This is one of those things that’s so cool, you just can’t wait to get your hands on it. At least, that’s how the tester dads and kids felt when it dropped on our doorstep. The beamz Music Creator uses lasers as musical “keys”: by breaking the connection between the lasers, you can create a symphony in your living room.
The set-up is simple, the hardware high-quality, the selection of musical genres (20) and instruments (100) impressive, and the packaging suitable for easy storage. Then again, it should be all of these things and more — because at $200 (or $300 for the “professional” model), this is no simple toy: it’s a serious piece of technology that perhaps shouldn’t be left out for little hands to explore at will — not only because it must be hooked up to your computer, where it gobbles up 3 GB of hard drive space, but also because laser beams just aren’t safe for young kids who can’t, or won’t, remember to keep their heads out of them! While we all were impressed with the quality of music everyone produced with the lasers, we were dismayed that the product did not come with any popular tunes (it arrives with 30 pre-programmed “Beamz Songs”); popular music must be purchased and downloaded. Bottom line: while the Beamz Music Creator is terribly cool, we have to stick it in the Kinda column because it’s just too spendy to be called a toy, and not informative enough to justify the expense as an educational tool.
We’re required to tell you that all Cool or Crummy items are sent to us by companies and PR agents; we do not purchase these items independently, they just show up on our doorstep. All items are tested by our Product Review Team, otherwise known as the Tester Mamas, who have children in the age ranges recommend by the items in question. As you can see, we’re brutally honest in our reviews so it should go without saying that we do not accept payment for product placement (but we have to say it anyway because this is, after all, a required legal notice). If you have any questions, feel free to email us at Editor@ParentWiseAustin.com.
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