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The secret capabilities of Barbie鈥檚 toy typewriters

In the 90s, a Slovenian toy company designed a line of children鈥檚 toy typewriters with the ability to write secret messages. The company licensed the toy to the American company Mattel, the maker of Barbie. Mattel slathered the typewriter in pink but didn鈥檛 advertise its ability to encrypt messages. That鈥檚 because they didn鈥檛 think little girls would care.

Debbie Sterling, the founder of a toy company called Goldieblox, says that things in the toy industry aren鈥檛 too different today.

(Image: A wall of Barbie dolls in the Mattel display at the annual Toy Fair, February 14, 2010 in New York. Credit: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

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2 minutes