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According to a recent article on Kotaku.com, every video game geek out there needs to jump for joy: There might be a new Halo movie. Discussion of a new film supposedly went down at the Future of Television East conference in New York City last week. The conversation went something like this:

Bigwig network exec: We want to do something with Halo.

Halo Franchise Development Director Frank O’Connor: Bring piles of money.

Bigwig network exec: For Halo, we will.

You might be asking yourself two questions right now: First off, are movie deals really made in such a lackadaisical manner? Secondly, Halo is old school, why are they talking about a movie now?

Well, I can’t answer the first question, but the latter might have something to do with licensing rights. Short version: According to the article, Microsoft owns the rights to the whole shebang, so the movie studio could only profit off of the movie. That’s right kids, no T-shirts, coffee mugs, stuffed animals, etc.

Maybe Microsoft will even make the movie or a TV show to remedy the whole merchandising situation. Time will tell. But if the project doesn’t materialize, let the nerd rage begin.

—Mackenzie Allison

Kideo, a creator of personalized and branded video products, has launched its newly redesigned website this week. The new site allows users to create their own customized videos on Kideo.com through online streaming and instant downloading. Kids can star alongside their favorite animated characters including Dora the Explorer, Spider-Man, Barney, Precious Moments, and the Care Bears in an online adventure. Families can also share their customized videos with friends and relatives on social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube through the streaming and downloadable options.

Personalized video streams and downloadables are available for $7.99 and $9.99, while keepsake personalized DVDs retail for $19.99. Additionally, the site offers a new free trial option, which gives parents and children the opportunity to enjoy short clips from each video at no charge.

For all those gamers out there mark your calendars—there are only ten days left until Wii’s newest gaming system, uDraw GameTablet, hits the shelves.

Jackie Breyer, editor in chief of The Toy Book, and I got a chance to take a sneak peek at the latest addition to the Wii family.

Even those who aren’t necessarily artistically inclined will feel like a Picasso with uDraw Studio, which is bundled with the GameTablet. For those in the art world, uDraw Studio is reminiscent of a design program or high-tech Etch A Sketch.

With access to a SD-Card, gamers can save, export and print their work on compatible devices.

The action component to the uDraw GameTablet comes in the form of Dood’s Big Adventure! Comparable to Sonic the Hedgehog, players can draw, tilt, and maneuver their way through 60 different levels.

By far, my favorite uDraw game was Pictionary. Similar to the classic game—minus the pen and paper—the Wii version has a few updates, including a game mode where the screen moves as you draw.

The uDraw GameTablet will retail for $69.99 and includes the uDraw Studio. Dood’s Big Adventure! and Pictionary will retail for $29.99.

—Mackenzie Allison

BCP Imports and licensing agency Brand Central LLC have signed several master licensee partners to Silly Bandz.

The Silly Bandz consumer products program will launch this fall and licensees include Cra-Z-Art for toy-driven collections including arts & crafts, activity maker, and more; Mad Engine has created a Silly Bandz fashion collection with a full range of apparel featuring the shapes, colors, and themes including a gift with purchase pack of Silly Bandz; an iphone application and video game from licensee Zoo Games; and University Games is in development for games and puzzles. Other lifestyle products include cell phone accessories and gadgets from ESI, gummy candy in the shape of the bandz with SMMS, and Silly “band-ages” from Ouchies.

Brand Central is seeking additional licensees in product categories including fashion accessories, bags & totes, toys, electronics, housewares, domestics, and social expressions.

Nickelodeon has announced the launch of two new location-based guides featuring the voices of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Published by Spot It Out, LLC, and available for Tom Tom and Garmin GPS systems, the guides help parents identify thousands of family-oriented activities and fun destinations to enhance trips and family outings while being guided by the voices of SpongeBob SquarePants or Dora the Explorer.

The new guides use GPS technology to provide parents with a fun way to navigate a family road trip. Infused with ParentsConnect.com’s detailed lists of great restaurants, hotels, parks, and shops from all over the United States, the guides are specifically engineered to help parents answer the age old question, “What can I do and where can I go with the kids?”
Nickelodeon – Swell Family Destinations with SpongeBob powered by ParentsConnect includes tens of thousands of family-friendly locations across the country. Each listing comes with a brief, detailed review and description, operating hours, cost, and more. Simply choose one of SpongeBob’s favorite places and the GPS will guide the car to the location using SpongeBob’s voice. Nickelodeon – Dora the Explorer’s Guide to Family Adventures powered by ParentsConnect includes the same rich content, but with the voice and trademark phrases of Dora the Explorer.
Both options are available now at Amazon.com, Fry’s Electronics, nickshop.com, and other on-line retailers.

Ludia and Classic Media today announced the availability of Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey for iPad in HD on the App Store worldwide. The game features new HD graphics and Multi-Touch game play exclusive to the iPad, including the new Party Mode that enables two players to compete on the same device.

Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey for iPad provides an interactive Waldo experience. Players will compete in a hidden-object game, as they scour the virtual globe in search of Waldo and his friends Wizard Whitebeard, Wenda, and Woof, along with Waldo’s foe, Odlaw. There are hundreds of hidden items to be found within 12 magical worlds, and gameplay is enhanced with surprise elements that are designed to challenge and/or help players gain advantage during their search.

According to Trading Markets, PLR IP Holdings LLC (PLR), owner of the Polaroid brand, has signed a licensing agreement for development of a wide range of new Polaroid-branded consumer electronics.

Under the five-year deal, Starlight Marketing Limited, a subsidiary of Starlight International Holdings Limited, will develop Polaroid-branded digital entertainment products including stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray players, portable DVD Players, e-book readers, iPod docking stations, and home theatre systems.

Products will launch in the U.S. and Canada later this year.

Polaroid Brand Owner Signs Licensing Agreement for New Digital Entertainment Products [Trading  Markets]