Durex has been working some serious overtime to extend their line to make a vast amount of strange new, adorable, sex products for the everyday couple. Their Play line includes lots of gels, lubricants, and "Personal Massagers" aimed at making normal people's sex lives just a little bit better, and more adventurous. With a whole lot of cute names, bright colors, and cool shapes, most of the Play line is adorable and attractive, just lacking a bit in the effectiveness department.

The Play Little Gem isn't exactly an exception, but it is very interesting product. Attractive, with nice colors and a unique shape meant to fit snugly between your fingers, this toy has a soft feel. The sensations don't get nearly strong enough, but if you're new and looking for something gentle to just add a little something extra to the bedroom, this isn't a bad idea.

Full marks for presentation, definitely. A big, shiny purple box to fit all the stuff inside. It can be a little difficult getting to box open. Inside was the Little Gem, a small soft purple bag to hold it in, the charging cord, and a few paper booklets about the toy, Durex, and the Play line.

The instructions say to charge for a full twelve hours first. After that, charge after every use to keep it in the best shape. With all that, the toy seemed to work just fine.

The vibrating bottom is a soft purple silicone pad (so only water lubes, please) that has a thick center that tapers off into a round curved lip. This is supposed to provide a "fluttering" sensation. It's a neat idea but doesn't quite live up to it's claim. Perhaps the silicone is just too thick to move that way.

The unique finger-cuddling shape is nice, and it does fit well. My fingers tend to push all the way over the other side, which can be distracting, but it's not a big problem. It's a little big to fit in between two lovers when in a missionary position, but with a little improvisation it works fine with couples.

The controls are really easy to use. One indented button turns the toy on, and another raised one that cycles through the levels- 3 speeds and a pulsing mode. The indented button then turns the toy off again, no matter what level you're on.

There are no strange smells, no uncomfortable edges or seams, and it isn't too hard to clean- just requires a bit of attention for all the curves. Apart from the light sensations, the toy is nice all around.

Despite the awesome fact that it's rechargeable, this thing doesn't get too high on the power scale. For the price you're paying, you'd think it'd have a whole lot more oomph. It's good for warming up, especially for the sensitive ones, but not the best for going all the way up and out.

I really admire Durex's exploits into making sexual play more mainstream, and I must say that if shy couples are really buying this thing, it is good for them. For the timid woman who doesn't get enough sexual attention- or satisfaction- from her boyfriend, girlfriend, or husband, this might be just what they need to jump into real sexual exploration, or just some much needed simple stimulation.