The AnyBook Reader is a perfect gift for a grandmother or grandfather who is worried about maintaining a long-distance relationship with a beloved grandchild. Help Grandma or Grandpa set up the reader and record the books, and your child will have up to 60 hours of recorded time with his favorite storyteller any time he wants to hear his favorite books.
Setting Up the AnyBook Reader
The user manual isn’t the most illuminating step-by-step instruction manual I’ve ever used, but the recording process is so simple I was able to figure it out very quickly. Between the blank recordable stickers and the pre-recorded image stickers, there is enough material included with the unit to record a read-aloud version of a LOT of books. You can order more stickers from the company when you run out, but here’s a tip: The background of the sticker page works too, so if you’re desperate for one more sticker to finish a book, just pull off a corner and use it in place of one of the “official” round stickers.
How to Record a Book with the AnyReader
- Step One: Put two AAA batteries in the AnyReader.
- Step Two: Push the “Power” button.
- Step Three: Practice scanning the stickers by running the tip of the AnyReader over pre-recorded stickers to hear the sound effects, and blank stickers to hear the tone that indicates a blank sticker. It just takes a brief swipe.
- Step Four: Choose a book, and put a blank sticker on each page.
- Step Five: Hold the “Power” button down for three seconds, and listen for the tone.
- Step Six: Scan the blank sticker on the page of the book.
- Step Seven: Hold down the button with the image of a speaker and three curving lines. It will play four beeps, and then begin recording. After you hear the last beep, start reading the page.When you’ve finished reading the page, release the button. (Yes, you hold down the button the entire time you’re recording.)
Test your recording by swiping the end of the Reader over the sticker – you should hear your own recording. Repeat steps five through seven for each page of the book to complete the process.
Unique Xmas Gift – The AnyBook Reader
Share Your Love of Books with the AnyBook Reader
Bottom line: The AnyBook Reader makes a great gift for relatives who live far away. This item’s use of technology can not only bring families closer together, but also help instill a love of reading in kids. Check out the company website here: Franklin AnyBook Reader
The Franklin Electronic Publishers, Inc. AnyBook Reader was provided to The Untrained Housewife for the purposes of this review.
