HANNSpree debuts line of plush TVs for tasteless tots
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Jul 17th 2009 7:33AM
posted Jul 17th 2009 7:33AM
We all know how much children hate television, so sometimes it's necessary to be a little sneaky, especially when looking to give them their minimum daily requirement of the "Fair & Balanced" -- that's why we're lucky that HANNSpree is on the case. The company, known for it's particularly uglified and just plain bizarre display devices is debuting a line of plush animals (including an elephant, giraffe, panda, and polar bear) with televisions embedded in their sides -- just the thing for concerned parents who need to trick their kids into watching. With any luck, Junior will soon be rattling off the nine principles with the ease that you once let the names of the four Monkees roll off the tongue. Pretty sweet, right? It's time for you to get back to The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care -- but not before eyeballing that gallery below.
Isn't this just an disaster waiting to happen?
I saw them in one shop in Asia...
Only if they make a pedobear one.
Television makes you stupid. There are too many TVs in kids' lives these days. This is the last thing we need.
Playing an instrument on the other hand . . .
The tuba, perhaps . . .
Also, I call upon Engadget readers to ignore Flatley's flame-bait regarding Glenn Beck. I fell for it last time; this time, I'm staying on-topic.
Ignore Flatley's political underhandedness, and maybe he'll stop.
Was Glenn Beck really necessary for this article? Since Beck's book is #1 on the New York Time's and Amazon's best seller list, and Fox News has 10 of the top 10 of prime time viewership any day of the week, seems to be effecting this Engadget blogger's work ethic. He seems to be dazed and confused.
I disagree with Engadget on this one. This TV/Bear is cute as hell. But where do the cables go? Up its butt?
I wonder how glenn beck would feal being on the side of a polar bear. Oh well as long as the little kids getthe message from glenn all i right with the world
Actually, if it was Wolf Blitzer on the side, he would've blended right in!!!!
He probably say something like the polar bear looks thinner with a TV than he does on TV. Glenn is a funny self-deprecating guy who he speaks him mind and his beliefs regardless of what people think of him.
All you Beck/Rush haters need to get past their personalities and listen to the message becuase they are making a lot more sense than anyone in government.
Joe "Engadet" Flatley must have been indoctrinated by an authority hating now authority loving as long as I'm the authority burned out hippie professor.
Agree with EdgeOne completely.
For useless parents who don't know how to engage with their children!
yes, because a responsible parent never lets kids watch any TV, just like in Victorian times...
I quite like these. If a child is going to have a TV in their room (not my preference, I'd rather they were in the lounge where I can more easily monitor how much they watch), then it will at least fit in better than a generic black/shiny TV.
As a techie nerd I do like the idea but surely it's better to take your kids out to a Zoo and see a real Bear, Giraffe etc?
I read somewhere once about a company making a killing producing a bike driven electro-dynamo thing that powered games consoles - so if your kids want to play on their X-box they have to use pedal power to make it work ... how about GET ON YOUR BIKE AND GO TO THE PARK!?!?
As a techie nerd I do like the idea but surely it's better to take your kids out to a Zoo and see a real Bear, Giraffe etc?
I read somewhere once about a company making a killing producing a bike driven electro-dynamo thing that powered games consoles - so if your kids want to play on their X-box they have to use pedal power to make it work ... how about GET ON YOUR BIKE AND GO TO THE PARK!?!?
you could just lock the console power cable in a safe and only release it when the kid has done their exercises.
funny how lazy parents will rationalize anything
I want one!!
Uh, these have been out for a few years - we had the hanspree Cow and a firetruck i think it had been in the store for about 4 years got dusted alot but never sold :)
Because TV is better at parenting than you are =/
Glen Beck has crazy eyes! The guy is unstable! That man should not be allowed near any transmitter of any kind.
Yes, we should sensor people like they do in China, Iran, N. Korea (to name a few)- those are nice places to live.
Isn't Beck the guy who said we need another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, with a large number of Americans dead, to remind Americans about al Queda (or something like that)? Yeah, you should really listen to what a guy like that says.
mikey...
unless you properly attribute your assertion you're just another no-facts offered emotionalist with nothing to offer *any* discussion...
Actually it was a guest on Beck's show, Michael Scheuer, who said "The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States." Beck did not disagree with Scheuer or reprimand him for this profoundly anti-American statement, so it's not unreasonable to conclude that Beck agreed with Scheuer. That's not only offensive, it also reveals Beck to be a first class moron. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auQJVhNH99c
dc:
the comment by mikey attributes the " Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States" statement to Beck, which is, in fact, wrong. thank you for looking into it and proving that mikey lied...
lack of reprimand or statement of disagreement does not mean Beck agrees. if you care to project your interpretation of it as being so that's your prerogative.
clearview: lying is knowingly stating a falsehood. Mikey didn't lie. You, however, did.
dc:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lie
3. an inaccurate or false statement.
mikey's comment fits both parts of the above statement as his posture is rhetorical (based on sentence #2).
don't quit your day job to become a lawyer, man...
Glen Beck is the man.
If by "the man" you mean "a raving lunatic," then I agree.
I always love how people keep calling him crazy, but then a few months later they are like "Wow, I should have paid attention to what he was saying".
Tip: PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HE IS SAYING!
It's more than just listening to what he says, it's listening long enough and within the given context to get the message. If you just take his bullet points, you'd think he's a just a hack. Those who listen - and not just hear - understand what a sick freak he is.
@Look_Around_You
Pay attention to this lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yF5jhmjTu0
Wow this is truly the pinnacle of modern technology
Aww.. The Giraffe is adorable!
Shame about the TV stuck in its side.
