Raving Toy Maniac

January 13, 2012 - Listed below are the toy (and child-related) recalls from this week; these links go to the official announcements on the Consumer Product Safety Commission web site.

Chariot Carriers Recalls Child Bicycle Trailers and Conversion Kits Due to Injury Hazard

The Land of Nod Recalls Bed Frames Due to Entrapment Hazard

Bicycle Helmets Recalled by Triple Eight Distribution Due to Risk of Head Injury

Proactive at the Ports: CPSC Stops Unsafe Products Before They Reach Consumers

Toys"R"Us, Inc. Raises Record-Breaking $4 Million to Help Kids in Need During its Eighth Annual Toys for Tots Campaign

Joined by Superstar Shaquille O'Neal's Holiday Alter-Ego, Shaq-A-Claus, Company Helped Spread Holiday Cheer to Kids in Need with More Than 400,000 Toys Collected in "R"Us® Stores Nationwide

WAYNE, N.J., Jan. 11, 2012 -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced that its eighth annual fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was its most successful to date, raising $4 million and collecting more than 400,000 toys to help make the holidays brighter for kids in need across the United States. During the nine-week campaign, Toys"R"Us® and Babies"R"Us® stores nationwide served as THE holiday giving headquarters as they collected new, unwrapped toy donations. Customers also made monetary contributions in stores and online at Toysrus.com/ToysforTots through Christmas Eve.

January 11, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several new items of interest to collectors:

Hi - Here is a quick update from http://www.bigbadtoystore.com about some
great new arrivals and many more cool new preorders:

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NEW PREORDERS
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MASS EFFECT FIGURES - SERIES 01, 02 - SETS, SINGLES
The Mass Effect figures are once again up for pre-order, with Big Fish
taking over where DC Direct left off. Both Series 01 and Series 02 are
available again, with the sets of four going for $67.99 each ($12 off
MSRP), and singles of all eight figures listed at $17.99 each. The
upcoming shipment will also include bonuses - each character includes
updated photos, character bio, storyline, and logo, and is packaged with
Mass Effect 3 branding. Each has a pack-in card and bonus downloadable
in-game content, which is exclusive and different for each character.

Jon-Paul Kaiser's Captain Sturnbrau Figure lands!

January 2012 - "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated!"

Toy2R proudly presents Jon-Paul Kaiser's latest release, Captain Sturnbrau. Following his crew, Olaf the Mute 8" Qee Bear and Nathaniel Vigo, the 5" Mini Qee Mon, Captain Sturnbrau takes the Mini Qee platform to new heights featuring a completely new head sculpt, arms (one with a hook) and even a peg leg to capture Jon-Paul's complete vision of this cutthroat pirate.

Available now at art toy boutiques everywhere and priced at a sea shanty from a mermaid, capture the captain while you can... and complete your Jon-Paul Kaiser series - Tales of the Whispering Corsair.

Living Dead Dolls Thirteenth Anniversary Series Variant Set Now Available Exclusively from Mezco Direct!

January 2012 - This special series pays tribute to the very first set of Living Dead Dolls which first thrilled collectors 13 years ago.

This is the first time in Living Dead Doll history that a complete series has been reissued. Unlike the Thirteenth anniversary series offered earlier this year, these reproductions of original Series 1 dolls replicate the paint ops, accessories, and packaging of the highly sought after inaugural series. These recreations are virtually identical to their originals except for the use of the new style ball jointed body.

The lineup includes the 5 original Series 1 dolls:
Sadie - Accessories include knife, coffin purse, and bouquet.
Posey - Comes complete with her rose.
Sin - Comes complete with pitchfork.
Eggzorcist - Comes complete with basket and oversized roach.
Damien - Comes complete with his slingshot and trio of "books."

Qualcomm and Sesame Workshop Collaborate to Explore Educational Applications of Augmented Reality
- Companies Demonstrate Prototype Playset at CES 2012 -

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 10, 2012 -- Qualcomm Incorporated and Sesame Workshop, the producer behind Sesame Street, have joined forces to explore augmented reality experiences for children that encourage learning and imagination. A longtime advocate of embracing cutting-edge technologies to enrich children's early learning experiences, Sesame Workshop teamed with Qualcomm to create a prototype playset that brings physical toys to life. The application will be demonstrated at International CES, Jan. 10-13, in Qualcomm's exhibit (South Hall 3, Booth #30313).

Fisher-Price and Spatial View Partner to Bring View-Master® 3D Content Into the Digital Age

EAST AURORA, N.Y., Jan. 10, 2012 -- Fisher-Price, Inc., the largest infant and preschool toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., announced a new partnership with Spatial View Inc., a leading innovator in stereo 3D content distribution and auto-stereoscopic display technologies.

Fisher-Price will offer a selection of images from the company's View-Master image archive, regarded as the largest collection of 3D still images in the world. "The View-Master archive is a virtual treasure-trove of 3D imagery capturing over 100 years of history and culture," said Peter Snajczuk, Vice President of Marketing for Fisher-Price. "We're thrilled to be working with Spatial View to make these spectacular images available digitally for download from ViewMasterDigital3D.com to a variety of 3D mobile devices and Internet-connected 3D TVs."

January 10, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several new items of interest to collectors:

Mass Effect Series 01 and Series 02 revived by Big Fish
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=mass+effect+01
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=mass+effect+02

Impossible Toys - Alpha Trion, Arblis, Kranix figures - 39.99 each
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=impossibletoys.com

BigBadToyStore.com

JAZWARES™ NAMED WORLDWIDE MASTER TOY LICENSEE FOR HALFBRICK STUDIO'S HIT APP, FRUIT NINJA™

First Line of Fruit Ninja Toys & Electronics to Hit Shelves in 2012

SUNRISE, FL - Jan. 9, 2012 - Jazwares™, a leader in the licensed products marketplace, slices into the mobile app category with the announcement it has been awarded the master toy license for Halfbrick's hit app, Fruit Ninja™. Inspired by Fruit Ninja's fruit-slicing, action-packed adventures, Jazwares' new range will include figures, plush and electronics with interactive features that will bring the Fruit Ninja app to life.

"Jazwares is extremely excited to add Fruit Ninja to our successful roster of licenses," said Laura Zebersky, executive vice president sales, Jazwares. "We hold master toy licenses for some of the top television shows and children's properties available, and there is no doubt that we are ready to move into the app category. Fruit Ninja is a fun, colorful and unique app that will translate well into toys and electronics."

Fisher-Price® Kid-Tough® Portable DVR Puts Preschoolers' Favorite TV Shows in the Palm of Their Hands

New device enables parents to digitally record any content that comes from their home cable box or satellite system and take it on the go!

EAST AURORA, N.Y., Jan. 9, 2012 -- Watching TV shows on the go has never been easier for preschoolers, thanks to the Fisher-Price® Kid-Tough® Portable DVR. Even new TV episodes can be recorded for viewing on this cool, kid-friendly, hand-held device.

Recording TV shows is easier than finding the remote! It takes parents only a matter of minutes to simply attach the Kid-Tough Portable DVR to its base unit that is connected to their TV and set top box (DVR, cable box, satellite box, digital converter box) and they can record their children's favorite TV shows. Recording can even be programmed for up to 24 hours in advance of the show's air time.