Talking Learning Laptop
(600-2611) Operation Faxback Doc. # 51163

Playing With The Laptop

Opening The Cover

Place the Laptop on a flat surface, then press the lock/release button to unlock the cover. Lift up the cover so you can see the screen.

When you finish using the Laptop, fold the cover down until it licks into place.

Turning The Laptop ON/OFF

To turn on the Laptop, press ON/OFF. A short melody sounds and the Laptop says, "Hi," "Welcome," or "Hello," and "Select and activity" (see "Playing a Game," below).

To turn off the Laptop, press ON/OFF. A melody sounds and the Laptop says "Goodbye" or "Bye" before it turns off.

Note: If you do not press a key for about 5 minutes, the Laptop says
"Bye," then automatically turns off to save power. To turn it back
on, press ON/OFF.

Adjusting The Display Contrast

You can adjust the display's contrast (lightness/darkness) so it is easier for you to read. To make the display lighter or darker, slide CONTRAST to the desired setting.

Playing A Game

This section provides general instructions for playing a game on the Laptop. For information about each game, see "Game Descriptions" in Faxback Doc. # 51164.

1. Press ON/OFF to turn on the Laptop.

Note: If you do not press a key within about 10 seconds after the
Laptop gives you an instruction, it repeats the instruction.
To hear an instruction again at any time, press REPEAT.

2. Adjust VOLUME to the desired listening level.

3. You can select a game using either the keypad or the mouse.

To use the keypad, press ICON. Then press /\ or \/ to choose the
game. When you see the game you want to play, press ENTER.

To use the mouse, move the mouse to /\ or \/ on the screen and press
the left or right mouse button ("click" on it) to scroll through the
games. When you see the game you want to play, move the cursor (the
flashing line on the screen) to (check mark) and click the left or
right mouse button.

Note: Clicking the left or right mouse button is the same as pressing
ENTER on the keypad.

Whichever method you use, a short melody sounds and the first problem
appears on the screen. The Laptop then tells you what you need to do
to solve it.

(For example, in the game Missing Letter, a moving picture appears and
the Laptop says "tree." Then tre_ appears on the display. The Laptop
says, "What is the missing letter?")

4. Press the desired key(s), then press ENTER. Each time you press a
key, a character appears and the Laptop says it out loud.

(For example, to solve the problem in Step 3, press E, then ENTER. e
appears, and the Laptop says "tree.")

During most games (except Spelling Builder, Missing Sigh, Equation
Puzzle, Multiples & Factors, Calculator, Film Director, Composer, and
Music Library), you get three chances to enter the correct answer.

When you enter the correct answer, the Laptop says, "Good," "Well
done," "Excellent," or "Hurrah!"

If you enter a wrong answer, the Laptop says, "Oops. Try again" and a
balloon disappears from (balloon symbols). If you try three times
without entering a correct answer, the Laptop says, "The correct
answer is . . ." and the answer appears.

After you enter a correct answer or the Laptop tells you the answer,
the next problem appears.

During all activities except Calculator, Film Director, Picture
Puzzle, Composer, and Music Library, the Laptop announces your score
after every 10 problems.

5. To play a different game at any time, press ICON then ENTER, or click
on (book symbol). Then repeat Step 3.

Notes: The Laptop automatically selects the easiest level (Level 1) and
one player each time you turn it on. For more challenging
problems (Levels 2-6), see "Changing the Level", below. To play a
two-player game with a friend, see "Playing with Two Players"
below.

If you do not know the answer, press ICON and use < or > to move
the cursor to (life saver symbol) (or use the mouse to click on
[life saver symbol]) to hear and see a hint.

During all activities except Spelling Builder, Missing Sign,
Equation Puzzle, Multiples and Factors, Film Director, Composer,
and Music Library, if you enter an incorrect letter or number,
press ERASE (or use the mouse to click on [eraser symbol]) to
clear it from the display, or CLEAR to clear all the letters you
entered from the display. A tone sounds and the character(s) you
just entered disappear.

Changing The Level

You can play all the games except Calculator, Film Director, Picture Puzzle, Composer and Music Library at six different level. Level 1 is the easiest and Level 6 is the hardest. Each time you turn on the Laptop and select a game, it automatically selects Level 1. Use the mouse the change the level.

1. Press ICON and use < or > to move the cursor to (6 short to long lines
symbol) (or use the mouse to click on (6 short to long lines symbol).
The level display appears.

2. Press the number key that matches the level you want, or use the mouse
to click on the desired level. The Laptop announces the level.

Playing With Two Players

Each time you turn on the Laptop and select a game, it automatically selects a one-player game.

To play a two-player game, press ICON and use < or > to move the cursor to (2 happy faces) (or use the mouse the click on (2 happy faces) at any time. The Laptop says, "Two players." To return to a one-player game, click on (2 happy faces) again.

Two-player games are the same as one-player games, except a player must first press his or her button (PLAYER A or PLAYER B) to be able to answer.

Note: All games except Calculator, Film Director, Picture Puzzle,
Composer and Music Library can be played alone or with a friend.

Scoring

Points are awarded differently for one and two-player games. The highest possible score is 100 points.

For one-player games, the Laptop awards 10 points for a correct answer on the first try, 8 points for a correct answer on the second try, and 5 points for a correct answer on the third try. No points are awarded or subtracted for incorrect answers.

If a player press (light bulb symbol), no points are awarded. If a player presses (life saver symbol), the Laptop subtracts 4 points. If a player presses (life saver symbol) when there is only one missing answer, no points are awarded or subtracted.

For two-player games, each player receives 50 points to start. The first player who enters the correct answer earns 5 points. Five points are deducted for a wrong answer. If a player presses (light bulb symbol), no points are awarded for that question.

Note: (life saver symbol) does not work in two-player games.

At the end of a one-player game, the score appears on the center of the display. At the end of a two-player game, the Laptop displays a separate score for each player (A or B).

Time Limits

For most word and math games, you must answer within the time allowed.

LEVEL TIME LIMIT

1 Unlimited
2 60 seconds
3 50 seconds
4 40 seconds
5 30 seconds
6 20 seconds

When the time is up, the Laptop says, "Time's up, this is the answer," and the correct answer appears.

(EB 1/20/99)