Say what you like about Barbie, but she knows her gadgets almost as well as she knows fashion. She's been a computer engineer, had a video camera implant and worn a T-shirt with a built-in LCD screen. Now with the launch of Barbie Digital Dress, she's shown she's once again on-trend (in both technology and fashion) by showing off an LED touch-sensitive dress.
Maybe inspired by Nicole Scherzinger's LED Twitter dress, Barbie's latest techno-clothing – which recently debuted at the New York Toy Fair – can be illuminated by 114 tri-color LEDs. The dress is controlled by a 4.5 square inch (29 sq cm) resistive touch panel which can be drawn on with fingers, or an included pink (naturally!) stylus.
Different modes – which are selected by buttons on Barbie's heart necklace – give users the ability to play a series of ready-to-go graphics, like hearts and fireworks, or draw custom animated designs after selecting their colors of choice. A third mode sees graphics on the dress respond to music and sounds.
Barbie Digital Dress Doll will be released in August (just in time to get on those Christmas lists) and will cost US$50.
Source: Mattel