Encyclopaedia Britannica introduces the Britannica Kids touchTAB

Encyclopedia Britannica played a huge part in my education; without the internet or even a decent public library, our set of Encyclopedia Britannica encyclopedias helped get me through countless book reports, science projects and term papers.  Nowadays it seems like knowledge is only a search term away, but you can never quite trust all the information that appears on the internet, and there's no substitute for a respected, trustworthy brand like Encyclopedia Britannica.

That's why I was delighted to see that Encyclopedia Britannica has lent their name to a great new learning product for kids: the Britannica Kids touchTAB.  Made by Tek Nēk Toys, Inc, it's an interactive tablet that helps kids learn cool facts about a variety of subjects.

We recently got the chance to try out the Britannica Kids touchTAB, and found it to be a nifty little gadget that makes a great road trip companion.  Although the name suggests a high-tech tablet, it's actually a simple device.  It's electronic, but it doesn't have a screen.  Instead, uses interchangeable cartridges attached to illustrated cardboard panels.

To operate the touchTAB, kids slide the cartridges into the tablet slot so the images on the panels face outward, and it looks like a "screen".  They turn the unit on, and touch images on the "screen".  Each image has sensor marks, so when an image is pressed, kids will hear facts about the image.  The touchTAB comes with 3 cartridges: North American Mammals, Australian Mammals and African Mammals.  Parents can purchase additional content packs with 3 cartridges each: Days of the Dinosaur, Exploring Space, Incredible Earth and Amazing Ocean Life.

Obviously, the touchTAB isn't the most high-tech gadget out there.  But it's surprisingly rich in content.   There are actually 3 levels of content, and each image contains a different set of facts for your child to discover.  Kids graduate from one level to another by entering Challenge mode and answering a series of questions to open up a higher level.  Each cartridge has over 200 facts and questions!

What's more, having a simple device does have its advantages.  For one thing, it's really lightweight.  For another, it doesn't guzzle up batteries.  It also doesn't require an internet connection.  All those features make the touchTAB a great solution for car trips and plane rides.  Best of all, at $39.99, the touchTAB is really affordable, which means even aunts and uncles and distant relatives can afford to give nieces/nephews/family friends a touchTAB as a birthday or holiday present.

The Britannica Kids touchTab and all additional themed cartridges are currently sold at Target.com and will soon be available at other retailers such as Walmart.com, Toyrsus.com, Amazon, Fingerhut, and Sensational Beginning. The touchTab has a suggested retail price of $39.99.


Disclosure:I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by the featured company/product. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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