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Best Handheld Game Console in 2022
Best Handheld Game Console in 2022
There's been a welcome revival of portable game systems over the past few years. Even though phones and tablets already do a fine job of playing tons of great portable games, dedicated devices can provide unique features, exclusive games or extra power to do things your phone can't. It almost feels like a return to the mid-2010s era of the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
The Nintendo Switch has been the best and most affordable portable game system for years, and continues to be CNET's clear top pick: at $300 (or $350 for our favorite model), it can play a huge variety of Nintendo games, indie games, it can dock with a TV and can even play some fitness games. But Valve's Steam Deck offers a unique proposition for those with deeper pockets: it's large, and it can double as a full gaming PC.
For those who miss retro game handhelds like the Game Boy, you might consider putting yourself on the waiting list to order the Analogue Pocket or Panic Playdate, too, but neither of those systems are as highly recommended as the Switch and Steam Deck are.
We'll explain below.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Nintendo Switch is five years old now, but Nintendo has indicated that no true successor is coming right now. A Pro model has been rumored for a while, but in the meantime the existing Switch remains extremely capable, full of great games, and pretty affordable considering its handheld/TV-connected dual function.
The OLED-screened Switch, released last fall, is the best Switch and our recommended pick. The more vivid and larger display looks fantastic, its rear kickstand works better for tabletop gaming, and both of these upgrades are worth the extra $50. The original Switch (or the V2 version), at $300, works similarly and is also still fine. The smaller, handheld-only Switch Lite is a great value pick at $200 for anyone who just wants a basic portable game system, but it lacks any ability to connect to a TV, and its controllers don't detach. This makes it less versatile for families, and means you can't replace the controllers if they break.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Valve's big and powerful Steam Deck is a marvel: it can play a wide variety of PC games surprisingly well, and is the dream portable for any hardcore Steam fan, or anyone who has a big library of PC games. The Steam Deck can get expensive for the larger storage tiers, but for what it's capable of, it's not a bad deal. Wait times on preorders are still pushed out by some months, but more people seem to be getting theirs. The ability to play PC games or stream cloud-based games, and to connect to a monitor, keyboard or other accessories, puts the Steam Deck in a class of its own.
Read CNET's review.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Pocket looks like a totally remade Game Boy, and it is, in a sense. Analogue's gorgeous handheld can play original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges perfectly, and can even play Sega Game Gear games using an adapter (Atari Lynx, Neo Geo Pocket and Turbografx-16 adapters are coming soon). It has a high-res color screen and USB-C charging, and there's a separately sold dock for TV play. But the Pocket doesn't play emulations or ROMs, and there's no game store for buying games. It's strictly a system to enjoy real physical cartridges in amazing quality, although there's a growing library of Pocket-compatible software in indie gaming channels like itch.io that can be sideloaded to a MicroSD card, too.
Read CNET's review.
The tiny, yellow, black-and-white-screened Panic Playdate looks like a weird Game Boy with a mechanical crank sprouting from its side. But this system, made by the indie game company that developed Untitled Goose Game, plays its own tiny season of 24 indie-developed games, which come included with the purchase and appear over time like weekly presents. The Playdate has Wi-Fi and can download games or sideload other indie-developed titles from sites like itch.io, but you'll have to learn to love the experiences you discover. We've loved playing on it so far, but alas, the Playdate doesn't have any backlighting -- you'll have to find a lamp instead.
Read CNET's review.
Lori Grunin/CNET
Should I just use my phone or iPad instead?
Tablets and phones are extremely valid game consoles: the iPad has tons of games on the App Store, and dozens more on Apple's subscription-based Apple Arcade. The iPad can pair with Bluetooth game controllers, too. iPhones and Android phones have tons of games as well, obviously, and a number of great game controller cases are available, including the Backbone and the Razer Kishi.
Phones and tablets also offer other advantages, including an ability to cloud-stream games on a growing number of services including Microsoft Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus.
The handhelds listed above have other advantages: unique game libraries, a chance to connect to a TV and play with others, and the capability to play higher-end PC games or classic game cartridges.
Should I wait for something else?
The Nintendo Switch Pro, a long-rumored upgrade to the Switch, could eventually offer 4K gaming and perhaps upgraded controllers, although the existence of such a device is entirely speculative. Odds are that Nintendo will instead just keep slightly improving the Switch via new models every couple of years, similar to how it kept upgrading its Nintendo DS and 3DS line over time.
The Steam Deck just arrived earlier this year, but it's unclear when and if Valve will ever choose to upgrade it with better processors or newer features. And right now, Microsoft and Sony have stayed out of the handheld gaming picture.
What's best for kids?
