I'm ambivalent about Leap Pads - the "run apps" LCD screen kind, not the book kind. They seem a razor-and-blades kinda thing, with pretty expensive apps for the simple things they do.

But the Leapfrog toys get top marks for engineering. First of all they're pretty sturdy, and second they just do things right. For example on the "Rockit Twist" (another "run apps" thing) none of the gimcracks are fake. Every button and every spinner does something, and does it well. And, for example the "Scribble and Write" (I think that's what it's called) is simply the most amazing use of an 8x8 monochrome LED module I've ever seen. Another good one is "Tad's Get Ready for School Book" - just soo much functionality, and pretty near indestructible too. If one guy came up with all that stuff, he gets full marks from me for engineering.