#educational cdrom/for ch
25 messages in this thread
My daughter is almost 4 years old and she loves JUST GRANDMA & ME a cd put out
by Broderbund. I just purchased ARTHURS TEACHER TROUBLES another Broderbund
title. My daughter has used it twice but I think its a tad too advanced for
her right now.
My four-year old boy enjoyed "The Line and the Shape Eater" from Cragsmoor
Interactive. (Yes, Jan, I know I owe you a review on it.)
-bc-
Bruce:
Can you tell us a bit about this title, and where it's from (if you owe Jan a
review anyway <g>)?
Thanks.
Rich Bowers
Re: The Line & The Shape Eater — An Interactive Adventure in New York City
It's from Cragsmoor Interactive — MediaRight Technology — Distributed by
Compton's NewMedia. I don't know what it costs. Perhaps Jan should tell us,
since it could be a factor in a review.
There are really two basic parts: a story about some shapes defending
themselves against a "Shape Eater" and how they get to be friends at the end.
The Shape Eater looks a bit like a big truck. According to the box, it's about
cooperation and kindness.
Your kids get to choose which of three narrators tells the story. The second
part is a fairly simple paint package that features the shapes in the story.
The box says this is for age three and up, and I would say that's pretty
accurate. A three-year-old would need some assistance. My daughter, seven,
enjoyed it too, but it's not the kind of thing she would come back to
frequently. She has much better paint tools.
I find a lot of these interactive storybooks fairly pale compared with, say
Broderbund and Davidson games, but as this genre goes, this is the one my kids
liked best so far.
-bc-
My daughter (3 years old) likes it(The line & The Shape Eater), too.
She loves the following softs although she can't understand English.
-Just Grandma & Me
-Shape Eater
-Almost Disney Softs (Mickey's ABC, 123, Colors&Shapes, Funpack, etc.)
-Kid Pix
Only Just Grandma & Me includes Japanese narration. I hope these educational
software will be Japanize more and more.
Kazuyo fm Tokyo
Kazuyo:
Sounds like a good business opportunity!
Best – Rich Bowers
I think so, too. These days, I've received some inquiry of
Japanization from US vendors on my business. But unfortunately almost Japanized
softwares(include Microsoft products) have a lot of bugs.
In addition, AT compatible and Macintosh have less share than NEC machines in
Japan. Mac has about 10% shares, AT has about 8% shares and NEC has
about 50%over shares.
If someone want to Japanize a software, he must consider NEC machines.
However NEC machines are not compatible to AT and these prices are a little
high. (Ex. 486/33+Local BUS Graphic Card+'17 monitor+200MHD+8M set is about
$5000-$6000)
I think these Japanization business will grow in the near future but it has
some problems now.
Perhaps this is a little off the subject, but the company I work for is looking
for someone who speaks Japanese and knows how to use Windows and Macs for a
summer job. If you know of anyone like that, I'd be glad to pass on their
resume. The company is in the greater Boston area.
-bc-
I'm a member of Arthur Andersen in Japan and we have some members
who can understand both Windows and Macintosh (perhaps including me).
Please send me your detail requests, estimate periods and fee by FAX to the
following address.
Nissei Building Akasaka 8-1-19
Minato-ku Tokyo Zip 107
Arthur Andersen Business Systems Counsulting Group
Attention: Kazuyo Nakamura
Fax: 81-3-5410-3240
Voice: 81-3-5410-3220
I have some experiences of developping on Macintosh using 4th Dimemsion and
Windows using some applications.
As you know AA's fee is a little higher than the other consultants. If you
feel our fee is high, we will recommend some other chiper vendors in Japan.
Kazuyo
Thanks, Kazuyo.
I will forward your message to my company, ColorAge, 900 Technology Park Drive,
Billerica, MA 01821, or you could call them at 508-667-8585.
I don't know whether they have filled the position, whether they had a
preference where the work was done, or how much they were intending to pay.
If you call, you can ask for me and I will forward you to the appropriate
person. I don't remember who made the request, because I'm at home now and the
request is at my office.
-bc-
I have received your FAX. Now I'm negotiating with my boss who is adapted.
Kazuyo
P.S. I'm not "Mr." Nakamura. I'm "Ms." Nakamura. Thank you.
