Digital Photo/Video Camera
© 2009 Discovery Kids
It looks like the VTech or Fisher-Price camera, and even has facts about photography inventor George Eastman on the packaging, but don't be fooled. This $40 camera is really a poor-quality webcam (from Mars Semiconductor) disguised as a child's camera. Besides having an unresponsive shutter button, there is no flash and the viewfinder is too small to be of use. Features include 16MB of internal memory storage and a carrying strap, with molded grips. The camera can hold up to 120 still photos (640x480) or about 50 seconds of silent AVI videos, if you can figure out how to switch the camera into video mode (press the power key twice). The package includes a button cell battery, a USB cable and a 3 inch disk for the webcam mode. We were able to import the photos into Windows, which auto recognized the device as a webcam, but our Macintosh did not recognize camera. Requires 4 "AA" batteries (not included). Discovery Kids, shame on you for lending your name to this product. All children will discover with this camera is frustration.
$40, Windows
Teaches: photography
CTR Rating: 12%