We are really excited about Hauck's new I'coo iPod.
Having caught a glimpse of what it can do, we have been keeping our ThinkBaby ears to the ground for news, and now we hear it's going to be in stores later this spring.
Your baby's own travelling entertainment system
It's a fact of life that, once your child is old enough to be curious about which direction he's travelling in, he usually wants a forward-facing buggy. Who wouldn't? We don't put passenger seats in cars facing backwards!
However, once he's old enough to be sitting in a regular buggy seat, it isn't always easy to communicate with your child. You can shout over traffic, if you want, but that precious buggy-time might be the one thing that gets your two-year-old to have his much-needed daytime nap.
That's why we think the idea of a built-in sound centre is so great, and with Hauck's new I'coo iPod you decide what your baby hears.
How the I'coo Pico iPod works
Hauck have taken their funky, versatile I'coo Pico pushchair and built in speakers into the inside main frame where your child sits. On the back of the hood, there's a small, protected pocket, where you simply slot your iPod into the docking station, and the sound instantly hooks up as it would with headphones.
The speakers are padded and can't damage your child's ears, and because it's your own iPod you can choose exactly what gets played. Plus, the unit takes any iPod so you don't need the latest hardware to make it work. And if you want, you can listen to what your child is hearing via your own headphones.
Lullabies, stories and even your own voice
Because an iPod is so flexible to programme, you don't have to put your child through listening to daddy's choice of hard rock, or even mummy's choice of sexy R&B… Nursery rhymes, lullabies, storytime CDs - they can all go onto an iPod, especially handy if your child does like to nap when you're out and about, or if he needs soothing on a particularly tempestuous shopping trip or a tiresome journey home from nursery.
It's easy to even record your own voice onto your iPod via your computer, so if you want to have you or granny telling stories, then you can keep the personal connection with your child, even when he's safely strapped in and rolling along the street in front of you.
Hauck, Ladybird and ThinkBaby
Hauck think young children will get the most out of the I'coo Pico iPod - the potential for language CDs as well as music and storytime sessions opens up so many possibilities.
Here at ThinkBaby we also see this innovation as an opportunity to enchance your child's ride rather than a way of losing the connection between parent and child, which is why we are looking forward to working with Hauck and Ladybird over the coming months, to explore all the great content you could put on your own iPod for your child.
Ladybird are well-known for bringing classic stories and educational entertainment to generations of children, and their pre-school books and CDs can help children start to learn about their world long before formal teaching is necessary. Watch this space for bright ideas and fun opportunities to bring some of that Ladybird magic into your world via Hauck and ThinkBaby.
The I'coo Pico iPod should be in stores sometime in April or May. It will be available in black or white, with matching accessories available. The RRP will be £229.
The I'coo Pico iPod is an official iPod accessory in itself, but the pushchair does not come with a free iPod included in the price.
For more, go to www.hauckuk.com.
