Here’s a rather interesting gadget from deep within the laboratories of a company called LeapFrog. They make all manner of educational gadgets that help your kids learn and dazzle parents. To wit, check out the Fly Pentop Computer. Perhaps you’ve never heard of ths handy little device, but it is no Bic. In fact, as pens go, it’s downright revolutionary.
You use a special paper, and the Fly reads every stroke and also offers a whole pocket protector’s worth of extra features. By drawing a calendar, for instance, kids can keep track of appointments (diaper marketing meeting at noon! poop at 2pm!). Also, by drawing the calculator and tapping on the keys, they can do easy math…or maybe even solve Fermat’s theorem. Who knows?
The pen has a built-in speaker, allowing kids to draw drums and a keyboard, and tap out a song. And just in case this last feature seems like a bad idea from a bystander’s point of view, there’s an earphone jack. Additional Flyware cartridges add features like an encrypted diary and a baseball pack for fantasy ball fiends. Oh, and the fly functions as a pen.