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May 05, 2006
In the last McNamara Report, I commented on the misguided marketing strategy of Fujifilm’s new SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer one-time-use film cameras. I just can’t imagine today’s parents rushing out to buy a film camera for their children.
Later in the day, we posted a news item on the new Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera for preschoolers that solidifies my point: I predict that this cute, tough little digital camera, priced at under $70 and designed to be dropped, kicked, sat on, and covered with drool (just like my new laptop computer after my 4-year old found it) will outsell the Fujifilm OTU cameras in a big way.
But let’s be real, with only VGA resolution (640x480 pixels), the Fisher-Price camera isn’t qualified to make photo-quality 4x6-inch prints. However, I don’t imagine many of the photos taken by 3-5-year olds using a film camera would be deemed worthy of 4x6-inch prints either. Instead, the Fisher-Price digital camera will delight children, and even parents, with its ability to instantly preview images on its tiny LCD monitor, hook up to a computer for larger image viewing, and eliminate the price of film and print processing.
Now, if only the designers at Fisher-Price could invent the following photo-related toys for kids at a price we all could tolerate:
1) Photoslop: An image manipulation and retouching program for 3-5 year olds that praises them each time they remove toys and clutter from photos taken of their rooms with the Kid-Tough Digital camera.
2) Potty Photo Album: A tough, water-resistant photo-viewing device (with a 2.5-inch LCD) filled with photos of cartoon characters and a sound track that explains how fun it is to get potty trained. It can be updated with smiling faces of parents once the goal is accomplished.
And finally,
3) The PreSchool Printer: Hook your Kid-Tough Digital Camera or your Dad’s DSLR via USB to this 4x6 color printer and out pops your favorite photo. Then the image on the polyester, tear resistant paper dissolves in about 20 minutes and you get to reuse the same paper all over again. Just perfect for the attention span of a preschooler and a perfect way to keep your refrigerator door free of silly prints.
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