Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop 5.0

by Oregon Scientific

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 3 x 16.2 inches ; 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• ASIN: B0007WX15W
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 - 12 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,561 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

Girls learn that it’s possible to possess beauty and brains as they use this "laptop" to master 1st- and 2nd-grade-level learning skills under the bright and peppy tutelage of Barbie. Although not a traditional laptop in the sense of having data storage capabilities or Internet connectivity, the B-Book is designed for portability and packed with 60 different games and activities to enhance girls’ classroom success. The learning system offers 15 activities to practice spelling, vocabulary, and grammar; 12 mathematics and logic units; 11 memory and music activities; 7 fun games and keyboarding skills tutorials; 10 beginner Spanish activities; and 5 additional girlie games. Each activity has five levels of progression and Barbie gives girls three tries to answer each challenge, with enthusiastic encouragement along the way, and then provides the right response if kids are still struggling. Less engaging is the screen, which measures only 3-3/4 inches long and 1-1/2 inches tall, providing a tiny viewing window set within a permanent picture of Barbie on a striped background. In addition, the highly pixilated, 1-bit black-and-white graphics (which many parents will remember from their middle school days) are rather disappointing and outdated. The Barbie B-Book comes with a mouse and Barbie mouse pad and runs on four "AA" batteries (included). Oregon Scientific covers this laptop under a 90-day warranty. --Cristina Vaamonde

Product Description

With this Barbie laptop, children get tutored by Barbie in essential first and second grade skills. With over 50 activities in English and 10 in Spanish, your child will have fun learning. Introduces concepts in math, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, memory, logic keyboarding skills, music and games, with prizes and encouragement along the way. Requires 4 "AA" batteries (not included). Measures 9.17"L x 10.43"W.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 90 day wonder, November 16, 2005

By 

Bobby Dan (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop 5.0 (Toy)

We bought the Barbie B-Book for our daughter's birthday in June. By late August it started malfunctioning and by late September the keyboard stopped responding - with the exCeption of about 5 keys that when pressed made "2" be entered. We contacted Oregon Scientific to see if there was a resolution to this problem. They had a resolution alright - they suggested we go buy a new one because repairs would be costly and the unit was no longer under warranty. Shame on us for not acting sooner when it started malfunctioning, but a bigger shame on them for making a lousy product. I do not suggest buying this product.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 3 years & going strong!, November 25, 2005

By 

Andrea Ellis "domestic goddess" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop 5.0 (Toy)

My oldest daughter got the older version of this product for her 5th birthday. She could only play a couple of the games at the time, but she loved it. For three years now it has been her all-time favorite car toy. It has been dropped, banged, kicked, stepped on, fought over, and everything else two kids could do to it in 3 years, and still works great! Drawbacks: Pixter & Leapster caught on that kids might actually want to play their toys past 5pm in the car & put LCD lighting in, but this company hasn't caught on yet. Also, no headphones jack--some of the games make incredibly annoying noises! One more thing--the ages are not appropriately labeled. Closer to first grade and up.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very difficult to use & not child friendly, November 24, 2005

By 

L. Leonard (Rome, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbie B-Book Learning Laptop 5.0 (Toy)

My daughter received this as a gift & we all found it extremely difficult to use. I was not able to play most of the activities on the screens without first getting the handbook out & doing step by step which was still not very easy to figure out. It was not at all easy for a child to enjoy. There were very few activities my 6 year old daughter was able to understand & play. It is too advanced & difficult to use for the ages listed. The screen on the monitor was low graphics & poor lighting quality as well. This is a very expensive mistake that provided no benefit or fun to my daughter.