Whitni Watkins
Problem 1
I’m interested in learning about educational toys for children. There may be other terms, you can
uncover through pearl building such as electronic toys or smart toys.
Questions: What are some of the name brands and/or top rated/ popular toys for children under
the age of 12. Which toys have received awards?
Search Summary
Before I started my search I first went to the Dialog Pocket Guide to learn more about what
DialIndex offers and how it should be used along with common commands it supported. Once I
became more familiar with the file I looked at the blue sheet for DialIndex and went through all
the category acronyms and based on their brief description and what I was looking for I selected
files I felt would yield relevant results; please see list of files search after the search summary.
Once I decided on the files I began my initial search.
I took the problem and separated it into sections; section one was I’m interested in learning
about educational toys for children. I started with the basic keyword searching because I did not
want to eliminate results too quickly.
Search: (educational OR smart)(w)toy? AND child? AND py=>2010
This strategy brought back a significant amount of set files. My next step was to rank the files
and choose the top files with the greatest amount of hits. Then I began my search within those
files. This is where I started section two of the problem which was to narrow results down to
name brands and/or top rated/ popular toys for children under the age of 12. To start this I
resulted to doing a quick Google search to get an idea of different terms used in articles and
advertisement for educational toys. Then I began building my search strategy from the outside in.
I started searching the basic terms from the problem and truncated them as needed.
Search: popular/de OR top/de()rate?/de AND toy?(n)child?
This search brought back a significant 132,299 hits so I narrowed the Publication year to 2009
and after narrowing results to 59,041. I felt confident in my strategy as my results were
narrowing at an acceptable but not overwhelming rate. Then I narrowed continually by
including popular and top rated children toy companies and then included the descriptor
toy()industry which concluded my results to just under a 7,000 hits. As I felt this was an
overwhelming amount hits I narrowed further to include the last part of the question, which toys
received awards.
Search: (award/tx(w)winning/tx OR award?/tx)
The hits were narrowed to a thousand and I viewed them in format 8 to assess what the results
entailed. Unfortunately, while my confidence was strong as I went through the first twenty
results I noticed a lot of them included smart phone apps and games instead of smart toys or
educational toys. To eliminate this I reiterated the basic keywords.
Search: s7 AND (educat? OR smart)()toy? NOT smart()phone?
This brought results down to 44 with duplicates removed to 26, a considerable amount of hits to
find relevant information. After scanning I noticed that I was still getting hits from articles from
2005, this I concluded to be because of when they were possibly added or updated. I added in the
publication year restrictions to include only items published between 2009 and 2012; this left me
with six results, five of which included information on educational toys who had won awards.
One command I took great use off was the log off hold command. While working through this
multiple part problem it was important to document and write up my steps thoroughly before
moving on to the next section and this feature allowed me the time I needed to do this without
having to start completely anew.
Files searched
20:DIALOG GLOBAL REPORTER 1997-2012/JUL 07
16:GALE GROUP PROMT(R) 1990-2012/JUL 03
148:GALE GROUP TRADE & INDUSTRY DB 1976-2012/JUL 04
636:GALE GROUP NEWSLETTER DB(TM) 1987-2012/JUL 04
608:MCT INFORMATION SVC. 1992-2012/JUL 07
781:PROQUEST NEWSSTAND 1998-2012/JUL 07
80:TGG AEROSPACE/DEF.MKTS(R) 1982-2012/JUL 05
325:CHINESE PATENTS FULLTEXT 1985-20120620
258:AP NEWS JUL 2000-2012/JUL 06
649:GALE GROUP NEWSWIRE ASAP(TM) 2012/JUL 06
Display Sets
Set Items Description
S1 132299 POPULAR/DE OR TOP/DE()RATE?/DE AND TOY?(N)CHILD?
S2
59041 S1 AND PY=>2009
S3
94637 S2 AND FISHER()PRICE OR VTECH OR LEAP()FROG OR HASBRO
S4
6998 S3 AND TOY()INDUSTRY/DE
S5 11983400 S4 AND AWARD()WINNING OR AWARD?
S6
1000 S4 AND (AWARD/TX(W)WINNING/TX OR AWARD?/TX)
S7
52 S6 AND (EDUCAT? OR SMART)(2N)TOY?
S8
1 S7 AND SMART?()TOYS NOT SMART()PHONES
S9
S10
S11
44 S7 AND (EDUCAT? OR SMART)()TOY? NOT SMART()PHONE?
26 RD (unique items)
6 S10 AND PY=2009:2012
Results
11/9/1 (Item 1 from file: 16)
DIALOG(R)File 16: Gale Group PROMT(R)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
0017604107 Supplier Number: 248945413 (THIS IS THE FULLTEXT)
Toy Industry Pays Tribute to the Best in Toys and Games at TOTY Awards Celebration.
PR Newswire , p NA
Feb 12 , 2011
Language: English Record Type: Fulltext
Document Type: Newswire ; Trade
Word Count: 895
Text:
The Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) from Mattel Inc. Takes Home Top Honors
NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of Toy Industry
executives gathered to honor their peers tonight at the 11th Toy of the
Year (TOTY) Awards program and Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
A Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA)-administered event in support
of the Toy Industry Foundation, the gala served as the kick-off to the
108th American International Toy Fair. Held in The Allen Room at New York
City's Jazz at Lincoln Center, the evening paid tribute to the best in toys
and children's entertainment and the outstanding achievements made by
individuals and companies.
Interspersed with presentations of the TOTY Awards were two
inductions to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Established in 1984, the Hall
of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant mark on the toy
industry. Joining the more than 55 people already on the distinguished
roster are Al Verrecchia, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hasbro, Inc.
and the late Donald Duncan, Founder of Duncan Toys Company. Their
biographies can be viewed on the Toy Industry Hall of Fame website.
"Tonight's event was a wonderful way to launch Toy Fair 2011," said
Carter Keithley, TIA president. "The TOTY Awards is a great place for
colleagues to gather in celebration of the creativity and playful spirit
upon which the Toy Industry is based."
For the first time in TOTY history, consumers were invited to vote
for their favorite toys; nearly 12,500 unique votes were cast by families
at ToyAwards.org from mid-November 2010 through mid-January, 2011. Along
with the consumer ballot, four other ballots determined the winners:
retailers (mass and specialty), media and members of the Toy Industry.
The Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) by Mattel Inc. received the coveted "Toy of
the Year" title and was awarded Preschool Toy of the Year and Innovative
Toy of the Year. The awards program included 11 categories with 70
finalists.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy that inspires creative play
through various forms of activity, the Activity Toy of the Year was
presented to Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio(TM) by Crayola, LLC.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for boys of any age,
the Boy Toy of the Year was presented to NERF N-Strike Stampede ECS Blaster
by Hasbro, Inc.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy that helps children develop
special skills and knowledge through play, the Educational Toy of the Year
was presented to Leapster Explorer(TM) Learning Experience by LeapFrog.
*** Recognizing an outstanding children's board, card, CD-ROM or
electronic game, the Game of the Year was presented to Scrabble Flash by
Hasbro, Inc.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for girls of any age,
the Girl Toy of the Year was presented to Squinkies(TM) Cupcake Surprize!
Bake Shop by Blip Toys.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for infants and
toddlers up to 36 months, the Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year was presented
to My Own Leaptop by LeapFrog.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy that combines innovation and play
value, the Innovative Toy of the Year was presented to The
Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) by Mattel, Inc.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy that is designed for outdoor
play, the Outdoor Toy of the Year was presented to NERF Super Soaker Shot
Blast by Hasbro, Inc.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for preschool-aged
children (ages 3-5) the Preschool Toy of the Year was presented to The
Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) by Mattel, Inc.
*** Recognizing a property that has had the greatest success
spreading its brand throughout the industry, Property of the Year was
presented to Toy Story 3 by Disney Consumer Products.
*** Recognizing an outstanding toy that is distributed primarily
through specialty toy retailers, the Specialty Toy of the Year was
presented to HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set by Innovation First Labs, Inc.
A record 500+ toys, games and properties were submitted for
consideration. The finalists were selected by Nomination Committees - one
for each category - comprised of high-stature experts such as journalists,
toy trend experts, play therapists, toy inventors and designers and toy
retailers. Descriptions of each TOTY-nominated toy and links to each
manufacturer's website can be found online at ToyAwards.org.
The TOTY Awards is a TIA-administered event in support of the Toy
Industry Foundation. Event sponsors for the evening were Spin Master (gold
level), Colorforms and Dallas Market Center (silver level), and Locker,
Greenberg & Brainin P.C. (friends level).
About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and
importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America,
representing more than 500 companies who account for approximately 85% of
domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy
industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including
development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30
years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing
programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit
ToyAssociation.org, ToyAwards.org or the Toy Industry Hall of Fame website.
SOURCE Toy Industry Association
COPYRIGHT 2011 PR Newswire Association LLC
COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale, Cengage Learning
Publisher Name: PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: *Mattel Inc._Achievements and awards
Descriptors: *Toy Industry--Achievements and awards; Toys--Achievements and awards
Product Names: *3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles); 3944200 (Toys); 3940000
(Toys & Sporting Goods)
Industry Names: BUSN (Business); NEWS (News, opinion and commentary )
NAICS Codes: 339932 (Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing); 3399 (Other
Miscellaneous Manufacturing )
11/9/2 (Item 2 from file: 16)
DIALOG(R)File 16: Gale Group PROMT(R)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
0017419694 Supplier Number: 243716729 (THIS IS THE FULLTEXT)
TimetoPlayMag.com Reveals "America's Wish List": The Must-Have Toys, Games, and
Video Games as Chosen by Consumers.
Business Wire , p NA
Dec 7 , 2010
Language: English Record Type: Fulltext
Document Type: Newswire ; Trade
Word Count: 506
Text:
NEW YORK
- Just in Time for the Holidays, Popular Family Website Announces The
2010 People's Play Awards Winners Voted on by Families Across the Country
NEW YORK -- If American families were given a chance to create their own
'Wish List' of toys, games, and video games for the holiday season, which
playthings would make the cut? Today, TimetoPlayMag.com answers that
question by revealing the winners of the 2010 People's Play Awards!
The annual People's Play Awards program gives the public a forum to
select the toys, games, and video games they are hoping to receive this
holiday season. Throughout the months of October and November, consumers
were encouraged to log on to www.PeoplesPlayAwards.com and vote for their
favorite toys to create 'America's Wish List.' Nominees in 17 categories
were carefully reviewed and selected by the Time to Play editorial team
headed by Jim Silver, editor in chief, and Chris Byrne, content director
aka The Toy Guy(R).
To learn more about the winning products, consumers can visit
www.PeoplesPlayAwards.com to watch demonstration videos hosted by the
editorial team. Each video showcases the winning toy's highlights and
explain why consumers voted it as one of the season's best.
