus.[2]
Gallery[]
Logos[]
General[]
References[]
- ↑ Image of the easter egg
- ↑ "Memory ICs are used in Mask ROM, Bus flash, Serial ROM Cartridge or Data Bank Storage, Voice Recorder Storage. SPRS. SPR" - Quoted from SunPlus's archived site.