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Category Archives: Disney Family/Online
NEW Disney Princess App Celebrates Rapunzel as 10th Disney Princess!
As Disney gets ready to welcome Rapunzel as the 10th princess in the Disney Princess royal court, Disney Publishing is joining in on the celebration with the launch of its newest app for iPad – Disney Princess – Royal Party!
Disney Princess – Royal Party App Features Include:
- Read along with Rapunzel on a brand new original adventure.
- Create your own Crown and bake tasty Princess Cupcakes.
- Make magical scenes of your own with all the Disney Princesses including Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White and Tiana.
- Create and share invitations for your own exciting party!
- Swipe your finger and enjoy fun coloring pages with Rapunzel and all the Disney Princesses!
- Tap the screen and solve Puzzles of scenes from Rapunzel’s own adventure Tangled and get to know Rapunzel’s friends, Flynn, Maximus and Pascal.
- And don’t forget to look for more treasures hidden in the app!
The Disney Princess: Royal Party app is available for download for iPad at the App Store for $4.99/£2.99.
From the picture above:
During her sightseeing adventures, Rapunzel takes a break by the Thames where she can admire Tower Bridge. Disney will officially welcome Rapunzel as the 10th Disney Princess character at a celebration at Kensington Palace, to take place in front of a global audience on October 2, 2011.To tweet this photo include #RapunzelCelebration in your message to be part of the online conversation. For more information visit www.disney.co.uk/rapunzel
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- Rapunzel Enjoys Sightseeing At London’s Covent Garden (chipandco.com)
- Rapunzel Has Arrived in London For Her Royal Celebration at Kensington Palace on October 2nd; Rapunzel’s Hair Cascades Off the Salt Tower (chipandco.com)
Technology Enables More Moms to be Household CEOs
Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) announced today results from the second installment of its “M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission” research study, started in 2010, that illustrate how women are utilizing technology and the Internet to make being a mom easier. The study revealed that more moms are taking on the role of Household CEO and using technology products to help get the job done.
Mom’s use of computers, mobile phones and tablet computers continues to grow as she finds them even more essential to stay connected with family and friends and manage household activities. 96% of the moms surveyed said they owned or used a computer, up 9% from 2010; and 91% use a mobile device, up 11% from 2010, with 44% using a smartphone. 7% of moms surveyed owned a tablet, up 133% from 2010.
“Today’s moms are adopting emerging technologies at an impressive rate to help manage their families’ busy lives and use as entertainment platforms with their kids,” said Dave Dickman, SVP of digital media sales for DIMG. “For digital marketers who are trying to reach moms, we believe this second wave will help them better understand the shifting behavior.”
Mobile Phone is Mom’s Lifeline to Family and Friends
Mom’s mobile phone use has increased significantly, particularly to communicate with her family. She is texting, visiting social networks and searching for coupons far more than last year. The moms who were surveyed said they conducted the following activities on their mobile phones at least once a week:
Text with spouse/partner: 63%, up 17% (from 2010)
Talk to child: 53%
Visit social networks: 45%, up 32%
Take pictures of family: 44%, up 13%
Browse websites: 43%, up 39%
Use mobile search engine: 40%, up 38%
Manage calendar: 40%, up 18%
Play games with her child on mobile phone: 30%, up 25%
Look for discounts/coupons: 25%, up 213%
Smartphone Mom Uses Her Device Almost 4 Hours a Day!
44% of the moms surveyed with mobile phones own smartphones. On average, moms with smartphones spend 3.9 hours per day using the device for a host of activities ranging from email and texting to visiting social networks and talking. The study also showed that mom uses her smartphone to have fun with her child. Playing games, taking pictures and videos and watching videos with her child are some of her favorite activities.
Mom’s Tablet Makes Her Feel Like Super Mom!
For those surveyed who own tablet PCs, in addition to emailing and visiting social networks, mom is managing her schedule, reading news, doing her banking, couponing and meal planning on her tablet. More than half the moms with tablets said the device is helping them be more efficient in getting things done and managing their life and family.
