NOW CLOSED Do you have a child aged 3-11? Try blobo, the new fitness-based gaming controller with your child and be in with a chance of winning a £100 M&S voucher!

[NewGirlHelenMumsnet]

We've been asked by blobo to find 10 Mumsnetters and their child(ren) (ideally aged 3-11) to test blobo out and add their feedback on Mumsnet.

Here's what blobo say: "Unlike other controllers where you sit on the sofa waving the controller around in the air, blobo not only copies your movements, but also knows how much force you are applying. In other words, you actually do have to run and jump rather than micro-jogging and simply standing up straight. If you want your avatar to run faster, you really have to run faster too!

In this way, blobo offers a genuine way to get children having fun and getting exercise at the same time. Indeed, blobo is the only fitness-based gaming controller available that accurately calculates the number of calories used. By giving children of all abilities the chance to measure their efforts using calories we see it as a good way for children to win a game even if they're not the fastest. This builds confidence and hopefully encourages them to be more active in the future. blobo is designed to be played with just as easily outdoors as indoors so you and your child can have lots of fun running around outside testing it!

blobo is a small, light, soft ball which connects via Bluetooth to your PC or Mac. With it being wireless, you can take blobo anywhere and play wherever you want as long as you are within Bluetooth range (typically 25m) of your PC/Mac. Take blobo outdoors or on holiday - there's no need to stand in a specific spot in front of the computer or TV!"

We're looking for 10 Mumsnetters for this product test - it is open to all UK MNers who have a child aged 3-11.

If you are selected for the test you'll be sent a blobo games pack, Fun&Fit, which includes a blobo, a CD with 6 fun fitness games - Archery, Basketball, Bowling, Karate, Long Jump and Running - a Bluetooth dongle and a charger (currently on summer offer for £39.99). You can also download other games (there is a charge of £2.99 for some but others are free).


You'll be able to keep the product at the end of the trial. In return we'd ask that you add feedback to a thread on Mumsnet, to let others know how your child(ren) found it. For more information about the product please visit the blobo website.

Everyone who takes part and adds their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where the winner will get £100 of M&S vouchers.

If you'd like to take part please add your details here.

Many thanks and good luck
MNHQ

[NewGirlHelenMumsnet]

arfur - here's blobo's response to your query:

"Blobo has been designed to be very simple in its set up and would not normally require any changes to be made to a laptop. However, if the standard bluetooth software settings in the laptop have been altered please see below:

Normally if the laptop has built in Bluetooth and it is configured to be able to connect to new devices, there should not be any issues. However, if using this option please check the following:

1. You need to ensure that 'allow Bluetooth devices to find this computer' is selected in the Bluetooth settings menu.
   
2. Select 'Add a device'
   
3. Activate the blobo by shaking or squeezing it and you should see BALL which is blobo, and then select 'pair without a code'
   
4. You should then get a notification 'this device is now ready to use'.
   
5. Then run the blobo software.
   

So in this case please ensure the the built in technology is configured correctly.

If using the BT dongle, it is best to do the following:

1. turn off the internal Bluetooth. This should not normally be required but if you are having a problem with initial set up, this is a good thing to do.
   
2. Insert the dongle and wait for the driver software to automatically load (this only happens the 1st time you use the dongle). There is no need to do anything else. If there is NO notification, please ensure that the dongle is inserted correctly into a USB port/socket. NB It is possible to insert a USB device into a data port rather than a USB port!
   
3. Then run the blobo software.
   

All the dongles and blobos were checked as a pair to make sure they would link up together, before we shipped them out. If Bluetooth is running on a laptop correctly then you should not see any warning when you run the blobo software, just the search and connect screen."