Feb. 19--New York -- High-tech playthings remain the darlings of the toy industry this year, from a flock of new robotic dinosaurs to a joking, leg-crossing Elmo and a Spider-Man toy that really climbs walls.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (KRT) via NewsEdge Corporation :
Feb. 19--New York -- High-tech playthings remain the darlings of the toy industry this year, from a flock of new robotic dinosaurs to a joking, leg-crossing Elmo and a Spider-Man toy that really climbs walls.
But with many consumers strapped for cash and toy prices expected to rise, companies at the American International Toy Fair in Manhattan this week also aim to give parents more bang for their toy-buying buck.
"You're seeing a lot of innovation at lower prices," said Chris Byrne, an independent toy industry analyst. "Toys are kind of the last area to go when you pull back on spending, but parents are looking at things a lot more critically."
Byrne said major manufacturers have fewer high-end items costing $100 or more. He said they are focusing more on their core business of "goofy, collectible, plush" toys.
At the showroom of industry leader Mattel Inc., the first exhibit is for the 40-year-old Hot Wheels brand. To celebrate that anniversary, Mattel next month is rolling out tiny cars designed by automakers including Ford, Honda and Lotus. The price: $2 each.
Hot Wheels Turbo Driver, costing $21 in the fall, adds a high-tech twist by allowing kids to plug carlike cartridges into a controller that connects to a computer. Players can then go online to customize and race their cars.
Mattel is throwing a candidate into the election season with a new edition of Barbie for President, a $15 doll coming in June.
"The bulk of toys are really pretty affordable," said Neil Friedman, president of the Mattel brands division. He said most Mattel toys cost less than $20.
Upcoming products from No. 2 Hasbro Inc. include an overhaul of the $15 mystery board game Clue, a $40 amusement park play set marking the 25th anniversary of My Little Pony, and the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25, a $40 toy with a belt that feeds a continuous supply of soft-dart ammunition.
This year is important for the toy industry after some recent bumps.
After a wave of recalls involving Chinese-made toys, toy makers and sellers are working to tighten safety standards.
Toy makers face continuing competition from hot consumer electronics items like the Apple iPod and Nintendo Wii.
Toy prices also are expected to inch up this year because of the rising cost of energy, plastic and labor in China.
Still, toy makers know there are consumers out there undeterred by price tags when it comes to the most advanced toys.
As part of a 2008 dinosaur theme across the industry, Hasbro's Playskool brand has its upcoming $300 Kota the Triceratops, a robotic creature more than 3 feet long that responds to touch and sound. It doesn't walk, but little kids can sit on its bouncy back while it plays jungle noises.
Hasbro, which helped define the pricey toy trend of recent years with its $300 Butterscotch pony, now has the $180 Biscuit, a barking, tail-wagging, touch-sensitive golden retriever that responds to spoken commands such as "sit," "give me a paw" and "do you want a treat?"
Targeting parents familiar with smashed portable DVD players, Mattel's Fisher-Price brand this summer is selling the $180 Kid-Tough Portable DVD Player for preschoolers. The oversized player has a built-in screen, a kickstand, two big handles, and is designed to survive being dropped repeatedly.
"Technology has just infused itself into every aisle of the toy store," said Reyne Rice, a toy trend specialist for the Toy Industry Association. Rice said parents are also looking to balance technology with toys that teach discovery or get kids active.
Many upcoming toys blend the appeal of technology with prices under $100.
Jakks Pacific Inc. is turning the heads of industry experts with its EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles. Due this fall, it is an extension of Jakks' popular Bionic Eye toy. For about $80, kids can use the goggles' infrared technology to see about 20 feet in the dark.
Hasbro's $50 Remote Control Wallcrawler Spider-Man uses vacuum-powered suction cups to climb up and down smooth surfaces.
Fisher-Price is betting that a new generation of Elmo will be this year's holiday blockbuster. The plush Elmo Live, due out in October for $60, moves his mouth to speak and sing songs, bobs his head, waves his arms, sits, stands and, of course, responds to tickles.
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