I received the product reviewed in this post free of charge. It was part of a goody bag that I received for attending an event. I was under no obligation to write this review nor was I given any monetary compensation for doing so. All opinions are 100% my own.
When Lily saw the new InnoTab 2 Baby come home in my goody bag from last week’s event in NYC, she could barely contain her excitement. You see, we are no strangers to the InnoTab. Lily received the original InnoTab tablet 2 years ago (when she was 3) for Christmas. Since then this tablet has traveled with us on many road trips and seen many hours of play at home, both from Lily and from her cousin. Not only did that version come with some ready-to-use apps, but we have added several game cartridges to the mix. I keep my eye on Amazon for price drops and pick the games up with they go on sale.
I was planning to keep this new InnoTab 2 Baby in its box, put away for when baby #2 is old enough to enjoy it. That didn’t last long because Lily noticed right away that not only does this new version come with some features that hers lacks (namely the camera), but she noted the “big kid” pictured on the box, clearly indicating to her that this was not just a baby toy. Note – there are two different versions of VTech’s InnoTab 2. The “Baby” version does not come with WiFi, the other version does. WiFi can be used to download apps from the VTech Learning Lodge, etc but there is no web browser so no worries that kids will be surfing the net unattended. The Baby version can still access the apps available for download – simply use the included USB cable.
Here is a look at everything included in the box. You get 2 stylus pens, the tablet, an “Animal Photo Album” cartridge, instructions, a protective gel bumper, USB cable and (not pictured) an installation CD to setup the InnoTab 2 via computer.
We noticed right off the bat that this version is a little smaller than the original. This makes sense as the target audience starts with 12 month olds.
The InnoTab 2 Baby runs on 4 AA batteries (not included) and you have the option to add an SD memory card (not included). I recommend adding the memory card – this gives kids the storage space to save artwork, photos, music and more.
We popped in the batteries and memory card and we were ready to go!
This version of the InnoTab WILL play other InnoTab cartridges which is SUPER. Lily popped in her Toy Story 3 game and I noticed that when you add the gel bumper to the tablet it covers the cartridge. I like this feature – it would definitely help to prevent a baby/toddler from pulling it out by accident.
After we turned this tablet on, I was quickly left in the dust. Lily had the hang of it immediately. It was so similar to her other tablet, but more than that, it was colorful and full of inviting icons that were easy to navigate.
She seems to enjoy many of the features – the pre-loaded music, the coloring area, the art studio… But by far her favorite spot was the camera. She took picture after picture and used the photo templates to amuse herself for the entire morning.
At one point she put her Jake and the Neverland Pirates game cartridge in the InnoTab 2 Baby to discover a whole set of features involving the camera that she had never seen on her original InnoTab since it doesn’t have a camera. It was like she was exploring a game she has played dozens of times for the first time.
This tablet certainly has more features than we have used at this point. Here are some worth mentioning:
:: Includes a baby sign language program from Baby Signs, Inc with 100 popular signs.
:: Includes 3 activities geared towards infants and toddlers: a simple Noah’s Ark e-book, 12 sing-along nursery rhyme songs, a drawing activity and a coloring activity.
:: Has a rotating camera and video recorder, MP3 music player, e-book reader, video player, art studio and other apps.
:: Has the capability to add more apps through VTech’s app store, the Learning Lodge.
It’s easy to see, we really loved this new version of the InnoTab. It appears to be well-made, sturdy and is most definitely engaging. If I could make one suggestion, just one, it would be: I wish VTech would include a wall adapter with this product. As you might imagine, running on batteries alone can really add up. Even with rechargeable batteries, the constant recharging gets to be a chore. We have purchased 2 wall chargers (lost one, another one broke) and 1 car charger for our original InnoTab. It would be GREAT to see one come with the console!
The InnoTab 2 Baby is recommended for ages 12 months – 9 years, so it is truly a tool that will grow with your child(ren).
Find this table in stores nationwide with an MSRP of $89.