The Barbie Bubble

posted by Jen August When I finally cleared through thecrowd of technology reporters at the press preview for Digital Life ­– thelargest consumer electronics show on the East Coast – I saw the booth causingthe buzz was Mattel. Besides hand-held games, the tyke toy behemoth wasshowcasing its Barbie Girls virtual world, a girls-only “digital playground”for ages 8 to 15. Mattel wasn’t the only one unveiling kids’ versions of adulttoys – there was a kiddie Guitar Hero incarnation (“Pop Hero”) with actualHannah Montana tunes from JAKKS Pacific, and night vision goggles for a bit ofIraq-war-turned-Halloween fun. (You can attend Digital Life September 25-28 atthe Javits Center in New York City.)With tech gadgets like cell phonesand laptops topping even toddlers’ wish lists, it was only a matter of timebefore more complex interactive... [read full story]