FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Beth Pagano 312/297-7512 (work) 773/294-5356 (cell) beth.pagano@edelman.com V.SMILETM TV LEARNING SYSTEM WINS OVERALL TOY OF THE YEAR AT FIFTH ANNUAL TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION T.O.T.Y. AWARDS VTech Receives Highly-coveted Toy of the Year and Educational Toy the Year Awards CHICAGO (February 21, 2005) ­ VTech, creator of the electronic learning category, was honored with two Toy Industry Association (TIA) Toy of the Year (T.O.T.Y.) Awards in New York on Saturday evening, February 19, 2005. VTech's V.Smile TV Learning System earned T.O.T.Y. Awards for Toy of the Year, which honors the best overall toy of the year, and Educational Toy of the Year, which recognizes a toy that, through play, helps children develop special skills and/or knowledge. "These two T.O.T.Y. Awards confirm that V.Smile provides the right combination of ageappropriate content and the cool factor that video games deliver," said William To, president, VTech Electronics North America. "We are honored that leaders in the toy industry have recognized V.Smile as a win-win product for kids and parents alike." "The Toy of the Year and the Educational Toy of the Year Awards give VTech the recognition they deserve for producing a best-selling product that combines the right amount of learning with fun," said Tom Conley, president of TIA. "The electronic learning products category is a hot category and V.Smile truly topped the list." The T.O.T.Y. Awards, known as the toy industry's version of the Oscars, honor the best toys developed by the international toy industry for consumers in the United States. In addition to the T.O.T.Y. Award wins, V.Smile has received 19 prestigious consumer and industry awards, accolades and reviews including: A Parents' Choice 2004 Recommended Award Winner Dr. Toy's Smart Play/Smart Toy 2004 eToys 2004 Holiday Hot List FamilyFun Magazine Toy of the Year (T.O.Y.) Award Winner Featured on Today's Toy Test 2004 Grandparents Magazine Best Educational Top Picks Great American Toy Test - Named to "Fabulous 15" iParenting Media Award KOL Holiday Toy Tester Squad List National Parenting Center Seal of Approval Nick Jr.'s 50 Best Toys of 2004 Parenting Magazine's Mom-Tested Toy of the Year PC Magazine Editors' Choice ShopKo 2004 Hot Holiday Toy List The National Parenting Publications Awards - Honors Award (NAPPA) Toy Tips.com "TTT" Rating Toys "R" Us Joy List Toy Wishes Magazine "Hot Dozen" Hottest Holiday Products Ultimate Toy Award (Educational and Learning Category) - more - Now More Than One Path to Fun VTech's V.Smile TV Learning System turns "game time" into "brain time" for children ages 3 to 7 by combining educational content, loveable characters and a video game platform into a system that connects directly to the television. V.Smile teaches essential day-to-day skills and curricula such as language, math, vocabulary and problem solving through entertaining gameplay with exchangeable game SmartridgesTM. Children navigate each game by using a hand-held joystick with oversized buttons, which can be adapted for right-and left-handed players alike. With VTech's latest introduction, the V.Smile Pocket, a handheld educational video game system for children ages 5 and older, kids can now benefit from educational video game play while at home or on-the-go. A sibling to the award-winning V.Smile TV Learning System, V.Smile Pocket is fully compatible with the V.Smile Smartridge library, which has 15 new titles to choose from in 2005 including new licensed titles such as Finding Nemo, Sponge Bob Square Pants and the Wiggles, in addition to the 10 titles released in 2004. V.Smile Smartridge Library Early Learners ­ Ages 3 to 5 2004 Titles Alphabet Park Care Bears The Lion King Winnie the Pooh 2005 Titles Barney Bob the Builder Blue's Clues Elmo's World The Wiggles Thomas & Friends Junior Thinkers ­ Ages 4 to 6 2004 Titles Little Red Riding Hood Scooby-Doo Spider-Man & Friends The Little Mermaid 2005 Titles Dora the Explorer Finding Nemo Sesame Street Toy Story 2 Master Minds ­ Ages 6 to 8 2004 Titles Learnin' Wheels Mickey Mouse 2005 Titles Aladdin Cinderella Spider-Man II SpongeBob Squarepants To be announced ### ABOUT VTECH VTech, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products (ELP) Category and the award-winning V.Smile TV Learning System, is a world leader of age-appropriate learning toys. Since 1976, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative educational products for children from birth to preteen that deliver "smart play" through the combination of entertaining electronic formats and engaging, age-appropriate content that help children learn while having fun. VTech Electronics North America, LLC is based in Arlington Heights, Ill. VTech Electronics, Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong and is a pioneer in the establishment of China-based manufacturing facilities, selling its products via a strong brand platform supported by a well-established distribution network in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on V.Smile and VTech's additional product lines, visit www.vtech.com. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Edelman: Allison Hirsch, 312/297-7585 or allison.hirsch@edelman.com; Danielle Gray, 312/297-7575 or danielle.gray@edelman.com; or Beth Pagano, 312/297-7512 or beth.pagano@edelman.com. ...