I want the Giraffe one :)
They have turned my brother into a television set! This is an outrage!!
they look cute but i don't think Glenn Beck would be the preferred program to the demographic this is geared for.... don't get me wrong i watch Glenn Beck every day but not on that. im thinking more Sesame Street and Spongebob
But that would not have made for a joke or the flame bait they needed.
What kind of sick, twisted parents force their children to watch that loony psycho Beck? *shivers*
So the corporate slave parents don't have time for the kids so they get them sucked into the corporate enslavement device (TV).
Saw a concept like this on Dragon's Den on BBC America. Looks like the knock-off industry is hard at work!
Glenn is the man he's one of the few (maybe only) commentators on TV that have any sense at all.
OMG! So you write a similar article just a week ago and pretty much everyone screams, "LEAVE POLITICS OUT OF MY TECHNOLOGY SITE!" So then you write this... how childish! Well this is less offensive than the last one, it is unacceptable! Like everyone said before, LEAVE POLITICS OUT OF MY TECHNOLOGY SITE!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA that youtube video, GET OFF MY PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL I don't think glenn would be too happy about being on a polar bear TV considering he used to say we should drill right through the caribou's head to get to oil. Love GB.
Looks like Joseph Flatley has a not-so-secret crush on Glenn Beck.
What's the matter, Joseph - disappointed Glenn doesn't swing your way???
hey knut!
don't know why I think of him.
Never spent too much time at a zoo, have you, Joe? Giraffe and Polar Bear you got right. But Zebra and Camel? Not even close. Try Panda and Elephant.
Glenn Beck is a phony, btw. Don't believe anything he says. He doesn't.
And to the whiners who want to bury their heads in the sand and pretend the US is the single land worth caring about PAY ATTENTION. If you would look up every once in a while the political extremes wouldn't have to yell so loud.
Polar Bear, Tasteless, TV, and Glenn Beck have never had a more appropriate grouping in history, Engadget. Bravo.
Does anyone that doesn't like Beck even watch him? I don't agree with everything he says, but he does use common sense. Don't just judge this guy because Keith Olbermand and Jon Stewart says he's crazy. Don't be bottle fed your politics, do your research and watch differing views.
Seriously Endadget, LEAVE YOUR PERSONAL POLITICAL CRAP OFF OF MY "TECHNOLOGY" NEWS!!!!!
Notice, all of the people who hate Glenn Beck are the ones cussing left and right.. Liberals??? Faithless people??? Most of the time yes.. I just hate it when Engadget has to get all political on us and keep bashing Glenn Beck.. Honestly.. The guy is a little querky, but so what.. And those Comedy Central guys aren't??? OK!
As opposed to Glenn Beck, who makes his money cussing and yelling?
These have been out for ages; I guess the new models have 16:9 aspect ratio. I have the older 4:3 standard def Lion version in my 17 month old's room but more than anything it's an excuse for me to have a TV in his room so I can watch football or baseball when I'm in there with him.
Are these really big animals or really tiny screens?
Wow proof positive that Engadget is trying to push a hidden agenda. The best part is the hide it in plane sight.
Very sad. How can one claim to be of a better view point when they aren't open to listening to both sides of the story. Just because someone's ideas differ from yours does not instantly make them wrong.
Engadget you are selling your integrity for others personal financial gain, and you're happy to let yourselves be used. At least be men enough to state your point of view openly and honestly. That's why such a large percentage of that 91.27% are fooled. Does the Engadget staff drink heavily to allow themselves to sleep at night? There's only two sides of thus picture. One you know very well you are pushing an agenda based on half truths and lies, or two you are just as blind as those you wish to infect.
If I see any more political leanings, either way, I'm not coming to this site anymore. It's a shame because I love the site. It is, however, not unreplaceable.
I think you would be doing yourself and all others a disservice to just not return. Returning and voicing your opinion that it should not lean in any direction is a valid and noble statement, and one that needs to be said as many times as it appropriate.
Damn iRoc, I hadn't thought of that. I just wish it wasn't necessary to have to do that. I guess I'll stay. I hope they get the message though. I haven't been back to Aintitcoolnews.com in years for the same reason, always political opinions mixed in with the latest news about Iron Man or whatever.
Joseph L. Flatley - Im going to quit reading your posts due to your horrible sense of humor.
Really? You think this article contains "political comments"? How sensitive are you? As far as I can tell, the author is just being silly and sarcastic like they all do here on Engadget. The last time I saw The Ramones or Van Halen photoshopped in a post I didn't hear all this whining about "musical opinions" ruining the site. Glen Beck is a smart guy, I am sure he would see the humor in this post. At least someone knows what the 9 principles are. You are all much too sensitive.
John, who are you responding to? You put "political comments" in quotes as if actually quoting someone. There aren't any "political comments" in his article as such but Flatley has an, admittedly recent, history of jabs at Glenn Beck, Fox News and their shows. Fox News shows are commonly associated with conservative views, therefore Flatley appears to be getting political with his articles.
Your Van Halen comment is only semi accurate. If Flatley photoshopped Van Halen into something related to guitars or something that actually makes sense that would be what one would expect from Engadget. But if he photoshopped Van Halen into multiple articles that had nothing to do with them at all and then insulted them I could see VH fans being upset.
It seems Flatley's politics are lightly seasoning his articles. Politics not being what Engadget is about, I can appreciate people not wanting it. It's just bad business. Why put anybody off unnecessarily? Making fun of Van Halen is different than making fun of one's political beliefs. If someone makes fun of your favorite band you're likely to say, "Aww, man, come on! They rock!" but if someone makes fun of your political beliefs you're likely to say, "Dude, what the hell?".