It may be 2012, but the toy industry is starting to look a lot like it did a generation or two ago.
Just a few days before Black Friday signals the beginning of holiday shopping fury, the U.S. Public Interest Group has released its 26th annual "Trouble in Toyland" report, alerting consumers to the dangers and toxins that can still be found in children's toys.
When Justin Bieber chopped off his trademark shaggy sideswept hairdo last February, legions of tween "Beliebers" gasped in shock. So did one 49-year-old veteran toy maker who delivered the very first Bieber dolls to rabid fans last year.
A recently recovered recording from the first-ever talking doll could also be the first-ever commercial recording, historians said after the audio was posted online by the National Parks Service Wednesday.
Angelina Jolie and the kids join Brad Pitt on location in Malta
Get ready Elmo fans. The beloved red furry monster and his Sesame Street pals are back with a bang, and a band!
It has become as traditional as turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie: On the day after Thanksgiving, shoppers bundling up and heading out before dawn for retailer's eagerly awaited Black Friday doorbuster deals.
Wal-Mart's highly awaited Black Friday ad promises hot deals on high-definition TVs, Blu-ray players, laptops and holiday gift favorites such as toys and DVDs, according to a copy of the retailer's circular obtained by CNNMoney.com on Saturday.
Want to get an extra early jump on this year's holiday must-haves? Take an exclusive look at what products Google says are already burning up the Internet 14 weeks before Christmas.
There are still 10 months and 10 days until Christmas. But investors in toy companies are already in a festive, holiday mood.
Parents have reason to rejoice this year, because it looks like bulky is out and flat is in - with toys, that is.
Good news for Zhu Zhu fans: The fuzzy electronic hamsters have quickly multiplied from just four last year to more than 40 new ones -- including the Kung Zu battling hamsters -- that will hit stores this summer.
Good news for Zhu Zhu fans: The fuzzy electronic hamsters have quickly multiplied from just four last year to more than 40 new ones -- including the Kung Zhu battling hamsters -- that will hit stores this summer.
I wasn't a neat freak when I married, but I'd be the first to tell you that somewhere between having two kids under age 3 and the consequent explosion of Cheerios, teeny white socks, puzzle pieces, sippy-cup valves, and "Plastic Things That Play Mozart", I have lost my mind and changed my ways.
It's the size of a credit card and about as slim as a cell phone. But the coolest feature of Mattel's new Hot Wheels ride is its 3D action: Push a button and the "flat" car pops up into a remote-control vehicle.
Three-dimensional televisions, Internet-enabled TVs, touch-screen "tablet" computers, e-book readers and other fun new gadgets were scattered all over the enormous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It could have been any other night at the Aspen Social Club in midtown Manhattan, except on this evening more than 100 New Yorkers mixed, mingled and sipped free booze for the worthy cause of providing toys for kids in need.
The Girls Next Door costar has already picked up onesies, a Santa hat and a Nerf football for hours-old Hank
An "excessively loud" triceratops and a little girl's chemical-laced purse were among the items listed in the U.S. Public Interest Research Group's 2009 list of dangerous toys released Tuesday.
Zhu Zhu Pets, the inexplicably cute robotic hamsters that have become this year's overnight holiday toy sensation, are selling out across the country.
As it faces down Wal-Mart in a book price war, Amazon could take a few lessons from Toys "R" Us.
The battle for your toy dollar is on! Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us are just two of the giant monster mega-toy sellers going head to head this holiday season.
HLN Money Expert Clark Howard has a few holiday strategies that will help you give more, but spend less.
Plus: Justin's tequila bash, Rihanna's girls' night and more
Toymaker Mattel Corp. agreed Friday to pay $2.3 million in civil penalties for violating a federal lead paint ban that resulted in the recall of millions of its Barbie, Dora and other popular-branded toys in 2007.
A year after millions of toys and other children's products were recalled over lead concerns, advocacy groups say the government's efforts to enforce stricter safety laws is causing more confusion for parents about what is safe to buy.
Safe toys
updated: Tue Dec 09 2008 17:23:00
Last year's toy recall is prompting a change in toy buying, as CNN's Judy Fortin reports.
After last year's massive toy recall, Stacy Duran isn't taking any chances when shopping for toys this holiday season.
One in three toys tested was found to contain toxic chemicals such as lead, flame retardants and arsenic, according to a report issued Wednesday by an environmental group.
Milk product samples from three Chinese dairies have tested positive for a chemical that has already killed four babies and sickened thousands more after it was fed to them in powdered infant formula, state-run media reported Thursday.
Chinese officials in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported the death of a fourth baby Thursday in the country's expanding contaminated infant formula case. The tainted milk powder has already sickened more than 6,200 babies.
Two brothers who sold fresh milk used to produce contaminated baby milk powder were arrested by Chinese investigators Monday and could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, the state-run newspaper.
Officials on Monday announced the death of a second child who consumed contaminated milk powder. More than 1,200 others have been sickened, according to China's Health Ministry.
Macy's Inc.'s saw its second-quarter earnings drop slightly and warned on Wednesday that full-year profits will be below Wall Street expectations as shoppers are more cautious about spending
Many American families are already digging deep to pay for gas and food. Now they can add toys to the list of products they will be paying more for in 2008.
The Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to beef up the federal agency that oversees the safety of consumer products after a spate of recalls involving imported products.
The U.S. Senate voted Thursday to beef up the federal agency that is charged with the safety of consumer products.
Wal-Mart Stores and Toys "R" Us announced new mandatory safety checks Friday for its toy manufacturers following a wave of recalls that hurt the industry this past holiday season.
Kids' rooms have to fulfill some unique requirements. Besides being a place to sleep, they must provide space to play, study and store a mountain of clothes, toys and all other kinds of kid stuff. All this in what often is the smallest room in the house.
The Toy Industry Association said Friday that it expects to release a draft of tough new safety rules, which include a plan to require manufacturers to test toys for hazardous chemicals and defective designs, on Feb 1.
Toy industry executives met Thursday to hammer out tough new safety measures for toy makers, including a requirement that would make testing mandatory.
The U.S. toy industry may have a subpar holiday season as nervous parents look for alternatives to traditional toys, according to a new report from Standard & Poor's Equity Reseach.
With millions of toys recalled this year, charities across the country are struggling to play Santa
Time.com: The Holiday Hot Listupdated: Fri Nov 30 2007 12:00:00
Put down those fruitcakes, knit sweaters and scarves. The new standby holiday gifts include music players, Web-linked toys and furry boots
The good -- and bad -- news for "Guitar Hero" fans is that in the latest game in the franchise, RedOctane didn't mess much with the formula that placed its predecessors among the hottest game sensations of our time.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|