How To Be A Spy!

Playing spies was one of those childhood games from my youth that was as popular as doctors and nurses or cowboys and Indians.  We would pretend to use lie detector helmets or come-back-to-life bullets on each other, while we planned how we would get top secret information from the Russians.  Influenced by James Bond, we would dream of having gadgets and gizmos befitting a secret agent!

Nowadays, things have changed for kids.  They don't have to dream anymore with the new range of fully functional gadgets from Spy Net.  High end electronics meet imagination, as the ultimate in cool spy technology is put in the hands of burgeoning young secret agents.

We were sent the Video Glasses and Bionic Ear to test out and my own little 007 Kizzy was very keen to try them.  Ian was extremely excited about the Spy Net range.  He said he would have sold his granny to get his hands on these cool products back in the 70s.

The Video Glasses are a pair of cool black shades with a built in camera which will record video footage and take photos.  These can then be uploaded to a computer using the USB port.  The glasses come with an inbuilt rechargeable lithium battery.

A button on the side powers the glasses and a red light is visible from the inside.  A second button takes photos or records footage through the lens on the frame, so you can sneak up and catch your targets unawares!  

Once you have your secret footage you can use the USB cable to transfer it across to a PC.  The glasses will record up to 20 minutes of video and hold 2000 images!

Kizzy's first attempt at a stealth mission resulted in a series of photos of our living room!  The camera function worked better where the light was good.  

Whose Drink Was That???

The video function is really impressive with good sound quality.  Again good lighting helps the picture quality.    Kizzy found them good for snooping around the house, peering over garden fences and interrogating her little brother.  This is some of her footage!

The potential for these glasses and their play value is huge!  Kizzy's techniques will improve and she will soon be creeping around obtaining secret footage of her big sister and her friends!  So watch out Ella!!

The Bionic Ear instantly evoked memories of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman, other icons from my 70's childhood!  The Bionic Ear consists of an earpiece, a stick on listening device and a control box.  The listening device is stuck to a smooth surface and allows you to hear through it.  It takes 3 AAA batteries.

Initially, we had a bit of trouble as many of our doors and walls are textured and we couldn't get the suction cups to attach well enough to get a good contact for listening.  You would need gloss painted or smooth surfaces for it to work well.  However we soon worked out that we could stick them to windows, allowing us to listen through from the outside into our rooms or from the inside out.  This opened up a world of fun!

It worked incredibly well!  We tested it both indoors and out, whispering to each other and testing the range of the bionic ear.  It was really impressive.

From now on we will all have to be careful what we talk about in case little people are listening in with Bionic Ears!

Other gadgets from Spy Net include a Laser Tripwire for setting up a secret perimeter and a Video Watch complete with built in 1.4" TFT screen.

Spy Net even have their own website where agents can upload files, analyse data and crack secret codes.  There are mini-games and secret missions to download.  Check out www.spynethq.com to find out more.

Prices are £19.99 for the Bionic Ear and £39.99 for the Video Glasses.  They are available from Argos, Toys R Us, Smyths, Sainsbury's and other good retailers and are aimed at children aged 8 and up.

They would make amazing Christmas presents for gadget mad, high tech toy fans both young and old, offering the potential for some serious spying fun!