The team at Time to Play will kick off The People's Play Gift-Away,
12 days of great giveaways just in time for the holiday gifting season!
Beginning December 8th and running through December 19th, the site will
give away one People's Play Award-winning toy each day, for a total of 12
prizes. Click here for more details on how to enter.
The votes have been tallied and without further ado, following is
the list of the toys and games that make up 'America's Wish List' for the
2010 holiday season.
For additional information including a video review, product details
and images, please click on the live links below or visit
www.PeoplesPlayAwards.com.
* Activity Toys: Crayola Glow Explosion, Crayola
* Boys Action: Kung Zhu Pets, Cepia, LLC
* Construction Toys: Toy Story 3 Trash Compactor Escape, LEGO
Systems
* Educational Toys: Leapster Explorer, LeapFrog
* Fashion Dolls: Monster High Dolls, Mattel
* Games: LEGO Games, LEGO Systems
* Girls Toys: Zoobles, Spin Master
* Large Dolls and Baby Dolls: Lalaloopsy, MGA Entertainment
* Party Games: Monopoly Revolution, Hasbro
* Preschool Toys: Bigfoot the Monster, Fisher-Price
* Radio Control: Spy Video TRAKR, Wild Planet
* Riding Toys: Power Wheels Smart Car, Fisher-Price
* Sports and Outdoor Toys: Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS Blaster,
Hasbro
* Stocking Stuffer: Silly Bandz, BCP Imports, LLC
* Tech Toys: Paper Jamz, WowWee
* Vehicles: Hot Wheels Toy Story 3 Cars, Mattel
* Video Games: Xbox Kinect, Microsoft
About TimetoPlayMag.com
www.TimetoPlayMag.com is a playful destination website which
provides information, entertainment, and services on what's fun for
children and their families.
Over the past fifteen years, Silver, Byrne and their seasoned
editorial team have accurately predicted each season's hottest,
best-selling toys and correctly identified the industry's most prevalent
product and financial trends. Visit Time to Play on Facebook and Twitter.
COPYRIGHT 2010 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale, Cengage Learning
Publisher Name: Business Wire
Company Names: *LEGO Systems Inc.
Descriptors: *Toy Industry--International economic relations; Toys; Video games
Event Names: *950 (International economic relations )
Geographic Names: *1U2NY (New York )
Product Names: *3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles); 3944200 (Toys); 3940000
(Toys & Sporting Goods); 3651920 (Electronic Games)
Industry Names: BUSN (Business); INTL (Business, international )
SIC Codes: 3944 (Games, toys, and children's vehicles); 7372 (Prepackaged software )
NAICS Codes: 339932 (Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing); 3399 (Other
Miscellaneous Manufacturing )
11/9/3 (Item 3 from file: 16)
DIALOG(R)File 16: Gale Group PROMT(R)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
0017383772 Supplier Number: 242609108 (THIS IS THE FULLTEXT)
Toy Industry Unveils Nominees for Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards; Launches
ToyAwards.org Consumer Voting Website, and Announces Inductees into Toy Industry
Hall of Fame.
PR Newswire , p NA
Nov 22 , 2010
Language: English Record Type: Fulltext
Document Type: Newswire ; Trade
Word Count: 1097
Text:
NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York City
served as the backdrop today for the unveiling of 70 highly anticipated
nominees for the 2011 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Along with the
announcement, the Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA) launched a new
website, ToyAwards.org, that allows kids of all ages to vote for their
favorite toys. Now through January 14, 2011, families can vote, download a
Holiday Gift Guide, and register to win fantastic prizes.
"The TOTY Awards not only celebrate the creativity and innovation of the
Toy Industry," said Carter Keithley, TIA president, "they also support the
philanthropic efforts of the Toy Industry Foundation whose mission it is to
give the gift of play to children in need."
The finalists were selected by Nomination Committees from a record
500+ toys, games and properties submitted for consideration across 11 TOTY
categories. The committees - one for each category - were comprised of
high-stature experts such as journalists, toy trend experts, play
therapists, toy inventors and designers, and toy retailers.
In addition to the consumer vote, ballots were launched for
retailers, media, and members of the Toy Industry. Each will be weighted
and used to determine the TOTY 2011 winners, including the coveted overall
"Toy of the Year" award. Winners will be announced during the TOTY Awards
ceremony on Saturday, February 12, 2011, as the kick-off to the 108th
American International Toy Fair.
2011 Hall of Fame Inductees Join Toy Industry Icons
Also announced today were the next inductees into the esteemed Toy
Industry Hall of Fame. Al Verrecchia, chairman of the Board of Directors at
Hasbro, and the late Donald Duncan, founder of Duncan Toy Company, will be
recognized for their outstanding contributions and service to the toy
industry during the TOTY Awards ceremony in February.
The TOTY Awards is a TIA-administered event in support of the Toy
Industry Foundation. More information about the TOTY Awards (including
product images and descriptions), the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, the Toy
Industry Association and the Toy Industry Foundation can be found in the
online pressroom www.ToyAwards.org/Press.
Follow TOTY on Twitter at #TOTY11.
About the Toy Industry Association
www.toyassociation.org
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and
importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America,
representing more than 535 companies who account for approximately 85% of
domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy
industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including
development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30
years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing
programs to ensure safe play.
NOMINEES FOR THE 2011 TOTY AWARDS
ACTIVITY TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that inspire creative play through various forms of activity
* Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio (Crayola, LLC)
* LEGO Atlantis Neptune Carrier (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* LEGO Toy Story Western Train Chase (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* Paper Jamz(TM) Guitar (WowWee)
* Play-Doh Mega Fun Factory (Hasbro, Inc.)
* Real Construction(TM) Deluxe Workshop (JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
BOY TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys developed for boys of any age
* Air Hogs Hawk Eye (Spin Master Ltd.)
* Hot Wheels RC Stealth Rides (Mattel)
* NERF N-Strike Stampede ECS blaster (Hasbro, Inc.)
* Real Construction(TM) Deluxe Workshop (JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
* Spy Net(TM) Video Watch (JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
* Toy Story 3 Blast Off Buzz Lightyear (Thinkway Toys)
* TRON: Legacy Zero Gravity Light Cycle (Disney and Spin Master)
EDUCATIONAL TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that help children to develop special skills and knowledge
through play
* Alphie (Hasbro/ Playskool)
* Furnished School Building (Playmobil USA)
* iXL(TM) Learning System (Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* Leapster Explorer(TM) Learning Experience (LeapFrog)
* Math Dice Jr. Kid's First Mental Math Game (ThinkFun Inc.)
* MobiGo(TM) (VTech Electronics North America)
* V.Reader(TM) (VTech Electronics North America)
GAME OF THE YEAR
Children's board, card, CD-ROM or electronic game formats. (NOTE:
All electronic games must have an ESRB "Early Childhood" rating)
* 5 Second Rule (Patch Products)
* LEGO Games Creationary (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* LEGO Games Minotaurus (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* LOOPZ(TM) (Radica)
* Rory's Story Cubes (Gamewright)
* Scrabble Flash (Parker Bros.)
* SPOT IT! (Blue Orange Games)
GIRL TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys developed for girls of any age
* Barbie Video Girl (Mattel)
* Furreal Friends GOGO, My Walkin' Pup (Hasbro, Inc.)
* Justin Bieber Music Video Collection Singing Figures (The Bridge
Direct, Inc.)
* Monster High(TM) Doll Assortment (Mattel)
* Princess & Me 18" Dolls (JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
* Squinkies(TM) Cupcake Surprize! Bake Shop (Blip Toys)
* Zoobles(TM) (Spin Master Ltd.)
INFANT/TODDLER TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys developed for infant children and toddlers (ages up to 36
months)
* Explore N' Grow Musical Gear Center (Playskool)
* Laugh & Learn(TM) Learn & Move Music Station(TM)
(Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* LEGO DUPLO Play with Numbers (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* Lil' Zoomers(TM) Spinnin' Sounds Speedway(TM) (Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* Mega Bloks Pull Along Musical Pirate Ship (MEGA Brands)
* My First Disney Princess Baby dolls (Tollytots, a division of
JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
* My Own Leaptop (LeapFrog)
INNOVATIVE TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys that combine innovation and play value
* iXL(TM) Learning System (Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* LEGO Games Minotaurus (LEGO Systems, Inc.)
* Paper Jamz(TM) Guitar (WowWee)
* Scrabble Flash (Parker Bros.)
* Spy Net(TM) Video Watch (JAKKS Pacific, Inc.)
* The Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) (Mattel Inc.)
* V.Reader(TM) (VTech Electronics North America)
OUTDOOR TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys designed for outdoor play
* Flickin' Chicken (Haywire Group, Inc.)
* Makin' Mudpies (Little Tikes)
* Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast (Hasbro, Inc.)
* Razor Siege(TM) Caster Scooter (Razor USA, LLC)
* Sky Ball and Bat (Maui Toys )
* Whiplash(TM) (Street Surfing)
* YBIKE (National Sporting Goods)
PRESCHOOL TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys developed for preschool-aged children (ages 3-5)
* Dance Star Mickey (Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* iXL(TM) Learning System (Fisher-Price, Inc.)
* My Take Along Puppet Theater (Playmobil USA)
* The Sing-a-ma-jigs!(TM) (Mattel Inc.)
* Tonka Chuck & Friends Chuck's Stunt Park (Hasbro, Inc.)
* V.Reader(TM) (VTech Electronics North America)
PROPERTY OF THE YEAR
Property that had the greatest success spreading its brand
throughout the industry
* Ben 10 Ultimate Alien (Cartoon Network Enterprises)
* Chuggington(TM) (Ludorum)
* Dinosaur Train (The Jim Henson Company)
* Monster High(TM) (Mattel)
* Thomas & Friends(TM) (HIT Entertainment)
* Toy Story 3 (Disney Consumer Products)
SPECIALTY TOY OF THE YEAR
Toys primarily distributed through specialty retailers
* Furnished School Building (Playmobil USA)
* HEXBUG Nano Habitat Set (Innovation First Labs, Inc.)
* My Take Along Puppet Theater (Playmobil USA)
* Shrinky Dinks Deluxe (Creativity for Kids/Faber-Castell USA)
* Solitaire Chess(TM) (ThinkFun Inc.)