My daughter doesn't speak Japanese, but she loves to play Just Grandma
and Me in the Japanese version. She's even starting to pick up some
of the phrases. BTW, is the translation accurate?
Stephen Miller
I think the Japanese version of Just Grandma and Me is very accurate. It was
translated very carefully. I feel its Japanese very natural.
"Boku Obachan to issho-ni umi he ittanda." means like that.
I Grandma and with Sea to went
I'd like to know what phrases your daughter likes.
Kazuyo
It's not any particular phrase, it's hearing the story in another language but
with familiar action. Her name is Kimberly and she said to tell you daughter
hello. And she wants to know her name.
Stephen
My daughter's name is TOMOYO. TOMO means friends and YO means the world. I
said her that Kimberly-chan had said to her "Konnichi-wa (means hello in
Japanese)" and she said to Kimberly-chan "Konnichi-wa".
TOMOYO is only 3 years old. I made her album by Photo-CDs. How old is your
daughter?
Kazuyo
Our title "The Manhole Enhanced CD-ROM" for MPC and DOS, features switchable
Japanese and English text and speech. You can select the text or speech
independently. Very suitable for pre-school.
William Volk
Thank you for your information.
To tell the truth, I ordered "The Manhole" to CE this month. But CE said it
was not available at that time. So I couldn't buy it.
I'd like to know which shop is handling the title. Or can I buy it from you
directly?
I've already bought "The Manhole" for PC-ENGINE CD-ROM
(Japanese NEC'S game machine) two years ago and my daughter likes
it very much. I will try to get its PC version.
Kazuyo
Manhole DOS/Windows CD Enhanced should be available at PC Connection and other
mail order houses. If you can't find it, try calling 1- 800 477 3650. Enjoy.
William Volk
Thank you. I'll order it at PC Connection (or other mail order houses).
Kazuyo
Hi, Kazuyo!
Sierra's Mixed-Up Mother Goose has several languages and it may have Japanese.
If so, your daugther should really enjoy it over the next couple years.
-bc-
Thank you for your information. I'll try to search the title at AT shops in
Japan Akihabara.
Recently Akihabara shops start to sell AT softs but its rate is a little
higher than the current exchange rate. For example, "Mickey's ABC" is sold
about $20 in USA but it is sold about $45 in Japan.
Kazuyo
Re price of "Mickey's ABC's" etc.:
In fact, it is fairly easy to find software like that at prices even lower than
what you mentioned here in the US. But any software that provided education
and entertainment for your child is often a bargain at any price. So much of
this was unavailable at any price just a short time ago. I can also tell you,
having done some educational titles for several software companies, that the
programmers are not getting rich from this kind of programming. Everybody
wants to do educational and entertainment programming, so the laws of supply
and demand keep the programmer's salaries and royalties fairly low in these
areas, compared to what these same programmers could be making in a different
industry.
I'm not recommending that you go on a buying spree for software at any price.
Just research the software as much as possible before you buy it. At many
stores around here, you or your kid could try it out at the store. Also, some
of the libraries around here have computers with some of the educational titles
for patrons of the library to use. Sometimes there is a nominal fee to use the
computer (perhaps $.25 for 15 minutes); sometimes there is no fee at all. I
don't know whether you have this kind of setup in Japan.
I have a cousin who speaks Japanese fluently and did some ambassadorial work
and perhaps taught English. She'd be able to answer my questions about Japan,
except that she's now in Detroit and I'm in Boston. I don't know what an "AT
shop" is.
-bc-
"AT shop" means "Shops which sells AT Compatible hardwares and softwares"
that I want to say.
In Japan there is few places that I and my daughter can tauch these kind of
softwares. So I read package descriptions, magazines and CIS messages.
Thank you for your information. I learned a lot of things.
Kazuyo
Hi, Kazuyo,
I forwarded your information to Karen Potito at ColorAge. They mentioned that
they need the work done on their premises. It wasn't clear from your posting
whether you could do this, but I suggested that she get in touch with you
anyhow since you said you had some other possible people to do the job as well.
If you hear from them, perhaps I will meet you in person some day.
-bc-
Bruce:
Thanks for the description! I'll look for it!
Best – Rich