Finally, a Barbie that looks more like a regular girl than a Playmate bimbo-in-training – and it plays music too. This week, Mattel is introducing a Barbie MP3 player that comes with a docking station that allows entrée into its own virtual world, BarbieGirls.com, where players use “B bucks” to buy outfits for an online version of the doll.
This is territory that has been explored before – the popularity of Webkinz, a stuffed animal-centric Second Life world for preschoolers, has been documented in the Inquirer , and the New York Times reports that companies such as MTV and Disney are following suit.
What I find interesting is that while BarbieGirls.com may be a virtual world – ergo, one of fantasy – the new Barbie player itself cleaves much more to reality in looks and fashion (while the player has interchangeable outfits, they lean more toward casual t-shirts, jeans and skirts than elaborate ballgowns) than the bleach-blonde pneumatic version I grew up with. Does this mean that toymakers at Mattel believe that when it comes to gadgets, technology-savvy girls are more likely to buy and use one that reflects themselves rather than a societal ideal? Guess we’ll have to wait until the Princesses version comes out.
