iParenting Media Awards Announce Best Products of 2009

EVANSTON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iParenting Media today announced the winners of the iParenting Media Awards Best Products of 2009, highlighting family products including high-tech toys, educational DVDs, safety gear to helpful books and audio CDs and more. Award-winning products were selected based on their fun value, product quality, ease-of-use, play duration, educational nature and uniqueness, among other criteria.

“We are excited to announce the outstanding products honored with the 2009 Best Products Award”

Key winners include: Stride Rite’s SuperBall® Shoe Collection, the first shoe collection to incorporate authentic SuperBall Zectron™ technology to provide kids a “super” energy return on heel impact; Summer Infant’s “Best View” Handheld Color Video Monitor, a 100% digital monitor with a 2.5” screen with pan, scan and zoom camera options to get the best views of your family; Innovation First, Inc.’s HEXBUG, a six-legged micro sized robotic creates that feels its way around sensing objects in its path and interacts with users; and VivaMedia’s Treasure Masters Inc., software that lets users compete with the treasure hunting elite by finding challenges, solving puzzles and playing intriguing mini-games. The complete list of winners from all categories is available at http://iparentingmediaawards.com/winners.

“We are excited to announce the outstanding products honored with the 2009 Best Products Award,” said Emily Smith, vice president of Disney Online’s Family Group of Sites. “This year’s winners represent iParenting’s decade-long tradition of recognizing quality products available to families.”

Hundreds of products were submitted for judging in 20 categories. All products submitted for the iParenting Media Awards Best Products of 2009 underwent a thorough evaluation.

To be considered for an iParenting Media Award, companies submitted four identical samples of each product that were precisely matched using iParenting's state-of-the-art technology to experienced reviewers within iParenting's database. Products were thoroughly reviewed and evaluated by a variety of sources including experts and families. Results were compiled and submitted to the iParenting Media Executive Committee for final approval.

About iParenting Media

iParenting.com, an online community for parents and parents-to-be, is part of Disney Online’s network of family-focused Web sites including Disney Family.com, FamilyFun.com and Wondertime.com.

Founded in 1996 the company has grown from a single pregnancy site, www.PregancyToday.com, to an award-winning network of more than 40 sites, in English and Spanish. The iParenting sites address a range of parenting issues from preconception through raising teenagers and beyond. iParenting Media’s Editor-in-Chief, Elisa Ast All, MSJ, writes a monthly newspaper column and co-hosts a Chicago-based radio show, Points on Parenting.

iParenting Media produces the highly-respected iParenting Media Awards program. Consumers can learn more about iParenting Media Award-winning products, and where to purchase the products via a retailer network online directory, by visiting www.iParentingMediaAwards.com/consumer.