Vtech Kidizoom Camera

Rugged and easy to use, the Vtech Kidizoom Camera is ready to record all your child's outings. With two-eye viewing, grips made to fit in little hands, and a built-in flash, this real digital camera can also create videos. It also includes simple-to-use photo editing software so kids aged three and up can add creative touches to their images.

Little girls will have so much fun taking candid photos with their Kidizoom Camera. Kidizoom comes with a connector cable to plug in and view a picture slideshow or watch the 5-minute movies they have made on any TV or PC. Fun photo-editing features lets kids distort pictures or add crazy frames. The camera also comes with 3 preschool games to keep the big fun going. Plus, changeable skins let girls customize the look of the camera. Requires 4 "AA" batteries (not included). Measures 11"L x 3"W x 8"H.

It's obvious that right out of the packaging that this camera was made to withstand tough play and rough handling. Bright pink rubber handles on each side make it easy for children to keep hold of the camera with both hands, and two-eye viewing ensures that the kids can easily visualize a great photo or funny video. The camera even comes with two interchangeable faceplates, so your child can customize the look.

With 16MB of onboard memory and an SD card slot so that you can add extra memory capacity if you need it, this camera lets kids take and keep many images. The included USB cable lets you upload the images to your computer. The VTech photo editor lets you or your child add cool frames to photos, stamp funny hats on people, and distort images. You can even run fun animations that makes the photo look like it is rotating or underwater.

The photo editor interface is easy to use, with big round buttons for kids to click on and drag-and-drop stamps. More advanced artists may be disappointed that there aren't more ways to creatively control output, but files from the Kidizoom can easily be edited in more advanced programs, too.

A built-in flash makes taking decent indoor pictures a breeze. The flash does, however, often fire if you are trying to snap a close-up shot, resulting in very light, blown-out pictures. Remember though, this camera does not like to try to focus in on subject that are less than 1.5-feet from the camera. For super-sized fun though, you can also link the camera to your TV set using the included A/V cable and view the amazing work on the big screen.

Six buttons and a navigational joystick on the back of the camera allows your kids to look through past photos and easily navigate the menu features. Between taking photos, shooting videos, and playing simple games on the 1.8-inch color screen, there's lots to do.

One thing you have to do before use is to use a Phillips screwdriver to insert 4 "AA" batteries in the handle of the camera. It's well worth setting up the VTech Photo Editor on your computer. An intuitive installation wizard makes this process quick and simple. You'll need Windows 2000 SP3+/XP or newer to use this application. And don't panic if you're a Mac user. If you have Mac OS X 10.0 or above, you can still use the camera in mass storage mode.