Sharp expands collaboration with Fisher-Price

Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas announced that its system solutions design win for the new Fisher-Price Pixter Multi-Media portable device affirms Sharp's position as a cost-effective design solution source for video-intensive products.

The solution set for Fisher-Price includes Sharp's LH79524 SoC and custom TFT-LCD panel, as well as design support and software from Actimagine.

The Pixter Multi-Media is the latest Pixter handheld digital creativity system for kids. This device has been redesigned to incorporate full-motion video, in addition to more than 100 built-in digital tools, games and creative activities to allow children to watch and create cartoon and live-action videos through a high performance TFT screen.

The Pixter Multi-Media features Sharp's SoCs as the embedded platform. The ARM7-based 32bit LH79524 SoC, part of Sharp's BlueStreak family of SoCs, provides a strategic balance of performance, integration and power efficiency to the video-capable Pixter Multi-Media, said the press release.

"As toys become more sophisticated, they also must remain user-friendly and adapt to today's on-the-go lifestyle," said Noel Giamello, Sharp's senior director for systems solutions business. "Sharp's components and tools are helping Fisher-Price to anticipate the market trend with toys such as the Pixter Multi-Media with its video capabilities, portability and child-friendly design."