* UPPY(TM) Uglydoll (Pretty Ugly(TM) LLC/Uglydoll)
SOURCE Toy Industry Association
COPYRIGHT 2010 PR Newswire Association LLC
COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale, Cengage Learning
Publisher Name: PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: *LEGO Systems Inc._Achievements and awards; JAKKS Pacific
Inc._Achievements and awards; Fisher-Price Inc._Achievements and awards; Mattel
Inc._Achievements and awards; VTech Electronics_Achievements and awards
Descriptors: *Toy Industry--Achievements and awards
Geographic Names: *100NA (North America )
Product Names: *3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
Industry Names: BUSN (Business); NEWS (News, opinion and commentary )
NAICS Codes: 339932 (Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing )
Ticker Symbols: JAKK
11/9/4 (Item 4 from file: 16)
DIALOG(R)File 16: Gale Group PROMT(R)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
16594994 Supplier Number: 218889307 (THIS IS THE FULLTEXT)
Toy Industry Celebrates the Best of the Best at Annual TOTY Awards Celebration.
Business Wire , p NA
Feb 14 , 2010
Language: English Record Type: Fulltext
Document Type: Newswire ; Trade
Word Count: 1119
Text:
NEW YORK
- Cepia, LLC Sweeps with Top Honors and Two Category Awards for Zhu Zhu
Pets; John Lasseter and Sam Walton Inducted into Toy Industry Hall of Fame
NEW YORK -- More than 400 executives from across the Toy Industry
gathered to honor their peers tonight at the tenth annual Toy of the Year
(TOTY) Awards program and Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Well-recognized
as the "Oscars(R)" of the Toy Industry, the annual gala paid tribute to the
best in toys and children's entertainment; outstanding achievements by
individuals, teams, and companies; and the creativity and playful spirit
upon which the Toy Industry is based.
Hosted by the Toy Industry Association, Inc. (TIA) at New York
City's Chelsea Piers/Pier 60, the event was the kick-off to the 107th
annual American International Toy Fair.
Zhu Zhu Pets by Cepia, LLC was named as the overall "Toy of the
Year" winner and captured two category awards. The coveted TOTY awards
program included twelve categories with more than 80 finalists; winners
included a tie for Preschool Toy of the Year:
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that inspires creative play through
various forms of activity, the Activity Toy of the Year was presented to
Crayon Town by Wild Planet Entertainment
* Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for boys of any age, the
Boy Toy of the Year was presented to Bakugan 7-in-1 Maxus Dragonoid by Spin
Master
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that helps children develop special
skills and knowledge through play, the Educational Toy of the Year was
presented to Mindstorms NXT 2.0 by LEGO Systems
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that merges high-technology with
creativity and imagination, the Electronic Entertainment Toy of the Year
was presented to Rubik's TouchCube(TM) by Techno Source
* Recognizing an outstanding children's board, card, CD-ROM or
electronic game, the Game of the Year was presented to Sort It Out! by
University Games
* Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for girls of any age, the
Girl Toy of the Year was presented to Zhu Zhu Pets by Cepia
* Recognizing an outstanding toy developed for infants (ages 0-2),
the Infant Toy of the Year was presented to Crayola Beginnings Color Me A
Song by Crayola, LLC
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that combines innovation and play
value, the Innovative Toy of the Year was presented to Zhu Zhu Pets by
Cepia
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that is designed for outdoor play,
the Outdoor Toy of the Year was presented to My 1st Scooter by Radio Flyer
* In the evening's only tie, the Preschool Toy of the Year
recognized two outstanding toys that are developed for preschool-aged
children (ages 3-5): Tonka Chuck & Friends Chuck My Talking Truck by
Playskool and Bilibo by Active People.
* Recognizing a property that has had the greatest success spreading
its brand throughout the industry, Property of the Year was presented to
Bakugan by Cartoon Network
* Recognizing an outstanding toy that is distributed primarily
through specialty toy retailers, the Specialty Toy of the Year was
presented to Captain Owen's Dolphin Explorer Boat by Sprig Toys
TOTY nominations represented a broad cross section of the toy
industry, covering products for both specialty and mass market retail
sectors. The toys featured on the ballot were selected by members of the
TOTY Nominations Committee, a group comprised of industry professionals
including major retailers, academia, toy journalists and inventors. Awards
were determined by a vote of the TIA members and associate members (one
vote per member organization).
Descriptions of each TOTY-nominated toy and links to each
manufacturer's website can be found online at www.ToyAwards.org. Photos of
the event can be found on the Toy Industry Association's Facebook page.
Interspersed with presentations of the TOTY Awards were two
inductions to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Established in 1984, the Hall
of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant mark on the American
Toy Industry. Joining the more than 50 people already on the distinguished
roster are John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney Company and
Pixar Animation Studios, and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney
Imagineering and Sam Walton, founder, Walmart Stores (posthumous award).
Chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios
and principal creative advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering, Lasseter is a
two-time Academy Award(R)-winning director and oversees all films and
associated projects from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. He
directed the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed Toy Story trilogy, A
Bug's Life and Cars; additionally, he executive produced Monsters, Inc.,
Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.
A posthumous award was presented to Sam Walton, the founder of
Walmart Stores. In remarks during the presentation ceremony, Alan
Hassenfeld, chair of the Hall of Fame Committee and Chairman of the
Executive Committee, Hasbro, Inc. commended Walton for his special affinity
for toys and rapid expansion of toy departments in Walmart Supercenters.
From the debut of Walton's first discount merchandise store in 1962 to his
death in 1988, the retailing giant had opened more than 1,700 stores in the
United States. By the end of the 20th century Walmart had become the
world's largest retailer. Walton's award was accepted by Laura Phillips on
behalf of the Walton family.
"Gathering with colleagues from across the industry and coming
together in celebration of the TOTY Award winners and the Toy Industry Hall
of Fame inductees is a wonderful way to kickoff Toy Fair 2010," said Carter
Keithley, TIA president. "Tonight's event pays tribute to the creative
professionals and fun and innovative products that make our industry so
great."
Event sponsors for the evening were Razor and Spin Master (gold
level), the American National Standards Institute, Dallas Market Center and
Loeb and Loeb (silver level) and Global Events Group (event partner).
About TIA
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and
importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America,
representing over 500 companies who account for approximately 85% of
domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy
industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including
development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30
years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing
programs to ensure safe play.
For more information, visit www.toyassociation.org,
www.ToyAwards.org, or the Toy Industry Hall of Fame website.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6179111&lang=en
COPYRIGHT 2010 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale, Cengage Learning
Publisher Name: Business Wire
Descriptors: *Toys--Achievements and awards; Toys--Rites, ceremonies and celebrations; Toy
Industry--Achievements and awards; Toy Industry--Rites, ceremonies and celebrations
Geographic Names: *1U2NY (New York )
Named Persons: Walton, Sam_Achievements and awards
Product Names: *3944200 (Toys); 3940000 (Toys & Sporting Goods); 3944000 (Games, Toys
& Children's Vehicles)
Industry Names: BUSN (Business); INTL (Business, international )
NAICS Codes: 339932 (Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing); 3399 (Other
Miscellaneous Manufacturing )
11/9/5 (Item 5 from file: 16)
DIALOG(R)File 16: Gale Group PROMT(R)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
15614818 Supplier Number: 193775370 (THIS IS THE FULLTEXT)
Toy Industry Association Celebrates the Best in Toys at Annual Awards Celebration.
Business Wire , p NA
Feb 16 , 2009
Language: English Record Type: Fulltext
Document Type: Newswire ; Trade
Word Count: 1022
Text:
Spin Master Receives "Toy of the Year" Honors for Bakugan Battle
Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1 Spheres
NEW YORK -- The Toy Industry Association (TIA) honored leaders of the
industry tonight at the 2009 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards program and Hall
of Fame induction ceremony. The annual gala pays tribute to the best in
toys and children's entertainment; outstanding achievements by individuals,
teams, and companies; and the creativity and playful spirit upon which the
Toy Industry is based. The event was held in New York City at Pier
60/Chelsea Piers and was attended by more than 450 guests representing a
diverse cross-section of the Toy Industry.
The TOTY awards presentation included winners in each of eleven
categories; nearly 75 unique products were nominated. Of these winners, one
product is recognized as the overall "Toy of the Year."
The 2009 award recipients include:
* Activity Toy of the Year, recognizing a toy that inspires creative
play through various forms of activity - Crayola Color Wonder(TM) Magic
Light Brush(TM) - Crayola LLC
* Boy Toy of the Year, for toys developed for boys of any age Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle Pack Series 1 Spheres - Spin Master
* Educational Toy of the Year, recognizing a toy that, through play,
helps children develop special skills and/or knowledge - LeapFrog TAG(TM)
Reading System - LeapFrog
* Girl Toy of the Year, for toys developed specifically for girls of
any age - Playmobil Horse Farm - Playmobil USA, Inc.
* Electronic Entertainment Toy of the Year, for toys that merge
high-technology with creativity and imagination - FurReal Friends Biscuit
My Lovin' Pup - Hasbro
* Game of the Year, including board, CD-ROM, electronic and card
game formats - Bananagrams(R) - Bananagrams LLC
* Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year, for toys designed for infant
and/or preschool children - Elmo Live - Fisher-Price, Inc.
* Most Innovative Toy of the Year, for the most outstanding, unique
and creative toy - Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro - Spin Master
* Property of the Year, for the licensor that had the greatest
success spreading its brand or property throughout the industry while
generating interest and excitement -- Bakugan Battle Brawlers - Cartoon
Network
* Outdoor Toy of the Year, focused on toys designed for outdoor play
- Crayola(R) 3D Sidewalk Chalk - Crayola LLC
* Specialty Toy of the Year, for toys distributed primarily through
specialty retailers - Create Your Own Pop-Up Books - Creativity for
Kids(R)/Faber-Castell USA
* And finally, the Toy of the Year - Bakugan Battle Brawlers Battle
Pack Series 1 Spheres - Spin Master
Interspersed with presentations of the TOTY Awards were two
inductions to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame: Joan Ganz Cooney, the
co-founder of Sesame Street Workshop, and Jack Pressman (deceased), founder
of Pressman Toy.
* Joan Ganz Cooney is the one of the visionaries and the chief
moving force behind the creation of Children's Television Workshop (CTW)
and the most successful children's television show in the history of either
commercial or educational television, Sesame Street. Before Sesame Street,
successful children's programs were entertainment oriented and appeared on
commercial television; educational programs were thought to be boring and
pedantic and appeared on public television which garnered a smaller, but
more affluent audience. Ms. Cooney recognized that television could do more
than entertain . . . it could provide supplementary education at a fraction
of the cost of classroom instruction and established an organization which
continues to produce innovative programming for all ages. Via Sesame
Street, she brought public television to the forefront of the national
consciousness and demonstrated that quality educational programming could
attract and hold a mass audience.