My kids alternate between iPad gaming and the Nintendo Switch. The Switch is without a doubt the best kid console, with the most family-friendly game library and best parental control settings. Still, be prepared to get annoyed at buying multiple copies of games and trudging through the process of creating multiple Switch family accounts.
Vivo X50 Pro review: A solid all-rounder for camera lovers
Vivo X50 Pro review: A solid all-rounder for camera lovers
The Vivo X50 Pro is a midrange phone on the higher end of that spectrum and has many of the trappings of an enticing flagship. Starting at approximately $670, you get a crystalline screen, 5G, a powerful battery, a speedy display and fast charging. But the phone also has a camera feature that undeniably distinguishes it from its rivals. The X50 Pro is the world's first mass-produced phone with a built-in gimbal camera system that allows you to capture smooth, fast-action video with the click of a button. Out of Vivo's trio of X50 handsets -- which the Chinese phone-maker is marketing as a professional photography flagship -- the X50 Pro is the only one to boast this futuristic feature. But Vivo did make a few compromises. For instance, it lacks stereo speakers (a big drawback for music lovers like myself) and it isn't water resistant, which many phones of this class are. It also has a midrange processor (Snapdragon 765G) instead of the most adva nced chipset available.
If you're not fussed about shooting action video, you're better off buying Vivo's base X50 or the OnePlus Nord. Both have comparable specs but don't charge a premium for advanced video gimbals and hardware. The X50 and Nord feature a quad-camera system led by a 48-megapixel shooter, the same chipset and a fast display, but are nearly $100 to $200 cheaper respectively. But if being splash-proof is important to you, consider the iPhone 11 ($500 at Best Buy).
Vivo doesn't currently have plans to officially release the phone in the US. But X50 phones have been released in parts of Asia and Europe, so they'll be reasonably easy to import. Pricing also varies based on country with prices trending higher in Western countries. In India, the base variant (with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage) starts at 49,990 rupees (approximately $670, £510 or AU$930), while in Eastern Europe it starts at the equivalent of $780.
Vivo's X50 Pro features a 6.5-inch AMOLED display.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The X50 Pro's gimbal camera delivers
The X50 Pro has multiple rear cameras. The entire setup uses a gimbal-like system and a combination of optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization to produce incredibly stable video. Vivo says its gimbal system reduces shakiness by up to three times compared to traditional stabilization technology, thanks to a "double ball structure" that allows it to rotate on three axes.
I captured a bunch of video in different lighting conditions to see how well the X50 Pro stacked up against another phone known for its video-camera prowess, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. In short, the X50 Pro performed very well. When I recorded video while walking in daylight and panning the cameras from side to side, I didn't see much of a difference between the two phones. Both captured stable footage without any obvious jerkiness.
The differences were noticeable, however, when running, especially in darker conditions. Although the X50 Pro's output was steady and seamless, there were several times when the camera went out of focus and blurred slightly.The iPhone 11 Pro Max's footage, on the other hand, always remained in focus but was extremely shaky. In the end, I preferred video from the X50 Pro because it was easier for me to watch stable video with occasional blurs rather than jerky footage. Apart from video, another use-case for the gimbal system is taking photos while zooming. I was able to more easily capture some great photos zoomed in because of the stability it provided.
Bottom line: The X50 Pro's gimbal-style camera is impressive and generally delivers what it promises. But it cannot replace a full-sized gimbal -- it is built into a phone after all. And while its technology is unique, its videos aren't earth-shatteringly better than, say, what you get on the pricier iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The X50 Pro's design is slender and classic
Though its design isn't wholly unique, the Vivo's X50 Pro is still a sleek phone with a classic aesthetic. I prefer designs like this because they're more enduring rather than envelope-pushing trends that seem to fade away (remember pop-up selfie cameras?). The X50 Pro has a spacious 6.56-inch curved display with a discreet hole-punch selfie camera. On the back there's a larger than average rectangular protrusion that's home to a rear quad-camera module and the phone's headline gimbal feature.
The X50 Pro comes in gray, which I love. Its subtle sheen adds to the phone's premium look. Overall the X50 Pro is neither heavy or exceptionally lightweight, but it is relatively slim, which allows me to type out emails and messages using one hand.
The X50 Pro's screen has a higher 90Hz refresh rate than most phones, which have 60Hz displays. It offers a silky smooth experience, which I really like, though it's not as high as the 120Hz screens on the OnePlus 8 Pro and Galaxy S20.
Vivo's rear camera setup is headlined by a 48-megapixel shooter.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The X50 Pro's multiple cameras have range
In addition to the phone's main 48-megapixel sensor, there are two telephoto shooters and an 8-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens. These multiple cameras offer plenty of variety and range in terms of photographic possibilities, which I really appreciate. For example, the ultrawide camera has a 120-degree field of view, while the periscope zoom camera can zoom in on an object up to 60x.
