Archive for the ‘Toys’ Category:
Radio Controlled Vehicles
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If you love fast-paced cars, good for you, because there are virtually radio controlled vehicles of all shapes and sizes. If you are a really serious race car enthusiast, then you will find that hobby miniature cars found on general store shelves cannot satisfy your cravings for a real sports RC car. Those are toys and you definitely want something more than that. It is true that some of these cars have amazing functionality and calling them toys is somehow degrading since some are even modeled in existing car models. However hobby radio controlled vehicles offer more than that. A hobby level car will offer interactive features that include working lights, detailed interiors and even radios that play mp3 tracks. If you are thinking, ‘that is great’, then you are ready to jump into the deep end of radio controlled vehicles.
RC cars use radio signals to remotely control the vehicle and do a bunch of things. From the first radio controlled small boat back in 1898, radio control has come a long way and today’s cars are advanced pieces of ingenuity. Using small but powerful electric motors and rechargeable nickel-cadmium cells, these small machines appeal to both the young and the old. Radio controlled vehicles are easy to operate and have relatively low danger level with most not exceeding 20 miles per hour making them safe even for very small ‘adults’. Because most are modeled after real-life cars, enthusiasts are more likely to enjoy the variety that comes with it. In addition to common car models, there are also radio controlled versions of trucks, bulldozers, tanks and motorcycles which increases the number of ‘odd’ vehicles that you can have in your collection with some unorthodox designs in the picture as well.
If you are looking for speed-hungry radio controlled vehicles, then consider hobby race cars. These cars are powered by the nitro fuel and their tiny combustion engines will sound much like real cars do. However, the fuel is far from cheap. For those looking for big honking monsters, a gas-powered engine might just be the solution. Depending on the design, these cars are much larger and have better performance than nitro-powered cars. One advantage that nitro and gas-powered models have is that they are air-cooled meaning that they can be raced continuously and only need to stop for fuel ups. Electric models need to cool down otherwise they gonna burn out some component. When purchasing a radio controlled car, consider the model, the design, how it is powered and where you want it run, whether on or off-road. Whatever the decision you make, I can assure that you will have fun with any of the radio controlled vehicles. Let the fun begin!
 | US $73.72 End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 21:14:39 PST Buy It Now for only: US $73.72 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $59.33 End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 15:53:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $59.33 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $30.52 End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 21:14:22 PST Buy It Now for only: US $30.52 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $30.24 End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 21:14:23 PST Buy It Now for only: US $30.24 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover
Everyone remembers when Bratz first came onto the toy scene, daring to intrude on Barbie’s territory. Mattel had long held a monopoly on the dress up doll market and then all of sudden, these upstart brats rose up to challenge their rule. Bratz was initially unsuccessful, understandable considering Barbie’s influence, but it fairly quickly won over legions of girls with their bug eyes, pouty lips and edgy fashion, which was an intriguing contrast to the wholesome, perhaps becoming tiresome, Barbie. Bratz has taken over a significant share of the market to itself with lines like Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover and Bratz Genie Magic, but Mattel wasn’t about to back down with a fight. There have been subsequent lawsuit battles between Mattel and MGA Entertainment over issues of infringement. Mattel won a suit in which it complained that the creator of Bratz had designed the line while still employed at Mattel, and as a result MGA Entertainment had to halt production of Bratz. However, this has so far been on hold and MGA has filed an appeal. MGA also filed a suit of its own, claiming that the “My Scene” Barbie dolls had ripped off of the Bratz design, and the verdict for this suit is also on hold.
Therefore, in the meantime the Bratz franchise continues to sell its products and it has expanded beyond fashion dolls to even TV shows, movies, video games and music. Despite its predicament, Bratz products are alive and well, selling off quickly as well as attracting controversy. Some have expressed concern with the message that Bratz dolls conveys to the girls that play with them. For example, the Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover style heads allow girls to style hair, and administer tattoos, eye shadow, lip gloss and the works. Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover is also targeted at girls ages 6 to 12. It suggests that girls apply the same makeover to themselves, “although Mom might not let kids leave the house afterwards.” Even the American Psychological Association has commented on the possible over sexualization of young girls, and others worry that lines like the Bratz Funky Fashion Makeover encourage girls to dress provocatively and objectify sexuality at such an early age.
Yet others find it questionable or laughable to think that Bratz dolls are responsible for a hypersexual culture. It’s all just fantasy and fun, and it’s girls themselves who actually want to put on makeup and dress up regardless of what Bratz dolls do. That might be true, but media and consumerism have a considerable effect on how girls think. Bratz dolls themselves are not the issue; they merely represent a growing concern that sooner or later needs to be addressed.
 | US $29.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-18-2010 12:14:48 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $29.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-18-2010 12:50:21 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $26.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 13:29:48 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $26.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-18-2010 12:52:15 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
Hasbro Toys
Hasbro toys are some of the hottest must have items because they reach out to a diverse consumer audience, which makes sense considering that Hasbro is internationally one of the biggest toy companies in the market, competing with other big toy companies like Mattel, the creator of the Barbie brand. Hasbro produces toys and games for all ages from toddler to even adult. There are many products you might not have known came from Hasbro—board games like Clue and toys like Mr. Potato Head, for instance. In truth many of these products are owned by other companies, but they are subsidiaries of Hasbro, which means that Hasbro controls their operations and owns all of their products. So when we talk about Milton and Bradley games, Playskool, Tonka, and Tiger Electronics toys, we’re really talking about Hasbro toys and games.
Hasbro headquarters is located in Rhode Island, but today most Hasbro toys are manufactured overseas in China. In its beginnings, Hasbro came up with Mr. Potato Head and GI Joe, and later on My Little Pony. As it subsidized more companies, Hasbro became responsible for Transformers action figures, Candy Land, Jenga, Wizards of the Coast, Star Wars, Twister, Chutes and Ladders, Care Bears, Yahtzee, Play Doh, Pokemon, Zoids, Cabbage Patch Kids, Tinkertoys, Easy Bake Oven, Cranium, Dungeons and Dragons, Scrabble, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and you get the idea. It’s practically a monopoly, and they own Monopoly too. Go figure.
So there’s no way that Hasbro is going to miss out on this season, and some of the most sought after Hasbro toys are the Hasbro Playskool Step Start Walk n Ride, Bop It, the Hasbro Games Monopoly Deal Card Game, the Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper, the Transformers Movie 2 Leader Optimus Prime action figure, the Nerf n Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS 35 Dart Blaster, and the Hasbro Nerf n Strike Maverick. All of these are currently on the leading sellers list at Amazon along with other toys produced by Cepia, LeapFrog, Melissa & Doug, Fisher Price and Mattel. Giving Hasbro some competition are the Zhu Zhu Hamster Pets, Twilight Barbies, the Slice and Bake Cookie Set, the LeapFrog Scribble and Write, and the Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks. All of these products will be highly sought after, but Hasbro is bound to have a strong performance in the market and will likely continue to for years to come.
 | US $1,999.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-24-2010 16:04:45 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $1,999.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $245.00 End Date: Saturday Mar-27-2010 21:04:45 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $245.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $129.95 End Date: Thursday Apr-01-2010 19:59:02 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $129.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $89.88 (10 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 21:48:36 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
