Center for Digital Strategies

Tuck picks top tech toys for 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — November 8, 2007

CONTACT: Kim Keating, 603-646-2733

HANOVER, N.H.—The Center for Digital Strategies at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has announced its Top Tech Toys list for the 2007 holiday season. This list of top toys was developed by three Tuck MBA students—second-years Adam Bulakowski and Shilpa Karnik, and first-year Kate Reiling—under the direction of Professor M. Eric Johnson, the center's director. Johnson is a toy industry expert who has consulted with and written case studies on Mattel and Hasbro.

The selections were made based on whether the use of technology was innovative or transformed the toy, the overall play value, and the price point. The Top Tech Toys list covers all ages, from infant to adult.

"As a collector of vintage toys, I'm amazed by the prevalence of technology in today's products,” said Bulakowski. "Yesterday's kids were excited by toys that boasted dim lights and muffled sound effects. Today's kids are much more sophisticated."

"Technology has moved well beyond flashing lights and noise-making to enabling new and inventive play," said Professor Johnson, who teaches management and supply chain operations at Tuck. "This year's toys are also increasingly linking virtual and real play."

The Top Tech Toys for the 2007 holiday season are:

• 9 to 24 months—GBaby Magnetic Play System (Geomag), $12.99
• 3 to 6 years—Easy Link (Fisher-Price), $30.00
• 3 to 7 years—Rescue Pets (MGA Entertainment), $9.99
• 5 to 9 years—Hot Wheels Maniacs (Mattel), $30.00
• 6 to 11 years—EyeClops (JAKKS Pacific), $49.99
• 7 to 11 years—Cosmic Catch (Hasbro), $19.99
• 8 to 14 years—Tamagotchi Connection (Bandai), $14.99
• 7 years and up—Tooth Tunes (Tiger Electronics), $19.99
• Adults in the workplace—Cube World (Radica Games), $24.99 for two

As with the vast majority of toys sold in the U.S., most of these toys are manufactured in China. While consumers may have China worries this year, trying to avoid toys from Asia will mean very few presents under the tree, particularly those with technology.

"More than two thirds of U.S. toys come from China, and toys with technology are even more likely to come from Asia," says Johnson. "While there were some well-covered recalls of unsafe toys this summer, the intensified efforts of major toy makers and retailers should ensure that consumers have little chance of encountering a problem toy."

To read the center's review for each toy, please visit the Center for Digital Strategies website.

The Center for Digital Strategies focuses on the role of information technology in enabling business strategy. Through its programs and research, the center examines the impact of technology on all aspects of management and addresses issues throughout the extended enterprise, including globalization, organizational change, and information security.

Founded in 1900, Tuck is the first graduate school of management in the country and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide. Tuck remains distinctive among the world's great business schools by combining human scale with global reach, rigorous coursework with experiences requiring teamwork, and valued traditions with innovation.