In general, the X50 Pro captured crisp and vibrant photos that captured my surroundings wonderfully and with accurate colors. But in certain lighting conditions, during sunset for example, photos were more saturated and punched-up in the X50 Pro than the iPhone 11 Pro. Whichever photo you prefer is likely a matter of personal preference, but you can see the difference for yourself in the photos below. Keep in mind that the monitor you're viewing these pictures on has an affect as well.
The Vivo X50 Pro captured a fiery yellow-orange sunset (left), while the photograph taken by the iPhone XS Max (right) was more true to life.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
This photo was taken indoors with the default lens. As you can see, there was natural light pouring through the windows and it wasn't the easiest lighting conditions for the camera to work with, but the image came out well.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
This image was taken using the default shooter and is more saturated in the photo than it was in real life.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
This image was taken at night using the camera's dedicated Night Mode setting.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The phone's 60x zoom, known as "Hyper Zoom," doesn't close in as intimately as the Galaxy S20 Ultra's 100x "Space Zoom," but I was still blown away by the sheer power of it. Photos were blurry, but they still retained detail that I couldn't see with my own eyes. And when I didn't need to zoom that far, I was also able to take sharp and detailed images at 5x optical zoom, which few phones have.
Vivo's X50 Pro has range. Using its 60x hyper zoom, I was able to zoom into the sign on the hotel on the opposite side of the harbor. I couldn't see the sign with my naked eye and did not know it existed till I zoomed in with the phone.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
This image was taken on default settings (1x).
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
Zooming in 5x.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
Zooming in 10x.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The four zoom modes side by side.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
The phone's ultrawide lens captured sprawling landscapes and sunsets. Colors, however, weren't as true to life as they appeared when I took pictures with the X50 Pro's other lenses in most lighting conditions. For some reason, blues were darker on images taken with the ultrawide lens. This isn't a major flaw, but color accuracy is super important to photographers, and they're who Vivo is actively courting with this phone.
X50 Pro's software features and UI
The X50 Pro runs FunTouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10. It's a clean interface that's easy to use. There was some bloatware, but most of it could be turned off and it didn't bother me much. The X50 Pro also comes with dark mode, an always-on display option and an app drawer. It also has circular icons, which I prefer to the rigidness of square ones.
Like most Android 10 phones, you'll use swiping gesture controls to navigate through the phone. But the phone does have some unintuitive controls of its own. In the early days of my reviewing the X50 Pro, for example, I accidentally hung up on a bunch of incoming calls. That's because to answer a call you need to swipe down as opposed to up, which is the more common direction on Android phones.
X50 Pro battery and performance
The X50 Pro's battery comfortably lasted me throughout the day with mild usage. That means I used it for light gameplay, reading the news on various apps, answering emails, scanning my social media account and chatting with loved ones on WhatsApp. When I continuously played an HD video on Airplane mode for battery tests, the phone lasted 15 hours, 22 minutes at 50% brightness.
When it did eventually run out of juice, it took the phone between 52 to 73 minutes to reach a full charge using the bundled 33-watt flash charger (during the three times that I tested it). That's a pretty good time -- most premium phones take about 90 minutes to fully charge. By comparison, Apple says the fast charger that comes with its iPhone 11 Pro can hit a 50% charge in 30 minutes. Fast charging is super handy, especially for those occasions when I'm about to leave my apartment and I realize my phone is almost dead.
The phone's Snapdragon 765G processor (the G stands for gaming BTW) is a lower-cost option for phone-makers to equip their phones with 5G. It isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865 chipset (as seen in the OnePlus 8 Pro and the Galaxy S20 line), but the 765G provided more than enough power for all my processing needs. The X50 Pro stacked up well in benchmark tests against other phones equipped with the same chip like the OnePlus Nord and LG Velvet. And when I played more demanding, graphics-intensive games such as PUBG, I didn't notice any lags or stuttering. The gaming experience was immersive and graphics were crisp.
But this is not the end. There's still one entire season to come. That might be bad news for the kids who have to prepare to save Hawkins -- or what's left of it. But it's good news for those of us who just can't give up on Steve "The Hair" Harrington and the rest of this engaging crew.
For more on Stranger Things season 4 volume 2, dive into the Easter eggs, links to previous seasons and character arcs for the cast in our in-depth episode 8 recap and episode 9 season finale recap. If you've burned through season 4, here's what we know about the upcoming fifth and final season. We'll add to this as news is released.
Netflix
When will Stranger Things' final season be released?
