Toy fair becomes tech fair for kids [Wired News]

“If you suspect that kids today are growing up too fast, next week’s American International Toy Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center may be all the proof you need,” writes Alexander Gelfand on Wired News.

“In keeping with the general trend toward ‘age compression’ or KGOY (industry shorthand for “kids getting older younger”), toy manufacturers will be introducing a host of adult technologies aimed at small children — including kid-friendly laptops, graphics tablets, digital cameras and a host of other high-tech items.

Consumer electronics for kids is the fastest growing trend in the $22 billion toy industry. With children becoming ever more tech savvy at ever-younger ages, toymakers are scrambling to capitalize on the rapidly growing market for youth electronics.”

The article features the following products:

• colorful optical mice by Kutoka Interactive
• digital cameras and graphics tablets by French toy giant Smoby
• Click & Create With Mia — a kind of Photoshop for tots that teaches kids to draw, paint and animate shapes on screen, and allows them to create posters, invitations and birthday cards
• the SmartKids laptop for children aged 3 to 6 that features a piano keyboard and bilingual programs in Spanish and English
• the Marvel Ani-Movie Studio, which allows kids to create digital stop-motion films starring Marvel Comics characters
• Pressman Toy’s iGamez, which allows kids to play a digital version of Name That Tune
• Fisher-Price‘s Digital Arts and Crafts Studio, a graphics tablet and software package
• Fisher-Price‘s Smart Cycle, a small stationary bike that allows kids to peddle their way through a virtual environment on a standard television set
• Pyramat’s PM440-W wireless gaming chair

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