ZincRoe
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Daily Update for March 6, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
App maker Toca Boca acquires Zinc Roe
Swedish children's toy and game developer Toca Boca announced today that it is acquiring Zinc Roe, a Toronto-based design studio that creates websites, apps and games for children. The acquisition targeted Zinc Roe's talented development team and its popular Tickle Tap series. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to the press release, Zinc Roe will continue to operate out of its Toronto offices as Sago Sago Studios. The Tickle Tap apps will be refreshed under the guidance of Toco Boca, though they will not be rebranded under the Toca Boca name. Zinc Roe will also work on a new line of apps for older kids using the Sago Sago brand. [Via TechCrunch]
Daily iPad App: Cocoons and Caterpillars is an animated storybook starring Stella and Sam
As you can tell from my earlier posts, I often hand over my iPad to my children for learning apps and sometimes entertainment. One app that is both educational and enjoyable is Cocoons and Caterpillars: A Stella and Sam Adventure by zinc Roe. The iPad app is one in a series of apps that feature the popular cartoon characters Stella and Sam created by Marie-Louise Gay. This particular storybook app lets your child tag along with Stella, Sam and their friend Owen as they go on a backyard adventure with their dog Fred. It's a whimsical story about butterflies, cocoons and the imaginary things a trio of kids can dream up. In between the story are short, interactive games for kids to enjoy. There's a butterfly game that lets your child fly a butterfly from flower to flower, a bird game where your children can mimic the sounds of birds and a cloud game that lets your child find shapes in the sky. The best part of the app is the animation which looks fantastic on the iPad screen. The app captures the characters in the book and brings them to life just like the TV series that's produced by Radical Sheep and shown on Disney Junior Canada. My children loved all the characters, but were particularly entranced by the flowing red hair of nine-year-old Stella. Similar to other stories in the series, the Cocoons and Caterpillars app targets children seven and younger, though some eight and nine-year olds might identify with Stella who is the same age. The older kids will enjoy the story, but will breeze through the games which are appropriate for the younger set. The Cocoons and Caterpillars app is available for US$2.99, which is a reasonable price for an interactive, animated storybook that supports both French and English. There's also a story pack available for $6.99 which includes Cocoons and Caterpillars and four other Stella and Sam storybooks.
