TDmonthly's Toy Fair 2007 Preview
Category: Computers

GoLive2 Stix by PLAYHUT INC.

Use this wireless, motion-sensor controller for PCs works in place of a keyboard and mouse, allowing users to play Internet and PC games in a more natural way. Launch date: February 2008. ( Watch Video) 4/11/2008 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

myPC Stage 1 “Toddler Keyboard' by TARGETED TECH SOLUTIONS

This plug-and-play keyboard designed for young children features large, color-coded keys and an ergonomic mouse for small hands. It is spill-proof, washable and works with both Macs and PCs. White, pink, green and blue colors are available. “The award-winning myPC keyboard design distinguishes itself as the only spill-proof, washable, covered keyboard with staged-based learning attributes. The Stage I keyboard was specifically customized for toddlers and children who want to enjoy the experience of grown-up-like computing through a toddler-friendly peripheral,” Sales Director Mark Coleman of Targeted Technology Solutions told TDmonthly. “With only 47 alpha and numeric keys, it [is] ideal for 1-year-olds to preschoolers, and the perfect start to their technology experience.” Launch date: February 9, 2008. 4/11/2008 (Price: $69.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Moshi Monster MoPods by MIND CANDY

Somewhere between cyberspace and Earth, a strange race of playful creatures exists. Known as Moshi Monsters, these wacky critters have somehow muscled-in on the world of mobile phone accessories..
These nifty phone charms contain a Moshi Monster that flashes and spins when a call or text comes in. So far, so nuts. And very handy when you're in a noisy place or your phone's in silent mode. You'll never miss another call. Every Moshi Monsters' MoPod contains a special secret code in-pack that gives owners the exclusive privilege to adopt a monster* online, plus they'll get a free virtual accessory not available anywhere else. 12/18/2007 (Price: $9.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Comfy Easy PC by Comfy, Inc.

The multifunctional computer keyboard encourages cognitive development and grows with each child. By interacting with its fun characters, toddlers can engage in lots of colorful and dynamic activities while developing their motor sensory and language skills. The keyboard is even specially designed for small fingers. THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN UPDATED. See latest version here. 12/7/2007

15" LCD TV - High School Musical by DISNEY

The television screen features an on-screen adjustment menu, sound balance, high brightness and contrast, component video inputs, A/V composite video outputs, 4:3 standard aspect ratio, 1024 x 768 resolution, two stereo speakers, a sleep timer, a headphone jack, a remote control and more. The screen measures 7.67” x 21.65” x 14.96” and comes with a VGA input that allows the television to be used as a PC monitor. A Hannah Montana version is also available. 11/21/2007 (Price: $299.00)

Webkinz - Hippo by GANZ

To help meet the demand for Webkinz sweeping the continent, Ganz has come out with a new line of Lil'Kinz. Like their larger counterparts, Lil'Kinz characters come with their own codes that are revealed after purchase. Kids adopt the little guys as their own and take them into an online world of fun and KinzKash. Kids can now make Lil'Kinz Hippo their best buddy, play some games at the arcade and stop by the "W" shop to pick up a bowl of crunch "shoots n' roots."
— “We sold over 2,000,” Gwen Boden said of how Webkinz fared in 2007. Boden is the manager of Doodlehopper in Springfield, Va.
— “Webkinz: We sell daily, hourly,” Robin Ellerman, owner of Trains-n-Toys in North Canton, Ohio, told TDmonthly.
— Over 21 percent of retailers told TDmonthly that Webkinz was their all-around best-selling item of 2007. 11/12/2007 (Price: $12.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kookeys - T Rex by 10VOX ENTERTAINMENT INC.

This fierce cuddler has an online counterpart that lets kids access a virtual world full of games, contests and rewards.
— During TDmonthly's Homeschool Roundtable review of Kookeys, 8-year-old Joe Ledford expressed excitement for the online entertainment the plush animals afford. "Can I play the arcade games?" he asked his mom. "They are really fun!" ( Watch Video) 10/3/2007 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Kookeys - Orange and White Cat by 10VOX ENTERTAINMENT INC.

