Disney Raises The Bar On Electronics For Tweens With Innovative New Video Cam, LCD TV

[schmitty]

Disney Flix Video Cam Lets Tweens Shoot Like A Pro And Make Their
Own Movies; First Disney LCD TVs And iPod Compatible Speakers Boast
Attractive Design And The Latest Technologies

GLENDALE, Calif., Aug 13, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Disney Consumer Products is raising the bar on innovative electronics for tweens with its new fall line-up, which boasts creative designs, real-world features and a sprinkle of Disney magic. New offerings for fall include the easy-to-use Disney Flix Video Cam, high-quality iPod compatible speakers and the debut of the first line of Disney LCD TVs. Products are inspired by some of Disney's most popular franchises, including Disney Princess, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Disney Channel's High School Musical and Hannah Montana.

"We are seeing kids and tweens quickly follow the adult market in terms of technology. Gone are the days of boxy TVs and CD players. This year, kids will be looking for flat screen TVs and iPod compatible speaker docks with great sound, and our new line is very much on the forefront of this trend," said Chris Heatherly, VP of global electronics for Disney Consumer Products.

Designed by Disney, the new Fall 2007 line-up includes:

The Disney Flix Video Cam is an easy and fun to use compact handheld video camera boasting real-world features and functionality. It comes bundled with a great add-on: Disney Director software lets kids shoot and star in their own Disney movie. Software includes storyboards, sound effects, film footage, music and character voices from popular Disney films and TV shows. Kids can simply connect the camera to their PC to use the software and film their favorite scenes (SRP $99.99).

The Disney Flix Video Cam comes bundled with High School Musical Disney Director software. Additional Disney Director software titles can be purchased separately and include Cinderella and Pirates of the Caribbean (SRP $14.99 each).

Available in four attractive styles that kids and tweens will love, the new Disney LCD TVs feature a 15-inch viewing screen and great designs that are ideal for kids' and tweens' rooms. They also offer the latest technology and everything a savvy buyer wants: high-quality Sharp LCD panels, digital operation and the ability to receive digital television. The resolution is 1024 x 768 and aspect ratio is 4:3, and each model features a VGA out for use as a PC monitor. The designs are inspired by some of Disney's biggest hits, including High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Disney Princess and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The High School Musical LCD TV is bright red, resembles a school locker and comes with stickers that let tweens personalize their TV. The Hannah Montana model is purple and silver, with a hip vibe that tween girls will love. The Disney Princess style is reminiscent of a royal carriage, with sleek lines and creamy pinks with fuchsia accents. The Pirates of the Caribbean model has a base resembling a ship and is topped with a skull & crossbones and Pirate flag. Disney LCD TVs will be available this fall at Wal-Mart, ToysRUs, Best Buy and DisneyShopping.com (SRP $299.99).

New Disney iPod compatible speakers are Made-for-iPod compliant and use Apple's 30-pin connector. They're ideal for owners of Apple iPod's or the popular Disney Mix personal media players. Available in High School Musical and Hannah Montana styles, the docking stations include an iPod compatible/personal media player dock, a digital AM/FM alarm clock radio, and quality speakers, 2.5 - 3 watts per channel, a smart/self timer chip. The High School Musical style is bright red and resembles a school locker. The purple and silver Hannah Montana speaker comes in two designs - the standard design with iPod compatible/personal media player dock and digital AM/FM alarm clock radio, and a second design featuring a guitar amp with microphone and guitar inputs so tweens can sing and play to their favorite songs while they listen to the music (this design does not include the clock feature). All Disney speakers will be available this fall at Best Buy, ToysRUs and Wal-Mart (SRP $69.99).

Disney designed the LCD TVs and speakers to complement each other, they're ideal for enhancing any bedroom's decor and also make great gift sets.

For more information and high resolution images, media can visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com, click on "press room" and select "Disney Electronics." Consumers can visit www.disneyelectronics.com or visit one of the above-mentioned retailers for purchasing information.

Disney Electronics' prolific design team boasts pedigrees from some of the most prestigious firms in the world, including Astro Studios, Fitch, frog design, IDEO, Leapfrog, Motorola and Sony Electronics. Based at Disney Consumer Products in Glendale, Calif., the team works year-round with leading manufacturers and licensees to bring fashion forward technology and eye-catching design creativity to Disney's award-winning electronics line.

ABOUT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS:

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books and magazines to interactive games, food and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art. This is accomplished through the work of DCP's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Apparel, Disney Food, Health & Beauty, Disney Home, Disney Stationery, Disney Publishing, Disney Interactive Studios, Baby Einstein, and www.disneyshopping.com. The Disney Store, which debuted in 1987, also falls under DCP, through stores currently owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties under licensing agreements in North America and Japan, and wholly-owned stores in Europe. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., registered in the United States and other countries.

