New Line Of Real Electronics Tough-Enough And Easy-Enough For Kids To Use

EAST AURORA, N.Y., May 3 /CNW/ - Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT), introduces today's must-have electronics designed specifically for kids with the launch of the age-appropriate Kid-Tough FP3(TM) Player and Kid-Tough(TM) Digital Camera. After creating a stir at the leading industry trade show in February, consumers are already buzzing in anticipation of the products' availability this summer. To learn more about the Kid-Tough FP3 Player and Kid-Tough Digital Camera, parents can log onto the Fisher-Price web site at www.fisher-price.com, search term "preschool electronics."

With more than 75 years of creating cutting edge, age-appropriate toys, Fisher-Price continues to prove itself a leader with the introduction of its innovative Preschool Electronics line. Providing real, age-appropriate electronics for preschoolers is not new for Fisher-Price. In fact, the company has been enhancing toys with electronics since 1979, starting with the Fisher-Price Phonograph. In 1981 Fisher-Price introduced the Tape Recorder and in 1984 the company's first real Camera.

Throughout the years, and through several incarnations, more than 10 million Tape Recorders and Cameras have been sold. Fisher-Price products are ground in consumer need and demand. The Kid-Tough FP3 Player and the Kid-Tough Digital Camera are a natural evolution in the preschool electronics category. These REAL electronics are designed exclusively for preschoolers to help them capture THEIR moves, THEIR moments and lets them listen to THEIR music.

"Fisher-Price has a long history of tapping the power of modern technologies for young children, going back to record players and tape recorders," says Warren Buckleitner, editor of Children's Technology Review. "In keeping with today's tech trends, it will be fun to see if they can extend this long tradition of ease of use and durability to today's digital cameras and MP3 players."

The Kid-Tough(TM) FP3 Player is the first digital media player that provides preschoolers with a durable and easy way to play their favorite downloadable songs and stories. Big buttons and visual icons on the LCD screen let preschoolers choose from their favorite songs & stories - all by themselves. The headphones are sized just right for little ones and play at a safe volume.

The player comes preloaded with preschool appropriate songs and stories, but Moms and Dads can also add more content by uploading any music they already own to the player, or by using the safe, user-friendly Fisher-Price(R) Song & Story Online Store to purchase songs and stories from top-selling children's artists and authors. The Fisher-Price(R) Song & Story Online Store will be the first of its kind to specifically offer preschool appropriate content and suggestions for parents on a safe and easy-to-use website.

The durability and ease of use of the FP3 Player combined with the Fisher-Price(R) Song & Story Online Store full of age-appropriate songs and stories is what sets the Kid-Tough(TM) FP3 Player apart from any other digital media player. It features a 1.4" backlit LCD screen, an SD card slot for expandable memory, kid friendly headphones, a breakaway neck strap for portability, USB cord to connect to the computer and a CD of music management software. The Kid-Tough FP3 Player will retail for approximately $69.99, is appropriate for ages 3 and up and will be available in July.

The Kid-Tough Digital Camera is the first preschool appropriate digital camera that is tough-enough and easy-enough for a preschooler to use. It's a real digital camera with a durable drop-resistant design. The camera includes a 1.3" backlit color LCD preview screen that allows kids to instantly see the picture they've taken and view or delete previous shots. Simple controls and visual icons make it so easy for kids to navigate with no reading required. The camera also features dual handle grips, two-eye viewing and Auto Flash so even the youngest preschoolers can take great pictures.

The tough rubberized outer shell protects the camera and screen from being dropped, crashed and knocked around. Features include 640 x 480 resolution for 4 x 6 prints, 8 MB built-in memory for more than 60 pictures, SD card slot for increased storage capacity, easy navigation menu, USB cord to connect to the computer for downloading/printing capabilities, CD of digital camera software and wrist strap. The Kid-Tough Digital Camera will retail for approximately $69.99, is appropriate for ages 3 and up and will be available in June.

About Fisher-Price:
Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The Company has a 75-year legacy of high quality toys that enhance early childhood development. Its often-emulated Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way children play and how play benefits their development. Some of the Company's best-known "classic" brands include Little People(R), Power Wheels(R) and View-Master(R). Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of baby gear products (nursery monitors, infant swings, high chairs) as well as a wide array of character-based toys inspired by high quality children's programming such as Sesame Street(R), Dora the Explorer(TM) and Winnie the Pooh. The Company's web site, at www.fisher-price.com, provides valuable information and resources to parents.