Version History Examines Why the LeapPad Couldn't Survive the iPad
The Verge's Version History examines the LeapPad's rise as a top US toy and why its maker could not follow it up.
According to The Verge, the LeapPad was not just any book. It could play sounds, respond to taps, and help children learn to read. It was the hottest toy in the United States for multiple years, but buying one came with a high price and big parenting questions.
The episode is set to explain how the LeapPad worked, why it was so enticing to both children and adults, and why the company that made it could never quite follow it up. The Verge said the fifth season of Version History is about the most iconic school tech.
Earlier in the season, The Verge's Nilay Patel pitched the TI graphing calculator for the hall of fame, the lead game designer of The Oregon Trail made up the scoreboard, and Marques Brownlee reminisced about the first Chromebook. Verge subscribers can access Version History and other Verge podcasts without ads through their account settings.
The Verge also directed readers to more on LeapFrog LeapPad's history: Wired's 'LeapFrog's Wild Ride,' The New York Times' 'LeapFrog Hopes for Next Hit With Interactive Reading Toy,' and The Wall Street Journal's 'A Tablet Children Can Grow Into.'