| | |  | LeapFrog | Home » » » LeapFrog TAG Reading System - Green | | | | | | WARNING:| CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs. |
| | | Description: | | Now Holds Up to 10 Books. Learn to read, love to read with Tag - the amazing touch reading system that brings stories to life like never before. Now the #1 best-selling reading system, the Tag Reader is loved around the world with more than 28 awards in 6 countries. As children touch the Tag Reader to the pages of specially printed storybooks, words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud, engaging children's senses to make reading a rich, fulfilling experience. And, with more than 40 books and games based on favorite TV, movie and classic tales, the Tag library has something for every reader. The Tag Reader now holds audio for up to 10 books at a time. Simply connect the Tag Reader to your computer with the included USB cable, download the audio for your Tag books and drag-and-drop up to 10 of your child's favorite stories onto your Tag Reader. While online, you can also discover your children's favorite books and activities, learn about the skills they are exploring and share in their accomplishments by creating a free LeapFrogandreg, Learning Path at leapfrog official website. Based on a 2010 survey conducted by LeapFrog of teachers participating in its Tag Kindergarten Program who received Tag Reading Systems from LeapFrog for use in their classrooms. | | | Features: | |
• The Tag Reading System encourages children to learn to read and to love reading as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud!
• The Tag library includes over 40 books and games based on favorite TV, movie and classic tales
• Tag storybooks and learning activities help children build reading skills such as vocabulary, phonics and reading comprehension
• The Tag Reader holds audio for up to 10 books at a time and is sized to fit small hands with a no-slip grip
• Parents can connect the Tag Reader online to collect fun rewards their child has earned and to see their child's play
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 11.81 inches | | Product Width:
| 11.81 inches | | Product Height:
| 5.51 inches | | Package Length:
| 11.0 inches | | Package Width:
| 9.5 inches | | Package Height:
| 2.2 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.9 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 136 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 136 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
816 of 825 found the following review helpful:
 Great product but a lot more parent involvement.Sep 28, 2010
By Just Trying to Help
"Product Guru"
Short version:
The good: The pen is amazing, a real marvel of teaching technology. The kids like it.
The bad: It's the most techno-savvy leapfrog product yet. The pen needs to be connected to the computer a lot as your child learns. Not only do you have to "download" the books onto the pen, but there is a feedback loop where the child earns rewards. Most of the "rewards" require printer paper and ink. I wish you could turn off the pen's requests to be plugged back into the computer, but you can't.
Should you buy it:
If you are used to performing regular "maintenance" with your ipod, and you don't mind that, then definitely buy it.
If you don't like maintainin computers (firmware upgrades, syncing, troubleshooting, etc) then consider very carefully before buying.
Don't get this as a gift for a person who either doesn't have a computer, or has a relic of a computer that they never use.
Long version:
I have owned a lot of leapfrog toys. This is the first one I've used which is very similar to owning an ipod.
Upon receiving this product, the pen comes with a demo book. The demo book works out of the box, of course. The technology itself is cool, there is a little camera underneath the pen point and it can "see" where you are on the page. Touching the pen to the page makes the pen announce whatever is in that location. You can switch "modes" by touching in the corner of the book. For example, you can switch to "play a game" or you can "read".
The demo book is fine for maybe a couple hours play, but it doesn't have enough play value for you to be satisfied with the demo book alone. You're going to have to buy more books, which you expect if you have some experience with these leapfrog devices.
So I bought several books to test this out with. They included: LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook I SPY Imagine That!, LeapFrog Tag Learn to Read Phonics Book Series Short Vowels, and LeapFrog Tag Learn to Read Phonics Book Series Long Vowels, Silent E and Y. I waited to post my review until those items arrived.
It was only after I received these books that I realized what it was like to use this product. Here is my journey, in steps:
STEP 1: I had to install Leapfrog software on my computer. And each time you buy a book you have use your computer to "install" that book on the pen. You can't go to a store and pick up a Leapfrog book and use it right away. You either have to download the audio ahead of time (more on that in a minute) or come home and download it after you buy the book. This IS NOT a cartridge system, like many previous leapfrog products.
STEP 2: I had to set up a leapfrog,com ACCOUNT with a username and password. I didn't appreciate the need to set up an account. I am receiving occasional rare email solicitations from Leapfrog now, even though I indicated that I didn't want any emails.
STEP 3: I had to set up each CHILD in the account. You do this to track their progress. I actually don't care about that very much, and I would have appreciated an opt-out on that feature. So each child has a little account of their own.
STEP 4: After I installed the software I plugged the pen into my computer with a USB cable.
STEP 5: Then I had to update the software on the pen. (Thats "firmware" to us geeks). Thats right, Leapfrog felt the need to change the software that makes the pen work between the time the pen was made and the time you bought it. So bringing the pen "up to date" is your responsibility.
