Toys that help children play the part of James Bond have been around for years, but as the technology progresses, so do the toys.
Devices such as these can be found at any toystore for under $10. But not too long ago were used for other purposes regarding security such as for secret service and military use.
It makes you wonder in years to come how far will these toys go.
i want one! if only i had a couple bucks to spare...
ReplyDeleteVery neat toy. I view this as innocent child's play. It's a cool way to act like Harriet the spy, which is who everyone my age wanted to be after seeing that movie! It makes like fun for a child and I see no harm coming from a toy like this. I believe that children toys are becoming too much like the real thing and that we do have to watch what we let our children play with. I think they are making the toy guns look too realistic causing children to mix play time with reality.
ReplyDeleteThat is really cool. Like Robin said it is a great way to play Harriet the spy, which was exactly what I wanted to do when I was younger. Childrenns toys have advanced a great deal with all the new baby einstein toys and vtech video games that are out now to help children learn. I think its great !
ReplyDeleteToys have come a long way since I tied a string between 2 empty soup cans and used popsicle sticks held together with rubber bands to make a gun.
ReplyDeleteLike robin and stacy both said i too wanted to be hariot the spy. I loved that movie i still have it and have to admit i just watched it not too long ago. I actually had a toy just like this when i was a kid it came with a bunch of other spy tools it was awesome i loved it.
ReplyDeleteCan't say that I wanted to be Harriet the Spy and I can't say that I ever saw the movie either, but it was cool to play spy as a kid. The technology of toys for the children today is very advanced compared to the toys of the 1960's that I played with--mainly homemade toys because you didn't get toys except at Christmas and your birthday and your parents couldn't afford to go to the toystore on a whim because you wanted some new fangled toy. Although I agree that the new technologies for toys have come a long way, making them really cool, I think that it also takes away from a child's creativity and imagination. The toy is already made for him/her; therefore he/she can't create their own spy device, (and possibly marketing their idea to make some cash). In addition, the child may not take as good of care of their toy because a. there is no pride that he made it himself and b. mom and dad will just go out and buy a new one if it breaks or gets lost.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I do agree with Joe. With today’s technology, the children do not know how to use their imagination. They get bored outside after only five minutes. They don't build anything. Remember when you would build your own creation with legos, not anymore. Now you buy lego kits to build exactly what is on the box. It could be a spaceship from Star Wars and it comes with directions on how to put it together. Walkie Talkies are fun at first, but they last only about a week, then the excitement is gone. Most children don't take care of their things because they will just get another to replace it. I actually don't know who Harriet the Spy is and therefore never wanted a spy kit such as this. When I was a kid we went outside and played, made up games, kickball, and we didn't go inside until it was time for dinner. Societies child have changed.
ReplyDeleteAgreed no harm done with a toy like this. But a futuristic "toy", could have more serious potential. If these toys were once used for secret service and militant use - I wouldn't be suprised to seem some future gadgets be marketed as toys.
ReplyDeleteI must say that this toy is brilliant ! Back in my day we didn't have toys like this, In fact Joe was right my parents didn't go to the toy store unless it was for a Holiday. Growing up we had some toys they were hand me downs and a basketball. But this toy would have done wonders for me growing up playing man hunt in the back alleys of the city.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have a toy like this growing up. However, while it may look like juts a harmless toy now later in life that same kid may see easedropping on another persons conversation as just the norm and this type of inocent behavior or toy could become much more serious.
ReplyDeleteMy brother had something similar to this as a child but i never was able to use it. :( I was active outdoors as a child and i believe that if i did have something similar to this it would spark my imagination. I don't think children should be using these items with disregard for others privacy though. Maybe that is the implication that needs to be answered instead of whether or not a child's imagination would be at risk. What do you suppose they would do? Listen to adults boring conversations or pretend they are intercepting spy messages...
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE this toy!! Wouldnt you love to know who was talking about you at work or what your parents were talking about in the next room? However, I dont really think this is a good idea for a toy for young children. There are many things people need to talk about that children should not hear or be a part of.
ReplyDeleteI think that adults are buying this toy more often than kids. You could use this for anything involving you think someones lying to you and so on. Soon they are going to give kids goggles that can see through anything. That should be alot of fun! Haha but anyways, I like the picture too.
ReplyDeletei remember way back when in elementary school we would have fundraisers. if you sold so much you could prizes and one of the top prizes was a spy pack which came with mirroed glasses, recorder, sound enhancer, mustaches and all. We all tohught it was the best thing since sliced bread. Now couples are buying nthese more than kids to check if there spouses are cheating on them.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty amazing how at one point this was the top technology of the secret service and military use. Now that it sells as a child toy for under $10 really says a lot about how fast technology has improved! Its amazing to think what the government gets to use while kids get to play with former top-technology
ReplyDeleteYeah.. It is amazing when you think about what the government may be using, but it's also pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteYou never know, but what if technology was so good that people were able to listen to your family talking at dinner time from thousands of miles away. Who knows... maybe some is?
My parents would have never bought a toy like this for me. I think they would be too afraid of me spying on them. With stuff like Twitter and MySpace and all that, who needs spying when people are willing giving information away?
ReplyDeleteMany technological wonders made for the consumer market winds up in the military. The same hardware and software found in typical game boxes is used in military equipment. One drives the other.
ReplyDeleteYea toys are advancing at the same pace as technology. Its a funny comparison given about secret spy technology that kids can sue now. Well everyone trash is another ones treasure, usually a kids treasure. I dont remember playing with any toys when i was younger that compared to the awesomness of that though!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. The earliest forms of toys and technology are the best to spark a child's imagaination. While I can't say for certain, there are any "spy-themed" video games in existence, I'm sure there are. (I always preferred Super Mario). Also, you can't really find iexpensive toys like this anymore, but most children wouldn't want them anyway. They would rather have something with a computer chip in it.
ReplyDeleteI remember this toy! I won it in one of those school fundraisers selling candy and wrapping paper. I too played Harriet the Spy with the Spy Ear. I agree with Robin in that this is just a kids toy. I don’t see any harm in it, other than my older brothers not being too happy with me when I listened to them. I also agree with her in how the toys kids play with today are too much like the real thing. I feel like this toy and other toys from when I was younger made me use my imagination. Toys today are losing that.
ReplyDeleteI can see a lot of kids getting themselves into trouble with this toy. I think it's funny that it says "Have you heard that he loves you"? What age group is this being marketed towards? I agree with Stacy that toys today are definitely losing that imagination factor. Kids are no longer entertained if they have to think about it too much.
ReplyDeleteHaha... I do agree with Karen's comment above. I remember when I was a kid in elementry school I use to be all into the sneaking around, trying to be like James Bond. I know that if I were younger I would have really apreciated this toy.
ReplyDeleteIts toys like this that peak interest of children to pursue other things, both good and bad. They may become more interested in detective-style things, or pursue sneakier and more dishonest avenues. Either way, the toys we played with as children have a definite impacts on our likes and dislikes. Personally, toys like legos, linkin logs, and plain old wooden blocks made me become interested in engineering.
ReplyDeleteI used to have this. I won it at school for some reason or another. I can remember trying to listen to everyone possible. Fun for a little bit, but boring after a while. I would like to have one of them now!
ReplyDeleteI always wanted super enhanced hearing. I think that I recently saw an infomercial on something similar that just fits in your ear like a "Bluetooth." Perfect for ease dropping... I don’t think I would buy one though, but if one were given to me, that’s a whole other story.
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