Plush Animals With a Key to Enter Their Web World - New York Times

"A stuffed animal doubles as the key to a Web site with Webkinz, a collectible toy that has been enjoying some playground buzz lately.
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Each of the 60 varieties of soft and squishy animals, sold either as Webkinz ($14) or as smaller Lil’ Kinz ($8), comes with a sealed tag with a code that can be entered at Webkinz World (www.webkinz.com). Once the code is recognized, children meet a virtual version of their pet that they can use to play games and chat with friends. The pet can move into its own furnished home. "