ScrollMotion’s Iceberg Kids V.2 Platform Brings New Story-Inspired Apps to Life

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ScrollMotion’s Iceberg Kids V.2 Platform Brings New Thomas & Friends™ Story-Inspired Apps to Life

Press Release from HIT Entertainment

New York, NY and London (December 20, 2010) — HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children’s entertainment, is expanding its reach in digital entertainment with the launch of a brand new series of Thomas & Friends™ story-inspired mobile and tablet applications by developer ScrollMotion, creator of the Iceberg Reader and leading developer of original mobile applications.  Nine interactive Thomas & Friends titles launched in the Apple App Store around the world for the Apple iPad®.  The story-inspired apps, available for $2.99 USD / £1.79 GBP each, include favorites Calling All Engines, May The Best Engine Win and Thomas Gets a Snowplow.  The new Thomas & Friends apps are the first children’s property to be launched on ScrollMotion’s Iceberg Kids v.2 platform. 

Each story-inspired app features fully-illustrated and narrated classic Thomas & Friends stories that children and families can “Read, Play, Listen and Record.”   The self-guided reading option allows little engineers to turn the pages of the story at their own pace, or use an auto-play feature that moves them through the story. The Record feature enables the story to be brought to life by the child’s, parent’s or reader’s voice.   Every app also includes two interactive coloring pages and puzzles.  Kids can navigate to their favorite parts of the story via an index with thumbnail images. 

“We are thrilled to partner with ScrollMotion on Thomas & Friends.  With their latest version of the Iceberg Kids platform, they have provided a new way for Thomas fans to interact with the classic Thomas stories,” said Natasha Fishman, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Management and Digital Media, HIT Entertainment.  “These apps are just the first of many in this rich story collection that will get kids started in building their mobile Thomas library.”

“Use of tablets for kids of all ages is growing by leaps and bounds, allowing new ways for them to read, play and learn,” says Josh Koppel, founder of ScrollMotion.  “The future of books is here, and children will experience Thomas the Tank Engine like they never have before.”

ScrollMotion recently launched apps for Dinopedia, Oprah, and Esquire.  The apps are developed with HTML5 technology that allows them to be available for one download across all platforms including iPhone®, iPod touch® (est. for Thomas & Friends, January 2011), Google Android (est. for Thomas & Friends, March 2011), and other operating systems. 

Launched for the first time in 2010, Thomas & Friends mobile apps are extremely popular.  In its first week of launch in the Apple App Store worldwide, the Thomas Tilt and Go app charted as the #1 paid app for children in the UK and the #7 paid app for children in the US. In addition, the Thomas & Friends Game Pack, recommended by the Parents’ Choice Foundation, also charted in the Top 10 paid apps for kids in the UK and the Top 25 paid apps for kids in the US. 

Thomas & Friends was recently nominated as “Property of the Year’ by the Toy Industry Association, capping off an award-winning 65th anniversary year for Thomas.  In 2010, Thomas continues to be the number-one Preschool Toy Property[1] [1] around the world in countries including the US, UK, Australia, Germany and Korea, as well as the number-one Preschool Home Entertainment Property[2] [2] in the US and number-one Preschool Boys Home Entertainment Property in the UK. Thomas & Friends products have also been selected for the 2010 Hot Holiday Toy List released by Toys ‘R’ Us, for 2010 Oppenheimer Platinum Awards, and 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards. 

About ScrollMotion

ScrollMotion [3] is a media and technology company devoted to preserving the art and culture of print in the digital publishing business.  The company develops electronic platforms for the world’s leading textbook, children’s book and magazine publishers.  ScrollMotion is also helping many of the greatest names in traditional media successfully transition to digital and mobile programming. Clients include Hearst Publications, Conde Nast, The Slate Group, Time Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Hachette, Random House, HIT Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, The National Geographic Society, and many others. Recent releases include Esquire for iPad, O the Oprah Magazine for iPad,  and National Geographic’s Ultimate Dinopedia: The Most Complete Dinosaur Reference Ever for iPad. To find out more, please visit www.scrollmotion.com [3].

About HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment’s Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™, Timmy Time™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations.  HIT also acts as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.   HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, PBS KIDS SproutSM. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com [4].