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Boomer Babies
As more and more Baby Boomer-targeted products appear, here's one that the manufacturer did not predict would fare so well with the "mature" market. Japanese toymaker Bandai has sold more than 800,000 robotic dolls, primarily to mature women buying the dolls for themselves. Primopuel has the vocabulary of a 5-year-old ... and a website selling accessories.
One 54-year-old owner says, "I've never been appreciated by my husband, but this little baby understands me and gives me comfort." So far, Primo's popularity seems limited to Japan, but there are plenty of grandma wannabes to spark production of other versions. As the younger generation tends to have fewer children, later in life, virtual grandparenting is on the rise.
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