Barbie at CES: iDesign

Maybe you've heard that Kevin Costner is at CES. And Mary J. Blige is here, singing her special brand of R&B. Barbie's here, too, and I'm not talking about the leggy blondes hired by electronics companies to show off their latest fare.

Barbie is showcasing iDesign, an online fashion design game for girls with real-world outfit and accessory cards to buy and collect. The latest effort to link toys you can buy in a store with a digital world, iDesign mixes girls' love for fashion with a computer game.

A $30 starter kit comes with CD-ROM software, a USB-connected scanner, and 60 fashion cards that can be "swiped" to transfer the cards' outfits and accessories onto the computer. They go into Barbie's computer closet, and girls can drop and drag outfits to dress the 2D doll. Sets of 15 extra cards cost $5; there are 200 total cards.

Gather enough outfits, and girls can plan and design a fashion show, choosing music and lighting as well as outfits. They can also create magazine spreads and play included games.

Unlike Mattel's BarbieGirls.com, there is no online world or social networking component of iDesign. Just fashion fun in the 2008 version of paper dolls and Colorforms. Remember them, anyone?