Can the Musical Toothbrush become the next big music format?

Parents are always up for another trick to get their children to develop good dental hygiene habits and we suspect this new Toothtunes toothbrush will become a two-edged sword. On one hand the ability to get your child to brush when the toothbrush plays great music from top artists (Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff, Destiny’s Child, KISS, Kelly Clarkson and The Cheetah Girls) is a winner, but we suspect the US$10 one-song-per toothbrush model will be found ill conceived in the longer term because US$10 a song is just too much. But they have a captive market and it might be some time before we see an MP3 toothbrush using the same Toothtunes patented technology which transmits songs and music vibrations through the teeth, which are then heard in the inner ear and they hence control this new musical medium. From vinyl to tape to CD-ROM, check out this fascinating Karl Hartig chart showing how we have consumed our music over the years. The chart finishes in 1998 and hence doesn’t include the MP3 phenomena. Hartig produces some of the most information-intense graphics the world has ever seen. His ability to visualise and who what's happening from large amounts of information is a beaty to behold - every school should have these charts on the wall. Some charts that will take your breath away include U.S. Population Changes, the Information Age, the history of Consumer Electronics, this 3D graph showing America's immigration patterns, energy production versus energy consumption, and business cycles.

http://www.karlhartig.com/chart/musicbiz.pdf

Tiger Electronics, a division of Hasbro, is the innovator with the revolutionary Toothtunes, an excellent example of how a company can create highly innovative, entertaining product that extends beyond the traditional toy and game aisle.

Users will hear two full minutes of the hottest music from today’s biggest stars which will keep them brushing. Some brushes will feature a congratulatory message upon completion.

The toothbrush uses a micro-chip that provides hit music from the industry’s hottest artists, including Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff, Destiny’s Child, KISS, Kelly Clarkson and The Cheetah Girls, among others. To launch Toothtunes, Hasbro has formed a strategic relationship with today’s top record labels including Interscope Records, Hollywood Records, Walt Disney Records, EMI-Capital Records, Sony BMG and Universal Music Group.