* Jack Pressman (deceased), founder of Pressman Toy in 1922, was a
leader and early creative force in the Toy Industry. Under Jack's
leadership, Pressman Toy was among the first to introduce licensed products
such as toys and games featuring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney
1937), Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie and Groucho Marx. He is also
credited with discovering and bringing Chinese Checkers to the masses in
1928. A consummate innovator, Jack was one of the first manufacturers to
use plastic in his toys and to promote his products on television. He died
in 1959, leaving behind a footprint on toy makers, children and consumers.
The posthumous award was accepted by Mr. Pressman's wife, Lynn Pressman
Raymond, and his youngest son, Jim.
Established in 1984, the Hall of Fame honors individuals who have
made a significant mark on the American Toy Industry. More than 50 persons
are already on the Toy Industry Hall of Fame roster.
"The Toy Industry Association is pleased to honor the great
companies and ingenious individuals who create products that delight
children of every age," said Carter Keithley, president of TIA. "Gathering
with colleagues from across the industry and coming together in celebration
of the TOTY Award winners and the Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees is a
wonderful way to kickoff the first day of Toy Fair 2009."
The TOTY Awards and Hall of Fame induction ceremony is sponsored by
TIA and held in conjunction with the 106th American International Toy
Fair(R). An estimated 20,000 persons kicked off Toy Fair 2009 during its
opening earlier today at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Additional information about the TOTY Awards and the Toy Industry
Hall of Fame can be found online.
About TIA
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for producers and
importers of toys and youth entertainment products sold in North America,
representing over 500 companies who account for approximately 85% of
domestic toy sales. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy
industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety including
development of the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30
years ago, and working with government, consumers and industry on ongoing
programs to ensure safe play. For more information about TIA, visit
www.toyassociation.org. For more information about the TSCP, visit
www.toycertification.org.
COPYRIGHT 2009 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning
Publisher Name: Business Wire
Descriptors: *Toy Industry Association--Rites, ceremonies and celebrations; Toys-Achievements and awards; Toys--Rites, ceremonies and celebrations; Toy Industry-Achievements and awards; Toy Industry--Rites, ceremonies and celebrations
Product Names: *3944200 (Toys); 3940000 (Toys & Sporting Goods); 3944000 (Games, Toys
& Children's Vehicles)
Industry Names: BUSN (Business); BUS (Business, general )
SIC Codes: 3940 (Toys and Sporting Goods); 3944 (Games, toys, and children's vehicles); 3942
(Dolls and stuffed toys); 5092 (Hobby equipment industry ); 5945 (Hobby, toy, and game shops )
NAICS Codes: 339932 (Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing); 3399 (Other
Miscellaneous Manufacturing )
Material Used:
Bluesheet for file 411
Dialog Pocket Guide
Exercise #2 Directions
Google.com
Dialogclassic.com
Problem 2
Question: How far back are press releases for LeapFrog available on Dialogs? Their website
only goes back to 2007.
Search Summary
When starting this search I started out writing down keywords and synonyms to use when
searching. I went to LeapFrog’s website and looked at a few press releases, one which told me
that the company started in Emeryville, CA in 1995. The question only stated that the website
releases only went back to 2007; this told me the company existed sometime before 2007, which
is why I searched further to find the start-up date. I took this information and I went to the
DialIndex blue sheet and selected category acronyms that I felt would be most likely to retrieve
the results I was looking for. I chose the following acronyms: BUSWIRE,
NEWSWIRES,PAPERSCA, PAPERSMJ, USNEWSWI. I chose PAPERSCA (California
newspaper) and PAPERSMJ (major newspapers) because the company started in California so I
did not want to miss any opportunities for information. Once I selected the files I conducted two
searches:
Search one: co=LeapFrog AND py=1995:2007 (files 813, 649, & 613 had hits)
Search two: LeapFrog AND py=1995:2007 (files 258, 649,613,610,640 & 813 had hits)
I went with search two because there were more files with greater amounts of hits and search two
included all my files yielded in search one as well as including the San Francisco Chronicle. This
was a deal sealer because in the background information of the problem it states: LeapFrog, a
company that sells education toys, is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Please refer to the
list of files used, located after the search summary, for more details.
Once I had my files selected and I was comfortable with them I started my search. I started with
some descriptors, titles and text indexes.
Search: COMPANY()NEWS/DE AND LEAPFROG/TI,DE,TX
This yielded zero hits so I made the terms more general in hopes of getting some hits. My second
set was:
LEAPFROG/TI,DE,TX AND TOY?/DE
I knew I wanted LeapFrog to be in the title and text of the result and since it was a toy company I
added the descriptor toy. This yielded an acceptable 360 hits. I viewed these hits and realized
that I had not limited my search by publication year yet so that was my next step. Since the
company started in 1995 I knew that I wanted to include a date range from 1995 to another date.
I started out with:
S2 AND PY=1995:2007
Then I realized that I knew 2007 was on the website so I did not want to include that year in my
results and narrowed it again this time the range was 1995:2006. I viewed my results and after
going through about thirty results I noticed I was getting articles from Amazon and a few other
companies also so I added in the Company Name descriptor, which I got from the expand
command of CO.
S4 AND CO= LEAPFROG ENTERPRISES INC?
I was sitting on 200 results. The question asked how far back press releases for LeapFrog were
avialble in Dialog so my next step was to search publication years from oldest to newest. I
started in 1995 and yielded no hits, likewise for ranges 1996:2000 and 1995:2001. Instead of
continuing to this process of elimination I used the sort command:
Search: Sort S5/ALL/PD,A
This allowed me to view the oldest results from 1995:2006 first; the first result was published in
October 11, 2002 the latest article, based on my date range was published December 14, 2006.
Edit: [After conducting my search and writing up my summary I realized that maybe I should
have used the sort command on my first search including a date range. I had already logged off
so I logged back on and redid my search and sorted where I thought might be best. This was
important because I received better results; results that included an earlier date, December 26,
1995. ]
I learned that it is important to always analyze your work and the steps you took to get the results
you did. The sort command was feature I learned how to use and appreciate. Another lesson
learned is that if you feel that your results are good but not great and you know a way to get to
great do it, it is important that the results you produce are worth looking at.
Files Used
258:AP NEWS JUL 2000-2012/JUL 09
649:GALE GROUP NEWSWIRE ASAP(TM) 2012/JUL 06
613:PR NEWSWIRE 1999-2012/JUL 09
610:BUSINESS WIRE 1999-2012/JUL 09
640:SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE 1988-2012/JAN 30
813:PR NEWSWIRE 1987-1999/APR 30
Display Sets
Set Items Description
S1
0 COMPANY()NEWS/DE AND LEAPFROG/TI,DE,TX
S2
360 LEAPFROG/TI,DE,TX AND TOY?/DE
S3
270 S2 AND PY=1995:2007
S4
243 S2 AND PY=1995:2006
S5
200 S4 AND CO= LEAPFROG ENTERPRISES INC?
S6
0 S5 AND PY=1995
S7
0 S5 AND PY=1996:2000
S8
0 S5 AND PY=1995:2001
S9
200 Sort S5/ALL/PD,A
After writing my summary I thought maybe I should have sorted on S3, so I redid my search
exactly to S3 and sorted them by publication date, ascending. Which I am glad I did this, because
the San Francisco Chronicle had a press release for LeapFrog in December of 1995.
Set
S1
S2
S3
S4
Items Description
360 LEAPFROG/TI,DE,TX AND TOY?/DE
0 S2 AND PY=1995:2007
270 S1 AND PY=1995:2007
270 Sort S3/ALL/PD,A
Results
4/9/1 (Item 1 from file: 640)
DIALOG(R)File 640: San Francisco Chronicle
(c) 2012 Chronicle Publ. Co. All rights reserved.
08360050
BERKELEY TOY MAKER HAS WOODEN ROOTS
San Francisco Chronicle ( SF ) - TUESDAY, December 26, 1995
By: Arthur M. Louis, Chronicle Staff Writer
Edition: FINAL Section: Business Page: C4
Word Count: 302
Memo:
RELATED STORY
Text:
Mike Wood, an attorney with a leading San Francisco law firm, wanted
to help his 3-year-old son learn to read, so he bought a wooden puzzle
containing all the letters of the alphabet, and tried to teach him which
sounds each letter makes.
But the lesson didn't work as well as he had hoped, because wooden
letters don't make sounds unless they are dropped on the floor, and then
all they say is ``clunk.'' So Wood, who knew someone who makes talking
greeting cards, decided to develop a talking toy that could teach phonics.
His first thought was to put voice chips into each of 26 large,
squeezable letters. Squeeze a ``B'' and it would say ``Buh.'' Squeeze an
``R'' and it would say ``Ruh.'' But after conferring with experts at the
Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, he conceded that there might be
less awkward and less expensive solutions.
Sandia gave Wood a $20,000 grant, and he later raised $2 million in
venture capital. Wood recruited Robert Calfee and Kristy Dunlap, experts in
``early learning'' at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, to develop
the lessons. And a Texas-based design company called Ignition, which
specializes in computerized toys, created a prototype of what is now known
as the Phonics Learning System.
Last February, less than three years after he bought that wooden
puzzle, Wood -- no longer a practicing attorney but an incipient toy tycoon
-- demonstrated his prototype at a toy fair, where it captivated several
major retailers, among them Toys R Us, F.A.O. Schwarz, Sesame Street Stores
and Hammacher Schlemmer.
The product has been a big hit this Christmas season. Since September,
Wood's Berkeley-based startup, a seven-employee operation called LeapFrog,
has shipped 80,000 units with a total retail value of close to $4 million.
Copyright 1995 The San Francisco Chronicle
Descriptors: PHONICS; BUSINESS; TOYS; TECHNOLOGY; BIOGRAPHY; EDUCATION;
CHILDREN; HISTORY; MIKE WOOD; SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES;
LEAPFROG; PHONICS LEARNING SYSTEM
4/9/2 (Item 2 from file: 640)
DIALOG(R)File 640: San Francisco Chronicle
(c) 2012 Chronicle Publ. Co. All rights reserved.
08360049
TALKING TOY NEEDS ADULT HELP KIDS, PARENTS SHOULD USE PHONICS
SYSTEM TOGETHER
San Francisco Chronicle ( SF ) - TUESDAY, December 26, 1995
By: Arthur M. Louis, Chronicle Staff Writer
Edition: FINAL Section: Business Page: C4
Word Count: 721
Memo:
RELATED STORY
Katherine A. Louis and Elizabeth I. Louis contributed to this report.
Text:
Phonics Learning System, the talking toy from Berkeley-based LeapFrog,
materialized in The Chronicle offices the other day. Although its voice
chips weren't programmed to say so, we figured that it wanted us to do a
product review.
The system, which is designed to teach spelling and pronunciation, is
for ages 3 and up. Although I fit in that category, I thought it might be
more fruitful to test it on someone close to the minimum age.
