Ok i bought my son A V-smile for Christmas last year, 2006, and I have been having problems with it. The technical problems started right around the beginning of the summer, what would happen is that I could not get it to turn on without taking the batteries out and rearranging them. Now, no matter what I do it just will not turn on. The batteries are only about a month old and he has not used it in a while so I dont think thats the problem. Has anyone else experienced problems with a V-smile that they have purchased. I am also planning on purchasing a leap frog video game so if anyone has this product are the satisfied with it? Any other ideas on educational games would be helpful too. He is going to be 4 on Sept 30th!
Hi, I have never had a v-smile, however, I did buy my daughter a leap frog vidoe game. She loves it still. She will still pick it up from time to time even though she is 8 yrs old now and has moved onto the nintendo. I highly reccomend the leapster products. Good luck!
I haven't had the best luck with mine. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have the power cord and half the time, I think that is the problem. There is something with the manufacturing of these things...almost everyone I know had had issues with them. I have had to replace the joysticks twice and we finally get frustrated with it so I put it away. In my opinion, I wouldn't buy another one. We recently bought a Wii and although it was much more costly, it has been great. The whole family plays it!
C.
I've had a lot of problems with our VSmile as well. Most of our problems have been with the joystick not working. It doesn't seem like a well made toy.
We also had problems with the V-Smile. The sound on ours quit working after about 3 months. I called V-smile tech support, they walked us through some trouble shooting, but it still didn't work. They suggested we return it to where we bought it (Target) but they wouldn't do anything since it was over 30 days. He just plays it without sound, or plugs it into the tv, then the sound works through the tv. He's 7 now, so we'll probably "up-grade" him to a Gameboy this year. I don't know much about the leap from video games..
Hi, K.! I've had problems with ours too. We learned to turn it off before taking out a cartridge and replacing it. Then, we turn it back on again. If you can't figure it out, I would call customer support. Good luck!!!
M.
I didn't have v-smile problems until I bought the cord for it, and now we have problems that sound like they are alot like yours. I do however have a Leapster by Leapfrog and my 5 year old loves it. He has had it for 2 1/2 years and it is very user friendly and easy to change the batteries. Hope that helps!!
We bought one when they first cam out for my son. It worked great. During one of our moves it wasn't packaged right so it got damaged. Since then I have had to buy/ replace 3. THE one that we receptly got I bought from target in June on the 2nd day i started having the same problems and those batteries were 2days old. I would say if you have more patience than I do try to get a hold of vtech and let them know what has been going on. they might offter to get you a new one or try to fix the one you have. BUT you could also look into getting one of the power plugs. It helps save on the cost of constantly having to replace batteries. (and the only reason I keep getting them is because my kids LOVE it, and I feel better about them playing that then N64 or someother mindless video game) If you ever do it fixed let me know. My kids love it so much but it drives me nuts that the first one we had worked fine and all the new ones stink. I have never had a problem with any other VTech products so I just don't know.
We have the same issues!!!! Wouldn't buy again!
I bought our V-smile from Amazon for a Christmas gift in 2006. Haven't had any problems. Is there battery acid anywhere in there?
Hi K.--get rid of all electronic toys--study has shown that they isolate children and delay cognitive thought.Invest in books--blocks--a little map or road system for the floor and a few small cars to pretend with--some basic coloring books--read to him and teach him how to read--take him to the park and talk about grass and flowers,nothing complicated--remember that he is 4 years old--teach him the proper ,real names of things,not silly names.Take him to art gallery shows--GO TO ZOOS--PARKS--PARADES--DISCUSS TYPES OF BUILDINGS WITH HIM.Go to dog and to horse shows--take him to fairs--concerts where beautiful music is played and to plays appropriate to his age.You have the most important job of your life ahead of you==to produce an acceptable human.Nobody said it is easy but it can be done.
My daughter could read at a 6th grade level when she started kindergarten.Her 10 year old cousin taught her.Today she is 45 years old--ownes 2 businesses--and has 2 college educated daughters.
Good Luck
My suggestion would be to take to Vsmile back to the store where you purchased it since it is less than a year old. If you have access to the internet, you could try going to the VSmile website and they have a trouble-shooting link that you can try. Hope this helps!
We got our kids one when they first came out. Its used often and the only problem we ever have is when the kids leave it plugged in constantly it seems to get warm and doesn't work as well. But unplugging overnight seems to solve the problem. Other then that no other problems. As someone said before try customer service. Good luck!
