We got some power ranger toy that must have had 20 wire tires on it
plus was in that hard pressed plastic that you need a torch to open.
On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 16:56:05 -0500, Critter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> i've not installed my son's interactive tv gig yet... but I am totally
> with you on the friggin wire ties... he received quite a few
> transformers... holy shit... what are they afraid they will escape the
> packaging?? Small Soldiers II ? they are definitely over done.
>
> On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 13:00:25 -0500, Jim Davis
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > A few observations from a dad who spent many hours setting up toys.
> >
> > 1) The Fisher Price "Interact TV".
> >
> > The unit itself is actually pretty well done. Essentially a universal DVD
> > remote it offers your children a large touch pad of options allowing them to
> > interact with episodes of their favorite shows ("Dora the Explorer" for
> > example).
> >
> > Setting up the unit was fairly painless (if a little obtuse) and it runs on
> > three AA battery (like so many other things lately that simply refuse to use
> > an even number of batteries) which, of course, are not included.
> >
> > The problem here was in the packaging. The face of the box featured a
> > button which, when pressed, regaled the listener with a recorded speech
> > about the product. Upon opening the thing it's discovered that this speaker
> > unit is quite large and has printed in large type on it back-side:
> >
> > "Please discard this sound unit when disposing of package. It is not a part
> > of the toy."
> >
> > So, they provided a complex thingamajig just for marketing. As a good geek
> > however I, of course, took a screw driver to the four small screws holding
> > the unit together. What do I find inside? Three brand new Energizer AA
> > batteries.
> >
> > So, essentially, they included batteries with the toy, but decided to have
> > them power a useless marketing device and instruct you to throw them away
> > immediately.
> >
> > 2) "Klondikers"
> >
> > My son likes these building toys. That's why we bought them. They are
> > flower-shaped plastic widgets that dove-tail together.
> >
> > My beef is the idea that these toys are, as is emblazed on every square inch
> > of the packaging, "educational". I understand that building sets that use
> > same-shaped blocks tend to make children exercise their imaginations a bit
> > more, but "educational". It seems a silly stretch to me, personally.
> >
> > 3) Big boxes.
> >
> > With all of the practical, environmental, and just plain obvious benefits to
> > smaller box sizes why do we still have board games being shipped in these
> > cardboard coffins? I know - store shelf space is valuable, but that can be
> > settled with an in-store display (a cardboard frame the size of the old box
> > to display much smaller actual boxes).
> >
> > "Battleship" is still a pair of simple folding units, but the box the game
> > comes in could hold six of them easily. Several rolls of stickers
> > ("Spongebob" and "Dora the Explorer" stickers to be precise) are in boxes
> > 18" on a side.
> >
> > 4) Wire Ties
> >
> > Yes, wire ties. Tightly wrapped, machine crimped, taped closed, impervious
> > to scissors, holding-down-every-God-damned-piece-of-the-friggin-toy WIRE
> > TIES!
> >
> > 5) Hermetically Sealed Blister Packs
> >
> > When did it become a 50/50 proposition that you would break a toy just
> > removing it from its packaging? And goodness forbid that you might want to
> > actually return the piece of crap with its accompanying pile of twisted,
> > sharp-edged plastic and cardboard slag.
> >
> > 6) "Robosapian"
> >
> > Actually (since I've already talked about packaging) I've got nothing to say
> > about this little guy. It's really freakin' cool. ;^)
> >
> > Merry Christmas!
> >
> > Jim Davis
> >
> >
>
>
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