I found two such people at home -- my 9-year-old and 2-year-old
daughters. (I stretched the point for the 2-year-old, who turns 3 in
January and looks old for her age.)
The toy, which retails for $49.95 in the standard version and $29.95 in
a travel-size version, consists of:
-- A plastic case containing the voice chips and other technological
wonders.
-- Colorful plastic letters which nestle in slots on the surface of the
case.
-- Twenty computer-coded ``talking word cards,'' which the user inserts
in a holder on the right-front of the case; they contain letter-shaped
perforations that spell out the objects pictured on the card.
A basic Phonics Learning System is limited to three-letter words that
would be familiar to almost any child. But you also can buy five different
packets of advanced cards -- featuring longer and more difficult words -at $12.95 each for the large (Desk) version and $6.95 for the portable
version (the Traveler).
When the machine is turned on, a cheery voice exclaims: ``Ribbit,
ribbit, let's play!'' (After all, the company's name is LeapFrog.) When a
word card is inserted, the voice, which never loses its enthusiasm, spells
out the word and pronounces it: ``K-I-D -- Kid!''
A child is supposed to find the letters that fit in the card's
perforations, and insert them. As each letter is inserted, the voice makes
the appropriate sound -- ``Kuh,'' ``Ih,'' ``Duh'' -- and when the word is
completed the voice spells and pronounces it again and yells phrases of
encouragement, such as ``Awesome!'' or ``Yes!'' or ``You got it!'' or
``You're on a roll!''
My oldest daughter, a fourth-grader, is always enthusiastic about new,
computerized gadgets, but after fiddling with the Phonics system for a
while she concluded that it couldn't teach her anything she didn't already
know. She often expresses similar sentiments about her parents.
That left the soon-to-be-3-year-old, who found the toy very much to her
taste. In fact, it's almost impossible to tear her away from it.
With minimal guidance she learned to match the correct letters with the
perforations, and also to put the letters back in their correct slots on
the case. She shrieks with delight when the voice rewards her with
``Awesome!'' or ``You got it!'' My wife is amazed at the expansion of her
normal attention span.
After a few days, however, my daughter still doesn't seem to have
learned the names or phonics of the individual letters. When I asked her,
at random, to show me which plastic letter was a K, she didn't know. When
the computer voice announced: ``D-O-G, Dog! Yes!'' I pointed to the word on
the card and asked her what it was. She replied: ``Yes.''
Since she possesses an intellect that would put Albert Einstein to
shame, I had to conclude that she needed more adult supervision -- that the
toy is not really a self-teaching device, at least not at that age level.
My conclusion was seconded by Bob Lally, LeapFrog's chief financial
officer. The Phonics Learning System is ``a tool for interaction between
children and parents,'' he stressed. ``It's not the kind of toy you want to
just set there and then walk away. Children need help with this difficult
step.''
Parents who might want to buy the Phonics Learning System must first
decide whether they have time to sit patiently with their children, helping
them distinguish the letters and their sounds and how they form words. The
talking toy will grab their attention, but you have to do plenty of
talking, too. If you don't, then you probably won't get your $49.95 worth.
Caption:
PHOTO
The Phonics Learning System is designed for ages 3 and up/BY DEANNE
FITZMAURICE/THE CHRONICLE
Copyright 1995 The San Francisco Chronicle
Descriptors: PHONICS; BUSINESS; TECHNOLOGY; TOYS; EDUCATION; CHILDREN;
REVIEW; PHONICS LEARNING SYSTEM; LEAPFROG
4/9/3 (Item 3 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
02327948 Supplier Number: 19108970 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
Developer of Interactive Electronic Learning Toys Names Top Industry Veterans As
Senior Executives
PR Newswire , p211LATU028A
Feb 11 , 1997
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 365 Line Count: 00034
Text:
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The pioneering and
award-winning developer of interactive electronic reading and learning
toys, LeapFrog, has appointed two major Toy Industry veterans, Brad
Crawford, previously of Little Tikes, and Ransom Peek, previously of
Galoob, to the posts of Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Vice
President of Engineering & Manufacturing.
"We're delighted to have such exceptional talent as a part of the LeapFrog
team," said Michael Wood, president and founder of LeapFrog. "We're looking
forward to tremendous growth and making LeapFrog synonymous with learning
and fun."
As Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Brad Crawford, 36, will
be responsible for overseeing LeapFrog's sales and marketing efforts, with
a concentration on reaching new markets abroad and penetrating the large
retail market. He brings with him experience managing major retail
accounts, including Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Service Merchandise and
JCPenney. His international sales management expertise will help the
pioneering, two-year old toy company to grow and gain a great national and
international presence along with brand name recognition.
Ransom Peek, 41, joins LeapFrog as Vice President of Engineering
& Manufacturing after four years at Galoob serving the same post. Mr.
Peek will oversee operations and systems management for the expanding toy
manufacturer. While at Galoob, Mr. Peek managed their strategic rise to
profitability, concurrently doubling their sales volume. Says Mr. Peek
about his objectives, "I want to further develop the product line and
distribution channels to the point where the LeapFrog name is
internationally recognized for play value, educational content and
quality."
LeapFrog's phonics learning toys are used in 10 countries around the
world. Founded three years ago by Michael Wood, the company has experienced
300% growth in its last 12 months.
SOURCE LeapFrog
____-0-_____________________________02/11/97
/NOTE TO EDITORS: For interviews, B&W photographs or complete
media kit, contact Weis Public Relations at 510-841-9347./
/CONTACT: Brian Gardner of Weis Public Relations, 510-841-9347, or
fax, 510-548-6636, for LeapFrog/
CO: LeapFrog ST: California, New York IN: MLM SU: PER
RB-CL -- LATU028A -- 2166 02/11/97 10:30 EST http://www.prnewswire.com
COPYRIGHT 1997 PR Newswire Association, Inc.
Company Names: LeapFrog--Officials and employees
Descriptors: Toy Industry--Officials and employees
Industry Codes/Names: BUS Business, General; BUSN Any type of business
Product/Industry Names: 3944200 (Toys)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/1 (Item 1 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
04756430 Supplier Number: 132324845 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Quantum Pad(TM) Learning System Named One of Top Twelve Toys of The
2002 Holiday Season by Toy Wishes.
PR Newswire , NA
Oct 11 , 2002
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 1126 Line Count: 00112
Text:
LeapFrog Dominates Educational Picks for Holiday And Wins ALL STAR Honors
in Three Categories
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading developer of innovative
technology-based learning products, announced that the Quantum Pad(TM)
learning system was named one of the twelve hottest toys of the 2002
holiday season. Toy Wishes recognized the product this week as a HOT DOZEN
selection at a news conference in New York on October 8th. In addition,
LeapFrog earned six ALL STAR distinctions in various product categories in
the Toy Wishes holiday guide, dominating the Educational & Learning
Toys category with three of the four overall best ALL STAR ranked products.
Top industry experts Jim Silver, publisher of the Toy Book, and Gareb
Shamus, chairman of Wizard Entertainment, test and review thousands of new
toys, games, puzzles and gifts each year to identify the very best
children's products for the upcoming holiday season. These selections are
announced through Toy Wishes, the only consumer publication devoted solely
to toys. The very best of the best -- the top 12 products predicted to be
the season's bestsellers -- receive the HOT DOZEN distinction.
"LeapPad and My First LeapPad learning systems have been huge hits
over the past two years," said Jim Silver, co-publisher of Toy Wishes.
"LeapFrog has extended that success to the Quantum Pad learning system,
which brings the educational curriculum and fun to another level."
In addition to winning a spot in the Toy Wishes HOT DOZEN, several
other LeapFrog products were selected as ALL STARS in the Education &
Learning, Infant and Preschool categories -- indicating the top four
best-overall products in each category. In all, seven LeapFrog products
were selected in the Educational & Learning Category, accounting for
one-third of all picks in this area and the LeapPad was selected as a
'Neo-Classic' lasting favorite.
LeapFrog 2002 Toy Wishes Honors
Infant Category ALL STAR
-- LeapStart(TM) Learning Table: Nurtures an infant's natural love of
music through a fully interactive musical play experience.
Preschool Category ALL STAR
-- Pretend & Learn(TM) Shopping Cart: Enhances traditional
shopping role-play with interactive learning activities that encourage
imagination and creativity.
Educational & Learning Category - Three of Four ALL STARS
-- Quantum Pad(TM) Learning System: Incorporates interactive games
and activities to make learning school subjects enjoyable.
-- Learn to Read Phonics Desk(R) System: Helps children master
phonics and learn to read through a proven multi-sensory method combining
sight, sound and touch.
-- iQuest(TM) Interactive Talking Handheld: Engaging and effective
way for sixth, seventh and eighth graders to study for tests in math,
science and social studies.
Education & Learning Category Selections
-- Turbo Twist(R) handheld BRAIN QUEST(R) edition: Incorporates all
new questions from the popular BRAIN QUEST game into challenging,
fast-paced interactive games and activities to help kids master important
social studies, English, and science facts.
-- Leap's Phonics(TM) Railroad: The only motorized train set that
teaches preschoolers the alphabet and phonics as they engage in a rich
train-play experience.
-- Imagination Desk(TM) Learning System: Engages children with a
creative way to learn core preschool skills, including letters, phonics,
counting, shapes and colors, through their favorite activity -- coloring.
-- "Neo-Classic" Lasting Favorite LeapPad(R) Learning System: Brings
to life the magic of books and reading while developing phonics awareness,
spelling and vocabulary.
"LeapFrog is extremely excited to be recognized by Toy Wishes with so
many honors for our interactive learning products this holiday season,"
said Tom Prichard, vice president of marketing for LeapFrog Enterprises,
Inc. "We believe that these new holiday offerings will impact learning and
play experiences for children well into the New Year."
About HOT DOZEN Pick: Quantum Pad(TM) Learning System
Also Top 4 in Educational & Learning Toys Category
The Quantum Pad learning system harnesses the power of NearTouch(R)
technology to spark students' enthusiasm for mastering school subjects
while encouraging them to learn at their own pace. Fun stories, games and
activities make learning fundamental subjects, such as math, science and
social studies, enjoyable. Books in the Quantum Pad FUN-damentals(TM)
Series teach core skills specific to third, fourth, and fifth grades, such
as math, science, reading, language arts, and social studies. The Above
& Beyond(TM) Series lets students explore fascinating topics. And for
improving reading fluency and comprehension, the Great Reader(TM) Series
helps children build skills through popular titles such as the Magic Tree
House(TM).
Product Availability and Pricing
LeapFrog's products are available now at major retailers nationwide,
including Toys "R" Us, Target, and Wal-Mart.