This is a bigger mystery than what exactly Erica found under Lucas' bed. There was a year between the first two seasons, and then we had to wait two years for season three, and another two for season four. (This explains why the kids are growing up so fast -- see our photo gallery to marvel at the differences.) The Duffer brothers flat-out told Variety that the wait shouldn't be as long this time, but also, they haven't started filming yet. So we'd estimate a year and a half, which would put the show in early 2024. (David Harbour, who plays Hopper, is guessing mid-2024.)
What's this about a time jump?
Like we said, the kids are getting older. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays 11, is 18 now, and Joe Keery, who plays Steve, is 30. Each season has jumped ahead a year, which would push the final season to 1987. But if the show jumped more than one year, the younger kids might be able to catch up to their actual ages -- say the show picked up as they're about to graduate from Hawkins.
The Duffer brothers, the show's creators, have confirmed a time jump, though they haven't revealed details. The problem, though, is that Hawkins is literally on fire as we faded out of season four, so it seems as if the kids need to jump back into immediate action. That'll be something for the Duffers to work out as they reopen their show's writers' room.
Fewer settings
Season four was kind of all over the place, with Hopper and Joyce mostly in Russia, Eleven starting out in California (we still want revenge on roller-rink meanie Angela), and some of the crew back in Hawkins. The show jumped between settings pretty smoothly, but the Duffers say it will focus on keeping everyone together in Hawkins for the last season.
Will Byers loves Mike
The show started off back in season 1 with Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) getting abducted, and it looks as if the focus could spin back to him. Ross Duffer says Will is "a big part and focus" of the final season. And actor Schnapp told Variety in July 2022 that the rumors are true, his character is gay, and has feelings for best friend Mike, who's in a relationship with Eleven.
"Now it's 100% clear that he is gay and he does love Mike," Schnapp said.
And everything Will does is made more difficult by the fact that he's still apparently able to feel a connection to Vecna.
Eddie and Max
New character Eddie Munson sacrificed himself in season four, and the Duffers have assured fans that the meaningful death is real. It's possible actor Joseph Quinn could show up in a flashback (although Alexei didn't get to do that), but the character won't be an active part of the final season.
It's different for Max Mayfield, who's been a strong part of the show since the second season. Max ended the fourth season in the hospital, as Vecna tried to kill her in the same horrific bone-breaking, eye-gouging way he killed others before her. She's still alive, but not in great shape, and lingers in a coma. There just doesn't feel like any way the Duffers will kill off Max, though -- in fact, maybe that time jump will help her bones (and brain) heal.
Don't expect another 'Running Up That Hill'
Kate Bush's 1985 song Running Up That Hill was featured prominently in the fourth season -- sending the decades-old song charting around the world. But don't expect that the Duffers will just pick another '80s song for a season 5 boost.
"I'm already getting asked that question, it's like, 'What song are [you] going to do in Season 5?'" Matt Duffer said in an interview with Collider. "I'm like, 'We're not going to do that again.' Because if we do it, it will fail." Yeah, it likely would. Lightning is notoriously hard to bottle and, alas, there's only one Kate Bush.
Finale will be long again
The season four finale was more than two hours long. Season five's finale will be, too, though not quite as long, the Duffers say. But it will be moving fast. They note that season five will jump right into action, and joke that the finale will contain "eight endings." Get ready to block off some serious viewing time come 2024.
And then a spinoff?
The Duffers teased their fans with a letter saying, "There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of 'Stranger Things'; new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes."
And they confirmed to Variety that "we do have an idea for a spinoff that we're super excited about." The creators say they haven't revealed the idea yet, even to Netflix, and they think everyone will be surprised. But they also said that actor Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, correctly guessed at the spinoff topic. So unless someone can get Finn to cough up the secret, we'll have to wait on that.
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Lovevery Play Kits Reviewed: Are These Subscription Boxes Worth the Money?
Lovevery Play Kits Reviewed: Are These Subscription Boxes Worth the Money?
I started seeing the Lovevery Play Kit ads almost immediately after I became a mom. The ads showed colorful, aesthetically pleasing baby toys that seemed to be curated around developmental milestones.
Because my newborn was more of an inanimate blob than I'd expected (they all are, it turns out), I'd been having trouble figuring out what to do with him between nap times. Not only was it kind of boring to try to interact with an inanimate blob, but I also felt the modern parenthood anxiety of milestone-meeting, experience-fostering and lesson-learning bubbling almost from day one.
My hunch was that I could quell this anxiety by creating and executing daily activities with my baby, almost like a curriculum. That would make maternity leave a lot less boring, too. The problem -- I'm not a trained Montessori teacher or a child development expert. I was also busy nursing, changing, bathing, burping (the baby, not myself) and rocking to spend any time lesson planning for a newborn. Could the Lovevery Play Kits do the heavy lifting for me? (And the better question: Would they be worth the price?)
