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LeapFrog Enterprises

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 199.106.103.249 (talk) at 20:50, 3 October 2011 (→‎Main characters: In later DVDs (to my knowledge, post-2009), Lily and Tad are twins.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Company typePublic (NYSE: LF)
IndustryEducational Toys
Founded1995
FounderMichael Wood
Headquarters
Emeryville, California
,
US
Key people
John Barbour (CEO); Michael J. Dodd (President and Chief Operating Officer)
Websitewww.leapfrog.com
A girl with Leapster
A girl with LeapPad

LeapFrog Enterprises Inc NYSE: LF is an educational toy company based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog designs, develops and markets technology-based learning products and related content for the education of infant through grade school children at home and in schools internationally.

History

The company was founded in 1995 by Michael Wood, a Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business (MBA, 1979) and University of California, Hastings College of the Law (JD) graduate, when he found no products on the market that could help his struggling son learn to read. Since then, LeapFrog has developed a number of learning platforms with a library of software titles, covering subjects including phonics, reading, writing, and math for grade school children.

Conception of the idea

The idea to develop Leapfrog had already been in Wood's mind since the 1980s. At that time, Wood was an employee of Cooley Godward, a law firm representing various high-tech companies, with Wood often representing entrepreneurs securing financing for start-ups. However, Wood did not actively develop the idea up until the point when his son, Matthew, was three years old. While able to recognize the alphabet at that age, Matthew had trouble connecting the name of the letters to the sound the letters made. Wood could not find any suitable teaching aid to help his son, and realized that he might be able to obtain a solution from one of his clients. He found his solution in a client who was investing in integrated circuit technology being developed at Texas Instruments that was being actively used in musical and talking greeting cards. Wood then started his research, spending four years performing focus groups on mothers. He also had a prototype developed and conducted research on the manufacturing costs to ensure that it would have a viable market price. Finally, he met with a buyer from Toys R Us to determine interest in the toy.

In 1994, Wood took the prototype to Dr. Robert Calfee, a professor of education at the Stanford University School of Education. Armed with Dr. Calfee's feedback, Wood went on to refine his toy, and in 1995, developed the first toy that Leapfrog would market: the Leapfrog Phonics Desk.

1995: The founding of Leapfrog

Mike Wood pitched his ideas to his relatives, as well as to friends and to his clients. He garnered US$800,000 to launch the company, with the Phonics Desk being the first product to be marketed. It sold well, however the company was plagued with issues delivering the product. Nevertheless, demand for the product was strong, and the company started to develop its second phonics toy.

1997: Expansion and acquisition by Knowledge Universe

By early 1997, the company now has distribution in over 10 countries overseas and have a number of major clients within the US itself. The company hired Brad Crawford, who formerly worked for Little Tykes, to oversee engineering and manufacturing.

In late 1997, LeapFrog won the backing of Knowledge Universe, an educational and marketing conglomerate founded by brothers Michael and Lowell Milken, and Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation. It then operated as a division of Knowledge Universe's subsidiary, Knowledge Kids Enterprise, up until it went public in 2002.[1][2] The Knowledge Kids subsidiary was headed by Tom Kalinske, a former president of toy conglomerate Mattel.

In 1998, Leapfrog acquired Explore Technologies Ltd, who developed the technology that would later be used in one of Leapfrog's flagship products, the LeapPad. The LeapPad was launched in 1999, and quickly became their flagship product.

In 1999, the company opened a new division, LeapFrog Schoolhouse, that markets their products to schools and educational institutions.

2002–present

LeapFrog went public on the New York Stock Exchange on July 25, 2002. It currently trades under the symbol LF. In 2002, LeapFrog partnered with Sega Toys and Benesse Corp to produce localized versions of their toys for the Japanese market. And by 2003 their products are sold in more than 25 countries worldwide.

In late 2007, LeapFrog officially discontinued the LeapPad and started offering the Tag as its successor. However, the LeapPad is still available through LeapFrog Schoolhouse to educational institutions and homeschoolers.