Product
Ages/Grades
MSRP
Availability
LeapStart(TM) Learning
Table
6 months & up
Pretend & Learn(TM)
$39.99
Now
Shopping Cart
2 years & up
Leap's Phonics(TM)
Railroad
Learn to Read
2 years & up
$45.99
$59.99
Phonics Desk(R) System 3 years & up
Imagination Desk(TM)
Learning System
3 years & up
LeapPad(R) Learning
System
4-8 years
Quantum Pad(TM)
Now
Now
$39.99
$39.99
$49.99
Now
Now
Now
Learning System
Grades 3-5
iQuest(TM) Interactive
$49.99
Now
Talking Handheld
Grades 5-8
Turbo Twist(R) handheld
$59.99
Now
BRAIN QUEST(R) edition
Grades 1-6
$29.99
Now
Additional information on LeapFrog and its products can be found at
http://www.LeapFrog.com/.
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and
marketer of innovative, technology-based educational products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging.
Based in Emeryville, California, LeapFrog has developed six platforms, more
than 25 stand-alone educational products and more than 40 interactive
books, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, math, music,
geography, social studies, and science. All products contain educational
curricula and reflect a teaching style designed to be fun, engaging, and
effective.
LeapFrog and its products have received more than 100 awards from
educators, publishers, print and broadcast media, consumer groups and
industry organizations, including the most coveted award in the toy
industry, the first-ever PEOPLE'S CHOICE TOY OF THE YEAR (T.O.T.Y.) AWARD
for the best-selling LeapPad(R) Learning System, as well as the BEST
EDUCATIONAL T.O.T.Y. AWARD. LeapFrog products also received accolades from
the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the Great American Toy Test, Toy Wishes 's
Holiday HOT DOZEN and the National Parenting Center. In addition to
national distribution at retailers across the United States, LeapFrog
products are available in more than 25 countries and produced in five
different languages.
NOTE: LEAPFROG is a registered trademark of LeapFrog Enterprises,
Inc. IQUEST, NEVER-ENDING LEARNING, LEAPSTART LEARNING TABLE, PRETEND
& LEARN SHOPPING CART, LEARN TO READ PHONICS DESK, QUANTUM PAD,
LEAPPAD, TURBO TWIST and MIND STATION are trademarks of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
CONTACT: Leah Davis, +1-916-983-7729, or leah.davis@mslpr.com; or Lorie Appelbaum,
+1-415-364-3805, or lorie.appelbaum@mslpr.com, both of Manning Selvage & Lee, for
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Make Your Opinion Count - Click Here http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X33149176
Contact: Leah Davis, +1-916-983-7729, or leah.davis@mslpr.com; or Lorie Appelbaum, +1415-364-3805, or lorie.appelbaum@mslpr.com, both of Manning Selvage & Lee, for LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.
Website: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2002 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Geographic Codes/Names: 1USA United States
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/3 (Item 3 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
04752201 Supplier Number: 132320246 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Reports Record Net Sales, 3rd Qtr Net Income Up 89%.
PR Newswire , NA
Oct 22 , 2002
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 1436 Line Count: 00173
Text:
Gross Margin Expands as Content Sales Surge as a Percent of Net Sales
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading developer of innovative
technology-based educational products, today reported financial results for
the third quarter ended September 30, 2002.
Net sales for the third quarter of 2002 were $182.1 million, up 62.1%
compared with $112.4 million in the third quarter of 2001.
Net sales from the U.S. Consumer segment, which represents 88% of
total net sales for the third quarter of 2002, were $161.0 million, up
50.9% from $106.7 million in the third quarter of 2001. Net sales from the
International segment, which represents 9% of total net sales for the third
quarter of 2002, were $15.8 million, up 277.3% from $4.2 million in the
third quarter of 2001. The Education and Training segment, which represents
3% of total net sales for the third quarter of 2002, produced $5.3 million
of net sales, up 251.3% from $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2001.
The company recorded net income for the September 2002 quarter of
$26.7 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, up 89.4% compared with net
income of $14.1 million, or $0.37 per diluted share for the September 2001
quarter. The company's fully diluted share count increased significantly in
the September 2002 quarter, primarily as a result of the company's July 25,
2002 initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.
"I am delighted to report solid financial results for our debut
quarter as a public company," said Mike Wood, president and chief executive
officer of LeapFrog Enterprises. "We are committed to the idea that
educational products for children can be fun and engaging. It is therefore
particularly gratifying to see our products so well received by parents and
teachers around the world.
"We believe that our financial results for the third quarter of 2002
reflect a very positive reception of our products this Fall, and bode well
for a very promising holiday season," said Wood. "This year we are seeing
the benefit of the first true implementation of our LeapFrog Learning
Centers within some of our retail partners' stores. The LeapFrog Learning
Center is a dedicated section of our full line of education-based products
arranged by age and school grade, from infant to college test preparation.
We believe the LeapFrog Learning Center will become a destination for
parents seeking education-based content and products, not just in the
holiday season, but throughout the year."
Net sales from the Company's library of proprietary software and
content (interactive books and cartridges) increased to 26.8% of total net
sales in the September 2002 quarter from 15.5% of total net sales in the
September 2001 quarter. "The increase in our content sales in the third
quarter of 2002 demonstrates the viability of our education
platform/content model," said Wood. "We have sold over 9 million platforms
to date, and we now offer over 95 software titles for use with those
platform products. As we continue to expand our content offering, we
believe our education-based platform products will become more attractive
to parents and grandparents this holiday season and beyond."
The company's SchoolHouse segment sells assessment and instructional
products to U.S. classrooms and teachers. "We have recently launched our
LeapTrack Learning System, an exciting product that allows teachers to
perform ongoing assessment and deliver personalized content for each
student," said Wood. "As we gain traction in this market, I believe we can
have a significant impact on the ability of teachers throughout the United
States to give individual attention to each child in a classroom and see
that no child is left behind as judged by state education standards."
Financial Guidance for Fourth Quarter Ending December 31, 2002
The company anticipates that net sales in the seasonally strong
fourth quarter will be between $185 million and $200 million. Net sales
growth is expected to come from both the U.S. Consumer and International
segments.
Gross margin for the fourth quarter is expected to be between 50% and
52% of net sales.
Earnings per share are expected to be between $0.30 and $0.38 in the
quarter ending December 31, 2002.
Conference Call
A conference call will be held tomorrow, Wednesday October 23 at 8:00
a.m. Eastern time (5:00 a.m. Pacific time) to discuss these announcements
and to provide further discussion of results for the quarter and outlook
for the next quarter. A live webcast of the conference call will be offered
on LeapFrog's investor relations website at
http://www.LeapFroginvestor.com/ and on http://www.ccbn.com/. A replay of
the webcast will be available on these websites through November 23, 2002.
To participate in the call, please dial 706-634-0183.
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and
marketer of innovative, technology-based educational products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging.
Based in Emeryville, California, LeapFrog has developed six platforms, more
than 55 stand-alone educational products and more than 95 interactive
content titles, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, math,
music, geography, social studies and science. All products contain
educational curricula and reflect a teaching style designed to be fun,
engaging and effective.
LeapFrog and its products have received more than 100 awards from
educators, publishers, print and broadcast media, consumer groups and
industry organizations, including the most coveted award in the toy
industry, the first-ever PEOPLE'S CHOICE TOY OF THE YEAR (T.O.T.Y.) AWARD
for the popular LeapPad(R) Learning System, as well as the BEST EDUCATIONAL
T.O.T.Y. AWARD. LeapFrog products also received accolades from the
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the Great American Toy Test, Toy Wishes Magazine's
Holiday Hot Dozen and the National Parenting Center.
In addition to national distribution at retailers across the United
States, LeapFrog products are available in more than 25 countries and
produced in five different languages.
NOTE: LEAPFROG, LEAPTRACK, and LEAPPAD are trademarks of LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.
Safe Harbor Cautionary Statement Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act Of 1995:
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news
release contains forward-looking statements, including the company's
anticipated sales, gross margin or earnings results and performance in the
quarter ending December 31, 2002 or future periods. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the company's ability
to invent, develop, and market products, the existence, number and
effectiveness of Learning Centers established at the company's customers'
stores, and the acceptance of its products in the market. These and other
risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the company's SEC
filings, including its Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended on
July 26, 2002, and its report on Form 10- Q filed on August 29, 2002 could
cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in this release. All forward-looking statements are based on
information available to the company on the date hereof, and the company
assumes no obligation to update such statements.
CONTACT: Jim Curley, Chief Financial Officer, +1-510-420-5000, or
Christopher Bunn, Director, Investor Relations, +1-510-420-5150, both of
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
LEAPFROG ENTERPRISES, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited
September 30, December 31,
2002
2001
2001
(Unaudited)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$57,848
$17,136
$8,269
Accounts Receivable (A)
130,137
86,385
115,499
Inventories net
Other Current assets
Total current assets
Property and equipment, net
Other long term assets
Intangible assets, net
Total assets
92,337
56,988
19,772
7,051
300,094
9,107
167,560
20,449
6,520
23,353
$350,416
46,103
178,978
17,995
16,857
1,868
2,816
22,310
23,322
$209,733
$221,973
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$68,031
$40,541
Accrued liabilities
16,606
9,990
9,342
3,853
1,027
2,250
Deferred revenue
$34,412
Cooperative advertising
Income taxes payable
Total current liabilities
9,300
3,224
13,730
--
111,520
Long term debt
--
Other long term liabilities
4,868
5,380
9,634
54,782
67,860
61,018
61,163
1,955
2,805
24,139
24,139
Redeemable convertible Series A
preferred stock (B)
24,139
Total stockholders' equity
209,889
60,997
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $350,416
72,848
$209,733
$221,973
(A) Accounts Receivable are presented net of allowances of $11,343,
$7,783, and $9,854 at September 30, 2002 and 2001 and
December 31, 2001, respectively.
(B) Redeemable convertible series A preferred stock, $0.0001 par value;
2,000,000 shares authorized at September 30, 2002 and 6,000,000
shares authorized at September 30, 2001 and December 31, 2001;
2,000,000 issued and outstanding, net of $861 of issuance costs.