This cuddly kitty holds the key to an online world filled with games and rewards. ( Watch Video) 10/3/2007 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Galacula mimobot by MIMOCO INC.

Galacula is a member of the mimobot Core Series 2, designed for mimoco by Dino Alberto in a limited edition of 2,000 units. Pick one up today and, in addition to the Core Series 2 animations, games and more, you'll get the premiere issue of mimoco's mimoZine™ Digital Magazine. 9/11/2007 (Price: $49.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Queen mimobot by MIMOCO INC.

Designed by Undoboy, a member of the Spear Collective, Queen is one of the newest entries to the Artist Series '07. As comfortable at a fashion show as she is at the World Series of Poker, Queen comes preloaded with lots of digital goodies straight from the Spear Collective, and for a limited time, the all-new Mimozine digital magazine. 9/11/2007 (Price: $49.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Strawberry Shortcake Bilingual Laptop by HANZAWA

This early learning bilingual computer teaches English and Spanish. It includes uppercase and lowercase letters, 48 activities (24 in each language), two mouse keys and an LCD screen. It features a friendly interactive voice, animated pictures, a built-in electronic synthesizer and a portable, lightweight design. 8/29/2007

Happy Tree Friends Mimobot Series 1 by MIMOCO INC.

Giggles, Flippy and Mole are the three cute woodland creatures in this series. Each character is available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities and comes preloaded with bonus digital content, including a Happy Tree Friends video, screensavers, sound bytes and more. Each character is available in either a “Happy” version or a “Gory” version. The suggested retail price is between $55 and $145. Launch date: July 25, 2007. 8/13/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Mimobot Art Toy USB Flash Drives – Core Series 2 by MIMOCO INC.

Nine amnesiac refugees from planet Blõôh have arrived on Earth. Designed by Dino Alberto, the Core Series 2 advances the original Mimobots’ storyline and gives adopters insight into life on Blõôh through interactive, preloaded digital content. All Core Series 2 characters are available in 1GB to 4GB capacities. The suggested retail price is between $55 and $115. Launch date: July 25, 20007. 8/13/2007 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek by HER INTERACTIVE INC

Nancy goes undercover at the Icicle Creek lodge in the Canadian Rockies to investigate strange accidents and a mysterious wolf that appears before each incident but then mysteriously disappears when the police arrive.  Chantal, the owner of the lodge, has asked Nancy to uncover the culprit behind a recent string of suspicious accidents.  Just as Nancy arrives there is an explosion and a bunkhouse is destroyed.  To make matters worse, an eerie howling wolf keeps everyone up at night and terrorizes the guests.  Can Nancy crack this case? Launch Date: June 12, 2007 6/29/2007 (Price: $19.99)

Printable Witty Bit World® Alphabet Activity Sheets CD-ROM by WITTY BIT WORLD INC.

Alphabet worksheets include activities to present and reinforce letter recognition and writing skills. Print coloring pages, printable flash cards, and activity worksheets over and over again. The coloring pages, posters, and flashcards are suitable for children ages 1-6 years. The writing skills worksheets are designed for older toddlers, preschool, kindergarten and first grade. Many of the printable materials feature guidelines, lesson plans, crafts and related resources. Compatible with Windows and Mac.

 6/21/2007 (Price: $10.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

zPix by CARSON OPTICAL

This digital microscope links to most computers for exceptional detailed viewing. Its power zoom mechanism goes from 26x to a super-strong 130x. An integrated camera allows for quick and easy snap shots that can be saved for later use. It also comes with a specimen base, forceps, eyedropper, USB cable, three blank slides, one prepared slide and CD-ROM software. This educational tool makes learning fun and inspires children and adults to discover more about their environments. “The zPix is educational and fun at a fantastic price,” Shannon Kelly of Images Group, on behalf of Carson Optical, told TDmonthly. The zPix has won the following awards: Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award 2007, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Award 2007 and Dr. Toy 10 Best Educational Products Award 2007. Launch date: June 1, 2007. ( Watch Video) 5/24/2007 (Price: $79.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby: My Animal Friends by LEVERACTIVE LLC

