NEW YORK, NY (August 5, 2004) – Combining the unparalleled creative magic of The Walt Disney Company with the leading names in technology, the Disney Dream Desk PC™ was unveiled today in New York City by Bob Iger, Disney president and COO, and the guy who inspired the PC’s creative design, Mickey Mouse himself. Children represent the fastest growing segment of personal computer users, and now they can have a great time learning, exploring, and stretching their imagination with the first Disney personal computer created especially for them.
“We’ve traveled a long way since that first Mickey writing tablet hit the market in 1929” said Iger. “At the core of Disney is our mission to entertain and enlighten audiences through products that spark the imagination. With the launch of the Disney Dream Desk, a computer designed with kids in mind, we’ve developed a tool box for children to unleash their imaginations and expand their minds.”
Easy for children to use on their own, or for sharing the fun with a parent, the Disney Dream Desk PC delivers value in a complete package while maintaining the highest levels of performance and reliability. Designed by Disney and frog design and built by Medion AG, the Disney Dream Desk PC features a 14.1″ Mickey-shaped TFT LCD flat panel monitor with embedded speakers, a DVD player, a CD writer and player, and an ergonomically designed, kid-sized mouse. The PC is also equipped with a multimedia keyboard and a digital pen for added fun.
Designed to bring out the kids’ imagination and creativity, the Disney Dream Desk PC features a variety of Disney applications including Disney Flix, Disney Pix and Disney Mix, which allow children to draw, edit pictures, create music and write and direct their own movies. Exclusive to the Disney Dream Desk PC, Disney’s Flix, Pix and Mix applications are designed to work together as a creative suite. Some other applications include original Disney games: Disney Mahjongg™, Disney’s Extremely Goofy Skateboarding™, Disney’s Adventures in Typing with Timon & Pumbaa™, and a 14-day free membership to Disney’s ToonTown™Online.
The computer comes installed with top quality components including the Intel® Celeron® D Processor 330, which delivers proven Intel technology at a great value, the Microsoft® XP Home Edition operating system and Microsoft® Works productivity software. Parents will enjoy peace of mind with ContentProtect® (Internet filtering), EmailProtect® (email filtering and spam blocking) and PopupProtect® (pop-up window blocking) all by ContentWatch®. Three-dimensional graphics acceleration and platform technology on the PC are provided by ATI Technologies Inc. The Disney Dream Desk PC is ideal for small spaces because the computer fits directly behind the LCD flat panel monitor, and, as an added safety measure, the PC setup incorporates a unique cable management system to hide bulky plugs from view and small fingers.
CompUSA Superstores, the exclusive retail outlet for the Disney Dream Desk PC, is accepting pre-orders beginning August 5. Pre-orders made by August 14th at www.compusa.com or CompUSA’s 5th Avenue Superstore in Manhattan will receive a free Disney Digital Camera. CompUSA is offering Disney Dream Desk PC buyers free delivery, in-home installation and a one-on-one training session. The Dream Desk PC will also be available through the Disney Catalog and DisneyStore.com on August 12 and in CompUSA Superstores on September 12.
The computer will retail for $599 (MSRP) with the monitor display sold separately at $299 (MSRP). Additional Dream Desk PC peripherals, including the Disney digital camera, Disney digital video camera, Disney game controller and printer, are available separately and perfectly complement the computer’s creativity software.
As part of today’s Disney Dream Desk unveiling, Mickey and Mr. Iger were joined by a group of children from the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center at New York’s American Museum of Natural History and cast members from ABC’s hit comedy “Hope & Faith” and the popular daytime drama “One Life to Live.”
For more information and images of the Disney Dream Desk PC, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com.
About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the division of The Walt Disney Company that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home décor and books to interactive games, food and beverages, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through the work of the division’s various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney Softlines, Disney Hardlines, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games and Baby Einstein. The Disney Store, which debuted in 1987, also falls under DCP, carrying mostly exclusive, non-licensed merchandise.