Type
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Mechanical. Mobiles that do not have electric motors and are driven manually. There are two types of these models. The first is the simplest pendants with toys without any mechanisms, let alone melodies; they rotate from the movement of air or from a push by the hand and are designed mainly for the smallest children — up to 2 – 3 months. The second type is more advanced, such mobiles rotate due to a mechanism that is wound manually — usually with a special key. The same mechanism plays melodies, according to the principle of a music box. And although such models are inferior to electronic ones in terms of capabilities (see below), they still perform the main functions of mobile phones perfectly. However the operating time at the plant is usually only a few minutes — this is not always enough.
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Electric. Mobiles of this type are driven by a battery-powered electric motor. Thanks to this, the operating time is almost unlimited — until the battery runs out; and even in this case, it can be easily replaced with a fresh one. And you can turn off the device at any time (unlike mechanics, where you have to wait until the factory runs out). However, the main advantage of electronic mobiles is that they can provide various additional features — for example, a timer, a projector, and even playing your own tunes via a USB input (see "Features"). Such devices are more expensive than mechanical ones, but th
...is moment is fully compensated by the described advantages.Power source
The power source used in the electric vehicle (see "Type"). All such models are powered by replaceable batteries, here are the most popular types of such batteries:
— AA. The well-known “finger-type” batteries are widely distributed and sold almost everywhere. Used in most modern mobiles.
— AAA. A reduced analogue of "finger-type" batteries — "little" or "mini-finger". They have a smaller capacity, and therefore are used mainly in relatively simple mobiles, although there are exceptions.
— S. Batteries in the form of characteristic "barrels" — the same length as finger batteries, but twice as thick. They have a fairly high capacity, so they are mainly used in advanced mobiles with an abundance of additional functions.
— D. The largest batteries used in mobiles — have the same proportions as type C batteries, but even larger and, accordingly, more capacity. Such power is almost guaranteed to mean that the mobile has extensive additional features.
Toys
The material from which the toys suspended on the mobile are made, and the number of these toys.
The quantity may vary. The most popular option is
five toys, this number is considered a kind of "golden mean". Models for
three and a href="/list/681/pr-27899/">four toys are quite popular, but
six or more are extremely rare.
The materials can be:
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Plastic. Plastic toys are considered more hygienic than fabric products: they do not accumulate dust, and when cleaning, it is enough to wipe the plastic with a damp cloth. At the same time, these toys are inexpensive. On the other hand, they are not as pleasant to the touch as soft ones.
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Soft. Fabric toys with soft filling inside. Often such products look better than plastic ones, and they are definitely more pleasant to the touch. In addition, different types of fabrics can be used in soft toys, differing in texture: velvety, satin (“slippery”), linen, cotton, etc. All this contributes to the development of tactile sensations. The main disadvantage of this option is the difficulty in cleaning: soft toys readily accumulate dust and dirt, which is not so easy to get rid of — washing may be required. In addition, such toys are somewhat more expensive than plastic ones.
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Plastic with textiles.... Toys made of plastic, supplemented with individual parts made of textiles. Such products are more pleasant to the touch than purely plastic ones, they develop tactile sensations well, while they are cheaper than soft toys and are not as prone to accumulating dust. There are two main types of toys made of plastic with textiles. The first is a combination of a plastic body and individual textile parts: for example, a bird can have wings made of fabric, a fish can have a tail, etc. The second variety is a plastic base, completely lined with fabric.Operating time
The time during which the switched on mobile works before it turns off on its own. For mechanical models (see "Type"), this is actually the operating time in a full factory. Most often, it is about 10 minutes — for a longer work, a too bulky mechanism would be required, moreover, more time is not required so often. In electric models, the operating time is much longer — in the expectation that the parent will most likely turn off the device himself at the right time. And if the mobile is equipped with a timer (see "Features"), the operating time for it is indicated as the time after which the shutdown will occur if the timer is not set.
Features
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Volume control. The ability to adjust the volume of sound effects — melodies, sounds of nature, etc. Thanks to this adjustment, you can set the most comfortable volume level. It also allows you to adjust the sound for a specific situation: for example, loud music is not needed to lull a baby to sleep, and immediately after waking up, it will help him cheer up.
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Sounds of nature. A mobile with this function is able to play not only music, but also various pleasant sounds of nature: the rustle of leaves, the singing of birds, the sound of rain, the murmur of a stream, etc. These sounds are also interesting for the baby, and many of them have a calming effect and help fall asleep .
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Night light. The classic night light is a dim lamp built into the mobile and turned on at night so that the baby is not afraid in complete darkness. In some models, the night light can be powered by a sound sensor (see below) and turn on if the child wakes up in the middle of the night.
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Projector. A device that, with the help of light, creates various pictures on the walls and ceiling. It can be a starry sky, funny little animals, etc. Such pictures are interesting for the baby, they both entertain and calm him down. The project itself can be either built into the mobile or separate. The image from the projector is best seen
...in the dark, so it is often used as a night light (see above). However, both of these functions can be provided in the mobile at once — both the projector and the night light.
— Removable toys. The ability to remove the toys that the mobile is equipped with. By removing the usual pendants and replacing them with others, you can make the mobile more interesting for the baby. In addition, removed toys are more convenient to clean from dirt; this is especially true for fabric products (see "Toys"), which may require washing — after all, you cannot put toys in the car with your mobile.
— Sound sensor. A sensor that reacts to loud sounds in the room — primarily to the crying of a child. If the baby woke up in the middle of the night and cried, a mobile with such a sensor can automatically turn on, play a lullaby, light up the room with a night lamp or a projector, etc. Some models can even report the operation to parents on the remote control or smartphone.
— Timer. If there is a timer, the parent can set the time after which the mobile will automatically turn off. This eliminates the need to turn off the device manually each time. This is especially convenient if the mobile is used for lulling before going to bed: it is better not to approach the baby who has just fallen asleep once again, so as not to disturb him.
— Remote control. Remote control supplied with the mobile. The purpose of this remote control is already clear from the name — it allows you to control the device from a distance; moreover, most often the control works via a radio channel and “reaches out” even through walls of small thickness. Such an opportunity is not “vital”, but it can make life much easier for parents. The set of functions available from the remote control may be different, this point should be clarified separately.
— USB input. The USB connector in mobile phones is most often used to connect to a computer: through this connector, you can write melodies to the device as you wish. A more advanced application is also possible: connecting a “flash drive” with recorded music and playing it through a mobile. The specific features of the USB input should be clarified separately.