Noodad Product Review: The Tengu

A couple of years ago, I wrote an article here on Noodad.com called, “How to Check Email With a Kid on Your Lap“. I offered up a way to keep your entertained while getting through your stuffed Inbox. That solution was admittedly low-tech. It did utilize a metal clothes hanger hanger after all. Well, now there is a high tech way to keep your kids entertained while you get through your email.

It is called Tengu and it is a USB powered toy that lip syncs to your music and to voices in the room. “Tengu”, which comes from a character in Japaenese Folklore, is an invention of Crispin Jones for Solid Alliance and is aimed at “design-savvy people who spend too much of their time working on the computer”.

All you need to do is plug it into your USB port, blow it in the face to wake it up and the red lights that form the face automatically mimics every sound nearby. Put it close to your computer and it will lip sync to your music. Utilize the long USB cord and stretch it to another part of the room and your kids could talk to it and it will behave the same way, moving its mouth in sync with their voices.

It’s exterior is made of white plastic and red lights illuminate from the inside to form eyes and a mouth. The movements and shapes of the light face reminds me of the Mooninite recent bomb scare in Boston of Cartoon Network lights. The lip syncing is a split second delayed from the actual sound so it reminded me of the recent “My Talking Stain” Super Bowl commercial from Tide To Go.

Bored with the face of the Tengu? It comes with multiple facial expressions. You can scroll through thee options by blowing on its face again. It requires no software, just a USB connection for power.

The Tengu is a pretty cool toy to have especially if you find yourself needing to hold off the little ones while you sneak in a few emails or want to check the latest amazing posting from Noodad.com.

My kids had fun testing this thing out and it will definitely stay plugged into one of my kids’ computers.

Price is its only drawback. At a a retail price of around $50, it is tough to justify that type of coin for a USB powered toy. But if you are a gadget hound like me, you could find that type of justification.

You can buy the Tengu online here.

Noodad Rating: 3 out of 5 Noos