SOURCE: Disney Consumer Products

Corporate Contact: Disney Consumer Products Nidia Caceros Tatalovich, 818-544-0399 nidia.tatalovich@disney.com or Media Contact: Rosenfield PR Norma Rosenfield, 818-591-2264 norma@rosenfieldpr.com
Copyright Business Wire 2007

http://www.stockhouse.com/news/news.asp?tick=DIS&newsid=6064818

 

[mitros]

Oh boy, more crap for parents to spend money on when their "tweens" demand more, more, more!

 

[Sarangel]

Send 'em out and let them get after school jobs to pay for 'em, sez I.

 

[EUROPACL]

I'm getting a picture...

 

[Another Voice]

Yup - 'High School Musical' iPod speakers...

Now that's magic that will echo down for generations.

 

[KidDurango]

Stop it all. This creating merchandise that capitalizes off the popularity of the Disney characters is all wrong. What is Iger thinking letting successful creative product be *******ized into commercial products that people will want to buy. Walt must be spinning in his grave to see how far his company has sunk. Why before you know it, they'll be putting Mickey Mouse on watches and notepads. In fact those jerks that run the company will probably license the products so that they don't have to manufacture them themselves. Outsourcing again. I'm tired of these shameful corporate types trying to makee money off of the things they produce. Walt would never have wanted it that way.

 

[speedyf]

Stop it all. This creating merchandise that capitalizes off the popularity of the Disney characters is all wrong. What is Iger thinking letting successful creative product be *******ized into commercial products that people will want to buy. Walt must be spinning in his grave to see how far his company has sunk. Why before you know it, they'll be putting Mickey Mouse on watches and notepads. In fact those jerks that run the company will probably license the products so that they don't have to manufacture them themselves. Outsourcing again. I'm tired of these shameful corporate types trying to makee money off of the things they produce. Walt would never have wanted it that way.

I agree...and don't forget about the spoiled brat children. I can't believe the things these children get now. I had to suffer with my old Atari 2600...and then my Commodore 64 computer, and my Sony Walkman while these children ask for all these fancy new technology gadgets.

I have searched eBay and decided to buy my child an Atari and a Sony Cassette Walkman this year to teach him how to "rough it". I will also take away his internet privledges and get him a pair of rabbit ears for his new 5" black and white TV (which I get for free for signing up for a free checking account).

I wonder where children get this craving for technology since every 9.9675 out of 10 people I see are either talking on a cell phone, texting on a cell phone, or checking their e-mail on a pda, cellphone or laptop. Hmmmm?

Speed

 

[Wick]

Why before you know it, they'll be putting Mickey Mouse on watches and notepads. In fact those jerks that run the company will probably license the products so that they don't have to manufacture them themselves....Walt would never have wanted it that way.

Where have you been for the last 70 some-odd years? The licensing rights to manufacture products with the image of mickey mouse has been sold to 3rd party companies since 1928!

While there are certain elements of modern-day Disney's business practices of which Walt would undoubtedly disapprove, to go so far as to suggest that he would have totally forbidden any and all 3rd party licensing contracts is not only absurd, it's ahistorical because it's something he actually condoned to an extent.

 

[EUROPACL]

Where have you been for the last 70 some-odd years? The licensing rights to manufacture products with the image of mickey mouse has been sold to 3rd party companies since 1928!

While there are certain elements of modern-day Disney's business practices of which Walt would undoubtedly disapprove, to go so far as to suggest that he would have totally forbidden any and all 3rd party licensing contracts is not only absurd, it's ahistorical because it's something he actually condoned to an extent.

I think you missed the sarcasm that KidDurango was going for in his post.

 

[EUROPACL]

double post.

 

[Another Voice]

I'm tired of these shameful corporate types trying to make money off of the things they produce.

Exactly.

There is nothing in this world that warms a heart more than watching a child with their very first Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player. The look in their eyes, the smile on their lips…ah, yes – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player is the only gift a loving parent can give a child. We need no movies like The Lion King to teach children about living a good life – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player reminds them each and every time they turn it on not to illegally download episodes of ‘Desperate Housewives’. What little girl doesn’t need to know that?

Sure, a Mickey Mouse doll may lead to hundreds of hours where a child uses their imagination as he and Mickey go off on hunts for buried treasure in the backyard – but the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player will keep them slack jawed and drooling safely on the couch as he watches the latest dance steps from ‘High School Musical 14’. What child would want to dream when they can just conform to a marketing campaign?

Yes, the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player is truly the stuff of a happy childhood. We all know how kids are bored with Walt Disney World today – nothing but castles and spaceships and trains and seeing favorite characters up close. What modern child is interested in that? No, now with the power of the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player, your child can download clips from upcoming episodes of ‘Zack and Cody’ so they have something to do while at the parks!

