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Game Crazy Helps Parents Pick the Perfect Video Games for Kids

Parents will be tested this year in their pursuit of the perfect video game-related gifts. According to the 2008 Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker, a nationwide survey of kids and parents, a whopping 96 percent of kids have a gaming system, and 90 percent of kids are planning to ask for at least one game this year, up from 80 percent in 2007. With video games topping kids’ wish lists, Game Crazy wants to help parents save time and money, pick the perfect gift and facilitate family fun.

“We went straight to the source for the second year in a row to find out what video games kids want and what they think their parents will actually buy them this holiday season,” said Wes Sand, senior vice president at Game Crazy. “The difference this year is that we also polled parents to determine their thoughts regarding video game gifting. The results show that video games are hotter than ever, and Game Crazy is here to be the resource for gift-givers and to help them avoid disappointment when the presents are opened.”

Giving Parents the Gift of Time and Money This Holiday Season

With 91 percent of parents planning to give their kids a video game this holiday season, it’s important to remember that purchasing the wrong video game - or the right game for the wrong system - can be disappointing. More than one-third of kids who have received the wrong game in the past say they just kept it, while another one-third asked their parents to go back and return the game - wasting time and money. In a time when wallets are already being squeezed, it benefits parents to get the right game, for the right system, from the beginning.

“More than half of kids told us they get bored of their games in less than 5 months, but still keep them around collecting dust,” explained Sand. “We encourage parents to bring used games into Game Crazy where they can trade them in for another game.”

Parents can also save by purchasing a used game at Game Crazy for a discounted price. When buying a used game, parents have the option to ‘try before they buy’ so they can be confident the game is right for their child and in good condition.

Using Gaming as a Family Activity

Video games can make for great bonding time, bringing families together for some good, old-fashioned fun. In fact, 54 percent of parents polled said they plan to play video games with their kids over board games, card games and other activities.

Giving the perfect game can go a long way, as kids will go to great lengths to get a game they want. Forty-five percent of kids said they would either do household chores for two months or teach siblings to play a game in return for their video game of choice.

Helping Parents Pick the Perfect Game

Game Crazy went straight to the source and uncovered what games and systems kids want most this holiday season:

• Some of the most popular games for holiday 2008 are in the Action, Music and Racing genres.

• Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band II, Mario Kart and Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party II are expected to be among this year’s hottest-selling titles.

• Kids even know what they want to get Santa this year. More than one-third of kids say they would give Santa and Mrs. Claus a Wii Fit - probably to work off the extra holiday cookies!

Additional Buying Tips

To help parents this holiday season, the video game experts at Game Crazy offer these tips for choosing great video game gifts.

• Parents should consider gaming accessories as gifts too. A rechargeable battery pack is the most vital accessory according to tweens and teens, followed closely by a guitar and racing wheel.

• Always ask kids for a wish list. Eighty-four percent of parents polled said they plan to ask their kids for a wish list to ensure they purchase the proper game. Game Crazy also created a video game wish list that will be available at www.gamecrazy.com. Kids can complete it online and email it to a parent or they can print it and fill it out by hand.

• Look for Game Crazy’s free “Parent’s Guide to Game Buying” brochure, which contains helpful tips for purchasing video game titles and systems. The brochure will be available at all Game Crazy retail locations or can be downloaded at www.gamecrazy.com.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The Game Crazy survey was conducted online August 17-31, 2008, by Weekly Reader Research. One thousand U.S. male and female participants, ages 8-17, were recruited from Weekly Reader Research’s INSIDERS survey research community. Random sampling procedures were employed to ensure the respondents accurately reflect the nation’s 42.7 million 8-17 year olds in terms of age, race/ethnicity, gender and census region. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Game Crazy

Game Crazy(R) (www.gamecrazy.com) is the nation’s second largest specialty game retailer with more than 560 locations across the country. Hollywood Entertainment of Wilsonville, Oregon, was acquired in 2005 by Movie Gallery, Inc. and operates Game Crazy. Movie Gallery, Inc. is the second largest North American home entertainment specialty retailer with more than 3,300 stores located in all 50 U.S. states and Canada.

Filed under : Advice, Chat, Family & Home, Money, Shopping

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Every female has pondered the age-old holiday dilemma — finding the perfect gift for every guy in her life. Since 1982, the gift gurus at Wireless, a catalog for curious minds, have offered gifts that are the antithesis of the traditional tie.

