Make Stories Come Alive with the Sparkup® Magical Book Reader
Available for Purchase starting July 20th on QVC's "Christmas in July"
NEW YORK, July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A new product has arrived today that promises to reignite both children's and their loved ones' interest in reading. The Sparkup® Magical Book Reader is an innovative device that merges the non-digital world of printed books with the benefits of today's technology.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130717/NY48723 )
"Sparkup's unique, intuitive technology makes reading with your child easier, more interactive and loads of fun!" says Dr. Michael Levine, Director of Sesame Street's Cooney Center for Children's Media and Research.
The Sparkup attaches to any picture book on a child's bookshelf, allowing kids of all ages to read along with the personalized, pre-recorded voice of their dad, aunt, grandma, or any other loved one.
"Digital screens dominate our kids' lives today, but we know families still love to read quality, printed books," says Amir Koren, founder and CEO of Sparkup. "This was the inspiration for the new Sparkup Magical Book Reader—to celebrate the magic of books—real books. We leverage technology to take kids and the whole family back to a fun, interactive and tangible reading experience."
How It Works:
1) Start by simply attaching the Sparkup to a book and record your voice, reading along as you turn the pages. Or, download pre-recorded audio files from the company website; the device can store up to 50 books.
2) Kids of all ages can re-attach the Sparkup any time they want to read these books at their own pace, and follow along as a familiar voice reads aloud.
3) The "magic" of the device is that it automatically recognizes the selected book and can follow along as quickly as your eager toddler or preschooler can turn pages—even out of order. With its proprietary technology, the Sparkup even knows when a child has skipped pages and will automatically begin reading from the new page.
"With Sparkup, everyone can stay connected during story time, even when family members and loved ones can't physically be together. We know that grandparents and parents will love this product as a way to relive the moments when families are all together during story times," says Koren.
"Reading-aged children can practice reading to themselves aloud, and kids with special needs can also get extra help and validation," says Koren.
Starting Saturday, July 20th the Sparkup Magical Book Reader will be available as part of QVC's annual "Christmas in July" event, at QVC.com or 1.800.345.1515. Beginning September 1st, the Sparkup will be sold directly at www.sparkupreader.com and through other retail outlets across North America.
The introductory price is $49.95 and, exclusive to QVC shoppers, includes two large paperback classics and preloaded audio files from Macmillan Publishers: "Shrek!" by William Steig, read by Emmy Award winner Stanley Tucci and "Tikki Tikki Tembo" by Arlen Mosel, read by Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden.
Visit www.sparkupreader.com for more information and photos.
About Sparkup
Sparkup Ltd. is a technology and design startup company based in Israel. Sparkup's investors and management team understand first-hand the challenges facing children's reading and play time experiences in a digital era. They are passionate about finding tangible solutions that enhance the lives of children and their families.
The company's inaugural product, the Sparkup Magical Book Reader, enables kids to interact with real printed books as they stay connected with family and friends while learning – whether in the same room or across the globe. Patent protection for the Sparkup's technology and design is currently pending in the United States, Europe and China.
Randi Rosenbloom
[email protected]
(212)880-5302
SOURCE Sparkup Ltd.
Share this article