This award-winning software includes 14 activities and over 60 songs, and allows babies to tap computer keys for on-screen fun. Activities include At the Zoo, Penguin Playground and more, and feature a unique mouse action. The two-CD set includes a bonus screensaver version. “Babies are wildly curious and want to touch the keys they see their parents touching all day.” This product “sells just as well in the toy market, the baby market, and the software market, and is a growing line of soon to be three titles with many more on the way.” President Tim Leverett of Leveractive told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2006.  ( Watch Video) 12/5/2006 (Price: $24.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

I Spy Mystery by SCHOLASTIC

Kids can discover a new way to play I SPY with 13 fascinating mysteries on this CD-ROM. They simply choose a case file, and then earn mystery clues by solving riddles and searching for concealed objects. Children must employ problem solving skills to follow clues to solve the case of the Locked Gate and other mysteries. The game “engages kids in solving I SPY riddles and mysteries while simultaneously building their vocabulary and language skills,” Amabel Fulgencio of Scholastic told TDmonthly. It was named one of the 100 Best Children’s Products of 2006 by Dr. Toy. Launch date: August 2006. 11/10/2006 (Price: $19.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Darth Vader Mimobot by MIMOCO INC.

The first in the Star Wars Series 1 limited edition mimobot collection, Darth Vader comes in 1-, 2- and 4-gigabyte capacities and is preloaded with bonus removable Star Wars mimobot content, including trailers, soundbites, avatars and wallpapers. The designer USB flash drive was produced in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. Only 2,500 to 3,500 will be made per character. MSRP: 1GB $69.95, 2GB $99.95, 4GB $149.95. Launch date: April 2007. 11/2/2006 (Price: $69.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Superman™ Laptop Advance by OREGON SCIENTIFIC

Oregon Scientific’s Superman Laptop Advance will be perfect for kids ages 5+ and will feature activities in math, logic, memory and spelling, 30 activities in English and 30 activities in Spanish.  This is the company’s first licensed learning laptop that is fully bilingual.  To embark on the learning adventure, aspiring young adventurers merely wave their hand above the closed lid; this will trigger the classic theme song from the original Superman feature film and pop open the laptop. An internal antenna within the lid functions with unique sensor technology, detecting a hand’s natural heat and electromagnetic field to spring the lid into action. A QWERTY keyboard and LCD screen help lead young learners on a quest where imagination combines with learning and fun.  9/1/2006 (Price: $59.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

The Rainbow Web by BLOCK PUBLISHING

In this delightful story, a little spider’s dream of spinning a colorful web comes true … with unforeseen consequences. The interactive CD-ROM (included in each book set) uses a variety of activities and actual photographs to teach kids about the fascinating world of real-life spiders, compare spider and insect anatomy, and view the incredible variety of spiders in the world. Both the book and CD introduce young children to the colors of the rainbow. The CDs can also be purchased separately for $17.95. They’re compatible with Windows XP with QuickTime and OSX, OS9 and OS8.5. Hardcover. (Read Review) 8/14/2006 (Price: $21.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Fly — Totally Stumped by BINARYLABS INC.

Anywhere from one to four players can battle and bluff to win up to nine different twisted trivia card games, as long as they have a LeapFrog Fly Pentop Computer (sold separately). The game comes with 68 Trivia Category Cards, four Answer Cards, two Category Counter Cards, a carrying case and a rule book. Games include Solo Psych Out, Match 20 and Hot Streak. Typical questions are “What does Karaoke mean in Japanese?” and “True or False? Identical twins have identical fingerprints.” To date, Totally Stumped has won the 2006 Parent's Choice Gold Award, the 2006 Dr. Toy Top 100 Best Children's Products Award, the iParenting Media Award and the iParenting Hot Media Award. “Totally Stumped! brings together two favorite tween activities: playing card games and answering bizarre, off-the-wall trivia questions! Bluffing, planning, strategizing, second-guessing, and sheer luck are all part of the fun,” Jo Hendrix of BinaryLabs Inc. told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006. 8/14/2006 (Price: $19.95)