Eye-link communicators review

3 September 2004 14:07 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Whether it’s James Bond, Agent Cody banks or the Goonies we all like playing the spy, there is something about secret communications, the sneaking around that is just appealing. The Eye-link communicator fits nicely into this bracket, why? Well because it will allow two kids to secretly talk to each other up to 200ft away via what is basically a text messaging system.

In the box you get two headsets and two wrist panels. The headsets sit comfortably on a child’s head - I tried to wear it and my head is just too big - and the unit is worn so that the wrap around arm is over one eye (see images for better look of how this sits on your head). In a Borg from Star Trek style moment the wrap around arm eyepiece contains a small one-line LCD that will display one line of text.

The wrist panel offers a Qwerty keyboard and typing a message on to it will make the message appear in the other persons headset. It’s as simple as that.

The type-pad wrist panel, which is rubberised and fairly batter proof allows you to preview your message on your own eye-link before sending it and you can even opt to replay a message if you happen to be looking elsewhere when the message came through. Of course because the LCD is facing your eye no-one else will be able to see what you are writing.

Verdict

The kids we tested this out on thought it was the best thing in the world and allowed them to freely chat away without grown-up intervention to each other for no money. From a parents point of view however there are some drawbacks - mainly that the unit will guzzle 6 AAA batteries between them in a short space of time. The second is that you need to have both units on to be able to talk to each other, so three packs of those batteries must be purchased at once to power both units. Having both of those units on simultaneously normally has to involve either a pre-arranged time or a quick phone call to say “Oi! Turn your Eye-Link on.”

A must have for the would be spy who is under 12 it's just a shame its not for us adults.