Barbie's New Career: Computer Engineer

Barbie, who once declared that "math class is tough," is branching into IT. Computer Engineer Barbie will be out in the fall, complete with a Bluetooth headset, a smartphone, and a pink laptop. The new career came out on top in a worldwide poll, followed by News Anchor Barbie, notes the Bits blog of the New York Times.

Considering how few girls go into computer science, it's possible the new Barbie could be a role model, writes Caroline McCarthy at CNET. But to really make a difference, Mattel needs to show that "being a woman in technology is about more than picking out a pair of cute pink glasses to match your iPhone case. Is the writing on Computer Engineer Barbie's binary-code shirt actually a secret code that girls who own the doll can figure out? See, that'd be a start." (More Barbie stories.)