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K'NEX GETS CYBERIZED!

New Cyberk'NEX is the Ultimate Interactive Building Phenomenon

NEW YORK, September 1, 2000 - Cyber life forms are set to arrive on earth in Fall 2000! K'NEX, one of the world's leading construction toy manufacturers, is taking a major strategic step into the rapidly growing interactive toy market with the launch of a new sub-brand called CyberK'NEX. Incorporating a proprietary technology, CyberK'NEX is the only construction activity with which kids can create models that come to life -- with realism, personality and attitude. Kids can build Cyber life-forms with names like "Mectron," "Brat Boy" and "Flash" who talk and move with real-life personalities, react to outside stimuli and even interface with the web.

"CyberK'NEX is a state-of-the art construction system for kids that takes the K'NEX building experience to an unprecedented level of interactivity and fun," said President, Norman Walker.

Recommended for ages 9 and up, CyberK'NEX is available in three distinctive building themes and at three different affordable price points:  Hyper Wheels ($49.99), Cybots ($79.99) and the Ultra Set ($129.99).

Each CyberK'NEX building set contains the building and special Cyber components with which kids can build a variety of cool looking characters — such as vehicles, robots and creatures — and then bring them to life with pre-programmed Cyber Keys. When kids insert a Cyber Key into a model's Cyber Port, the CyberK'NEX life form will demonstrate its personality by voice, sound effects and actions, as well as reactions to stimuli such as sound, impact and the beam from an ordinary household remote. The Cyber Key interface does not require a PC, unless kids are using the Internet interface of the CyberK'NEX Ultra Set to download new Cyber personalities from www.cyberknex.com.

Cyber K'NEX Has Attitude
Each CyberK'NEX life-form that kids build has its own cool looking Cyber Key, which is pre-programmed with a distinct personality. Other Cyber components, such as the Cyber Port and Battery Pack, are designed to be built into each character's model and complement the hi-tech colors of all the CyberK'NEX building pieces. When the Cyber Key is first inserted into the Cyber Port, the CyberK'NEX character demonstrates its real life traits with a routine of movement, sound and lights. The life-form then waits for a stimulus, such as sound (clap), impact or household remote, to which it will react. Each set includes Cyber building pieces and components to create several characters, one at a time:

Hyper Wheels
Kids can build any of three awesome Cyber vehicles and bring them to life with the CyberK'NEX Hyper Wheels set. By inserting a Cyber Key, children will watch the distinct personality of each life-form as Flash spins 360's, Salsa grooves to a beat, or Thunder Hog burns rubber! Each Cyber vehicle will react in its own unique way with sound, motion and lights as kids activate their sensors. Kids can also take control of their Hyper Wheels life-form with a household remote. The set comes complete with K'NEX building components, special Cyber components (including 3 Cyber Keys, 1 Cyber Port, 1 Cyber motor, 1 Battery Pack, 1 Cyber Processor, Sound and Impact sensors) and a comprehensive 43-page color illustrated CyberK'NEX manual for building and controlling each CyberK'NEX creation. Requires 2 AA batteries and 3 AAA batteries, not included. No PC required. Ages 9+.

CyBots
The CyberK'NEX CyBots set lets kids build any of four amazing robots packed with a lot of attitude! Kids will insert their Cyber Keys, and watch as Brat Boy shows off his lasers, Head Case flips his lid, Poindexter struts his stuff and Gramps grabs to get'cha! Each Cyber robot will react with sound, motion and lights as kids activate their sensors. Kids can also take control of their CyBot life-form with a household remote. The set comes complete with K'NEX building components, special Cyber components (including 4 Cyber Keys, 1 Cyber Port, 2 Cyber motors, 1 Dual Battery Pack, 1 Cyber Processor, Sound and Impact sensors), and a complete 63-page color illustrated CyberK'NEX manual for building and controlling each CyberK'NEX creation. Requires 2 AA batteries and 3 AAA batteries, not included. No PC required. Ages 9+.

The Ultra Set
With the CyberK'NEX Ultra Set, kids can build and bring to life any of five fantastic Cyber models and take ultimate control! Children will have fun making Woof's jaw growl, Mectron's missiles fire, Drax's feet stomp, Sarge's detectors send warnings and Zap's alarm sound. As kids activate the sensors, each life-form reacts with sound, motion, lights and action! The exclusive Cyber Controller allows kids to take total control of their model by enabling them to activate specific actions and also set the model in "guard mode" (See fact sheet). Children can use the Cyber Controller to record special routines, store them on the exclusive Programmable Cyber Key and watch as the life-form performs Cyber behaviors upon command. Kids can also insert the Programmable Cyber Key into the Programming Port, connect its cable to the parallel port of a PC and download new personalities from www.cyberknex.com! The Ultra Set comes complete with K'NEX building components, special Cyber components (including 5 Cyber Keys, 1 Programmable Cyber Key, 1 Cyber Port, 1 Cyber Programming Port, 3 Cyber Motors, 2 Battery Packs, 1 Cyber Processor, 1 Cyber Controller and Sound, Impact and Light sensors), and a complete 83-page color illustrated CyberK'NEX manual for building and controlling CyberK'NEX creations. Requires 4 AA batteries and 6 AAA batteries, not included. No PC is required except when using the downloadable function. Ages 10+.

"The easy-to-use web interface offered in the Ultra Set allows kids to essentially give the toy a new life — adding more capabilities to their creations with a few simple clicks on our website," said Walker.

CyberK'NEX hits stores and e-tailers in September 2000. Like all K'NEX building sets, CyberK'NEX includes color-coded, step-by-step instructions.

Founded in 1992, K'NEX Industries was formally established to make and sell what has become one of the world's leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 150 international awards and recognitions, K'NEX seeks to build young minds with its exciting product line and critically acclaimed K'NEX Education program.

About K’NEX Brands

Founded in 1992, K’NEX Brands, the world’s most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world’s leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions, K’NEX is America’s building toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.”  For more information, please visit www.knex.com.