Disney Enters PC Market

Zebbers writes "Disney announced today from NYC that they are entering the personal computer market. With a childish design, built in content control and other kid-friendly features, it could be a breakthrough or just another specialized device flop. Do children really need their own specialized computer?" johnpaul191 points out that frogdesign designed the box, and writes "It looks sort of like a squared-off eMac (but blue), and has a flat mouse-shaped front (the ears are speakers!). It uses a a pen for on-screen input, as well as a keyboard and mouse."

Comments

It's been done before... but not so well.

[LostCluster]

Mattel has tried this trick before by licensing their Barbie and Hot Wheels brands to a small PC maker known as Patriot Computers back in 1999.

However, parents who paid $699 for the units just before Christmas Y2K got seriously burned when Patriot Computers went bankrupt. Nearly 1100 customers ended up out their money and getting only a $100 coupon for Matel products. For families that only had $700 to spend on toys for the kids, this was a fiasco.

Re:Everyone remember what a hit the Barbie PC was?

[Technically Inept]

It's true that the OP didn't RTFA, but it should be noted that a similarly configured Dell (the lowest model they have with some RAM tacked on) is currently priced at $476, including monitor and speakers. So there is definitely a sizeable Disney premium on a decidedly low-end system. Tough sell.

Re: Mickey Mouse operation

[Luigi30]

Microsoft doesn't make them. They're rebranded.