Another surprising finding was that mom is using her tablet to play with her child, especially to play games. 48% of moms who own a tablet and 39% of moms who own a smartphone, said the number one activity they engage in with their children on their respective devices is playing a game.
Mom’s Use of the Internet Continues to Increase
Mom leverages her multiple technology devices to access the Internet and get more done. According to the survey, she performs the following household-related activities online:
Online Banking/Investing: 62%, up 9% (from 2010)
Look up directions: 61%
Find recipes/plan meals: 59%, up 9%
Find/print coupons: 58%, up 21%
Shop for her family: 54%, up 15%
Research products: 42%
Look for family travel ideas: 37%
Look for family activities and crafts: 36%
M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission Study
Disney Online’s M.O.M. – Mom on a Mission study was conducted in June 2011 by Ipsos OTX MediaCT, with the objective of gaining insights to understand today’s mom, her roles, and how technology and the Internet affect her life. The study was conducted in two phases: consumer immersion blogs and online quantitative study. In Phase One, eight moms interacted in an online, secure blogging environment by uploading images, video and text for one week. In Phase Two, an online quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 3,300 females, ages 21-54, who were either currently pregnant or had one child in their household between the ages of 0-14 years.
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- Disney Interactive Media Group to Preview Upcoming Video Games at D23 Expo 2011 (chipandco.com)
- Disney Family.com Launches Season Three of “The Possibility Shop” (chipandco.com)
Disney FamilyFun Magazine Announces 20th Annual Toy of the Year Award Winners
The editors at Disney FamilyFun magazine today announced their 20th annual Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Award winners, which were narrowed down from a pool of more than 300 entries after extensive evaluation by parent and child testers across the country. Published in FamilyFun’s November issue, on stands October 18th, the top 30 toys of the holiday season were selected as T.O.Y. Award winners for their innovation, durability, play value, safety – and, of course, fun factor. While notable toy manufacturers like Mattel, LEGO, LeapFrog, and Razor made the list, hidden gems from independent, smaller companies are also winners — a hallmark of the FamilyFunawards.
“After compiling all of the feedback from our family testers, it was clear which toys were a hit and are destined to be hot holiday picks this coming season — toys that both kids and parents will love,” said Ann Hallock, Creative Director at FamilyFun. “The trend for tablet-like toys, and toys with downloadable apps such as LeapPad Explorer, was in full force this year. On the flip side, family games, such as Perplexus Epic and Richard Scarry’s Busytown Busy, Busy Airport Game, continued to be a big hit as families look for low-cost, low-tech ways to have fun together,” she adds.
Top 10 FamilyFun T.O.Y. Award Winners for 2011:
- Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Starter Set – A classic is taken to new heights — off the floor and onto the wall! Kids will love having their cars perform stunts on a vertical surface. Mattel; $30; Ages 4 to 10
- Meon Deluxe Animation Studio – Budding artists will enjoy exploring the possibilities this innovative art set offers. Once kids have made an illuminated creation with the glowing strands, they can play one of five games. Skyrocket Toys ; $35; Ages 5 and up
- Perplexus Rookie and Perplexus Epic – Two versions of this toy — one for older kids and one for younger — challenge players to navigate a metal ball through a round, 360 degree maze of obstacles. PlaSmart; $20 Ages 4 to 8, $30 Ages 8 and up
- Alien Mothership 7065 – This building set is truly out of this world! Space-lovers will delight in constructing an extraterrestrial transport, complete with spooky sound effects. LEGO; $60; Ages 8 and up
- Whipple Deluxe Pastry Set – With this sweet craft kit, kids can create confections — play food, necklaces, a jewelry box shaped like a cake — that look good enough to eat. (Just don’t be tempted!) International Playthings; $35; Ages 7 and up
- Bogo – A modern day pogo stick, Bogo offers an exceptional bounce that’s higher and smoother than young jumpers have ever experienced. Razor; $90; Ages 6 and up