My colleague Alison DeNisco Rayome and I tested four Lovevery Play Kits with our real kids (The Looker for kids who are 0 to 12 weeks old, The Senser for 5- to 6-month-old kids, The Realist for kids aged 19 to 21 months and The Helper for kids who are 25 to 27 months old) to answer that question. Read on for what we thought. Plus, check out the list of hot kids' toys to buy as gifts, toys for the kid at heart, STEM toys we love and the best gifts for 2-year-olds.
Read more: Here's a toy that makes the perfect gift for any age .
What are Lovevery Play Kits?
Lovevery is a US-based toy company that sells Montessori-inspired subscription boxes focused on "stage-based play." The idea is that kids have different needs at different stages in their development, and the right toys can support those needs.
The Play Kits (Lovevery's name for its curated subscription boxes) are separated into four buckets by age: 0 to 12 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years. Each age bucket is further broken down by smaller ranges, with boxes named after their respective developmental stage (e.g. The Charmer Play Kit is for months 3 to 4, while The Observer Play Kit is for months 37, 38 and 39).
Every kit includes a few toys, a book and a parents' guide that provides ideas for using the toys inside to help your child meet their milestones. The toys are made from sustainable and baby-safe, natural materials -- and they look pretty sleek on your shelves, too.
Is Lovevery Montessori?
Yes, Lovevery is inspired by the Montessori method, which emphasizes independence, STEM skills and toys that develop skills used in real life. That also means you won't find any flashing lights or noisy toys inside your Play Kit. Instead, the toys tend to favor "open-ended play," so kids can continually invent new ways to play with them. (Read more on Lovevery's approach to the Montessori method.)
Read more: Baby Registry Checklist: 10 Baby Products I Wish I'd Asked For
A toy from The Senser, Lovevery's play kit for kids aged 5 to 6 months.
Lovevery
How much does a Lovevery Subscription cost?
When you first sign up for a Lovevery subscription, you'll enter your child's birthday (or due date or adjusted age), and Lovevery will suggest a Play Kit to get started with. You can also add a few of the earlier boxes to your initial order, because the toys inside will likely still appeal to older kids.
Boxes for kids aged 0 to 12 months cost $80 a box and ship every two months. Other ages will get a box every three months for $120 a box. You can also prepay for several boxes at a time, which lowers the cost per box down to as little as $72 for infants or $108 for older kids.
Because you can skip boxes or cancel your subscription at any time, it's easy to buy a one-off box to try it out or to give as a gift. Since the Lovevery website shows what's inside each box before you order, you don't have to buy the ones that don't look as compelling.
Read more: 9 Book Subscription Services for Kids and Young Adults
Is Lovevery an American company?
Yes, the subscription box company is based in the US. Boise, Idaho, specifically, is the city that the company calls home and it's where the toys are designed. They're manufactured, however, by a network of suppliers throughout Asia.
Testing the Play Kits (with a real baby and toddler!)
Boxes for 0 to 12 months
Cost: $80
Boxes we tested: The Looker (weeks 0 to 12) and The Senser (months 5 to 6)
The Looker box includes:
A double-sided mobile
Sensory links (soft, high-contrast toys that can hook together or on a stroller or play mat)
Two black and white card sets (one with simple patterns and one with complex patterns)
A standing cardholder (to put the cards in during tummy time)
Black and white mittens (to promote hand discovery and body control)
A wooden book with black and white animal pictures
A silicon rattle with a removable ball
The parents' play guide
What we liked:
The double-sided spiral mobile, with high-contrast black and white on one side and colorful circles on the other side, was a big hit with my newborn daughter -- she loved looking at it when we held it up or tied it to her play gym. (Lovevery suggests hanging it over the changing table as a distraction, too.) The black and white cards were a mainstay in her play gym, and the little book seemed to hold her attention more than some of her other high-contrast books did (perhaps because it's "baby's first book made with sustainably harvested wood" and she's a budding environmentalist? Who's to say).
Not listed on the website, but my kit came with a mug for a parent that reads "The Days Are Long But the Years Are Short." It's not my favorite child-rearing sentiment, though it's proven true for me, but it was nice to have a little gift included.
The real winner, though, was the parents' play guide. It's difficult to know how to engage with a newborn, but Lovevery gave some practical ideas to align with her weekly development. I found that helpful as a first-time parent who was overly stressed about being able to give her enriching playtime.
What we didn't like:
The sensory links were never a favorite, perhaps because she had several other similar clip-on toys that came with her play mat and and stroller. And while the black and white mittens were a good idea, in theory, the effort it took to get them on and off a squirmy newborn wasn't worth it for me most days.
