Windows Phone Thoughts: Got Kids? DataViz PDA Playground Reviewed

Yeah, But Is It Going to Get Any Use?
None of this means a thing if your child doesn’t like the program. Luckily, that isn’t really a problem.

As I said earlier, PDA Playground contains six games;

Match is your standard memory game in which you are shown some symbols on “cards” and then the cards flip over and you have to remember where the matches are. My daughter is really good at this, but I think I may need to have my short term memory checked.


Figure 5: The Match Activity.

Paint is a digital coloring book. There are several pre-made pages, and there are fill and drawing tools and lots of stock colors. The nice thing is that these coloring book pages are simple PNG files, so it should be easy to add your own custom pages. One give away to potential expansion possibilities is the fact that these PNGs are stored in a subdirectory called “basic collection.”


Figure 6: The Paint Activity.

Draw is a freeform sketchbook, using the tools from the paint collection with and without backgrounds.


Figure 7: The Draw Activity.

FollowMe is another memory game similar to the old Simon game, in which ever-increasingly complex patterns of four symbols flash, and you are supposed to repeat them. Apparently my short term memory is not very good.


Figure 8: The FollowMe Activity.

ScratchOff is a unique “activity,” strangely like those scratch-off instant lottery games some people play. Instead of seeing “you lose,” you reveal the coloring book pages. My daughter really likes this one, but I just don’t get it....


Figure 9: The ScratchOff Activity.

PuzzlePath is like those old sliding tile games where you are to put the tiles into a specific order. In this case there is a little person walking on the path as the tiles move, and you have to get them to a goal.


Figure 10: The PuzzlePath Activity.

Conclusions
For parents of technology loving little ones, this program will let you indulge them, without the worry of little hands deleting all of your information or applications. Plus, it’s fun!

John Walkosak is an Architect specializing in the design of hospitals and health care facilities throughout the northeast (www.hfpambuske.com)