New Color Pixter Symphony Painter Software Is Based on
Critically-Acclaimed MIT Media Lab Software

(EAST AURORA, NY) December 3, 2004—Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. and the world's leading manufacturer of infant and preschool toys, has announced the release of Color Pixter^®. Symphony Painter, developed in collaboration with the Toy Symphony project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. Based on Hyperscore software developed under the guidance of Professor Tod Machover of the MIT Media Lab, Symphony Painter is musical composition software that allows children ages four and up to draw music and have it played through their Color Pixter, Fisher-Price's hand-held digital drawing toy.

"Hyperscore was designed to introduce children to the joys of musical composition and creativity in an intuitive and dynamic way, without years of technical study,” says Machover, Professor of Music and Media at the MIT Media Lab and widely recognized as one of the most imaginative and inventive composers of his generation. “Deep enjoyment and understanding of music comes from active participation, and composing one’s own pieces is the very best way. By incorporating Hyperscore technology, the Color Pixter Symphony Painter enables kids to experiment creatively with musical sounds without actually knowing how to read music."

Hyperscore was introduced in 2001 as part of Toy Symphony, an international music education project created by Machover and his team, to radically alter how children are introduced to music and bridge the gap between professional musicians and children. Hyperscore allows people who have never read a single note to “compose” a musical piece by freehand drawing of colored lines on a screen. The Hyperscore program then translates the drawing into color-coded musical materials such as chords, melodies and other sounds to create a full composition.

Similarly, Symphony Painter lets kids experiment with different musical sounds by simply drawing a picture. By choosing different colors and using different strokes when drawing, children can control the elements of a musical piece, such as the melody, rhythm, tempo, and harmonies to create original masterpieces. Children can also choose from 24 different musical patterns and 24 instruments and wacky sounds. Additional activities include background scene starters and a library of themed-graphics including musician figures, audience members and stage props, and a Mixed-up Musician game which tests a child’s memory of a pattern of notes that are played by a digital orchestra. Symphony Painter, for ages 4 and up, works with Color Pixter, sold separately. The software will retail for $19.99 and is now available.

Since its debut in 2001, Pixter has been one of the hottest creativity toys on the market. The Pixter platform is a portable computer that features an LCD screen, stylus and special function keys located at the bottom of the screen that give kids an entire menu of creativity options. Kids can create countless pictures, change them around, add special effects, stampers, sound effects and more—there are literally hundreds of activities and ways to draw. New drawing games and activities can be added by inserting additional Pixter ROM software packs. With innovative features and capabilities, Pixter continues to evolve and encourage endless imagination and inspiration for kids.

Mattel, the parent company of Fisher-Price, has been a sponsor of the Media Lab's Things That Think (TTT) research consortium for more than five years. During that time, Fisher-Price engineers and designers have paid very close attention to the research done by the Toy Symphony Group. In 2003, the opportunity to work with the

Hyperscore software arose with the introduction of the Color Pixter toy, which transformed the original Pixter from black and white to a full-color LCD screen. The engineers and designers from both entities collaborated to modify the Hyperscore program, and Fisher-Price created a software program that would allow children to experience the thrill of musical composition on their Pixter toy.

“Fisher-Price continues to stay abreast of the latest advances in technology and regularly looks for ways to apply them to our toys,” stated Tina Zinter-Chahin, Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Fisher-Price. “The MIT Media Lab has been a great resource in helping us translate the magic of cutting edge technology into fun and engaging children’s toys.”

The MIT Media Laboratory is an international leader in the development of innovative digital media and information technologies, and boasts a uniquely flexible, non-hierarchical organization, designed to encourage unconventional and counter-intuitive thinking. Housed in an award-winning I.M. Pei building, the Media Lab is located on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Always a hotbed of innovative artistic expression, the Media Lab is increasingly developing technologies and concepts that foster creativity—empowering people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all societies, to design and invent new possibilities for themselves and the communities around them.

Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. Its often-emulated Play Laboratory was the first child research center of its kind in the toy industry, allowing researchers to observe the way children play and how play benefits their development. The result is a 75-year legacy of high-quality toys that enhance early childhood development. Some of the Company’s best-known “classic” brands include Little People®, Power Wheels® and View-Master®. The Company also creates toys that bring some of the most popular and widely recognized characters to life—from Barney™ and Blue’s Clues™ to Disney, Dora the Explorer™, Sesame Street®, and Winnie the Pooh. Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of babygear products (nursery monitors, infant swings, high chairs, and more). The Company’s web site, www.fisher-price.com, provides valuable information and resources to parents.

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