--Alison DeNisco Rayome
The Senser is Lovevery's Play Kit for babies aged 5 to 6 months old.
Lovevery
The Senser box includes:
A spinning rainbow wheel
A magic tissue box (to pull cloth tissues out of and put back in)
Magic tissues (cloth tissues that can link together)
An organic cotton rainbow ball
Parts of Me book
A pair of play socks with bells on the toes
A tummy time wobbler
The parents' play guide
What we liked:
Once my daughter hit the 6-month mark, the way she played changed dramatically, particularly since she could stay sitting up with little assistance. The spinning rainbow wheel is one of her favorite things to play with, and it keeps her occupied longer than most other toys. Once she got the hang of the magic tissue box, she enjoyed pulling the tissues out of that as well (and using them to chew on and play peek-a-boo with). The tummy time wobbler has been another solid choice both while on her tummy and while sitting up. She still tries to eat that, too, like everything else.
I'll admit, I was a Lovevery skeptic, just given the price tag. But this box convinced me these are great toys that can give your baby plenty of entertainment, and I'm already planning to buy the next one.
What we didn't like:
The play socks seem like they might have been a bigger hit when she was younger, as she discovered her feet long ago. The rainbow ball is also pretty but only holds so much interest.
--Alison DeNisco Rayome
The Looker box from Lovevery comes with a magic tissue box.
Lovevery
Box for 1-year-olds
Cost: $120
Box we tested: The Realist (months 19, 20, 21)
The Realist box includes:
A wooden lock box with four locking mechanisms
A puzzle with shapes that nest and stack
Fabric "critters" that can be tucked into matching pockets on a quilted wall hanging
A cup and pitcher for pouring your own drinks
Bea Gets a Checkup board book
A wooden "ring chute" with rings
A flashlight that lights up
The parents' play guide
What we liked:
The lock box is my 2-year-old son's favorite toy, and the fabric critters have taken up residence inside it. Locking and unlocking each of the doors -- and putting things inside, then taking them out -- has occupied more of his time than pretty much any other toy. Unfortunately, he's now learned how to lock his own bedroom door. Thanks, Lovevery.
The flashlight is easy for a toddler to turn on and off and my son likes to use it to find toys in his bedroom when the lights are off, since he can't reach the light switch. We've also read the included board book, Bea Gets a Checkup, dozens of times and the requests keep coming.
What we didn't like:
The ring chute toy is aesthetically pleasing but it seems to only have one real use, a use my son is not very interested in. Considering how large the toy is, I'd have preferred something with a little more versatility.
--Karisa Langlo
The Helper Play Kit comes with a play sink that pumps water.
Karisa Langlo/CNET
Box for 2-year-olds
Cost: $120
Box we tested: The Helper (months 25, 26, 27)
The Helper box includes:
A play sink with a real pump, plus cups and dishes for washing up
Felt flowers in a stand that can be removed, counted and bundled
Washable tempera paint "sticks" with paper in a travel-friendly zippered pouch
Making Muffins board book
A "dot catcher," which looks like a rainbow Connect Four game
A two-sided puzzle that uses the same pieces for two separate designs
Routine cards with photos of everyday tasks for mapping out routines
The parents' play guide
What we liked:
My son couldn't get enough of the play sink. Its ingenious design lets you keep the water running without the sink ever overflowing or running out of water. Because it's not hooked up to a waterline (it just recycles the same reservoir through its pump repeatedly), you can't get any dishes clean in it, but my son loved pretending to wash dishes next to me at the real sink while I washed real dishes.
The box arrived just as we were starting to work on learning colors, and the rainbow dot catcher couldn't have been a more perfect toy. My son now knows his colors like the back of his hand, but he still likes to drop the colored wooden discs into their corresponding slots, and he gets a kick out of the quick-release lever.
What we didn't like:
The puzzle and routine cards both seemed a little too advanced for a young 2-year-old. They both also seem like toys you could make yourself, if you had the inclination for DIY.
-- Karisa Langlo
Box for 3-year-olds
Cost: $120
Box we tested: Didn't test one (yet!)
Lovevery offers four Play Kits geared toward three-year-olds, up to age four:
The Observer Play Kit: Months 37, 38, 39
The Storyteller Play Kit: Months 40, 41, 42
The Problem Solver Play Kit: Months 43, 44, 45
The Analyst Play Kit: Months 46, 47, 48
While we haven't tested one of them yet, the Lovevery Play Kits designed for 3-year-olds all include a similar mix of items as the younger boxes, with more sophisticated, preschool-age appropriate toys and books.
The Looker Play Kit from Lovevery.