STEP 6: Then I had to find the books I bought (one at a time, even though they aren't sold separately) for download from leapfrog's website. You can download every book they have, even if you don't own the paper version of the book. You could download the audio for a book, and then go to the store and buy the paper version, and then use the paper book immediately. This was kind of nice if you are planning ahead.
I hope you see what i'm saying - to use any book you need to have (1) a paper book and (2) a digital download for that same paper book which you got on your computer. If you only have one or the other, you can't use that book.
STEP 7: Next I had to use the computer program to move the books I wanted to use onto the pen. This is called "synchronizing". Fortunately, all 12 fit on the pen at one time. You'd have to buy a lot of books before you filled up the pen (maybe 20?).
STEP 8: I had to hit a button telling it to Sync.
STEP 9: Then I unplugged the unit to let my child play with it.
STEP 10: (the unexpected step!) The toy instructs my child that she has won a reward! And to plug it back into the computer to claim the reward! The reward is a color bookmark for me to print out on my printer! In 1 book (the I spy) she earned all four rewards in an hour. Each time she stopped what she was doing and came to me to plug it in, view the reward, and print it out. The first time, the software said I didn't own the book (which was funny because I had downloaded it using the same software) but after restarting it, restarting the pen, and resyncing the pen to the software it finally agreed that I did, in fact, own the book and could redeem the reward. Personally, I didn't like step 10 very much, I was done at step 9, but modern technology is demanding.
Will you (as a parent) like this experience?
1) Obviously, if you one of the millions of people who are used to having your iphone, ipod, or whatver, you are used to all of this. You get to do it all again when you buy this device.
2) If you are one of the millions of people to whom this sounds like a pain in the [...] and makes you want to call your son in law, then, maybe, just maybe, this product is not for you.
As for the product:
The product is really quite good. Its amazing what it can do. And the kids really love to use it. It will help them to learn to read, spell, and some other things too. I'm very pleased with the product overall.
It has a headphone jack, but no headphones are included. My kids prefer over-the-ear headphones because those little earbuds just keep falling out. We use these: Sennheiser HD 202 Dynamic Supra-Aural Headphones
The demo book that comes with it is just ok. Being optomistic, its worth 2 hour of fun. Its got a huge variety of stuff. Its almost too random an assortment, but it does show you what the pen can do. They had to include something. But the demo book is not very "deep". You absolutely will have to buy more books. The books range from $10-$20 each. They can be used without the pen in a pinch. I think the books are a "fair" value.
The instructions were "clear enough". They are good considering how much more software is involved. I felt comfortable with the instructions and had no problems getting it set up. I'm complaining about how much "setting up" there was, but, it wasn't "hard".
Overall, to enjoy this product you are looking at a total expense of around $100 between the reader and a reasonable assortment of books. And its really cool and really fun once you look past the other details.
109 of 111 found the following review helpful:
A winnerOct 06, 2010
By Richard L. Steiner
I acquired the LeapFrog TAG reading system for my 7 year-old granddaughter in an effort to help improve her lagging reading skills. I gave the Leapfrog TAG device to her father (my son)for a test drive. He has used the Leapster 2 gaming system with his little girl for several years, so positive brand awareness influenced his interest in the LeapFrog TAG system. I asked him for some comments about the device. Here is what he said:
"On the parental side, software installation was quite simple. The device was in use less than ten minutes after opening the box. Managing the LeapFrog TAG's media library at the desktop is also quite easy. The UI can be personalized to and utilized by the child with minimal instruction.
While my overall opinion of the system is positive, I found the materials included with the device to be decidedly minimalist. Unlike the Leapster 2, no protective case was included. Considering the TAG's size, this increases the likelihood of misplacement. Batteries were not included, a rarity these days. Finally, the 'sample' book included was comprised of snippets from multiple available titles. The Leapster 2 had come with a complete game included. No additional purchase was required for the child to enjoy full immediate use of the device.
After purchasing a copy of 'Walter the Far---g Dog Goes on a Cruise' on sale for $10 at a local big box retailer, LeapFrog TAG's potential was realized. It's entertaining, versatile, and certainly more than just a talking book. The child can have the entire story read to him/her or point to specific words for assistance with pronunciation. Illustrations feature puzzles and quizzes to elicit interest beyond the story itself.
In addition, sound effects are employed to entertain which was of particular interest with the above noted title. Upon first receiving the TAG device and additional book, my child spent roughly a half hour with it (uninterrupted), then revisited frequently throughout the rest of the day. The device was used multiple times every day since receiving it, but my child is already requesting more titles after fully exploring the one(s) we have.
In just a short time, I have witnessed my girl's ability to learn and speak more complex words. Long term viability of the LeapFrog TAG will likely be a function of available titles. I have noticed more of the newer ones to involve mostly games and puzzles. We will be sampling one of those soon.
