Xylo for Dash Robot
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Xylo for Dash Robot
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Xylo for Dash Robot is a free app but requires the robot Dash and the xylophone addition, which retail for $149.99 for the robot and $39.99 for the xylophone pack. A suite of five apps can be used with the robot, teaching kids robotics and programming. The robot requires a device with a Bluetooth connection and must be connected to the app each time kids play. Kids can program moves for the robot to complete as it bangs out a song on the attached xylophone. If kids also have the robot pair, Dot gives a light show as the music plays. The long but easy-to-read privacy policy details the kinds of information collected and shared.
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What’s It About?
XYLO FOR DASH ROBOT features Dash as a one-man band with the addition of the xylophone and mallet. Use the existing songs, which include selections such as "Twinkle Twinkle," "Mary Had a Little Lamb," "Row Your Boat," and "Frère Jacques." Then program the moves that Dash makes (forward, backward, turn left, turn right, or no motion). Kids can also create original songs on the xylophone with moves to go with it. The robot follows the commands programmed, playing the notes and moving as directed.
Is It Any Good?
A xylophone, a robot, and a tablet is a winning combination; unfortunately, the instrument moves and goes out of tune, and the robot pauses between moves which changes the rhythms of the songs. Kids will appreciate the nice selection of songs included and the option to add their own notes to those or to create their own original songs, but the limited moves and painfully off notes may cause kids to quickly tire of making robot music. Though the robots are prohibitively expensive for many families, the potential for learning and fun is great, and perhaps the prices will fall over time.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about favorite songs and try to figure out the notes together.
Show kids a piece of sheet music and point out how the notes are written.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Subjects: Arts: music
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: strategy, Creativity: making new creations, Tech Skills: using and applying technology
- Pricing structure: Free (Requires purchase of $149.99 Dash robot and $39.99 Xylo pack .)
- Release date: October 20, 2015
- Category: Education
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along, Robots
- Publisher: Wonder Workshop
- Version: 1.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.4 and up
- Last updated: July 27, 2016
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