Lovevery
Beyond the Play Kits: The Lovevery app and other products
The Lovevery app requires a subscription to the toy boxes to access (though you can also get the app if you received a box as a gift). Like the parent play guides, I found it to be a great resource for ideas for what to actually do with your baby all day long.
On the Activities tab, you'll see a list of toys from the age-appropriate toy box that you can tap on to get ideas for how to use by the month of your baby's age. There are also suggestions for using toys from prior boxes that are still age-appropriate in new ways. Beyond that, you'll find several other DIY activities to try (at 7 months, things like playing with paper and teaching your baby to clap), which you can check off to keep track of what you've tried.
The My Baby tab shows what motor, cognitive, communication and social/emotional skills your baby will be learning that month with a pediatrician's video. This section reminded me of a more in-depth What To Expect app. But I appreciated that it makes sure to note that all babies are different to ease the minds of worried parents. An Ask and Learn section lets parents write or search for different questions and topics that Lovevery's developmental psychologists and pediatricians answer.
If you have the toy boxes, it's worth downloading the app (if you have an iPhone -- there's no Android version) to get the most out of them.
The other Lovevery product you'll often find on baby registries is The Play Gym. As with all of its products, it's more aesthetically pleasing than many others on the market -- and more expensive, at $140. It's also a bit larger, since it's meant to be used for the baby's entire first year, with relatively tall wooden posts -- so it may not be the best choice for people in apartments or smaller spaces.
The Play Gym comes with a few toys that my baby loved, including a bell to ring and a crinkly teether. But to be honest, she seemed to get bored more easily on this mat than on the less expensive Skip Hop one I originally registered for, which is decidedly not a Montessori product. I think if I'd been invested in the ecosystem of toy boxes, it might have given us more to do there.
As with everything else with parenting, it depends on what you want: If you have the resources to invest in the Lovevery system, it's a great choice. But your child will be just fine without it, too.
--Alison DeNisco Rayome
Is the Lovevery subscription worth it?
If you're looking for a one-off, curated toy box to give as a gift, the Lovevery Play Kits are definitely worth the money. The quality of the toys individually makes the price reasonable, and you get the added bonus of knowing they've been hand-selected by experts. If you can afford it, you likely won't be disappointed. Lovevery knows what it's doing!
As a subscription box, though, the price becomes a bigger concern. Do you need to spend the equivalent of $40 a month on toys (or $36 a month, if you factor in the prepay savings)? One thing to think about: As your child ages, the mystery of how to interact with them naturally dissipates, and they'll likely begin playing with whatever you have lying around the house anyway (including the Play Kit boxes themselves). At this point, an expertly curated toy box becomes even more of a nice-to-have.
And another thing: Between birthdays, holidays and overindulgent grandparents, a lot of children are positively drowning in toys. A monthly box will only worsen the problem of clutter, which goes against the Montessori ethos. According to the Lovevery website, "parents say these are the 'only toys you'll need.'" I'm inclined to agree! But I have no idea how to keep all the other stuff out of my house.
"We did all the research so you don't have to," the company's website also declares. And for those parents who otherwise would spend hours researching developmentally appropriate kids' toys, the statement isn't wrong. But not every parent does -- or should -- fret over toy research. And even for parents experiencing anxiety around optimizing a child's playtime, there are far cheaper ways to fill a toy chest.
Correction, June 7: This story initially estimated the monthly cost of a subscription incorrectly. The box costs the equivalent of $40 a month or $36 if you pay in advance.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Nintendo Switch's wild ideas will echo into 2018
Nintendo Switch's wild ideas will echo into 2018
I've seen VR, AR, iPhones, smartwatches, laptops and robots. But the gadget that impressed me the most, by a longshot, was the Nintendo Switch.
It was a familiar story. Nintendo has a weird, wild idea. Detachable controls on a tablet. A dock that turns a handheld into a console. Even the name of the little wireless, button-studded mini-remotes was weird: Joy-Cons.
Nintendo's done this before. The minimalist, motion-control-driven Nintendo Wii and its deconstructed remote control. The bizarre two-screened, stylus-laden Nintendo DS.
I had some preparation this time, however. In fact, Razer had an idea that was incredibly similar for Windows PCs just a few years before, called the Razer Edge. When I reviewed it, I thought it was a sign of the future: it could transform from handheld to console, changing its form. Then there was the Nvidia Shield, the true predecessor of the Switch, which started as a funky Android game handheld with a flip-up screen and became a dockable, switchable tablet. I thought that was cool, too.
Nintendo, obviously, agreed (and put Nvidia's Tegra processor into the Switch, too).
Now that the Switch has become a success, and a must-have holiday toy, it's also a real showcase of how a modular piece of tech can work. Nintendo's game lineup for the Switch has been stellar. It's also fun and easy to use.
