For the air guitar rocker in all of us

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), July, 2008

Is there anyone out there who never has played an air guitar? Admit it, once you get a song in your head like "Smoke On the Water," you can't help but start fingering those imaginary strings and strumming your belt buckle. So, how do you get the song to play out loud? Get the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker ($29.99) from Jada Toys, City of Industry, Calif. Based on Activision's revolutionary Guitar Hero video game franchise, the Air Guitar Rocker uses guitar pics, a rockin' belt buckle, and a portable, mini-amplifier to allow kids and adults alike to rook to many of their favorite hits.

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With an air guitar in hand, the user waves the pic over the belt buckle sensor to determine the tempo of the song, which can be heard through the mini-amplifier. If consumers really want to rock the house, the GH Air Guitar Rocker can be hooked up to any external speaker system for a more authentic rock experience.

The product comes with an Air Cartridge that features 10 signature guitar riffs, ranging in skill level from one to five, including epic hits that have appeared throughout the Guitar Hero franchise and five original Air Guitar Rocker freestyle rifts. Also included is a demo mode, which allows users to listen to the tracks first, and then master the rifts on their own.

Encore packs, which will include themed belt buckles and Air Cartridges featuring legendary heavy metal and '80s rock assortments, will be available for $14.99 this summer. For more information on the Guitar Hero Air Guitar Rocker, visit www.airguitarrocker.com.