Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, please don't be fooled (as I was) by the "8.5-Inch" in the name of this device. This is probably one of the reasons I give it four starts instead of five. I believed that I was getting the version of this device that is roughly the size of an 8.5x11 piece of paper, which I had seen in a nationwide consumer electronics store that once-upon-a-time catered to people who liked to build their own radios and electronic devices, back when a ham "wireless" setup was referred to as a "shack" - I am sure you can guess which place I mean. I saw the larger size version of this device there for the same price I paid for the smaller version from this seller (E&B Electronics, fulfilled through Amazon). I almost returned it for this reason, but the birthday girl's birthday was too close, so I decided to just buck up and keep it, even though the price was higher than expected for the size being smaller than expected. (FYI, for those of you who, like me, don't already know, the device is measured diagonally, like a TV, so if you want the larger one, you should look for the 10.5".) Otherwise, the product is nifty. Its, as others may have said, just a fancy electronic version of that old waxed-board-and-cellophane thing that anyone over the age of forty probably had as a child, where you draw on the cellophane with a little stylus, which makes the cellophane stick to the waxed board, making darker lines where you have drawn, and to erase you lift the cellophane up, peeling the two layers apart. Well, this is like that. That's all. Except you press a button to "reset" the image. There is no computer connection (although they DO make one that can hook up to the computer and transfer your valuable notes and sketches, for about four or five times the cost.) But for kids - why bother? Did we complain back in the day that we couldn't "save" our drawings on the wax-board-and-cellophane-thingy? No. We just played tic-tac-toe and drew silly pictures and were amused on long car rides. And the 8-year-old girl for whom this was purchased was THRILLED. She has been using it to draw, write us notes, compose odes to her stuffed animals (never done this before!), and we can play dots, hangman, etc, in restaurants now without me having to drag my Kindle everywhere I go (hee hee!). The only way this device could have been better as far as my 8-year-old is concerned is if it somehow could convert into a stuffed animal, ha ha! Highly recommend, but be forewarned about the size, triple check the price**, and understand that what you are getting is just a high tech version of that old waxboard-cellophane thing; if you consider all this, I doubt you'll be disappointed. **Amazon, I am appalled at how ridiculously you have jacked up your prices on many popular items this holiday season - things I've seen at local chain stores for $20 have been listed on Amazon, sold and shipped BY Amazon, for more than twice that! - way to treat your loyal year-round customers, guys. When most stores are having SALES for the holidays, AMAZON DOES THE OPPOSITE!!