- LeapPad Explorer – With this kid-friendly tablet, little ones will enjoy emulating their parents while having fun testing out the device’s art studio, e-books, games, and video functions. LeapFrog; $100; Ages 4 to 9
- Richard Scarry’s Busytown Busy, Busy Airport – Favorite characters are ready to visit far-flung lands in this cleverly-designed game, which has players flying round the world and collecting souvenirs. Wonder Forge; $20; Ages 3 to 7
- Pirate Ship – Those itching to hit the high seas can get their fix by building and coloring a kid-size cardboard model ship. Land ho! Box Creations; $40; Ages 3 to 8
- Head Shotz Twin Battle Pack – Finally, a toy that kids are supposed to wreck! This R/C set pits two robots with interchangeable battle arms against one another. Silverlit; $40; Ages 5 and up
Launching on Android devices this October is FamilyFun’s ToyHopper App, making it easier than ever for busy parents to find the perfect gift, including this year’s T.O.Y. Award winners and hundreds of other toys, books, DVDs, and video games. Sponsored by LEGO Games and available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and now, Android, each item listed in ToyHopper has been family-tested and hand-picked by FamilyFun editors and can be sorted into shopping lists, shared with friends, and filtered by age, price, type, or theme.
To view all 2011 FamilyFun T.O.Y. Award winners, check out the November issue of Disney FamilyFun magazine on the iPad and on newsstands. To learn more about FamilyFun, visit FamilyFun.com and Facebook.com/DisneyFamilyFun, or follow @FamilyFun on Twitter.
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- Disney Family Fun – Hit the Road Sweepstakes (chipandco.com)
- Disney Family Fun Magazine- 1 year subscription for only $5.99! (cover price is $29.90) (bxcheapskate.com)
Disney’s First Original Character for Mobile Splashes onto the App Store in ‘Where’s My Water?’
Disney Mobile today released Where’s My Water?, a fun and challenging physics-based puzzle game for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Available now on the App Store, Where’s My Water? marks the debut of Disney Mobile’s first original game character, Swampy, a friendly alligator on a quest to be clean.
In Where’s My Water?, players guide water through subterranean layers of earth, rock, and broken pipes, and into Swampy’s bathtub. The water in the game flows with life-like physics. Developed by the team behind JellyCar, the critically acclaimed squishy physics platformer, Where’s My Water? features 80 levels of challenging puzzles, rich graphics, humorous effects, and a story that unfolds over time.
“Where’s My Water? exemplifies Disney’s approach to mobile game development, which combines a compelling story with high production value, and great gameplay,” said Bart Decrem, GM of Disney Mobile. “We believe Where’s My Water? is a must-have app for gamers of all ages.”
Where’s My Water? key features include:
- 80 challenging levels (four chapters of 20 levels);
- Storyline that unfolds with the gameplay;
- Hidden “Easter eggs,” bonuses and surprises that show off Swampy’s unique personality and bring the game to life!
The Where’s My Water? App is available for $0.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or at http://www.itunes.com/
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XBox 360′s Star Wars Kinect Videogame Delayed
Microsoft has confirmed to OXM (Official XBox Magazine) that both Kinect Star Wars and the limited-edition Xbox 360 Star Wars bundle have been delayed.
Previously listed for release in “holiday 2011,” both have now been pushed back, presumably to next year although no new date has been given. Speaking exclusively to OXM, Microsoft said the delay was in order to achieve the game’s “full potential.”
Xbox 360 Star Wars Kinect Limited Edition Bundle
“Microsoft and LucasArts have elected to move the launch of Kinect Star Wars beyond holiday 2011 to ensure the full potential of this title is realized,” a spokesperson told us. “This move applies to both the Kinect Star Wars stand-alone game and the Kinect Star Wars Limited Edition Console. We will communicate additional timing information at a later date.”
That’s a shame. I was hoping to score the limited edition bundle for the holidays but it looks like I, and many of you, will have to put our plans on carbonite.
Pre-order the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle