LeapFrog's New Pentop Computer Ready to Fly Off the Shelves of Major Consumer Electronics Retailers

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- One of the year's most innovative new consumer electronics products, LeapFrog's FLY(TM) Pentop Computer, is now available at major consumer electronics retailers nationwide, today announced LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading vendor of technology-based learning products and the developer of the new computing platform. First announced in New York City last January, the highly- anticipated new platform has been hailed by industry pundits and reviewers for its unique technology, which transforms pen and paper into an interactive computer, and for its many creative and engaging learning applications that make the FLY Pentop Computer attractive to both technology-savvy tweens (ages 8 - 13) and their parents.

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"Our new FLY Pentop Computer platform has completely blown the doors off of any prior learning products for tweens. We have opened up an entirely new class of learning opportunities that were seemingly impossible to conceive of until now," said LeapFrog President Jerry Perez. "It's all about making learning accessible, engaging and effective, and we believe the FLY platform can make a very positive and enriching difference in the lives of busy tweens."

"Not only are parents and tweens in the consumer markets anxious to get their hands on the FLY Pentop Computer, but school districts and teachers are clamoring for us to make it available for classroom use as soon as possible," Perez added.

Retailers Stock Shelves Across the Country

The new FLY Pentop Computer, a variety of specialized educational applications, games and accessories are available beginning today in the consumer electronics aisles of Walmart, Target, Toys 'R' Us, Best Buy, K-Mart and Circuit City across the country.

Dr. Robert Calfee, Dean Emeritus at the School of Education at the University if California, Riverside, and Chair of the LeapFrog Educational Advisory Board, states, "I am so impressed by the educational value of the FLY Pentop Computer. This new computing platform gives students the ability to engage fully in problem-solving and thinking with an innovative, intuitive and smart 21st Century tool. I'm particularly impressed with the potential opportunities for students to do genuine work in science and mathematics."

Homework Help and Much More

Applications launching for the FLY Pentop Computer, known as FLYware(TM), include a range of useful learning programs that can help tweens with their homework through guided instruction and personalized practice. Because of its rich educational content and convenient, portable form factor, some tween testers dubbed the FLY Pentop Computer a "pocket tutor." New FLYware products available today include FLY Through(TM) Spelling (3rd - 5th grade), FLY Through(TM) Math: Multiplication and Division (4th - 6th grade), FLY Through(TM) Spanish: Pocket Translator, and FLY Through(TM) Tests (6th - 8th grade: math, science, and social studies).

For fun and learning, LeapFrog has teamed up with Upper Deck to release Flyball(TM), an interactive baseball trading card game; Disney Publishing has joined forces with LeapFrog to develop the W.I.T.C.H. -- FLY Journal for fans of the popular Disney book series; and LeapFrog has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to launch a Batman Begins(TM): The Battle for Gotham City(TM) Interactive Strategy Game designed for use with the FLY Pentop Computer.

Many accessories are also available for FLY Pentop Computer customers, including FLY paper, FLY notebooks, stickers, expansion card packs, quizzes, and game pads. Additionally, LeapFrog is offering a FLY backpack, speaker, recharger, and special face plates to personalize the FLY Pentop Computer.

Personal Learning Tool is Ready Anywhere, Anytime

The new FLY Pentop Computer platform is designed to bring computer interactivity to the most ubiquitous and user-friendly tool of all -- pen and paper. It is the first consumer electronics device to give users real-time audio feedback as they write and draw on special FLY paper, making what the user writes come to life. For instance, a FLY Pentop Computer user can draw a calculator, touch the handwritten digits and functions to perform an operation -- then hear the answer announced from the FLY Pentop Computer. With the FLY Through Spanish software, a user can write a word in English, touch the handwritten word, and then hear the word translated into Spanish as it is spelled out and then pronounced.

FLY Line Product Pricing

The FLY Pentop Computer has a suggested retail price of $99 and the new FLYware accessories and applications have suggested retail prices ranging from $4.99 to $34.99. For full pricing details please refer to the FLY Line Product Pricing List.

Title MSRP Availability FLY Through Math: Multiplication and Division $29.99 Now FLY Through Tests: 6th-8th grade Math, Science, Social Studies $29.99 Now FLY Through Spelling $24.00 Now FLY Through Spanish: Pocket Translator $34.99 Now Flyball $29.99 Now FLY Journal $24.99 Now W.I.T.C.H -- FLY Journal $29.99 Now Batman Begins: The Battle for Gotham City Interactive Strategy Game $29.99 Now About LeapFrog

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog has developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than 100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies, spelling, vocabulary, and science. In addition, the company has created more than 35 stand-alone educational products for children from birth to 16 years. LeapFrog's award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six languages at major retailers in more than 25 countries around the world. The LeapFrog SchoolHouse-curriculum programs are currently in more than 80,000 classrooms across the U.S. with over 200 interactive books and over 450 skill cards representing more than 6,000 pages of educational content. LeapFrog SchoolHouse(TM) products have won numerous awards from the education industry, including the Golden Lamp Award and Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers, the Award of Excellence from Technology & Learning magazine, and the Teacher's Choice Award from Learning magazine.

NOTE: LEAPFROG, FLY, FLYware, FLY THROUGH, and Flyball are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Contact: Jaeme Sines Shannon Eis LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Kaplow Communications 510-596-3497 212-221-1713 jsines@leapfrog.com shannone@kaplowpr.com