Skip to main content

Disney Launches Preschool Online Service

Think maybe your preschool-aged child isn’t spending enough time with the computer? Is perhaps falling behind his or her peers in technology savvy? Or maybe you’re worried Johnny’s mousing skills just aren’t up to snuff for a four year-old?

Never fear, Disney’s got the solution for you! Disney Online today launched a new “broadband subscription product” dubbed Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online. For $49.95 a year (a free trial is available) Disney lets kids interact with their favorite Disney Channel characters in a “safe, ad-free” environment filled with fun and engaging activities, puzzles, and games which entertain preschoolers while developing important “kindergarten readiness skills.”

“Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online allows children to learn through a fun setting where they get to interact with their favorite characters, in a dynamic environment that regularly offers new activities,” said Ken Goldstein, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online. “The increase in broadband use in the home has allowed us to offer an experience that combines rich graphics, video content and character voices to capture kids’ imaginations and deliver personalized learning that grows with each individual child.”

Disney says the Preschool Time Online activities help develop number and letter recognition, identification of colors and shapes, and introduces themes such as “bravery” or “sharing” throughout sequences of activities. New content will be added every two weeks, and a special parents’ area enables adults to manage profiles for multiple children, as well as track their child’s activity over time. Activities feature characters from Disney series including JoJo’s Circus,Higglytown Heroes,Stanley, plus the company’s Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse franchises. The entire service is “hosted” by the character Bear from Disney Channel’s Bear in the Big Blue House.

(Still trying to figure out how this qualifies as “ad-free?” Me too.)

Disney has been expanding its online offerings, reflecting a vision of an “online theme park” with different activities and attractions aimed at differing age and interest groups, including Toontown Online, what the company claims is the first 3D massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) aimed at kids and families.

Topics
Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
The most common Google Home problems and how to fix them
best google home compatible devices hands on 4652

Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home make up the three biggest smart home platforms on the planet. Google Home is popular thanks to its lineup of Nest products, which includes the Nest Hub Max, Nest Doorbell, and Nest Cam, along with many other devices. Best of all, Google Home supports a wide array of third-party products, giving users an easy way to link all their gadgets together and control them from one streamlined app.

But, as you'd expect, getting all these devices working seamlessly isn't always as easy as it sounds. The Google Home platform is also susceptible to the same issues as other smart home platforms, which include various connectivity hiccups and problems with voice commands. Solving these problems is usually pretty easy -- that is, once you know where to look.

Read more
The most common Echo Show problems and how to fix them
Amazon Echo Show 10.

If you're looking to add a smart display to your home, the Amazon Echo Show is a great option. Bringing the best of Alexa into the visual realm, the Echo Show allows you to tap into real-time video from your home's smart security system, have video calls with friends and family using Alexa's Drop In feature, stream from Hulu and Prime Video, run photo slideshows, and so much more.

But glitches happen, and the Echo Show is not without its small trail of troubles. Fortunately, many of these issues have straightforward fixes. In this deep dive, we'll be taking a look at the most common Echo Show problems and how you can fix them.
Echo Show screen is flickering
This issue has been with the Echo Show since the first-generation model. What we're talking about are pulsating horizontal lines stretching across the screen. Sometimes, the malfunction appears closer to the bottom of the display, where Alexa's indicator is, or up and down the entire display. Some Echo Show owners experience this infrequently, others all the time. If your own Show is flickering, there are a few things you can try.

Read more
This Wi-Fi robot vacuum is discounted from $199 to $79
The iHome AutoVac Juno robot vacuum cleaning the floor.

Robot vacuum deals are consistently getting cheaper it seems, with it now possible to buy a robot vacuum for just $79. That’s the case at Walmart with the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum down to $79 for a limited time. It usually costs $199 so you’re saving a huge $120 off the regular price making now the perfect time to upgrade to all the convenience that comes from having a robot vacuum. Keen to learn more? Let’s take a look.

Why you should buy the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum
You won’t see iHome feature in our look at the best robot vacuums but that’s not to say that there aren’t benefits to buying such a cheap robot vacuum today. With the iHome AutoVac Juno Robot Vacuum, you get up to 2,000pa of strong suction power with up to 100 minutes of runtime ensuring that plenty can be accomplished.

Read more