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Non-Tech : Radica Games (RADA) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: David who wrote (6706)2/8/1999 12:53:00 PM
From: Walker  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 7111
 
Thought this might be of interest---

'Star Wars' Figures From Hasbro Learn
To Speak in a Boost for Electronic Toys
By WILLIAM M. BULKELEY
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Hasbro Inc. unveiled a line of speech-enhanced "Star Wars" figures and a pact with a leading robotics expert in moves to boost its fast-growing portfolio of electronic toys.

The No. 2 toy maker, leading an industry trend, has been adding technology to a growing portion of its product line, even creating computer versions of board games like Monopoly. Analysts expect electronics-related sales at Hasbro to reach $850 million of the company's $3.7 billion total in 1999 -- success that follows years of frustrated high-tech development efforts.

At the industrywide American International Toy Fair opening in New York Monday, Hasbro, of Pawtucket, R.I., is making several announcements cementing its technology strategy. The company is showing buyers a system that will allow a new generation of "Star Wars" action figures to simulate speech with the aid of a microchip-laden tag and a separate palmsize speaker.

The technology was developed by Innovision Research & Technology Ltd., Berkshire, United Kingdom. A Hasbro official said the new "Star Wars" figures will be priced somewhere above the $5.99 figures that were 1997's best-selling boys' toy, but under $8. Price information for the speaker, sold separately, wasn't available.

The new "Star Wars" action figures will go on sale at the beginning of May, three weeks before the May 21 opening of the next "Star Wars" movie.

Hasbro also has agreed to license technology from ISRobotics Inc., a Cambridge, Mass., company founded by Rodney Brooks, head of the artificial-intelligence laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a pioneer in the field of mobile robotics. Products resulting from the agreement aren't expected to emerge until 2000.

This agreement follows the big U.S. Christmas success of Mindstorms, a robotics construction set from Lego Group AG, Denmark. Lego is also expected to roll out a new line of "Star Wars"-themed interactive toys that will feature some Mindstorms technology at the New York toy show Monday. Unlike Mindstorms, however, which requires a computer to program the toys, Lego's "Star Wars" line won't. The toys will carry a self-contained programming system and be able to emulate many of the chores and tricks performed by their computer-enhanced counterparts, such as warning of intruders in a house, following flashlights in dark places and roaming along prescribed boundaries. Simplified for nine-year-olds, the Lego "Star Wars" line is expected to outsell its older-age appropriate Mindstorms by a ratio of 4 to 1, according to Lego's internal estimates. The new toys will retail for $99, half the price of a Mindstorms.



To: David who wrote (6706)2/10/1999 11:53:00 AM
From: Skywatcher  Respond to of 7111
 
David...I visited the GirlTech site and reviewed the 4 new games/devices...as promised they look good and I am sure you have done your usual magic in the production of them....ie good low cost manufacturing that you are so good at.
I have a question for you or others that visit the site...I think my settings for video are the same as most 640, but not at 600/800 and
on the pages of the individual gadgets (that's the official word for them) I can't see nor can I scroll to the right to see the small changing icons with the different sayings (conversation balloons).
I was wondering if anyone else was having or noticed this problem.
chris



To: David who wrote (6706)3/4/1999 9:45:00 AM
From: swedelo  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 7111
 
David,

I would appreciate a response to a few questions I have concerning RADAF, and the manner in which it is handling it's investors, and securities:

1.) I agree with the statements made here by many concerning the "scarlet F" at the end of RADAF's trading symbol. My question: Has a symbol change been discussed and/or approved by the board? And, if so, when can we expect to see the change?

2.) Small cap stocks, no matter what the value, are not moving. The advent of mutual fund, bond fund and index fund investing caused by the advent of 401k and other retirement programs have led to nothing but a large cap & "INCOME" market. The only way a small cap will ever see any appreciation in this market (and I now realize this IS the market of the future) is for one of three (3) things to happen. First, the company through tremendous growth & acquisitions becomes a large cap stock and/or index listed. This would require a market cap of over 1 billion dollars or in RADAF's case approximately $550/share. Even I don't see this happening...LOL. Second, the company can sell out or merge with an existing large cap ( MAT or HAS) at a nice premium to current market valuations. I don't know if RADAF has had talks along these lines, and am aware it would be inappropriate for you to comment on anything along these lines, if in fact you were in these kinds of negotiations. Third, and I feel most importantly, these low PE, high earnings companies like RADAF, will have to start paying a dividend. I feel the only way to get any interest (besides those already stated) is to get the "INCOME" buyers interested. For instance, over the last year if you had paid 25% of net earnings ($13million) in dividends, shareholders would have realized approximately a 5% yield on their investment at current prices. Also, the company would still have retained 75% ($38mm) for capital purposes and growth/investment ventures. I would think Mr. Pickup & Mr. Davids would like this idea as well, as it would have grossed Mr Pickup (at .60/share) on 6 million shares $3.6 million; and, Mr Davids would have realized gross income of $2.16 million on his 3.6 million shares. My question: has the board discussed the possibility of paying a dividend on its common stock, or is that completely off the radar screen?

Best Wishes,
Swedelo



To: David who wrote (6706)5/11/1999 9:28:00 PM
From: Harpo  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 7111
 
David, I am concerned about the fallout from the terrible blunder involving the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and possible repercussions relating to trade, especially Radica Games. I'm somewhat nervous about it. Can you make any comment about the situation?

regards,
bb