LPWire: Motorola/Disney/Pixar Two-Way Radio and Cordless Telephone Coming Fall 2002

Motorola/Disney and Motorola/Disney/Pixar Two-Way Radio and Motorola/Disney Cordless Telephone Developed With frog design to Be First Products Introduced in Fall 2002

Disney Consumer Products is entering the consumer electronics arena for the first time, with plans to bring to market a broad range of innovative consumer electronics that combine a unique Disney design language with state-of-the-art technology, it was announced today by Andy Mooney, president of Disney Consumer Products Worldwide.

The first products introduced in North America and the United Kingdom in fall 2002 will be manufactured and distributed by global wireless communications leader Motorola, Inc., and will include a two-way radio and 2.4 GHz cordless telephone. The two products will feature both the Disney brand and the Motorola brand name. The global rollout will continue throughout 2003.

"Motorola's excellence in wireless communications elevates these products from 'toys' to top-of-the-line devices that will deliver real quality and performance to an untapped consumer electronics segment -- children ages 6-12," said Mooney. "Moving forward, we will continue to work with premier companies to expand the Disney consumer electronics portfolio to include products in every category, designed specifically to meet the needs of children and families."

"Motorola's new business relationship with Disney Consumer Products gives us a tremendous opportunity to expand our market to a younger audience. It also facilitates further development of innovative personal communication products for a broad range of consumers consistent with the legacy of Motorola," said Frank Myers, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Consumer Products Division.

To develop the new Disney consumer electronics portfolio, including the new two-way radio and 2.4 GHz cordless telephone, Disney Consumer Products looked to frog design inc., one of the world's foremost innovators in fully integrated design, to be the exclusive global incubator company for the initiative.

In 2001, frog design began studying the Disney brand and characters, identifying underlying nuances and commonalities to generate an abstract design language exclusive to Disney. As a result, consumers will recognize associations between each new product developed and several Disney characters.

"We are bringing our new electronic products to life by incorporating the characteristics and personalities of Disney characters into the physical and virtual interface of each product," said Mooney.

Motorola's Mickey two-way radio, Cinderella cordless phone and Buzz Lightyear two-way radio

Hartmut Esslinger, co-CEO of frog design, explained, "Disney has created an ideal opportunity for frog to do what it does best, with some of the most respected companies in the world. By combining our talent for innovation with our established relationships in manufacturing, we are able to quickly incubate and launch a line of extremely high-quality products with sophisticated designs, primarily for the young and young at heart."

The functionality, size and comfort of each Disney consumer electronics product is tailored to a child's sensibility and world. The new two-way radio (sold in pairs, MSRP $59.99) has a two-mile range(a), is compatible with all FRS two-way radios and features 14 FRS channels, each with 38 Interference Eliminator Codes to reduce interference.

Additionally, the Motorola/Disney Princess and Classic models and the Motorola/Disney/Pixar Adventure model replace industry-standard electronic call tones with the familiar and engaging voices of favorite Disney characters, including Cinderella (Princess), Mickey Mouse (Classic) and Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear (Adventure). In addition, the two-way radio features easy-to-use visual displays and operational buttons.

The 2.4 GHz cordless telephone (MSRP $59.99), available in the Classic and Princess models, features ring tones inspired by Disney characters, caller ID(b) and a base that uses fun Disney character phrases to "page" the handset if misplaced within the household.

The products will be available at leading retail outlets and etailers just in time for the holiday season. Consumers can find out more about the products by calling 1-800-353-2729, or by visiting www.motorola.com/cordless/disney (cordless phone) or www.motorola.com/radios/disney (two-way radio). Ringtone samples are available on the site.

In spring 2003, Disney will expand its consumer electronics portfolio with a second product launch featuring items from other key categories. All products will be developed in conjunction with frog design and will uniquely combine Disney content and technology.

About Motorola, Inc.

Motorola, Inc. is a global leader in providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2001 were $30 billion.

About frog design

Founded in 1969 by design visionary Hartmut Esslinger, frog has an unparalleled history of successfully applying its best-of-breed talent to address the challenges of companies competing in rapidly changing marketplaces through fully integrated design. frog has distinguished itself by developing a process of concurrent, multidisciplinary innovation, which rapidly delivers high-impact products, software and brand enhancements.

frog design has been part of some of the market's most significant success stories, including global product design strategies for Sony, Louis Vuitton, NEC and Apple Computer. Lufthansa Airlines airplane interiors and terminals as well as the Disney cruise ships are examples of frog's design and consumer experience integration. With its work for Microsoft, SAP, i2 Technologies, Dell.com and Prodigy, frog also established itself as the leader in software user-interface design and e-commerce solutions.

Headquartered in California's Silicon Valley, frog has additional offices in San Francisco, New York, Austin and Altensteig/Germany. www.frogdesign.com.

(a) Range will vary based on terrain and conditions.

(b) Caller ID requires additional service through the phone company. Consumers should check with their local phone company for availability.

--Posted July 23, 2002
Source: Motorola