Barbie gets a techy makeover, still dresses fabulously
(Credit:
Mattel)
I haven't checked in with Barbie since I was about 10, but apparently a lot has happened since then. Barbie's sartorial choices notwithstanding (satin halter tops?), the fact is, she's getting kind of geeky.
At the American International Toy Fair going on this week in New York, Mattel introduced a Barbie that connects to an MP3 player and can sing the songs that are playing AND answer the phone. OK, the Chat Divas Barbie Doll doesn't actually sing, she lip syncs and dances to the music. But when the phone rings, you can hold the receiver up to her ear and she'll "answer" the phone.
As one fellow Craver noted, the gadget-toting angle is a cute idea, but there are plenty of songs that should never come out of Barbie's mouth. For instance, I think hearing my favorite childhood toy belting out any Pussycat Dolls song might scar me permanently.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
