| As Christmas looms once more on the horizon the | | | | latest in a long line of recent products which mark a |
| retailers stock their shelves in the hope of a bumper | | | | sea change in the type of gifts and toys that we |
| season. Parents try their level best to appease the | | | | shop for. |
| kids at great expense but the era of the train set | | | | The market for techno toys is booming - perhaps a |
| and dolls house is over and the pressure and financial | | | | result of a two tier market where toys and gifts are |
| strain on parents increases. The increasing trend | | | | marketed to 'big boys' as well as kids. The techno |
| towards technology based toys means increasingly | | | | based lifestyle where we are surrounded by plasma |
| sophisticated products at increasingly sophisticated | | | | screen TV's, the latest audio equipment and games |
| prices. | | | | consoles is upon us and could be at the heart of this |
| The years most wanted toys reflect this trend with | | | | paradigm shift. This is, of course, felt more acutely |
| increasing emphasis on i-Pods and Sony PSP and a | | | | online than anywhere where retail sites providing |
| movement away from the traditional toys and gifts | | | | secondary products around this market are evident. |
| is more acute this year than any other. A case in | | | | One such example is Stand and Deliver ( a site |
| point is this year's most sought after gift - the | | | | dedicated to contemporary furniture to house the |
| Robosapien V2 as it pervades the stores and online | | | | techno products that we surround ourselves with. |
| retail pages Billed as a walking, talking humanoid, the | | | | All of which requires considerable financial outlay - |
| Robosapien V2 threatens not only the place of | | | | something which will be felt in the forthcoming |
| traditional Christmas toys, but the traditional | | | | months that at any point previously. |
| household pet as well. The Robosapien V2 is just the | | | | |