(Liquidation preference of $25,000 at September 30, 2002 and 2001 and
December 31, 2001)
LEAPFROG ENTERPRISES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except share and per share data) (unaudited)
Three Months
Nine Months
Ended September 30,
2002
Net Sales
2001
$182,127
Ended September 30,
2002
2001
$112,382
$283,325
$160,828
Cost of Sales
86,377
59,043
138,914
87,727
Gross Profit
95,750
53,339
144,411
73,101
12,256
53,958
32,407
14,137
8,571
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and
administrative
22,865
Research and development
Advertising
11,925
7,954
Depreciation and amortization
20,953
2,445
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
39,810
12,855
1,029
5,940
29,810
120,661
75,958
44,378
23,529
23,750
(2,857)
(127)
(823)
(822)
(1,931)
Interest income
259
128
459
471
(38)
(265)
85
326
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes 44,472
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
Net income (loss)
$26,683
2,664
51,372
Interest expense
Other (expense) income
28,032
17,789
8,482
$14,087
$14,083
Net income (loss) per common share - basic
$0.65
22,569
9,389
23,472
(3,991)
(2,142)
$(1,849)
$0.42
$0.39
$(0.06)
Net income (loss) per common share - diluted
$0.50
$0.37
$0.30
$(0.06)
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share - basic
41,274,608 33,471,287 36,275,667 33,398,495
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share - diluted 53,384,455 37,677,628
47,221,080 33,398,495
Make Your Opinion Count - Click Here
http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X46103734
CONTACT: Jim Curley, Chief Financial Officer, +1-510-420-5000, or
Christopher Bunn, Director, Investor Relations, +1-510-420-5150, both of
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2002 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Geographic Codes/Names: 1USA United States
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/4 (Item 4 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
04749429 Supplier Number: 132317412 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog LeapPad(R) Learning System and LeapStart(TM) Learning Table Receive Top
Honors at PlayDate 2002.
PR Newswire , NA
Oct 24 , 2002
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 848
Line Count: 00080
Text:
Retailers Recognize LeapFrog Learning Products for the Fourth Straight
Year
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading developer of innovative technologybased learning products, took top awards for its engaging learning products
at PlayDate 2002: the LeapPad(R) learning system was honored as the "#1
Best- Selling Toy Sold in Specialty Stores" and a "Top 10 Best-Selling Toy
Overall," and the LeapStart(TM) Learning Table was chosen as a "Top 10
Best-Selling Toy Sold in Specialty Stores." In addition, the company was
named a "Top 10 Best- Selling Brand." PlayDate, the exclusive showcase of
the best-selling toys and games for the holiday season based on the
predictions made by the nation's top retailers, announced this year's
winners on October 22 in New York.
PlayDate's best-seller lists reflect the results of an annual survey
of retailers from a broad selection of toy stores, software stores,
specialty stores, national retail chains and online retailers. Each year,
these retailers predict the best-selling toys and games for the coming
holiday season. Since the event's inception in 1999, LeapFrog products have
made the PlayDate best-seller lists.
"LeapFrog breaks through the holiday fad barrier once again," said
Sean McGowan co-founder of PlayDate. "As LeapPad hits our best-seller list
for the third year in a row, LeapFrog continues to prove that fun and
innovative toys that provide educational value are the winning
combination."
"We are honored to receive PlayDate best-seller accolades for the
fourth straight year," said Tom Prichard, vice president of marketing for
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. "This is a testament to the value parents see in
learning toys and the great fun children experience -- a secret to
LeapFrog's success - - which is why our products will last well into the
New Year."
LeapFrog 2002 PlayDate Accolades
LeapPad -- Top 10 Best-Selling Toy Overall & #1 Best-Selling Toy
Sold in Specialty Stores
The LeapPad(R) learning system brings to life the magic of books and
reading. Children touch the page with the "magic" pen and LeapPad books
come to life with delightful characters, music and activities. LeapFrog
continues to engage young readers with an exciting library of more than 40
books, including the NEW LeapPad(R) Phonics Program. The program includes
10 storybooks and four activity books, which provide a fun step-by-step
approach to teaching children the fundamentals of reading. Other great
titles in the LeapPad library, include Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank
Engine, and Scooby Doo.
LeapStart Learning Table -- Top 10 Best-Selling Toy Sold in Specialty
Stores
LeapFrog's LeapStart Learning Table helps children learn their way
through music play. Parents can introduce their children to instrument
sounds and upbeat melodies with each instrument on the table. Flip the
center page on the table to transform the instruments from musical
activities to learning discoveries that familiarize infants and toddlers to
the entire alphabet, counting 1 to 10, shapes, colors and more.
Furthermore, the table grows with the child, helping babies to achieve the
developmental milestone of pulling up to stand and keeping them engaged
into the toddler years.
LeapFrog -- Toy 10 Best-Selling Brand
LeapFrog has been recognized by retailers for its commitment to
developing products that are not only engaging and interactive, but are
also effective learning tools tailored to a child's specific age and level.
"Year after year, LeapFrog has provided us with top-selling products,
including PlayDate best-sellers like the LeapPad Learning System and
LeapStart Learning Table," said Jim Feldt president of Toy "R" Us marketing
and merchandising. "Our customers appreciate LeapFrog's promise to deliver
quality products that engage, educate and entertain children from infancy
through high school."
Product Availability and Pricing
LeapFrog's products are available now at major retailers nationwide,
including Toys "R" Us, Target, and Wal-Mart. The products can also be found
online at QVC.com.
Product
LeapStart(TM) Learning Table
LeapPad(R) Learning System
LeapPad Phonics Program and
other books
Ages/Grades
6 months & up
4-8 years
4-7 years
MSRP
Availability
$39.99
Now
$49.99
Now
$14.99/book Now
Additional information on LeapFrog and its products can be found at
http://www.LeapFrog.com/.
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and
marketer of innovative, technology-based educational products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging.
Based in Emeryville, California, LeapFrog has developed six platforms, more
than 25 stand-alone educational products and more than 40 interactive
books, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, math, music,
geography, social studies, and science. All products contain educational
curricula and reflect a teaching style designed to be fun, engaging, and
effective.
LEAPFROG and LEAPPAD are registered trademarks of LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc. LEAPSTART LEARNING TABLE is a trademark of LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.
Contacts:
Leah Davis
Lorie Appelbaum
Manning Selvage & Lee
Manning Selvage & Lee
916-983-7729
415-364-3805
leah.davis@mslpr.com
lorie.appelbaum@mslpr.com
Make Your Opinion Count - Click Here
http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X22103537
CONTACT: Leah Davis, +1-916-983-7729 or leah.davis@mslpr.com, or
Lorie Appelbaum, +1-415-364-3805 or lorie.appelbaum@mslpr.com, both of
Manning Selvage & Lee, for LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2002 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Geographic Codes/Names: 1USA United States
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/5 (Item 5 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
04747231 Supplier Number: 132315170 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Joins With AstraZeneca to Develop First Customized Health Education Book for
The LeapPad Platform.
PR Newswire , NA
Nov 6 , 2002
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 790 Line Count: 00072
Text:
Interactive Book Brings Asthma Education Alive for Children
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading developer of innovative
technology-based learning products, joins with AstraZeneca , one of the top
five pharmaceutical companies in the world, to develop a 24-page LeapPad(R)
book on asthma education, for children between the ages of 4 and 8. The
interactive book will be the first in a series of health education LeapPad
books for children from the Education and Training Group at LeapFrog
Enterprises.
This educational book will help young children with asthma understand
and manage their illness and has the potential to reach the more than five
million homes and 7,500 classrooms across the country that are already
using the award-winning LeapPad platform. The LeapFrog Education and
Training Group will work with Learning Tek, LLC, a children's health
education company, based in Elizabethtown, PA, to develop the book's
content.
"This is the first time the award-winning LeapPad technology has been
used to deliver health education messages for specific illnesses to
children," said Bob Lally, LeapFrog co-founder and executive vice president
of the Education and Training Group. "Understanding the critical need for
children's health education, we are excited about combining a proven
multi-sensory approach to learning with life-saving information."
As the most common childhood chronic illness, asthma affects more
than five million children in the United States and has reached epidemic
proportions. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the role patient
education plays in improving patient and family adherence to prescribed
medical treatment and improved adherence often leads to better patient
outcomes.
"This simple, enjoyable and creative program for teaching children
about asthma is a huge 'leap above' any other asthma education program I've
ever seen before. It makes learning about controlling asthma fun and a lot
easier," said Diane Schuller, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Division
Chief of Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology at Penn State University
Children's Hospital.
The LeapFrog asthma education book is the first in a proposed series
of health and safety books that the LeapFrog Education and Training Group
is currently developing. The book is expected to be available by May 2003
for Asthma Awareness Day.
Commenting on the LeapFrog and AstraZeneca initiative, Nancy Sander,
President and Founder of Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
enthused, "AANMA is very excited about the first interactive asthma
education book on the LeapPad system. We look forward to the launch of the
educational and entertaining new product for children with asthma on Asthma
Awareness Day, May 6, 2003."
About LeapFrog Enterprises
Established in 1995, LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading
developer of innovative, technology-based educational products and related
proprietary content dedicated to making learning effective and engaging.
Based in Emeryville, Calif., the company's product line is comprised of
interactive educational products covering important subjects such as
phonics, reading, math, music, geography, social studies, and science. All
products are based on sound pedagogy and reflect a teaching style designed
to be fun, engaging, and effective.
NOTE: LEAPFROG is a registered trademark of LeapFrog Enterprises,
Inc. LEAPPAD is a trademark of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in
the research, development, manufacture and marketing of ethical
(prescription) pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is
one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare
sales of over $16.4 billion and leading positions in sales of
gastrointestinal, oncology, anesthesia (including pain management),
cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory products. In
the United States, AstraZeneca is an $8.7 billion healthcare business with
more than 10,000 employees.
About Learning Tek, LLC
Learning Tek, LLC is a children's health education and marketing
company committed to developing quality pediatric patient education
products and resources for the medical, educational and home audiences.
Based in Elizabethtown, PA, the company was formed by three mothers with
the desire to teach kids how to lead healthier lives by better
understanding their health conditions. The company has developed a series
of products to teach children about health and wellness issues in a fun and
engaging manner. Products include a programmable, interactive doll with a
chronic illness, chronic illness activity books and interactive children's
learning books. Phone 717-361-8934 or visit http://www.learningtek.com/ for
more information.
CONTACT: Cherie Stewart of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., +1-510-596-3343, or
cstewart@LeapFrog.com.
Make Your Opinion Count - Click Herehttp://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X58731971
CONTACT: Cherie Stewart of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., +1-510-596-3343, or
cstewart@LeapFrog.com
Web site: http://www.learningtek.com/
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2002 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Geographic Codes/Names: 1USA United States
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/196 (Item 196 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
05405897 Supplier Number: 154014923 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Presenting at Bear Stearns Conference.
PR Newswire , NA
Nov 7 , 2006
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 266
Line Count: 00029
Text:
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LeapFrog Enterprises,
Inc. , a leading developer of innovative technology-based educational
products, will be presenting at the Bear Stearns Smid-Cap Investor
Conference in New York City on Tuesday, November 14th. The presentation
will be web cast and can be accessed at LeapFrog's investor web site at
http://www.LeapFroginvestor.com/.
