October 2009 Notable Toys — Electronics

Kids can take their preferred TV shows, movies and video games anywhere, indoors or out, with this hand-sized projector that displays up to a 60" screen. It requires four D batteries (not included) and can be powered with the AC adaptor or a portable battery pack, both included. — As of 1.06.2011 this product had 3.5 our of 5 stars from 149 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 1 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games. Pros: Portable; can be connected to external audio. Cons: Low quality on board speakers; Image becomes fuzzy if projector is too far from surface.

As of 1.06.2011 this product had 3.5 our of 5 stars from 149 reviews on Amazon.com and was No. 1 on the top 100 bestselling toys and games. Pros: Portable; can be connected to external audio. Cons: Low quality on board speakers; Image becomes fuzzy if projector is too far from surface.

With the iPod Touch, users can listen to music, watch videos, play games, surf the Web and more. This slim pocket computer has a 3.5" screen and uses electrical fields to sense and respond to touch on the surface of the screen.

This clinically tested and 98-percent accurate product is created to listen to the cry of a baby and tell the caregiver what baby is communicating — specifically, when baby is annoyed, hungry, bored, stressed or sleepy. The WhyCry Mini is designed to stimulate baby’s development, improve parental bonding, and create healthy emotional response patterns. "There is no other product like this available in the world. The WhyCry Mini listens to the five instinctive cries all babies use to communicate hunger, stress, boredom, sleepiness and annoyance," James Valle, CEO of Serene Baby Products, Inc., told TDmonthly. "The debut of this product coincides with an ever-increasing body of neuro-biological research that affirms the importance of correctly diagnosing infants’ needs to foster healthy development in the first months of life." Launch date: September 9, 2009.

This hamster on a mission loves to explore and can scoot along the ground and boogie through its different habitats. The Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster line also includes Chunk, Pipsqueak and Num Num, all of which squeak and chatter when in loving mode. This product was named one of Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products 2009. Launch date: Fall 2009.

23" Toy Acoustic Guitar in Red. Give the gift of music. Features quality sound, lustrous finishes, clear tone, quality materials and craftsmanship, and good vibrations. Play the blues, country, flamenco, rock, pop, and classical.

Designed for learning and fun, this electronic preschool toy harnesses the power of a computer and utilizes Interactive Voice Recognition Technology so that the on-screen Comfy characters respond to a child's voice as he or she plays the 36 educational games and activities. The multilingual product easily switches among 20 different languages. "During the past 80+ years, different versions of toy telephones have traditionally been among the top-selling preschool toys on the market," Ron Cantor, president of Comfy, Inc., told TDmonthly. "The Plug ‘n Play Phone is a preschool child's phone for the 21st century!" Two AA batteries are required (not included). Launch date: 2009.

Prime-8 is a fast and agile gorilla robot that does everything from play laser tag to run with your kids down hallways. He explores his own surroundings or responds to remote control. He is silly, occasionally rude, and goes crazy when disturbed in his sleep! Prime-8’s intense interactivity is powered by a battery of sensors that allow him to respond to people and to his environment. Internal sensors measure his orientation constantly, and prompt him to right himself should he fall down. Outbound sight and sound sensors help Prime-8 maneuver around obstacles, respond to questions with grunts and growls, and express himself. Finally, motion detection sensors keep Prime-8 alert so that he can chase away intruders by firing rockets!

Penbo is a lovable interactive penguin that sings, talks, dances and plays games with you and her surprise Bebe. She responds to touch and sound and communicates with her Bebe through infrared sensors. Penbo also plays five games with you and Bebe; the more you play, the happier she becomes! Penbo is an autonomous robot designed to move like a penguin and interact with you and her Bebe through an array of sensors. She is aware of her surroundings, loves to dance, plays games and talks with Bebe in Penguish, her own language. Press Penbo’s heart to reveal a surprise egg with her Bebe inside; each color Bebe interacts differently with Penbo.

This preschool toy is a safe, programmable TV remote control that children can use to find their favorite TV shows and channels quickly and easily. The iMote is designed to provide independence for kids and peace of mind for parents. A parent selects five safe TV channels that have their child's favorite TV shows, and access to all other TV channels is blocked. The iMote comes with 100+ colorful stickers, including the logos of popular TV channels (i.e., Nickelodeon, Disney, PBS, Cartoon Network)  to make it easy to customize for each child. "The iMote is the only remote control on the market that has been tested to pass all toy safety tests, so that when young children put it into their mouths there is no danger of lead poisoning; and parents don’t have to worry about their children watching programming that they may not feel is suitable for their children," Ron Cantor, president of Comfy, Inc., told TDmonthly. "Children develop a great sense of pride, confidence and self esteem in knowing that they have their own personal TV remote control that allows them to operate their TVs, just like Mom and Dad can."

Peanut is part of a line of five AniMagic pets, which are soft, lap-size animals that move their heads, necks, ears and eyes, make whimpering sounds when petted, and each make their signature baby animal noise — bark or meow, for example. Peanut barks in appreciation when given his special bone, and even wags his tail. Launch date: July 2009.

This 3" designer mini speaker has a lot of attitude. Featuring artwork by Jeremiah Ketner, it hosts a built-in hi-fi amplifier, internal rechargeable battery and can play for four to eight hours. It comes with an audio cable, a USB charging cable and a keyring clip for attachment to bags or other accessories. Headphonies can work with MP3 players, portable DVD players, computers and most mobile devices. Launch date: August 2009.

This Silver Ion HEPA Air Filter is designed for homes with kids seeking to reduce airborne viruses that cause the flu. The HEPA air filter is coated with silver, an eco-friendly and non-toxic substance naturally occurring in nature that provides anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral protection. The Silver Ion HEPA filter is more affordable than other air sterilization methods and is designed to be extremely efficient when compared to ultraviolet technology alone. The Silver Ion HEPA filter reduces up to 50 percent of airborne viruses that cause the flu after 24 hours of use, and eliminates 99 percent of airborne allergens, 98 percent of bacteria, and up to 50 percent of the viruses that cause influenza. It's "perfect for a child's room or common high-traffic areas in the home," Akiko Tanaka, PR coordinator for Alen Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 15, 2009.

Named Respiratory Management Magazine's "New Product of the Year" for 2009, Paralda is an eco-friendly, RoHS compliant, Energy Star rated HEPA UV air purifier with 99.97-percent air cleaning efficiency. It is designed for babies and children's rooms because it contains zero lead components and is quiet. Its UV lamp is designed to last up to five years and sterilizes airborne viruses that cause the flu. It is available in the following colors: Bamboo Green, Twilight or Espresso. "Paralda was the first HEPA UV air purifier in the U.S. market to meet strict green standards — it is environmentally friendly by meeting all RoHS requirements and is Energy Star rated — using less energy than a standard light bulb," Ria Romano, PR manager for Alen Corp., told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 15, 2009.

This USB Owl bobbles its head. It measures 5.5 cm and is available in white, gray, pink and brown. Launch date: May 6, 2009.

This monkey-faced bank eats and saves coins. The size is approximately 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. Launch date: June 6, 2009.

Utilizing NeuroSky's ThinkGear technology, the product allows kids to practice their Jedi Master skills, actually using their mind to control movement of a ball. Users wear a headset that measures and interprets brainwave activity, transferring it to the 10" training tower where a sphere moves up and down. It includes Star Wars sound effects and 15 levels of training. Launch date: July 2009.