Important Advisory:

We are now requiring companies to provide us with documentation that their products have been tested by an independent lab for phthalates and lead.
Please click here for submission requirements for new products. However, as we are not a lab, we will not be independently verifying those results. Also, with the exception of the 2008 Platinum Toy Awards, toys submitted for review prior to January 2008 were not tested for lead.

Instructions for submitting product to the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio for review.

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High Tech Toys

While the news is full of reports that kids are leaving toyland earlier and earlier, there are still great high tech choices for even the most tech savvy kids. Whether it's a high tech robot, pentop computer or gadgets for the Ipod, we found something for everyone!

( Hasbro $$24.99$ ) I-Dog works both as an interactive pet and as a speaker for an MP3 player. Cleverly it does have that sleek white I-Pod look. We tested the I-Dog with several groups of tween testers. The I-Dog was a bigger hit with girls. Boys tended to prefer the IZ from Zizzle. Girls thought it was a great accessory to their IPods. One tester wrote: "I really liked the dual use of the I-DOG. When I was experimenting with the toy first I realized that you can use the toy as either a game or a makeshift pet. It was incredibly entertaining." There were some complaints about the long set up time, but overall the I-Dog did very well with our testers (ages 7-14). Is this a must have toy? Not really. But if you're looking for a speaker for your child's IPOD, here's a good choice for the money. It also gets the music out of their ears so that they have a better chance of hearing you call them to dinner! Age: Late School Years, Tweens, Teens. Phone: 800-752-9755. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2006

( Zizzle $$39.99$ ) IZ looks like a playful alien. Twist his ears,nose and eyes and you will activiate a random collection of sound effects and music. Plug IZ into your MP3 player and he now becomes a speaker. We put IZ to the test against I-DOG, the ipod inspired pup from Hasbro. IZ appealed much more to boys (young and old). Our girl testers felt that IZ was cute but "younger looking" than I-DOG. Our 11 year old boy tester wrote: "It was still appealing after the newness wore off. It would be a cool desk toy to fool around with in the duller hours of the day." Boys generally liked the robotic, alien design of IZ. This same tester hit the toy on the head: "I found IZ, besides being entertaining, a bit pointless. But, then again, fun can sometimes be pointless, right?" We agree. Age: Late School Years, Tweens. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2005

( WowWee $$99$ ) Our eleven-year-old testers were thrilled with this programmable 14'-high black-and-white robot that walks, dances, picks up and tosses objects, and delivers karate chops! Not designed for instantaneous gratification--there's a manual that involves reading and thinking to make things happen. Marked 6 & up, we'd say better for 9 & up. (514) 344-1250. Age: Late School Years. Phone: . Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award 2005

( WowWee $$250$ ) Last year's Robosapien was a hit with our testers...but now he is an even bigger hit, literally! The V2 stands almost a head taller and able to do more stunts than his earlier self. He's a more powerful robot that kids can program with even more motions. While you can make something happen by just pushing a button, we liked the fact that kids really have to work to get the Robosapien V2 to do all of his tricks–--requires kids to stay with it! Age: Late School Years, Tweens, Teens. Phone: . Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award 2006

( Tiger Electronics $$49.99$ ) Plug the training droid into your TV and players with wireless light saber are ready to become Jedi warriors. Testers had an aerobic workout swinging the light saber and ridding the galaxy of droids and other evildoers! We don’t usually review zap-it games, but this is more fantasy than war, and multi-generational—may even get parents up and on their feet! May the Force be with you. 8 & up. (888) 836-7025. Age: Late School Years, Tweens, Teens. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2006

( Twentieth Century Fox$$49.95$ ) As fun as it was to see these movies the first time, there is something special about sharing them with your kids. You won't be disappointed! There are some changes from the original. One of our young viewers insisted that Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) was always featured at the end of the third movie. It wasn't until a parent pointed out that he was only two when the third movie was release! There are also behind the scenes making of the movies which older movie buffs will enjoy as well. Young Jedi will be interested in the extensive line of Star War sets from Lego including the Clone Scout Walker ($9.99) and the Darth Vader Transformation ($6.99). Hasbro's interactive Star Wars Saga Edition Game with lightsaber was a huge hit with our testers (both young and old). Trust the force Luke! Age: Late School Years, Tweens, Teens, Adults. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Award