On June 7, 2010, Leapfrog unveiled the Leapster Explorer. The successor to Leapster 2, it supports online game play as well as learning apps, e-books, and videos.

Products

LeapFrog’s product portfolio focuses on three main families of products; reading solutions, educational gaming and grade school products and learning toys. Notable products include:

  • LeapPad – A series of now discontinued educational devices. The products in this family varied in design, but had two things in common: they accepted a cartridge and is to be used with a book that is inserted into the product. The LeapPad was LeapFrog's flagship product from 1999 up until it was discontinued in late 2007 (early-mid 2008 outside the US), in which it is replaced by the Tag reading system.
  • Leapster – A family of handheld educational gaming devices, although a TV variant was also developed. The Leapster had a touch screen, and is capable of playing videos on special video cartridges. It was co-developed by Macromedia and used an embedded version of Flash player. Although initially it appeared that the Leapster was being discontinued in favor of the Didj, it's market is currently being revamped so that it would target at younger audiences.
  • Tag – The spiritual successor to the LeapPad. As of 2009, a variant for younger children, the Tag Junior, is also available.
  • Didj – A handheld educational gaming device, originally thought to completely succeed the Leapster. It is targeted at older audiences. Combines playing games with learning.[3][4][5][6]
  • ClickStart – An educational computer system for children aged between 3 to 6.
  • Fly Pentop Computer and Fly Fusion Pentop Computer – A device LeapFrog calls a pentop computer. A pen-shaped device with a built in optical sensor that is capable of detecting motion. The successor to the first generation Fly, the Fly Fusion, is also capable of handwriting recognition. However both devices requires special paper to operate. As of 2009, LeapFrog had discontinued both pen versions and support accessories such as notepads and ink refills were also no longer available.
  • iQuest – A device resembling a PDA that plays trivia games and allows for revision of study material.
  • Text And Learn – A hand held learning toy with an LCD screen and a QWERTY keypad for exploration of letter names and sounds. Activities include a shape game, reviewing Scout's scheduler and sending and receiving pretend emails. Appropriate for Ages 3 Years to 6 Years, this item was released in 2009.[7]
  • Fix The Mix! – A game with five different inputs that require five different interactions: a wheel (spin), a knob (twist), a button (push), a dial (twist), and a switch (squeeze). By using these inputs, kids can listen to game rounds with information that must be repeated in the correct sequence through manipulation of the inputs. Game themes include 'The Brush Your Teeth Song', 'The Wash Your Hands Song', 'The Life of A Butterfly', 'Days of The Week' and 'Months of The Year'. Appropriate for Ages 3 Years to 6 Years, this item was discontinued in 2009.[8]
  • My Pal Scout - A customizable plush toy that can be programmed with various songs and the owner's name and preferences. A Violet version is also available.

Additionally, LeapFrog also produced various other toys, including toy vehicles, interactive plushes and toys for the infant market.

Licensing and partnerships

In addition to producing their own toys, LeapFrog also licenses their characters (the Leapfrog Learning Friends) to third parties:

  • Kiddieland Limited – Ride-on toys, tricycles and scooters
  • Masterpieces Puzzles – Jigsaw puzzles
  • Learning Horizons – Books and various stationeries

LeapFrog also has partnerships with various companies:

Defunct partnerships

  • Porchlight Entertainment and Warner Home Video – Produced the Leapfrog Learning DVDs series of educational DVDs. Some of the DVD titles are also available in cartridge video format for the Leapster handheld system. Released DVDs up until 2007's A Tad Of Christmas Cheer. Leapfrog has since chosen Lionsgate Entertainment as their new partner for releasing educational DVDs.
  • Uniayu Solutions Malaysia – Wheee! center of learning franchise. Defunct due to poor enrollment.

Leapfrog Learning Friends

The core set of Leapfrog Learning Friends as seen on the Learn to Read at The Storybook Factory DVD. From left to right, Front row: Parker and Dot; Second row: Casey, Tad, Lily, Leap and Della; Back row: Tim, Mr. Websley and Dan. It should be noted that Porchlight Entertainment took liberties with the character design and thus the design in the movie is slightly different from those used elsewhere.

