I have seen these toys, but have never seen one that works reasonably well.
Typically the sound is so distorted that it is not really usable.
I have seen ones that both record and playback. Their audio quality is even
worse.
You also may want to look into keychain sized "memo recorders". They have
both record and playback functions, but the audio quality is nearly as bad
as the greeting card products.
In my opinion, all of these products are good for one try and then throw
away.
My wife worked in a Hallmark card shop for a number of years. Hallmark
tried to market these but had so many customer complaints that they dropped
the line after barely a year.
Bob Smith
--- Avoid computer viruses, Practice safe hex ---
-- Specializing in small, cost effective
embedded control systems --
http://www.smithmachineworks.com/embedprod.html
Robert L. (Bob) Smith
Smith Machine Works, Inc.
9900 Lumlay Road
Richmond, VA 23236 804/745-1065
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message -----
To: "Multiple recipients of list CHIPDIR-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 1:34 AM
> At 2004-02-29 04:04, Jeffrey Meade wrote:
> >Talking Greeting Cards:
> >Who are the largest original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of talking
> >greeting cards?
>
> I don't think that this is the right question
> to ask. Greeting cards are a novelty product and
> they are 'in' for a while and then they are out
> again for much longer. They will always be quite
> a lot more expensive than regular cards and when
> the novelty effect wears of, the sender will not
> want to spend the extra money anymore.
>
> And another problem is that in order to produce
> these cards affordably (for his clients) a producer
> has to produce a lot of them at once.
>
> >I want to know who makes the IC.
>
> There are two chip makers specialized in low-cost
> sound chips. Information about them should be on
> the pages that probably made you join this mailing
> list. ;-) Or let me know and I'll check it out and
> give exact URL's
>
> >I want to know who mass produces these cards.
>
> The last talking greeting card I got was at least
> ten years ago. About 5 years ago I got an invitation
> with a telephone sound from Telfort/Logica for a
> mass meeting of prospective employers in the Arena
> in Amsterdam, but that was before the dotcom-bubble
> bursted and when they were still desperately looking
> for IT personnel.
>
> Just looked inside of the card and it consists of a
> PCB, two small batteries (about 6 mm diameter) with
> holders, a low-cost very flat speaker and a chip
> within a black resin in a hole in the PCB, for low
> cost in big amounts.
>
> >I would guess some companies in the orient.
>
> Yes, mass production of novelty stuff is usually done
> in Asia.
>
> Have a search at:
> http://www.asiansources.com/
>
>
> Greetings,
> Jaap
>
> -- Chip Directory
> -- http://www.chipdir.biz/
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> -- http://www.chipdir.nl/
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> --
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> --
> Author: Jaap van Ganswijk
> INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Fat City Hosting, San Diego, California -- http://www.fatcity.com
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--
Author: Robert Smith
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