And nothing ends the day better than a parent spending some quality time with their child. While Walt (that silly man) published books so that parents could actually read to their child, the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player allows today’s parent to easily download pre-programmed selections from Radio Disney and avoid all contact with their child. Coupled with the Super Pirates Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player’s ability to repeatedly show the same DVD over and over again – the modern Disney-fan and parent can safely cocoon their child an electronic blanket marketing and never be bothered with their child at all.

Yes, all of life’s joys can be found through the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player. It’s the perfect solution for those parents that want to shield their children from the unpleasantness of imagination, of play, and of thinking for themselves. In short – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player is the perfect item for today’s Disney fan.

Or at least until the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player – Underdog Edition comes out in the September.

 

[Metro West]

Exactly.

There is nothing in this world that warms a heart more than watching a child with their very first Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player. The look in their eyes, the smile on their lips…ah, yes – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player is the only gift a loving parent can give a child. We need no movies like The Lion King to teach children about living a good life – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player reminds them each and every time they turn it on not to illegally download episodes of ‘Desperate Housewives’. What little girl doesn’t need to know that?

Sure, a Mickey Mouse doll may lead to hundreds of hours where a child uses their imagination as he and Mickey go off on hunts for buried treasure in the backyard – but the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player will keep them slack jawed and drooling safely on the couch as he watches the latest dance steps from ‘High School Musical 14’. What child would want to dream when they can just conform to a marketing campaign?

Yes, the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player is truly the stuff of a happy childhood. We all know how kids are bored with Walt Disney World today – nothing but castles and spaceships and trains and seeing favorite characters up close. What modern child is interested in that? No, now with the power of the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player, your child can download clips from upcoming episodes of ‘Zack and Cody’ so they have something to do while at the parks!

And nothing ends the day better than a parent spending some quality time with their child. While Walt (that silly man) published books so that parents could actually read to their child, the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player allows today’s parent to easily download pre-programmed selections from Radio Disney and avoid all contact with their child. Coupled with the Super Pirates Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player’s ability to repeatedly show the same DVD over and over again – the modern Disney-fan and parent can safely cocoon their child an electronic blanket marketing and never be bothered with their child at all.

Yes, all of life’s joys can be found through the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 player. It’s the perfect solution for those parents that want to shield their children from the unpleasantness of imagination, of play, and of thinking for themselves. In short – the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player is the perfect item for today’s Disney fan.

Or at least until the Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player – Underdog Edition comes out in the September.

Dude...that is TOO funny!

 

[mitros]

Stop it all. This creating merchandise that capitalizes off the popularity of the Disney characters is all wrong. What is Iger thinking letting successful creative product be *******ized into commercial products that people will want to buy. Walt must be spinning in his grave to see how far his company has sunk. Why before you know it, they'll be putting Mickey Mouse on watches and notepads. In fact those jerks that run the company will probably license the products so that they don't have to manufacture them themselves. Outsourcing again. I'm tired of these shameful corporate types trying to makee money off of the things they produce. Walt would never have wanted it that way.

I do believe Walt has been spinning for quite some time now, probably started when Ei$ner came on board. And with the current management, his revolutions have GOT to be increasing!

 

[speedyf]

I have to admit...it did warm my heart to give my child his first Super Pirate Wonder Fairy Magic Princess MP3 Player (aka Mickey Stick MP3 player) two years ago for Christmas.

I pre-loaded it with all Disney songs ranging back from the old Mickey Mouse club song all the way up through the Disney Channel stars singing A Wish Is A Dream Your Heart Makes (and yes...that includes three songs from the Lion King..Can You Feel The Love, I Just Can't Wait To Be King, and Hakuna Matata).

I have now added High School Musical songs as well. I would much rather have him listening to HSM songs from a show that tries to teach children to follow through with their dreams and not to give in to peer pressure than to have him listening to Gangsta Rap or Fergilicious talking about her "humps".

I guess I could lock him in his room with only a book and never let him watch TV, get on a computer, or own anything remotely technology related. I'm sure that will help him in the future because technology is on the downslide. I see how everything is moving back towards books, pencils, and paper, and 8-track tapes.

I'm just trying to figure out how my kid was able to become part of the TAG Talented and Gifted program at school since I allowed him to start playing on a computer at the age of 9 months with his fancy Fisher Price Toddler Keyboard. Could it be that it's possible to learn to read at a level that is 2 grades higher by using Disney-inspired educational software instead of reading Harry Potter books?

I can't believe I tricked my kid into learning how to read using that Disney software. They should be ashamed of themselves for releasing such products.

Speed