LeapPad Explorer

LeapPad Explorer
Developer: LeapFrog Enterprises Publisher: LeapFrog Enterprises Released in US: July 2011 This console has unused graphics. This console has unused sounds. This console has unused text. This console has debugging material. This console has revisional differences.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

A kids tablet that is, like the Leapster and the Leapster Explorer before it, built off of the magic of Adobe Flash. Also, those apps cost a TON, usually being $10 each (yes, you read that correctly).

To do: There are many placeholder audio clips of the Narrator that are voiced by Microsoft Sam. Rip and upload them.

Sub-Page

Test Mode The test mode hidden in the firmware.

Developer Mode

To do: Actually document this feature, and the debug level (there's some info about this here).

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

There is a secret developer mode hidden in the firmware that can be activated by setting the developer flag on the LeapPad using LeapPad Manager (download, unzip, and launch the software, connect the LeapPad via USB, and on the navigation bar, click LeapPad -> Connect, then once it's connected, on the menu bar, click Development Tools -> Load Dev Mode). This will enable features like FTPing into the LeapPad via USB (which can be used to rip files and such), and some extra options in the Parent Menu (accessed by holding Volume Up and Home on the login screen). Specifically, these options include Cheats (which doesn't appear to do anything, it may have been used during development to test certain areas within games) and a debug level (currently undocumented).

The only caveat is that enabling this mode will disable the normal communications using LeapFrog Connect (or an equivalent tool that uses the same protocol, like LeapPad Manager). The developer flag (located in /flags/developer) will need to be deleted via FTP to escape this mode.

Another way to exit Developer Mode is to hold Home + Right while turning the unit on. This will put it in to USB boot mode. From here, connecting the LeapPad to the computer will launch LeapFrog Connect software and factory reset the unit and reinstall the default apps, removing Developer Mode.

Unused Narrator Voice Lines

To do: Provide the final audio file as a comparison to the early audio files, if any. There are more unused voice lines belonging to the Narrator.

Audio	Transcript	Description
	"Connect your LeapPad to your computer to claim your LeapWorld tokens!"	A hint telling the user to connect their LeapPad to their computer to claim their LeapWorld tokens. It was used until LeapWorld was discontinued in 2017 and incorporated into the LeapFrog Connect application.
	"You're signed in as Guest."	Alternate take of the hint given when the user taps on the Guest icon in the home screen.
	"Please try another name."	Likely would play whenever the user either inputs an inappropriate name or inputs an already existing name, but the final version has no filter whatsoever.
	"If you change your name, all your data will be lost."	A hint warning the user that changing their name will erase all data on the profile. Because user data is sorted by an ID system, this message isn't needed.
	"To do: Add 'Connect message audio'"	A To-do message for adding a so-called "Connect Message Audio" file. Likely intended for the developers.
	"Change the order of the icons on your home menu by tapping the left and right arrows!"	A hint for what seems to be an unused method of rearranging icons on the home menu. In the final version, this is done by dragging the icons, not using arrows.

Unused Graphics

A placeholder graphic for backgrounds exists in the files most likely used if the player has no backgrounds saved in the home menu.

Leapster Explorer Leftovers

The LeapPad Explorer was built off of the Leapster Explorer, and so there unsurprisingly are some leftovers.

Images

Some images from the Leapster Explorer made it over to the LeapPad:

Brightness Meter

Empty	Full

Leftover brightness meter.

Charging Screen

Leftover charging screen. While the LeapPad2 does have a separate rechargable battery pack, this screen also goes unused there since the power light glows orange when the system is charging, eliminating the need for a charging screen.

Sound Effects

Leftover	Final

Leftover app launch sound effect. The final's is much simpler, being the default "click" sound.

Revision Differences

Hardware

• In July 2011, the original LeapPad Explorer was released. It has 64 MB of RAM, a Pollux VF3520F clocked at 393 MHz, and 2GB of internal storage.
• In August 2012, the LeapPad 2 was released, which features faster clock speeds (550 MHz), a new CPU, twice the internal storage (4GB), a selfie camera, with the photos app(let) being updated to reflect the new addition, as well as remixed main menu music and a new beach-themed background.

LeapPad Explorer	LeapPad2

Software

To do: Document software revisions and updates, there are probably a lot of them.

Internal Names

According to some internal files, the internal name for the LeapPad Explorer appears to be "Madrid". However, some other internal files refer to the LeapPad as simply "LPad".

Oddly, the internal name for the Leapster Explorer is also revealed in the files (Emerald).