Mattel makes first talking Barbie doll

Mattel has launched a talking version of the Barbie doll at the New York Toy Fair. So it’s official, Barbie is no longer just a dumb blonde.

The Talk With Me Barbie doll comes with a CD-Rom which, when connected to a PC, can be programmed to talk for 45 seconds. Experts say it could have educational uses, although further software would need to be developed.

It is thought that Mattel is trying to take the doll into areas beyond the usual confines of the girls’ toy market. In the US, the toy giant is using the slogan “Girls love computers” to advertise the doll, which should be available in the UK next year.

Meanwhile, rumours are circulating that last year in the US, more copies of the official Barbie CD-Rom were sold than Windows ’95 packages. However, its penetration of the UK CD-Rom market is still relatively low.