MICROSOFT BRINGS INTERACTIVE LEARNING TO A TELEVISION NEAR YOU.
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Microsoft Corp. is extending its Actimates Interactive line of toys in North America to include Teletubbies, which are cartoon characters - each characterized by a specific color and antenna on its head- that live and play in Teletubbyland. The four characters are Laa Laa, Po, Tinky Winky and Dipsy. They debuted in the Teletubbies television show in the U.K. in March 1997. The North American television debut occurred on PBS in April 1998. Microsoft's Actimates Interactive Teletubbies include two components: Actimates Interactive Teletubbies and Actimates TV Pack. The Teletubbies have unique personalities for kids to discover, hundreds of words, animations and sound effects. They feature "magic" TV tummies that light up with colors, shapes and patterns. With the TV pack, Acitmates Interactive Teletubbies will interact with Actimates-encoded Teletubbies videos. Two Actimates Teletubby characters, Laa Laa and Po, will be available next month at Toys R Us and Wal-Mart stores across Canada. Tinky Winky and Dipsy are scheduled to be available in the summer. Promotion of the Actimates will be done through Interactive "Try Me" packaging and in-store displays. The new package allows customers to test the Actimates by pushing the characters stomach through a hole in the package. The POS materials and packaging was created in-house by Microsoft. The Teletubbies join the Actimates line which includes Barney, Arthur and DW, all of which are designed for children ages 1 to 4 years-old.