Peapod for the Wee Tot

Our iPods are filled with a wide variety of artists: Bob Marley, Tchaikovsky, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Billy Idol...

Then, of course, there are the Dora the Explorer hits.

We willingly filled up with all the tunes that D likes because, hey, she has her musical tastes too. But can we tell you how many times we've been home alone with the iPod on shuffle, reliving our teenage years, only to get a sudden blast of Dora singing "Celebration"? Talk about bursting your bubble.

Peapod Toys is coming out with the first mp3 player for infants and toddlers,which we can't wait to try out. Due out in May of this year, it will feature simple controls for toddlers and hold up to 2 hours of audio. The molded rubber construction will make it easy for toddlers or infants to grab and hold, and should also lend it some durability, although we haven't gotten our hands on one to know for sure. Included software will help you to manage the player's library on a PC, and also purchase and download music. As of today, the manufacturer hasn't responded to questions about retail pricing or iTunes compatibility (we're guessing a fat no to that one), so check their website for updates.



The only thing that makes this not so perfect for travel is that it uses a speaker instead of headphones. That, of course, is great for little ears - they'll be plugged up with headphones soon enough - but not so great for the ears of those around Junior on an airplane (or yours in the car, for that matter.) Still, once you reach your destination, your toddler should be pleased with his ability to perform his own dj duties.

www.peapodtoys.com

UPDATE: 2/20/2007

We just heard back from the president of Peapod, who says their mp3 player won't be shipping out for another 12 weeks, with a probable pricetag of about $99. The Peapod will be compatible with any music store with the exception of iTunes. Peapod also plans to have its own website for purchasing and downloading music, with a wide variety of music outside of the traditional children's genre (good call on that one). No word on where you'll find the Peapod yet, so check their website for updates.