They say you get what you pay for.
Barbie Photo Designer from Mattel is a unique digital camera and CD-ROM bundle. While preteen girls are the target audience, this package can be fun and useful to anyone regardless of age (or gender) with undemanding digital photography needs.
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The heart of the system is, of course, the camera. It's cute and girls will be sure to like its looks. I, on the other hand, am not too interested in the glittering strap and large pink flower in its center. (Just don't take this camera into a dusty roadside tavern if you know what's good for you.) |
The camera is simple to operate. Merely turn it on and press the shutter! A nice feature for such a low-cost package is its self-timer. Also, photo gurus will appreciate that it can be screwed onto a tripod, although the "voice of Barbie" suggests setting the camera on a flat surface if using the self-timer. One thing conspicuously missing from this camera is a flash. The instructions claim it doesn't need one, which is true. While the camera works perfectly in daylight, shots are plenty bright and colored correctly under ordinary household lighting - a feat that a traditional camera might balk at.
The camera is capable of storing six shots in its on-board memory or can take up to twenty if tethered to the computer via the included cable (which is also used to upload pictures into the computer). I don't fully understand why, if it is attached to the computer, there is the limit of twenty shots, since the program itself can store a nearly unlimited number of pictures on its clipboard.
Presumably to assist non-reading audiences, the software interface is largely without text. Instead, users click on an assortment of glyphs to get things done. Barbie tells you aloud the function of each button. Unfortunately, there is no way to stifle this verbose help system; she continually tells you what each button does, no matter how many times you've already used it. This wouldn't be too bad, but a glitch in the audio system sometimes leaves her sounding more like Max Headroom than Barbie. One feature that uses the voice system well is the "Photo Tips." On the main screen, click on the picture of the shutter release button and Barbie will give you helpful hints on taking photos with the camera. These tips range from the useful ("Stand 3 to 6 feet from your subject") to the useless ("It's fun to take pictures!").
| The fun really starts when you take your photos and stick them into some provided scenery. With a few well-planned poses, girls can place themselves inside Barbie's world. The pictures provided are not "flat" - that is, if you seat yourself at the table next to Barbie, you will automatically be placed behind the table and in front of the backdrop. This saves a lot of manual fiddling with controls. Here I am riding in Barbie's cool car. I wonder when she's going to let me drive? |  |
In order to make your "World of Barbie" scene look realistic, be sure to clean up your image with the spartan editing tools. Apply the eraser to mask yourself off, or click on the auto-erase button and the program will give its best guess as to what's the background.
All this is well and good, but chances are you will want to get pictures out of the Barbie App and into something more interesting, such as a web page, e-mail, or even a better paint program. There is a handy export feature that saves in either JPEG or BMP format, but it's hidden; to reach it, you need to go to the "Preferences" screen, the same place you set things such as passwords. And how do you get to the preferences screen anyway? You click the word "Barbie." Not entirely intuitive...
A bonus in the package is a few sheets of sticker-paper for your printer. It's quite simple to pop out a sheet of neatly printed stickers to share with your friends.
The Barbie Photo Designer package is fun for anyone who wants to try digital photography at a reasonable cost. Assuming you can tolerate the interface, even grown-ups will love using this camera to take quick snapshots for e-mailing, making stickers, and other low-end tasks.
| Product | Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera & CD-ROM |
| Includes | Camera, software, serial cable (9-pin), sample paper. You provide one 9-Volt battery. |
| Pros | Fun for all ages. Great value. Simple but attractive projects. |
| Cons | Works with Windows 95/98/NT only. Chatty interface is sure to annoy even Barbie lovers. Important features (such as export) are not always easy to find. |
You can purchase the Barbie Photo Designer bundle and have it delivered directly to your door! Simply click the link below: