Crayola and Griffin unite for ColorStudio HD on iPad, custom iMarker stylus

Guess what just popped up to the top of our "must-see at CES" list? Chances are, if you're an iPad owner with small kids, you too will be enthralled by the promise and the premise of Crayola's collaboration with peripheral maker Griffin Technologies: ColorStudio HD for iPad, including the Crayola iMarker stylus. Coming in "Spring 2011" for the iPad, the US$29.95 hardware and software combo will put the wax-based experience of crayon drawing into a new digital realm.

Once the free-with-purchase app is downloaded to the iPad (and I'm curious how exactly that's going to work -- a gift code that you get once you register the product? Or a free app that simply doesn't work without the stylus?), the would-be artist can draw away on more than 50 interactive coloring pages, games, musical environments and the like.

The app will be able to differentiate the iMarker's touch point from a fingertip swipe, so coloring and controlling the UI will be distinct operations. This capability would be fascinating if Crayola and Griffin chose to license it for grown-up painting apps like ArtRage, but I imagine that kids will simply grok the difference between a marker and their fingers the same way they understand that distinction in the real world.

Good luck getting the iPad out of the back seat during car trips now. One drawback, as Kelly H pointed out today: this increases the chances of other, non-iPad-safe markers being used inappropriately on other flat glowing surfaces. Deep breath and count to 10, parents.

Full release is below.

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Crayola ColorStudio HD Creates Revolutionary Digital Play Experience

Nashville, TN/Easton, PA - January 4, 2011 - Griffin Technology Inc., maker of innovations for everyday life, today announced their partnership with Crayola. The relationship is focused on blending coloring, a timeless Crayola activity, with cutting-edge mobile technology. The first collaboration, Crayola ColorStudio™ HD, will be on display during CES in the Griffin booth, iLounge Pavilion - North Hall #4727.

"We love creating technology for kids-it's one of the most exciting and rewarding things we do," said Mark Rowan, President of Griffin Technology. "We're thrilled to partner with Crayola and bring their signature blend of kid-friendly creativity to the digital world."

"Coloring as kids know it is about to come alive in an amazing new way through our partnership with Griffin Technology," said Warren Schorr, Head of Crayola Licensing. "Imagine a coloring book that morphs and changes as kids digitally color it in. This application is taking a classic play pattern and bringing it totally outside the box."

Crayola ColorStudio HD is an entirely new digital play experience, coupling a multi-activity drawing application for iPad (Crayola ColorStudio HD App) with a custom-built digital stylus, called Crayola iMarker™. Together with iMarker, the ColorStudio HD App allows young artists to color and interact with special "live" animated coloring book pages that move and react as they color, combining custom-produced pictures, animations, music, sound effects, and high quality special effects. For example, in one setting fish swim, doors open to reveal surprises, and mermaids serenade the young artist. The iMarker digital stylus brings the app to life. Like a marker, crayon, pen, and paintbrush in one, iMarker creates favorite Crayola colors within the ColorStudio HD App. iMarker safely interacts with iPad's Multi-Touch display, allowing the ColorStudio HD app to differentiate between the child's input (fingers, swipes, etc.) and the iMarker automatically. This allows intuitive, creative play that brings the accuracy and ease of a stylus but, for the first time, allows the user to both manipulate the creative space and color, without having to toggle the app between modes.



The ColorStudio HD App features a large built-in library of art that provides hundreds of hours of play in themed environments like undersea, jungle and playtime activities. The app even lets kids design an unlimited number of their own animated coloring book pages. Kids can color them in the app, or print them out from iPad (iOS 4.2 or later) to color with Crayola Crayons and Markers. ColorStudio HD also contains more than 50 immersive game and activity pages, like Musical Dot 2 Dot and Color by Numbers, that combine special effects, music, motion, and more. Parents can share their favorite art pieces via a share feature by printing, emailing, or posting the art to Facebook. ColorStudio HD will include free downloadable content updates at regular intervals, continually providing kids with fresh and exciting activities.

Crayola ColorStudio HD is a unique new digital experience that will keep kids entertained for hours, and is just the first offering in this exciting partnership. Together, Griffin and Crayola are creating new ways for children to color, draw, and discover in the digital age.

Pricing and Availability
Crayola ColorStudio HD, $29.99, will be available Spring 2011, and includes Crayola iMarker digital stylus (AA batteries included), a free download of the ColorStudio HD App, periodic content updates, and built-in user tutorials. For more information, visit www.griffintechnology.com.


About Crayola
At Crayola, color is our magic. We unleash wonder and adventure in every child and inspire colorful self-expression in bold, new ways. From Crayola Glow Explosion markers that bring imaginations to life with colorful glow-in-the-dark drawings to Crayola Color Wonder -- a magical, mess-free way for children to draw and paint – our color wizardry gives colorful wings to the invisible things in a child's imagination.

About Griffin Technology
Founded on Paul Griffin's kitchen table in 1992, Griffin Technology Inc., is today one of the world's foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile, and personal technology. Unique products such as iTrip®, PowerMate®, iFM®, iMic®, and Evolve® Wireless Speaker System have broken new ground in consumer electronics and created loyal fans the world over. Today, Griffin products are conceived, designed, and developed in-house and continue to push the envelope of the industry they helped create. Learn more about Griffin's entire range of ingenious designs at www.griffintechnology.com.

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© 2011 Griffin Technology Inc. ColorStudio HD™ and iMarker™ are trademarks of Crayola, used under license. iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. All other product names and trademarks are property of their respective companies