Friday, August 10, 2007 Mall rover: New Toys By Jadis Quijada
A GADGET nut these days, I am never without a trio (not Treo, aheh) of mobile phone, Palm Pilot and iPod in my bag. All three come in handy in the stuck alone somewhere, in which case, a virtual musical or game buddy provides great relief for one cursed with a short attention span.
For kids and baby-sitters, there are those play centers situated in most malls. Supervised playing areas charge by the hour and do not only include playground features but also learning toys and children’s books as well. This is a common practice among couples who go out on dates and can’t leave their kids at home.
An alternative for the hyperactive and the young are the gaming arcades that charge per play. If you’re hesitant to give cash to your kids, provide them with Timezone credit cards that allow them to play for a certain budget.
All play and no work makes Jack dull. Thinking toys are good gift ideas. Locally-made wooden puzzles by Wagas Crafts (available in kiosks in major malls nationwide) are good examples. While some toys have been recalled for suspected unhealthy concentration of lead, Fisher Price plastic toys in Dora, the Explorer and Sesame St. designs have been recalled in malls in Manila . While no similar incidents have been reported in local malls, there is a complete list of recalled toys that you may access to in http://service.mattel.com/us/recall/39054_IVR.asp?prod.
DIGITIZING EVERYTHING
Due to fears of facing another sudden CPU breakdown, I am constantly on the move in uploading digital images on my Multiply account (Friendster’s too slow on high-resolution photos sometimes). Another solution (which also doesn’t take as long) is the digital photo frame (retails at P4995 at Magic Photo Frames in SM City Cebu), which can slideshow photos, play music and movies—depending on the memory capacity of the item. Mechanical moving frames are also available for less.
ANTI-MOSQUITO BAND
Looking as cool as those sporty baller IDs, these insect-repellent bands can ward off nasty, disease-carrying bugs, a meter away. Worn as bracelets or anklets, these aromatic bands (Bugslock) are effective for 120 hours and are available in Foodarama and other leading drug stores.