“The trick to selecting the best guy gift is to consider the undeniable fact that all guys are kids,” said John Ollmann, chief gift guru at Wireless. “Guys want something to play with, something that will make them laugh, something that their friends will think is cool.”

Tap into his inner child. “Think of past holidays. What were the biggest hits for the guys in your family? Likely, a toy,” said Ollmann. Pick Classic Movie Monster Bobbleheads or the Star Wars Lego Pen Set, which make a perfect stocking stuffer.

Make him laugh. Help him relive the groundbreaking humor of this year’s Mark Twain Award recipient, George Carlin, with a collection of his countercultural comedy CDs and DVDs. If he’s a fan of the Ministry of Silly Walks, he’ll want every single episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus on DVD or CDs of Bill Cosby’s hilarious stand-up 60’s comedy.

Applaud his geeky-ness. Does your favorite guy tick with a love of clocks and watches? Math Pop Quiz Wall Clock, Spinning Roulette Watch, Square Root Watch, and Animated Train Pocket Watch are unique takes on the more traditional gift.

Celebrate his Fan-aticism. Sports phenoms will cheer when they unwrap a true-size Baseball Bat Pepper Grinder, Opening Day Collectible Baseballs, NFL Neon Football Helmet, or The Code, a book of baseball’s unwritten rules.

Acknowledge his space. Every man needs a place where he can be himself. The Man Cave sign is a fun substitute for “No girls allowed,” or present him with a personalized Harley-Davidson Outdoor Sign (must be ordered by December 10 for Christmas delivery), or Wrench Ware utensil set delivered in a rugged toolbox-style ABS case.

“And after you’ve taken care of all the guys on your list,” said Ollmann, “Reward yourself with the apropos Wonder Woman Cuff Bracelet, because you are one.”

Consumers can shop online at www.thewirelesscatalog.com (800-669-9999) through noon on December 23, requesting next day service, to receive gifts by Christmas (December 18 for Hanukkah).

The Wireless Catalog is a brand of Universal Screen Arts Company.

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After the purchase parents have many decisions to make - about controlling content, locating the phone remotely, limiting usage and setting expectations about how to use it

Cell phones are an important link between parents and children, and now parents are more empowered than ever to strengthen that link. Parents can set strict limits on how many minutes they can use and apply filters restricting the sounds and images their children can download. Some services, like text messaging, can be blocked entirely. These optional tools can help parents control costs and guide their children on using a cell phone responsibly.

Controlling Content With Usage Controls, customers can:

• Set limits for voice minutes
• Limit access to certain content by ages using three filter settings:
• “C 7+” - content recommended for children ages 7 and older
• “T 13+” - content recommended for teens ages 13 and older
• “YA 17+” - content recommended for young adults ages 17 and older
• Set specific limits on the quantity of text, picture, instant and video messages as part of pay-as-you-go or message bundle plans
• Designate specific times during the day when your child is not permitted to use certain services on their cell phone
• Create lists of “trusted” and “blocked” phone numbers (Note: calls to 911 will always be allowed to connect)

Usage Controls are available for a $4.99 monthly subscription for each line of service on a Nationwide Calling Plan, whether a Family SharePlan(R) or a single-line plan. Setting and updating controls is done online. Customers access Usage Controls through the My Services tab on their My Verizon web page.

Locating Your Child’s Phone

Another application, Chaperone, is available on the majority of phones and allows parents to determine the location of their child’s cell phone. Parents can use the Chaperone web site or the Chaperone Parent application to view the child’s phone location information, which will be displayed as a nearby address on a detailed map.

Chaperone is available on a wide range of devices from inexpensive to high-end, including the new LG Dare, which has touch screen controls and is enabled V CAST Music with Rhapsody(R). This new service is perfect for teens, allowing them access to unlimited songs for a flat rate subscription each month.

Setting Expectations

To assist parents in guiding their children in the use of their first cell phone, Verizon Wireless offers the following suggestions for family discussion:

• Turn the phone off at a set time at home so family time is not interrupted and there’s no texting late into the night
• Answer your phone if mom or dad calls, no matter what, so they will know if everything is okay
• Follow family guidelines on use - Get everyone on the same page on the volume of usage and the kind of content that may be downloaded
• Check school rules — Middle and high schools may have specific rules about cell phone usage during school hours or on school grounds posted on the district or school website

Source: Verizon Wireless

Filed under : Advice, Chat, Gadgets, Shopping

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