Toddler tech, er, 'toys'

The toy business is getting out of toys, the New York Times reports. Toy manufacturers and retailers think toddlers want tech devices, not toys, because they want to emulate Mom and Dad with the real thing, not "fake" phones, music players, and computers - of concern to some educators and pediatricians. We can see for ourselves, though: "Consider the 'hottest toys' list on Amazon.com, which includes the Easy Link Internet Launch Pad from Fisher-Price (to help children surf on 'preschool-appropriate Web sites') and the Smart Cycle, an exercise bike connected to a video game…. Inside the Toys 'R' Us, the shelves near the store’s front were brimming with toys with a high-tech twist." It's good news for the toy biz because toy sales have been flat, and this is a growth area.