As part of our broad-based service to readers, here is a notice for

consumers. One of my son’s birthday presents was a radio-controlled truck

made by Tyco R/C, which is apparently a large toy company–at any rate, I

have seen their products all over. Not until opening the box did we learn

that this $40 toy need a special Tyco battery pack before it can be used.

After 3 unsuccessful expeditions, we finally tracked down one of these

battery packs at a local Toys-R-Us. It comes packaged with its own

recharger, and the whole thing costs $22. It is a unique battery; nothing

else fits in the toy. Later I found out how lucky we had been to find this

battery. Tyco has discontinued them! If you go to Tyco’s battery page, the 6.0V

battery pack–the only one this toy will work with–is no longer listed.

Yet they are still marketing the toys! Hunting around the internet, I found

seething rage about these disgraceful practices–see here for example. Tyco are selling

toys–in the stores right now, I checked over the weekend–for which only

their own peculiar battery pack will work, and they have discontinued the battery! I hope someone has a big fat lawsuit against Tyco. In any case,

I urge Corner readers NOT TO BUY TYCO TOYS.