Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)It's actually good, FOR THE PRICE. All the criticism or not so enthusiastic comments that follow should be viewed while keeping in mind that you don't pay a lot for this kit. If you would like to test your kid(s) scientific leanings or you just want to encourage or stimulate their curiosity, this is one inexpensive way to do it.
As happens to be the case with some of these entry-level offerings, the goal is to give you what appears to be 'a lot' for not so much money. This specific kit has, besides the microscope and its 'must have' accessories (slides) also a pair of tweezers, a CD-ROM with some moderately-useful software and, of course, the camera.
The microscope itself can magnify things up to about 1000 times. This sounds good but the kids do need to put some work into slide preparation if they are to see anything that looks remotely interesting. A good microscope should be able to do 2000 times magnifications [please see the 'comments' section for a discussion on what is reasonable to expect from a good microscope - note added on Dec. 7] but, remember, this is an entry-level unit and it's inexpensive so it's good for what you are paying.
The camera can be attached to the microscope and lets you shoot some low-res pictures of what the microscope sees. It connects to the computer through a USB port. I was not impressed by it and I see it as a gimmick because it could have been easily integrated into the microscope's body. The fact that it could be used as a web camera is more of a distraction from the microscope than a true enhancement. I wish the resolution was a bit higher. The way it is, it can be a little frustrating and makes you wish you had something better.
The book and the CD-ROM are okay, not great but okay. My expectation was to see the kids actually looking at things themselves rather than reading about what you could see if you really had some expensive tools and you really knew what you were doing. The software on the CD-ROM should help my kid with a science project, should he choose to do one on a topic that requires magnification.
In 'real-life', my kids played with it for one hour or two after we opened the box than they came back to it a couple more times and we worked together on preparing some interesting slides. It's not as easy as it appears on TV. They agree that they would consider the microscope next time they need to do a science project.
Given that I paid less than I would for the typical PS3 or Xbox game, I do not regret this purchase.
P.S. - You will need 3 AA batteries.
P.P.S. - I am now ordering a second kit for one of their friends' birthday.
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Planet Toys Planet Earth Digital Microscope KitPlanet Earth Toys are designed to evoke children's natural curiosity to explore and learn about our extraordinary world.Includes everything you need to magnify nature.Observe and learn about planet earths microscopic world, use the webcam to create a snapshot of your slide, and connect the webcam to the microscope and view objects on your computer.The all-in-one digital microscope, digital camera, microscope and web cam!
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