Photos by Ali Matthews
Edwin is no ordinary duck. Browsing through a collection of latest tech-toys, you may just think he was mislabeled, but don’t be fooled by his humble rubber duck appearance – just one touch of his heart and he comes to life.
First and foremost, Edwin is a “smart duck” with a full line of interactive apps, that include educational games, songs and stories that would entertain a pre-schooler for hours.
However, it is all of Edwin’s other features that is making him the figurative Swiss-army knife for new parents. One day with Edwin and he will be your baby or toddler’s BFF for years.
I received Edwin as a gift when my daughter turned one, not knowing much about him. Fast forward two years and Edwin is practically a member of the family. Bedtime, bath time, playtime, travel and dance parties – you name it, Edwin is there.
The brainchildduck of pi lab co-founders Matt MacBeth and Don Inmon, Edwin was originally inspired by a giant rubber duck which visits harbours around the world.
“A year after he floated into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, the city was still enamored, with local vendors selling their various tiny replicas,” explained Inmon.
Capitalizing on the craze, the business partners came up with the idea of rubber duck-shaped Bluetooth speaker, but Edwin soon evolved into something greater.
“It was really a collaboration between friends, family, and eventually customers who would say things such as ‘can Edwin have a night light?’, ‘what if he had an accelerometer?’, and ‘I want to use him to tell stories to my child!,’ which lead us to build out his interactive animated app,” said MacBeth. “The possibilities really are limitless.”
Right out of the box he is easy to love. Edwin is made with soft silicone that is easy for chubby hands to handle. A tap of his wing and on goes his nightlight. A quick connect to your phone and that nightlight becomes a (never ending!) sound machine too.
A scroll through your music and he becomes a Bluetooth speaker. A WATERPROOF Bluetooth speaker. Of course, my heart jumped the first time I threw him in the tub, but he has since played ‘Let It Go’ covered in bubbles exactly one billion times. I am also guilty of brining him into the shower in the morning to play my own tunes.
Connect to the bathtime app and press the disco feature to see Edwin light up in different colours and the app will even tell you the water temperature.
Edwin is very portable. You can take him travelling, on the plane, beach and park. Throw him in the stroller to play music while taking the baby for a long walk. Oh, did I mention he is almost indestructible? Despite years of drops, water, dirt and sand he has never looked better.
Run into an issue? Pi labs has stellar customer service.
Edwin’s battery life is exceptional – 12 hours of continuous play – and he is incredibly easy to recharge. No fumbling with plug ins, just drop him on his charging ‘nest’ for a little rest.
With all the focus on Edwin’s baby friendly features, it is hard to imagine that Edwin was originally marketed to preschoolers as a learning tool through his fun and educational interactive apps.
This shift in gears has nothing to do with any fault the apps or functionality. The games are a ton of fun – I swear I have played/read Edwin’s ‘Feeling Small’ with my daughter at least 1000 times – and new songs are stories are always being added. Instead, it was customer feedback that the changed was predicated upon.
“After being on the market for several months, we began to see a trend with our customers through reviews, social media, app analytics and general feedback,” explained MacBeth. “It became apparent the most heavy usage of Edwin is by parents with newborns and toddlers, using Edwin specifically for sleep time and bath time.”
Now, Edwin is being marketed as the perfect little-helper for parents at the most challenging time of the day – the bedtime routine.
Luckily, he is more accessible too. When I purchased Edwin, he wasn’t exactly easy to find, but now you can buy him at the Apple Store, Best Buy, Amazon and Indigo.
Bottom line? With so many features, portability, durability, and great customer service, he is the perfect toy to grow with your little duckling long into school.
I, for one, can attest to the power of this little duck, but don’t take my word for it. Win your own!
Comment with a “quack!” on this post and you are entered to win your very own Edwin the Duck!
A random winner will be selected on April 28, 2017. (Full contest rules below)
Good duck…errr, luck!
OFFICIAL RULES:
1) Contest commences 12 p.m. EST on Monday, April 24, 2017 and ends at noon, Friday, April 28, 2017.
2) No purchase necessary.
3) Prize is 1 Edwin the Duck.
4) The contest is open only to entrants over 18 years of age. Employees of Ottawa Life Magazine, or any of their affiliates, or any of their respective advertising and promotional agencies or contest organizations, or persons with whom any of such employees are domiciled is not eligible to enter. Decisions of the contest organizers and their representatives are final. The odds of being selected depend upon the total number of entries received.
4a) The winner will be contacted via email or number provided on April 28, 2017. By entering the contest the winner agrees that they are in compliance with the contest rules and acceptance of the prize as awarded. By entering this contest entrants release Ottawa Life Magazine, contest organizers, their affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives from all claims, demands, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses relating to the administration of the contest and use of the prize, including without limitation, personal injury, death, property damage, loss, accident or misfortune relating to all aspects of the contest, including without limitation, the administration thereof and the use of the prize.
5) Ottawa Life will select winner at random. To win, the selected entrant must comply with these contest rules.
6) The contest is subject to applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and is void where prohibited.
7) The participants, by entering the contest and the winner, by accepting the prize, consent to the use of their name and/or photograph or other likeness in any publicity carried out by the contest organizers without compensation.
8) Ottawa Life Magazine Inc. or their designated representative will make a maximum of two (2) attempts to contact selected entrant by email or phone (using the information provided at the time of entry) within 24 hours of contest end date. Should we not be able to reach them another entrant will be selected.
9) Ottawa Life Magazine Inc. reserves the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, and without prior notice, to adjust any of the dates and/or time frames stipulated in these Rules, to the extent necessary, for purposes of verifying compliance by any entrant or Entry with these Rules, or as a result of technical problems, or in light of any other circumstances which, in the opinion of Ottawa Life Magazine Inc., in their sole and absolute discretion, affect the proper administration of the Contest as contemplated in these Rules.
