6 February 2007
Chicago – VTech Electronics North America, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products category, today unveiled its boldest new innovations in electronic learning with a new portable platform and an enhanced version of the award-winning V.Smile™ TV Learning System. VTech also announced its first step outside the learning aisle with new entertainment-focused multimedia devices for preschoolers and tweens. These products, along with the rest of VTech’s new product lineup, will be seen for the first time at the American International Toy Fair 2007 (Feb. 11-14) in New York.
Portable Platform Makes Reading and Learning A Whiz For Kids On The Go
VTech’s new Whiz Kid Learning System™ lets kids ages 3 to 6 enjoy interactive reading and learning activities wherever they go through its portable “Whiz Pad” and touch-sensitive stylus. Kids choose from 40 activity pages, slide the page into the Whiz Pad and watch it come alive with more than 120 activities! Beginning readers will love its “Story Bytes” activity, which encourages them to read along with the story and sound out words. To extend the fun, kids can connect the Whiz Pad to their computer to play their activities, track their progress or replace lost or damaged activity pages by simply printing out new ones.
“VTech continues to build our platforms around the interests and lifestyles of today’s kids,” says Julia Fitzgerald, vice president of marketing, VTech Electronics North America. “Whiz Kid lets kids choose any learning activity they want, when they want it and where they want it, so it’s like a new toy every time they play.”
Whiz Kid will include the Wondertown Whizware™ (software) title, which features a focused reading program and additional core curricula, ranging from math and phonics to logic and creativity. Older kids can even transform the Whiz Pad into a piano keyboard or typing keyboard. Additional Whizware, featuring favorite characters such as Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, Spider-Man and Friends, Scooby-Doo, and Thomas & Friends, will be available fall 2007 for approximately $19.99. Whiz Kid will be available for an estimated retail price of $49.99.
VTech Taps Into Tweens And Introduces The Gotta-Have Gadget™
With Gadget, VTech marks its debut in the entertainment, multimedia device arena. With eight ways to play, Gadget gives tweens (ages 6 and up) all the media action they desire in one handheld device. From a digital camera, movie maker, MP3 player and FM radio to games, TV connectability and voice and text messaging, Gadget is loaded with endless fun. And, the fun comes to life on Gadget’s high-resolution color screen and boasts an impressive 256MB of internal memory, which is enough to store more than 3,000 photos, 72 songs or 80 minutes of digital video.
“As the originator of Electronic Learning Products, VTech offers the expertise in technology and content development to bring added value to the rapidly growing youth electronics category,” says Fitzgerald. “With Gadget, tweens can enjoy multimedia entertainment as well as apply their own creativity to today’s technology.”
And, friends are never far away with Gadget, since the two-way voice and text feature allows kids to communicate within a two-mile range. Kids can also connect Gadget to the computer for quick and easy downloads and print out their pictures, or to the TV to show off their newly produced movies and enjoy head-to-head game play with friends. Free downloads can be found on VTech’s Gadget Web site at www.vtechgadget.com fall 2007. Gadget will be available for an estimated retail price of $99.99.
Zooming In On More Multimedia Fun
VTech’s second debut in the multimedia category, Kidizoom Camera™, is a fun way to introduce younger kids, ages 3 to 6, to their very own digital and movie camera. With Kidizoom preschoolers can snap pictures and shoot digital video, edit them with wacky effects, or hook up to the computer or TV for photo and video playback. This chunky, colorful handheld camera features 16MB of built-in memory – enough to store more than 120 photos or five minutes of digital video — a variety of preschool games, two interchangeable face plates and headphones. Kidizoom Camera will be available for an estimated retail price of $59.99.
A Brighter V.Smile
VTech will also reveal the new, enhanced version of its award-winning V.Smile, which features a sing-along microphone and writing joystick. Kids ages 3 to 6 can now sing along with their favorite songs or skillfully navigate writing games as they enjoy V.Smile’s acclaimed educational content, loveable characters and video game platform that connects directly to the television.
Also new for 2007 are additional V.Smile accessories that connect directly to the V.Smile console – the SmartBook™ and Smart Keyboard™ – available for $29.99 each. An interactive storybook, the SmartBook comes alive with its touch pen technology to activate animated stories and games. The Smart Keyboard gets kids’ fingertips moving with typing and word games. The V.Smile Smartridge library contains 27 titles, including Shrek the Third, Ratatouille, Cranium, Go Diego Go and Backyardigans. The new Smartridges and other accessories are all compatible with the new and original V.Smile console. V.Smile will be available for an estimated retail price of $49.99.
VTech’s products will be available fall 2007 at mass retailers nationwide.
About VTech
VTech, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products (ELP) Category and the award-winning V.Smile TV Learning System, is a world leader of age-appropriate learning toys. Since 1976, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative educational products for children from birth to preteen that deliver “smart play” through the combination of entertaining electronic formats and engaging, age-appropriate content that help children learn while having fun.
VTech Electronics North America, LLC is based in Arlington Heights, Ill. VTech Electronics Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong and is a pioneer in the establishment of China-based manufacturing facilities, selling its products via a strong brand platform supported by a well-established distribution network in North America, Europe and Asia.
