| Only a few short weeks and Christmas will be on us | | | | range of toys is years behind the curve. |
| yet again. The time to give, and receive, will be on us | | | | Manufacturers generally steer away from |
| before we know it but have you considered what | | | | incorporating the technology until it has matured and |
| you'll be giving your children this year? You have to | | | | cost has dropped significantly. But this certainly doesn't |
| admit that, at this time of year, the full force of retailers | | | | stop them from charging the earth so that you children |
| marketing departments come to the fore. Television | | | | can have the latest 'it' toys for Christmas. Oh, for |
| advertising is ratcheted up another notch, newspapers | | | | those long gone days of tin soldiers! |
| and crammed full of the latest 'must have' toy and the | | | | So, what can you buy your children this Christmas that |
| internet bombards you with a torrent of emails and | | | | will keep them entertained and not cost you (Santa!) |
| flashing ads encouraging you to 'buy this before it's too | | | | the earth? I've chosen Elmo Live. My kids love |
| late...!' | | | | Sesame street, in particular Elmo and his spin-off |
| Not a problem? Well, yes and no. The big problem with | | | | series. They'll love this singing, talking, dancing |
| toys is that are becoming more and more | | | | interactive toy that resembles their favourite muppet |
| sophisticated - the ride on dinosaur; Kota Triceratops is | | | | characters AND interacts with them - just like having |
| an interactive robotic dinosaur that responds to human | | | | your own muppet in the home! The best thing about |
| proximity and touch. Pleo the Robotic Dinosaur is | | | | Elmo Live, compared to similar robotic toys, is the price. |
| apparently another robotic toy that is set to hit the | | | | Typically, Elmo is about one third of the price of Pleo |
| chart highs this Christmas as parents flock to the | | | | and a quarter of the price of Kota Triceratops. Sure, |
| stores, buying up high tech goods in their droves. | | | | you can't ride Elmo Live and he doesn't 'eat' his greens |
| Does it really have to be this expensive? No. The | | | | but I'm sure this toy will prove more enduring than |
| harsh reality is that the technology we see in the latest | | | | some of the current offerings on the market. |