And, I bet, 2018 is going to be full of companies trying to pull off the same trick.
I can't wait for some of the ideas. I also hope things don't go overboard.
The Nintendo Switch, unplugged.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Perfect storm: Price, hardware design, software support
The Switch's ideas already existed: the Nvidia Shield Tablet was a test run, but the Switch did it better. Nintendo's games, from both first and third parties have been stellar. Its new Zelda and Mario games are ones for the ages. Nintendo's also done a great job rounding up indie game developers and producing a collection of decently priced software, with titles like Rocket League, Stardew Valley, Thumper and Steamworld Dig 2.
Meanwhile, the price of the Switch hovers right at the border between impulse buy and splurge. No, the $300, £280 or AU$470 price isn't cheap, but it's a completely fair price for a handheld and console with two controllers in-box.
After a year playing it, I love it more than I did before.
The missing link: is it still about good controllers?
Sarah Tew/CNET
Mobile gaming needs a kick in the pants
There have been a lot of really great mobile games recently: Fez, Inside, The Witness and The Talos Principle. Many of these games were ported from the PC and console. These little phones are powerhouses capable of great graphics and gameplay. But they're totally hampered as far as game controls go.
Phones and tablets are great for touching and swiping, but there's been a slowdown on adopting connected game controllers for mobile games. It was a trend a few years ago, but not so much anymore. Maybe that's because those controllers never worked as well as the Nintendo Switch's subtly rumbling, totally flexible Joy-Cons do. Two can become one controller, or become separate tiny ones. They work in multiple orientations. They have great motion controls. They enable all types of games.
Mobile games are only going to be as good as the controls available to them. Modular controls and well-made controller accessories can help. So, too, could letting mobile devices connect directly with TVs like the Switch does. There's no reason why a phone or tablet couldn't be a console/mobile hybrid just like the Switch. Some already have toyed with it, for games (the Nvidia Shield) or even work (Microsoft's Continuum, or Samsung's Dex for Galaxy phones).
Razer Edge came out over four years ago. It's time to revisit the idea, post-Switch.
Sarah Tew/CNET
PCs are designed to be modular now: Let them be!
Microsoft's Surface tablet and its various Book/Laptop iterations, and the wild evolution of flexible/hybrid laptop/tablets as a whole, show that Windows hardware is already very capable of turning into new things. (Apple's Mac hardware, not so much). So, maybe, it's time to re-explore what Razer was trying for with the Edge gaming tablet: make transforming game systems, ones that are both mobile and stay-at-home. Battery life is better now, and graphics can be shrunk down to achieve more in smaller forms. It all comes down to what games will support various transformational play modes, but at least many apps are now enabled for touch and game controllers.
Sony, Microsoft must think beyond the big black box
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are venerable systems, but they feel archaic to me now. They're big, rooted in one place. They're graphically powerful (more than the Switch), and can play lots of great games. But the Switch's perfectly mobile spin on consoles is a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too moment. Not everyone wants a portable game console, but if it means being able to play games on a trip or move gaming more easily to other rooms or connect with others, why not?
I play the Switch in handheld mode more than I do in console mode. Meanwhile, my son plays his favorite console, the Wii U, in handheld gamepad mode, too. Sony and Microsoft still haven't figured out a way to make this happen as easily and in as self-contained a way as the Switch, despite efforts like the PlayStation TV, the remote play features of Vita and Microsoft's Xbox-to-Windows game stream connectivity.
1-2 Switch is almost forgotten, but it's a great example of fun Nintendo games my kids loved playing.
Sarah Tew/CNET
I love Nintendo's focus on family
Nintendo hasn't done a great job making the Switch's parental and online settings easy to use, especially when it comes to a complete pack of cloud storage for game saves, game libraries or any sort of family account for purchases. But, I've come to let my kids play with Nintendo games more than any other hardware -- iPhone and iPad included -- because the whole experience feels more curated and safely contained. It's a good experience, and it's easy to set up and use. It's not pandering, but it works for everyone. It's a rare thing in the tech world.
It's not perfect yet
The biggest mistake companies could make in 2018 would be to expect that Nintendo's formula instantly translates. I could see a lot of cracks at Switch-like hardware that would feel like duds: poor game libraries, badly-optimized software, expensive hardware or accessories that feel under-supported. For now, the Nintendo Switch nails the balance. Still, the Switch isn't backwards-compatible with hundreds of games I already own. It doesn't have great battery life as a handheld. It's a little clunky to carry in a bag. And yes, my Switch has slightly warped from keeping it in the included dock.
But the Switch finally proved that wild modular ideas can work. Now, we just need to hope that the next wave of Switch-alikes don't fall down the same rabbit hole that motion control games did after the Nintendo Wii.
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