You can have fun for the whole family through games that you can take with you almost anywhere. With us this morning with some ideas is Elizabeth Werner, the chief toy officer for ivillage.com.
Family Games:
The Last Word - The Last Word is a fantastic party game that plays great with the whole family or any friends. It's won multiple awards and is fun to play, you simply connect Subjects with words that start with specific letters. The trick is to race a Random-Interval timer against the other players. $27.99 ages 8 +
www.buffalogames.com
Self Contained Toys for Easy Clean Up:
ZipBins- ZipBins offer dual benefits: they are fun for kids by providing hours of imaginative play and appreciated by parents because they simplify clean-up. They are available in specialty toys stores across America, come in 24 variations (including 4 sizes and versions that come with and without toys and accessories). They are designed to delight and have passed all safety testing for kids. Between $9.99 and $24.99 ages 3-8.
www.neat-oh.com
Polly Pocket Polly-tastic Adventure Jumbo Jet- This holiday, girls can join Polly Pocket as she boards the Polly-tastic Adventure Jumbo Jet for the ultimate jetsetter's fashion show. The jet opens to reveal several play areas including a main cabin, dressing room, game room, vanity, café and juice bar where Polly and her friends can play. And when the girls are done playing, everything packs right back up into the jet with easy portability. $49.99 ages 4 +
pollypocket.everythinggirl.com
100 Trick Ultimate Magic Show with Performance Table- Cadaco's 100 Trick Ultimate Magic Show has 100 amazing tricks and illusions that all pack up into a convenient carrying case perfect for taking the show on the road - or putting it away in the playroom closet. This is the most complete magic set to date, with tricks for different skill levels so the set "grows" with your child! The tricks were developed by a professional magician, so they are fun and rewarding to perform. Your little magicians will be able to amaze their friends, and since there are 100 tricks, they won't be repeating anything! $39.99 ages 7 +
www.cadaco.com
Educational Toys:
SmartGlobe Junior- The SmartGlobe Jr was created for the youngest kids at home following the success of the awarding winning SmartGlobe, which was recognized as the "2007 Educational Toy if the Year" by the Toy Industry Association. It is an interactive globe with cool animations and sounds that introduces kids 3 and up children to animals, famous sites, language, music, food and clothing from around the world. Also available in a Barbie version. $49.99 ages 3 +
oregonscientific.com
New Action Figures:
DC Super Friends My First Batmobile and Deluxe Figures- Youngsters can now get behind the wheel of their very own Batmobile, with this new preschool friendly toy line, DC Super Friends. This kid-friendly line of action figures and vehicles are specifically designed for small hands and introduces little ones to the world of super heroes with easy-to-use play features, such as the My First Batmobile vehicle and character figures like Superman, Batman and Green Lantern. $29.99 Batmobile, $11.99 Action Figures. ages 2 +
www.mattel.com
When you think of the holidays, you often think of the music that goes with it. With us this morning to show us some of the holiday CDs that just debuted is radio personality Vic Latino.
Just a little more than a week after its release, the new Rock Band video game is all the craze. It's like the popular guitar hero games, but this one also includes bass guitar, drums and vocals. Here to show us how it works is ABC news radio tech producer, Andrea Smith.
Harmonix, the worldwide leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, along with distribution partner Electronic Arts, today announced that the Rock Band Special Edition Bundle is now available at retail stores across America for the for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system.
Rock Band is an all-new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune - all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals.Featuring the most master recordings of any music game ever by the world's biggest rock artists, Rock Band includes 58 tracks and spans every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic rock to heavy metal and punk. With multiple instruments and an impressive selection of online and offline game modes to choose from, with the ability to play as a band or individually, Rock Band offers an infinite number of ways to play each song and live out your ultimate rock and roll fantasies.
In addition to the 58 songs available on the game disc, Harmonix and MTV Games are offering a stellar first line-up of new downloadable content available at launch to satiate the desire for constantly refreshed Rock Band content and enable players to customize their game experience. The robust download calendar includes multi-song packs, full albums and individual tracks from some of rock and roll's biggest artists.
The Rock Band Special Edition Bundle (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system) features a Fender Stratocaster guitar controller, an electronic drum kit, real drum sticks, a microphone and software. The Xbox 360 bundle also comes with a USB hub for easy plug-in access for all instruments. Standalone Rock Band software is also available which supports a variety of 3rd-party instrument peripherals as well as enables owners to share peripherals with those who own the Special Edition bundle.
Rock Band is rated "T" for Teen (lyrics, mild suggestive themes) by the ESRB.
As previously announced, Rock Band is slated for release on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system on December 18, 2007 in North America. Rock Band will ship in Canada on December 17th for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2. Rock Band will ship in Europe for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation2 computer entertainment system in the first quarter of 2008.
EA is the exclusive distribution and marketing partner for Rock Band, managing distribution for the game in US, Europe and Australia.
For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems, please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.
About MTV Games:
MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complements the core values of the MTV Networks brands.
About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc:
Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: www.harmonixmusic.com
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc., headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at info.ea.com.
A local New Jersey man is getting the attention of the Smithsonian!
Jonathan Singer's unique pictures of flowers nearing extinction are just about to be put on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
He joins us this morning to show us his works of art.
Is that Botanica Magnifica? Can you explain what makes it unique?
It is the first set of books since Audubon's Birds of North America to be printed and bound in this huge size (Double Elephant). It advances the study of Botany. Most people associate botanical art with small sketches like Redoute's work. My images are large, color perfect and taxonomically perfect.This new botanical artistic representation causes people to want to understand more about the science behind them as well as raises awareness of what a magnificent planet we live on and the fragility of that diversity. This is why the Smithsonian Institution is behind this project and Botanica Magnifica edition #1 will be gifted in May of '08 and kept in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington under the care of Dr.W. John Kress, botanical curator and research scientist
Are these paintings or photographs(they look so much like paintings)?
These are photographic prints.They are achieved in a three step process:
a. the capture of the image with a state of the art Hassleblad digital camera b. the use of handmade japanese paper and custom brilliant inks c. the printing process using 25 year printing technology pushed to its limits
Where do the flowers come from?
The Smithsonian Research center collection and the United States Botanical Gardens in Washington DC as well as private collectors. The project evolved with the help from Marc Hachadourian, curator of the Glasshouse Collection, N.Y Botanical Garden from scattered individual plants into a scientific 5 volume set divided by category including some of the rarest plants in the world, with some nearly extinct species and many new to science.
How can people see or collect your work?
There is an exhibit now at the Westwood Gallery in Westwood New Jersey and a web site Botanicamagnifica.com 5. Q. Mr. Fitzsimmons as gallery director, what have viewers reactions been to the work?
A. Jonathan' s work is unlike any artist we represented, my clients often have very strong emotional reaction to the beauty of these images. They collect because it speaks to them and they enjoy seeing it every day in their home.
What else is in the works?
An offer has been made by a Japanese businessman for edition #2.
It promises to be world record price paid for a contemporary photography book set. The price will be revealed in the Feb issue of Vanity Fair when contracts have been finalized shortly.
