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Another Video Game System for Toddlers

Techstination feature for Wednesday, March 2, 2005

Hasbro has its eye on the video game market for toddlers. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. Vtech's success last year with its V.Smile learnings system for toddlers has prompted other toy makers to get into the game. Hasbro's PlaySkool division, for instance has announced a console called the ION. It will be more expensive, about 120 dollars, but will include a camera…that will put kids in the games…seeing themselves on the TV screen…moving around instead of using a joystick. Hasbro's U.S. Toy President Brian Goldner…

"We know that parents want kids to be physically active and kids love to play with our system so it's really a perfect combination."

Hasbro is also bringing back another electronic toy…the Furby…(sound)

"Furby is different from our original Furby in that he's almost two thirds bigger. He also has a lot more interactivity, there's a lot more puppetry. But the important piece is we bring the puppetry together with the interactivity in something we call emoto-tronics. Emoto-tronics really is that perfect combination of technology as well as that personal interaction that makes it so compelling to play with."

And while rival Mattel is coming out with a real cell phone designed for girls ages 8 and up…Hasbro is taking a different approach. It will sell wireless radios that look like cell phones…that allow kids in a two mile range to talk…and text message….with no airtime charges. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.