Even if the LeapFrog TAG turns out to be only a transitional learning tool that doesn't provide years of use like the Leapster 2, I've already found it to be a valuable help improving my child's reading skills."
I hope my son's remarks were helpful. I can tell you that he was very satisfied with the TAG system and even more important so was my granddaughter.
45 of 47 found the following review helpful:
 Great improvement on an already amazing toyAug 27, 2010
By BruinBear
My nephew got the Tag reader several years ago, so I've been eyeing it for my daughter for a while. She just turned 4 so I got it for her for her birthday. I love the updated look - it feels more sleek and cool. My nephew's earlier version came with a paperback book, but this one comes with a sampler book that lets you try out lots of different pages from other Tag books. It's really helpful to see what else is out there and for her to figure out which ones she would play with most. And I have to say I am amazed by the amount of games and activities embedded in each page. Great product - I highly recommend it!
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Wonderful selection of titles!Sep 23, 2010
By Margaret Thomas
"tygerkittn"
A couple of years ago, I'd have said, "wow, the good news is the incredible selection of books." Now with the economy the way it is, I feel more like:"Oh noes, look at all the books I need to buy!"
The TAG itself works, it does what it says, and it does teach and hold the kids' attention. They're so focused on the fun of it, they don't realize that they're learning (shhh, don't tell them!)
The thing I like is that the books you can buy for it aren't the usual factory-churned out children's books with a good licensing deal. Yes, there are Toy Story 3 and Madagascar books available, (and yes, I'm going to order them!) but there's also "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" which I have memorized after reading to 6 kids, and "Green Eggs and Ham" (also memorized) and "The Cat in the Hat" and other classics. I love the available titles, and that's the bad news. I just spent way too much getting more books.
Books aren't all they have, either, they have "I Spy" and geography cards, and activity books to keep them interested.
We've had no technical problems, and it was easy to figure out, even though I'm a doofus when it comes to instructions.
We're very satisfied with it, but be warned it will require future investments in the books to fully utilize it.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
I really want to give this a 5, but the software/hardware is a 2 star.Dec 04, 2010
By SciFi lover
"Amy"
Since "Just try to help "Software Guru"" has a great review explaining most of the ups and downs of this product, I thought I would put a owned for a while review.
We bought this last year 2009, Christmas, and they haven't upgraded the small 32MB of data it holds since then. This is a shame since memory is so cheap today and all the books ever made for this device could have come preloaded on a 128MB pen easily. We have 14 books loaded on the pen and it is full with 1 or 2 MB free. Most books are nearly 2 - 2.5MB. So memory is cheap yet they haven't upgraded for a while.
In the review by 'Just trying to help "Software Guru"' he states the need to install, then update the software, then after connecting the Tag, update the firmware. Annoying to say the least and takes 1/2 hour. Well this does NOT stop. In the last year, my software would not load new books I have bought with the old software because they had "updates" that were mandatory! Well this happened today again when I bought some more books, the 2nd time in a year. It took me 45 minutes to update/install the software and then connect my pen, which then had a mandatory firmware update (2nd one in the year again) which then suddenly my Tag had no books loaded onto it! Since the software still had my old downloads (on my computer) I just had to upload them to the pen, right? It took over 15 minutes. Then I downloaded the new book to the PC software and then uploaded the book, 5 more minutes. It took nearly an hour to put new books on the Tag!
When your child plays with the Tag, he gains 'rewards', this is a way for Leapfrog to get you to connect to their software. I believe it is to try to get you to 'buy' their games, etc... every time you connect. The loading and connecting is slooow! The pen will tell your child, "You have earned rewards, connect your pen to collect the rewards." He or she then can continue to use the pen, but will be 'reminded' about the rewards over and over. Usually the 'rewards' are some printout. Really could do without this altogether, very annoying. Progress updates are pretty useless also since more than one child, like friends and sibling can use the same Tag. Also it is not very accurate even if only one child uses the pen as it cannot tell what or how well he is reading, just how much he plays.
So because of the above mentioned software and hardware connection issues that are required to use the Tag, I have to give it 3 1/2 stars. The actual pen interaction with the books is incredible. My son, who is much older than my daughter, had the Leap Pad which is very similar but you had to have a book holder and a cartridge to use it. I cannot even say how many books without cartridges and cartridges with out books we have had. I believe it is worth the software hassle not to have lost cartridges. Still the books don't have the same amount of games as the Leap Pad did but they are very similar with some games. The reading whole pages and words, spelling and sounds are great and the kids seem to love it. A negative is that there are only 74 books currently made for the Tag and that is a couple of years after the toy was made. (The first was TAG was 16MB) The Leap Pad and compatible devices, have/had a lot more books than that.
This product could be a 5 star product if they just had a skip step to installing 'connect software' and allowed users to just download direct the books to the TAG, gave more memory to the TAG, and increased the number of books that work with the TAG. (Maps and other material included)
See all 136 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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