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and
marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging
for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. Emeryville,
California-based LeapFrog has developed a family of learning platforms that
come to life with more than 100 interactive software titles, covering
important subjects such as phonics, reading, math, music, geography, social
studies, spelling, vocabulary and science. In addition, the company has
created more than 35 stand-alone educational products for ages six months
to 16 years.
LeapFrog's award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six
languages at major retailers in more than 25 countries around the world.
The LeapFrog SchoolHouse curriculum programs are currently in classrooms
across the U.S. with more than 200 interactive books and over 450 skill
cards representing more than 6,000 pages of educational content.
Contact Information:
Investors:
Media:
Eileen VanEss
Sara Lanza Hickman
Investor Relations
Corporate Communications
(510) 420-5361
(510) 596-5406
evaness@LeapFrog.com
shickman@LeapFrog.com
CONTACT: investors, Eileen VanEss, +1-510-420-5361, or
evaness@LeapFrog.com, or media, Sara Lanza Hickman, Corporate
Communications, +1-510-596-5406, or shickman@LeapFrog.com, both of LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2006 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.--Conferences, meetings and seminars; Bear
Stearns Companies Inc.--Conferences, meetings and seminars
Descriptors: Toy Industry--Conferences, meetings and seminars; Securities industry-Conferences, meetings and seminars
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles); 6200000 (Securities
& Commodities Services)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles; 6211 Security brokers and dealers
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing; 523 Securities,
Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities
Ticker Symbols: LF; BSC
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/198 (Item 198 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
05452200 Supplier Number: 155515994 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Announces Key Management Hires.
PR Newswire , NA
Dec 5 , 2006
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 631 Line Count: 00059
Text:
Company Signs Industry Leaders
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LeapFrog(R)
Enterprises, Inc. , a leading manufacturer of technology-based learning
products, today announced its hiring of three new senior executives, a key
step in focusing Company resources and investments on its strategic
business initiatives. Joining the leadership team are: Steve Anderson, vice
president of software engineering; Jeff Grant, vice president of Web
products; and Hilda West, senior vice president of human resources.
"Our recent business review highlighted the need to quickly build
capabilities in key business areas," said Jeffrey G. Katz, president and
chief executive officer of LeapFrog. "By recruiting top-notch talent to
lead our human resources and to key technology roles, we are making strides
toward completing the team that will rebuild our business in the near-term
and position LeapFrog for profitable growth in the coming years."
New Leadership Brings Successful Track Record to LeapFrog
Steve Anderson, newly appointed vice president of software
engineering will lead the development of LeapFrog's software architecture
and development team. Anderson will assume an active role in the technology
and product development process. Prior to joining LeapFrog, Anderson spent
six years with Electronic Arts in executive operations and technology, and
most recently worked with The Mforma Group, a cell phone games provider,
where he was senior vice president of global operations.
In a newly created position as vice president of Web products, Jeff
Grant will have responsibility for the development and marketing of
LeapFrog's strategic Web initiatives. He brings a wealth of experience in
this domain from his previous positions at Orbitz, where he served in
several key senior management positions since 2001 including VP of Product
Marketing.
Hilda West has joined LeapFrog as senior vice president of human
resources. West is responsible for advancing LeapFrog's strategy by
attracting top-tier talent to the Company and helping to create a more
metrics and results driven culture. A former executive at the global
software provider, Autodesk, she served in several human resources
leadership positions during her tenure there, most recently heading its
global talent management efforts and helping to drive company-wide human
resource strategy.
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., is a leading designer, developer, and
marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging
for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. The company was
founded in 1995 and is based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog has
developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than
100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as
phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies,
spelling, vocabulary, and science. In addition, the company has created
more than 35 stand-alone educational products for children from birth to 16
years. LeapFrog's award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six
languages at major retailers in more than 35 countries around the world.
LeapFrog SchoolHouse's multisensory products currently reach students
in more than 100,000 classrooms across the U.S. with more than 200
interactive books and 500 skill cards, representing more than 6,500 pages
of educational content. LeapFrog SchoolHouse is a business division within
the Education & Training Group of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
NOTE: LEAPFROG, the LeapFrog Logo and FLY are trademarks or
registered trademarks of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Contact:
Sara Lanza Hickman
Shannon Eis
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Kaplow Communications
510-596-5406
212-221-1713
shickman@LeapFrog.com
seis@kaplowpr.com
CONTACT: Sara Lanza Hickman of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.,
+1-510-596-5406, or shickman@LeapFrog.com; or Shannon Eis of Kaplow
Communications, +1-212-221-1713, or seis@kaplowpr.com, for LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc.
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2006 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
Ticker Symbols: LF
File Segment: NW File 649
9/9/200 (Item 200 from file: 649)
DIALOG(R)File 649: Gale Group Newswire ASAP(TM)
(c) 2012 Gale/Cengage. All rights reserved.
05462430 Supplier Number: 155884278 (THIS IS THE FULL TEXT )
LeapFrog Announces New Direction and New Leadership for Schoolhouse Division.
PR Newswire , NA
Dec 14 , 2006
Language: English
Record Type: Fulltext
Word Count: 913 Line Count: 00103
Text:
School Business Will Focus on Technology-Based Early Literacy and Reading
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LeapFrog
Enterprises, Inc. , today announced changes in its SchoolHouse(TM) division
to return it to profitability and to more closely align it with the
Company's consumer strategy.
"Going forward, the SchoolHouse division will focus on what we do
well and what we are known for -- innovative technology-based approaches to
early literacy and reading," explained Jeffrey G. Katz, president and chief
executive officer of LeapFrog. "As a result, we are reducing the size of
our SchoolHouse organization and focusing our sales and product development
resources on reading curriculum for core grade levels. With these changes
we expect the division to be profitable in 2007."
Highlights of the plan that began its implementation today are:
-- LeapFrog's successor products to the LeapPad(R) Learning System, which
are in development for introduction in 2008, will also be sold in the
school market. The LeapPad platform will continue to be sold and
supported as required by current school customers.
-- The SchoolHouse division will continue to create and market
curriculum-based content developed specifically for schools. The
division will continue to market and support core products including:
LeapTrack(R) system, The Literacy Center, Language First!(TM), the
Interactive Library, key pre-kindergarten programs, and other new
products offerings that strengthen the reading product line.
-- The LeapTrack(R) system, LeapFrog's assessment tool for standards-based
assessment and instruction, will be adapted as an online tool for 2008
launch. LeapFrog's research and development teams will continue to
support the product's capabilities to ensure that schools using them
will see improved student achievement, as required by their annual
yearly progress goals under the No Child Left Behind Act.
-- LeapFrog's curriculum, editorial, and state standards alignment
processes, which are core to both its consumer and SchoolHouse
products, will be integrated into the Company's overall product
development organization.
-- Though smaller in size, the SchoolHouse division will continue to have
a significant direct sales force to support its key accounts across the
country. Additionally, the Company will strengthen its catalog and Web
sales efforts to more effectively cover smaller accounts where a direct
sales force proved too costly.
With these changes, Jessie Woolley-Wilson has decided to leave
LeapFrog to pursue other interests. Mike Lorion will replace her as head of
the LeapFrog SchoolHouse division, effective immediately. Mike brings with
him nearly 30 years of sales and marketing experience in the education and
technology industries with companies such as Palm Computing and Apple
Computer.
As a result of these actions, the Company will cut the division's
operating expenses in half, mostly through a headcount reduction of
approximately 60 people. To effect this change, the Company expects to
incur a charge in the fourth quarter of 2006 of about $3 million, or $0.05
per share.
"SchoolHouse remains an integral part of our business and a
differentiating capability that also supports our consumer business, and as
such, is an important investment priority for LeapFrog," confirmed Mr.
Katz. "However, the division's profitability was not satisfactory and
therefore was something we had to address. The actions that we have taken
will provide a solid foundation for profitability and growth."
About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and
marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related
proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging
for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. The Company was
founded in 1995 and is based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog has
developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than
100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as
phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies,
spelling, vocabulary, and science. In addition, the Company has created
more than 35 stand-alone educational products for children from birth to 16
years. LeapFrog's award-winning US Consumer products are available in six
languages at major retailers in more than 25 countries around the world.
The LeapFrog SchoolHouse curriculum programs are currently in more than
100,000 classrooms across the US with over 200 interactive books and over
450 skill cards representing more than 6,000 pages of educational content.
LeapFrog SchoolHouse products have won numerous awards from the education
industry, including the Golden Lamp Award and Distinguished Achievement
Award from the Association of Educational Publishers, the Award of
Excellence from Technology & Learning magazine, and the Teacher's
Choice Award from Learning magazine.
NOTE: LEAPFROG, the LeapFrog Logo, LEAPPAD, LEAPFROG SCHOOLHOUSE,
LEAPTRACK and LANGUAGE FIRST are trademarks or registered trademarks of
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
Cautionary Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act Of 1995:
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news
release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding
the Company's expected 2006 financial results; anticipated financial
performance improvements such as expense reductions, expenses incurred and
future profitability; anticipated product launches and the availability of
future product features; the effectiveness of the Company's products,
services and features; and expected future business capabilities. These
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the
Company's ability to develop and launch new products, services and features
on time and at anticipated margin and profit levels; the Company's ability
to develop and market products, services and sales channels that are
accepted by teachers and schools at sales and profit levels to justify the
development investment; the Company's ability to retain effectively key
personnel in the SchoolHouse division with capabilities integral to the
division's strategy; and the ability of the SchoolHouse division to compete
effectively with its competitors, many of whom have longer operating
histories, greater brand recognition and more resources than the division.
These and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the
Company's SEC filings, including its 2005 annual report on Form 10-K filed
on March 7, 2006, could cause the Company's actual results to differ
materially from those discussed in this release. All forward-looking
statements are based on information available to the Company on the date
hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update such statements.
Contact:
Sara Lanza Hickman
Eileen VanEss
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
510-596-5406
510-420-5361
shickman@LeapFrog.com
evaness@LeapFrog.com
CONTACT: Sara Lanza Hickman, +1-510-596-5406, or
shickman@LeapFrog.com; or Eileen VanEss, +1-510-420-5361, or
evaness@LeapFrog.com, both of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Web site: http://www.LeapFrog.com/
COPYRIGHT 2006 PR Newswire Association LLC
Company Names: LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.
Descriptors: Toy Industry
Industry Codes/Names: BUSN Business; BUS Business, general
Product/Industry Names: 3944000 (Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles)
SIC Codes: 3944 Games, toys, and children's vehicles
NAICS Codes: 339932 Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing
Ticker Symbols: LF
File Segment: NW File 649
Material Used:
Bluesheet for file 411
Dialog Pocket Guide
Exercise #2 Directions
www.Leapfrog.com
dialogclass.com