Light bulb off for Easy Bake oven in 2011?

My daughter got an Easy Bake Oven this past Christmas from Santa.  She absolutely loves it, and has already made me a "birthday cake" and many other goodies with it.  We got it for her because I remember the fun I had with my own Easy Bake Oven as a child!  Of course, mine wasn't as sleek and modern looking as this one is, but then again, that was the 90's! ;) 

I recently read an article that they are revamping the entire Easy Bake Oven and adding a new heating element, getting rid of the 100 Watt light bulb that currently makes the oven do it's cooking magic. The oven has been using an 100 Watt light bulb as it's heating element since 1963.  Really, the light bulb and it's magical cooking a small cake or small cookie is what makes it so amazing to children. (And even adults! Ha!) So, if it ain't broke why fix it?  

There were definitely numerous rumors about why the light bulb was being taken out and also numerous rumors that the first oven for kids was being discontinued because of the loss of the light bulb.  It turns out, the light bulb is being removed because of a ban on incandescent light bulbs will go into effect this year.  Hasbro is renaming the oven the "Easy Bake Ultimate Oven".  (Original!)  They're even changing the look of the oven to be larger and more "hip", marketing it to tweens now rather than the younger generation - pre-teen they had marketed to in the past.  The look is definitely more "retro" like almost everything else out there, these days.  I actually liked the current look much better.  The current size is more space efficient, but I guess everything needs to be new and improved to fit the current trends.  Even children's toys.  

I actually had a lot of fond memories with my Easy Bake Oven.  I absolutely loved the fact that I could bake like my mom.  Of course, in the 90's there weren't many things you could do.  Cakes and cookies were just about it, but it still made me feel like a grown up.  Now they have more of a variety, different types of cookies, different types of cakes, pretzels and more.  With the new Easy Bake Ultimate Oven, they're going to introduce even more such as cupcakes, pizzas and also keep the old favorites.  I'm not sure what I think about the new oven.  Hopefully, it will still have the safety that the current oven has. (After the recall due to children getting burned two years ago, I am sure they will keep the same safety features.)  I'm just a little worried about the new heating element that is similar to a conventional oven.  Oh well, I guess time will tell.  I will probably try the new oven for my daughter once it's introduced in 2012, since my daughter absolutely loves her oven now!  I will also stock up on 100 Watt light bulbs while I can, just in case we prefer the old version that we currently have!

What do you think of the new Easy Bake Ultimate Oven? Leave your opinions in the comments!