The company says that the waffle maker - $45 suggested retail - was designed with children ages 2 to 6 in mind, and that parents can now say to them: "Go on, play with your food.

(All prices quoted are suggested retail.)

The improvements in the design as well as the lower price, US$499 suggested retail with street prices typically US$300-$350, along with the wider distribution channel have certainly helped sales.

(It sells for %54.95; all prices listed are suggested retail.)

However, Panasonic's VA-8400 telephone (suggested retail $94.95), which offers conference calling and one-button dialing of 32 telephone numbers, and Radio Shack's Duofone CFS-200 call-forwarding system (about $99.95), which requires two telephone lines, are both less costly than paying a monthly charge.

A system with a powerful Intel Pentium II 400 megahertz chip and 96 megabytes of memory (at least they still list the specifications) goes for $1,299 (all prices are suggested retail), with the monitor sold separately.

Prices are suggested retail.

Suggested retail for each is $19.95.

Suggested retail $350 in 1972.