LeapFrog have developed various characters for use in house, and have eventually licensed the characters for use in third party products. These characters are collectively known as the Leapfrog Learning Friends. Initially in early 2009, it appears that Leapfrog is keen on discontinuing use of the characters as many of the newer toys or media made for the newer toys (i.e. Tag books) no longer feature the characters. However later it was announced that Edison, Leap and Lily will return in August 2009 on a new direct-to-video movie. It remains to be seen if the other characters will return as well, however.

A non-exhaustive list of characters follows:

Main characters

  • Leap : The main character for various toys targeted at older audiences. He also serves as a guiding light, with Lily, to Tad.
  • Lily : Leap and Tad's sister. Lily toys are designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences. Like Leap, Lily also serves as a guiding light to Tad. In later DVDs, Lily and Tad are twins.
  • Tad : The youngest in the family. Tad is designed with younger audiences in mind and thus most toys and titles that feature Tad are targeted for younger audiences.

Friends

  • Casey : A cat, normally depicted as part of Leap and Lily's clique. However a baby version of the character was later introduced and featured along with Tad for the LeapFrog Baby line of toys
  • Della : A duck, normally depicted as part of Leap and Lily's clique
  • Dan : A dog, normally depicted as part of Leap and Lily's clique
  • Parker : A pig, normally depicted as part of Leap and Lily's clique. However a baby version of the character was later introduced and featured along with Tad for the LeapFrog Baby line of toys.
  • Tim : A turtle, normally depicted as part of Leap and Lily's clique
  • Dot : A dog, normally depicted as part of Tad's clique

Grown ups

  • Mr. Frog : Leap, Lily and Tad's father. In the Learning DVDs, He works as an engineer/architect who builds factories commissioned by Mr. Websley.
  • Mrs. Frog : Leap, Lily and Tad's mother
  • Grandpa Frog : Leap, Lily and Tad's grandfather
  • Mr. Websley : Unique to the Learning DVDs, Mr. Websley is Della's father who runs a publishing business, and is Mr. Frog and Professor Quigley's boss.
  • Professor Quigley : A bespectacled lab rat. He is a scientist. In the Learning DVDs, he works alongside with Mr. Frog to develop the technology Mr. Websley demands.

Other characters

Scout and Violet

  • Scout : Introduced in the ClickStart My First Computer toy as Tad and Dot's pet dog. Scout proved to be extremely popular and various toys featuring his likeness soon appeared. He will return in new videos that will premier in 2011 as Tad and Lily's pet dog.
  • Violet : The female counterpart of Scout meant to appeal to girls. In canon she is Scout's friend. She does not appear in the ClickStart toy, but was introduced alongside Scout in the My First Scout range of toys. She will apparently not be appearing in the 2011 DVDs.

Awards

LeapFrog's products have won more than 3350 awards as of March 2008.[citation needed]

Animated DVDs

  • The Letter Factory (2000)
  • The Talking Words Factory (2001)
  • Math Circus (2003)
  • The Talking Words Factory 2: Code Caper Words (2005)
  • Read-Me Story with Storybook Factory (2006)
  • A Tad Of Christmas Cheer (2008)
  • Let's Go School (2009)
  • Math Adventures to the Moon (2010)
  • Numbers Ahoy (2010)
  • Amazing Alphabet Amusement Park (2011)

Awards: According to LeapFrog.com, LeapFrog has won more than 650 awards for innovation in learning toys and systems.

See also

References

  1. ^ Leapfrog Enterprises Inc: Information from Answers.com
  2. ^ Funding Universe: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc
  3. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/technology/personaltech/17leap.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=didj&st=cse&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
  4. ^ http://www.buffalonews.com/412/story/509869.html
  5. ^ http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/31/didj-customizes-learning/
  6. ^ http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/BIZ/46000530/1005&template=printart
  7. ^ http://www.leapfrog.com/en/preschool_toys/text_learn.html
  8. ^ http://www.leapfrog.com/en/preschool_toys/fix_mix.html
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