Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : NewKidCo International (OTC:NKCIF) (TSE:NKC) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jim geis who wrote (3185)	4/6/1999 8:50:00 AM
From: SemiBull	Respond to of 4231

Related reading(?): Technology Takes Aim At The Toy Chest Date: 4/6/99 Author: Michael Lyster If a Slinky is your idea of a high-tech plaything, you haven't been in a toy store lately. From play PCs to dolls that work with your computer or television, toys are more complex than ever. In many cases, they're driven by powerful chips and software, much like computers. And you're just as likely to see the Microsoft Corp. name on these playthings as you would Mattel Inc.'s. ''Chipmakers and technology companies are saying, 'Wow, this is an area we haven't tapped yet,' '' said Jill Bilzi, editorial director of Playthings MarketWatch, a New York-based industry publication. ''Company after company is coming out with microchip-fueled toys.'' The top-selling toy last holiday season was Hasbro Inc.'s Furby doll, which - thanks to a microchip -speaks 800 words and phrases. The MindStorms Robotics Invention System, a computer-charged Lego set that lets kids build their own robots, also turned heads. At February's International Toy Fair in New York, a slew of other high-tech toys made their debut. They included interactive Teletubbies from Microsoft, a computer-linked X3 Microscope from Intel Corp. and a wireless pocket-size device from Playmates Toys Inc. for kids to send electronic messages to one another. At $22 billion in annual sales, the toy industry is a tempting new market for technology companies. Market researcher Forrester Research Inc. projects sales of so-called ''smart toys'' will reach $2 billion annually by 2002, up from just a trickle today. Mainstay toy makers such as Mattel and Hasbro see flashy new products as a way of attracting tech-savvy kids. ''So many kids today have pagers and cell phones,'' Bilzi said. ''Technology is second skin for them.'' But high-tech toys bring their own concerns for parents. Prices are one, although they aren't always out of reach. Also, tech toys don't always offer any added educational value. ''Every product is different,'' said Al Nilsen, vice president of marketing for San Mateo, Calif.-based Zowie Intertainment Inc., a smart- toy maker backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. ''There are products that are educational, and then there are products that are toy-focused.'' When buying toys, consider your child's age, experts say. For preschoolers, look for products from well-known companies that encourage the growth of motor and cognitive skills. As kids get older, the learning value of smart toys isn't as critical. ''There are certain skills you should be looking to encourage in your preschooler,'' Bilzi said. ''But I am not sure you learn much from video games.'' The best smart toys stimulate as well as entertain kids, experts say. They also expand real-world experiences, such as having kids sing along with interactive dolls or create their own pictures or designs. The worst smart toys cause stress and unhappiness by making kids feel as if they've lost control. Smart toys can be demanding on kids, says Hillary Retting, editor of the Web site Technocopia. Take virtual pets - pager-size devices where a cat or dog lives on-screen. Users have to tend to their virtual pets, or face the prospect of their running away or dying. While a new virtual pet reappears with the push of a reset button, having one die can confound youngsters, experts say. Look for smart toys that have different skill levels and challenge kids as they get older, says Zowie Intertainment's Nilsen. Also consider the breadth of activities a smart toy offers your kids, Nilsen says. Compare that with the price of a smart toy and see whether your kids will get enough bang for your buck, he says. ''The same rules that apply to toys apply to smart toys,'' Nilsen said. ''It's a matter of if kids are going to have fun playing with it or does it just look cool.''

To: jim geis who wrote (3185)	4/6/1999 10:56:00 AM
From: Director	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4231

Ok Jim, if you agree that $5 would be possible... then you must agree that what they are doing now is having a positive impact on the value of NewKidCo. I don't have information that you couldn't get yourself... I just did a lot of research before I jumped. I also followed SoftQuad in years past, and even though you don't have the highest regard for Rabins and Co., you have to give him credit for what he has done in the past year. I think it has gone even better than he had imagined. That is why I am very positive about this company. Sony doesn't let just any company make their games, it was a small coup for NewKidCo to get these lucrative licenses. Look up any other PlayStation/Nintendo game company and check their stock prices, and many of these are companies that don't have a top seller. If any of the new/kidco games catches fire, then so will NKCIF.