Here Come "Smart Toys"
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Toy
Biz' Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers.
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Just For Fun
"Toys are becoming more and more interesting because as
technology has grown it has enabled toy manufacturers to do more,"
explains Kathryn Maciel, vice president of marketing, Toy Biz. "This
technology allows not only for the creation of toys that teach but
also toys that are just fun; and there is room for both. There is
always going to be a place for toys that children can use in imaginative
play patterns just for the fun of it."
Fans of the wrestling world will be able to recreate their favorite
shouting and fighting matches from the ring with Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers.
Toy Biz has used Smart Toy technology to animate twelve-inch articulated
wrestlers in the image of Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Sting and Diamond
Dallas Page (D.D.P.). Sold in two packs ($39.99), Goldberg vs. Nash
and Sting vs. D.D.P., each figure features the actual voices of
the WCW wrestlers saying over 100 phrases depending on the action
of the child.
For instance, move Goldberg's right arm and he will say, "Whose
next?" or leave him alone and hear, "The Jackhammer will
get you next time." Play with two figures at the same time
and they will identify and interact with each other giving the tough
talk heard in the rings such as, "Nash, every man I've faced
I've destroyed," says Goldberg, to which Nash will reply, "Goldberg,
I'll beat you because I am just too sweet." The likeness to
the real wrestler is uncanny. The wrestlers will react to the others'
moves and taunts as their mouths move in synch with their speech.
(Additional Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers are expected for the Holiday
1999 season.)
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Mattel's
interactive Piglet, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger too.
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From Mattel comes a gentler animated character
that interacts with the child. Chat Pals uses technology to bring
100 Acre Wood's friends Winnie the Pooh and Tigger to life. These
soft plush figures will talk, listen and react to a child or each
other as they engage in real conversation. Chat Pals tell jokes,
play games, ask questions and encourage the child, and other Chat
Pals, to sing songs with them. By combining microphone and radio
frequency technology, Chat Pals can actually hear a child's response,
turning their heads and looking at the child when they speak and
responding when the child has finished speaking. ($40 each by Mattel
for children ages 4 and up. Line up to be expanded with a Piglet
Chat Pals in 2000.)
Something Old Is New Again
Toy Biz's My Pal 2000 uses advancements in technology to expand
the abilities of an already existing and popular toy. "My Pal
was introduced in 1992, selling more than 1 million units,"
says Ms. Maciel. "My Pal 2000 reintroduces this popular toy
at a lower retail price of $39.95 with added features to the 1992
release that retailed for $50." My Pal 2000, for ages four
and up, is voice activated and responds to the child with over 70
phrases and sounds. The 16 inch robot has his own backpack where
children can store things and removable flashlight. When a child
talks to My Pal he responds to the sound by moving his head, eyes,
nose, ears and, when talking, mouth.
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Toy
Biz's My Pal 2000.
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My Pal can play five games: three interactive
games with the lights on his chest, baseball (My Pal pitches foam
balls and a bat is included in the package), and catch. He can also
act as a room sentry, declaring, "Halt, who goes there. What
is the password?"
"We all know how kids are about their room and how they want
their privacy," says Ms. Maciel. "In our focus groups
the kids love the fact that My Pal is there to protect their room
and that one of the neat things about My Pal is that he teaches,
but you can also play baseball and catch. The most important though
is that he talks to you. My Pal was created to be a kid's best friend."
Kids Will Still Be Kids
"I have been testing children and their play for more than
twenty years, and over the last few years, it is not uncommon for
me to see a child look at a truck or a soft toy and say, 'What does
it do?,'" explains Dr. Alfano. "Children and parents expect
that most toys will do something, but they are not disappointed
when they don't."
And even though parents might see a Winnie the Pooh that knows their
name as being more than a toy, Dr. Alfano assures us that children
see these animated marvels as just toys. "A child that loses
a stuffed animal that talks and interacts with them is going to
be no more or less devastated than when he or she loses a favorite
plush animal," says Dr. Alfano. "Look at the smart toy
to see that it encourages the values you want, the learning, positive
feelings and encouragement that you think are important for your
child."
JJacquie Kubin, a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer and
photo-journalist, covers all manner of toys from stuffed teddy bears
to computer equipment. She enjoys covering pop culture, travel and
music events. Personal career highlights include interviewing Steven
Tyler of Aerosmith, numerous photo opportunities with present day
diva, Cheryl Crow, and interviewing Spawn's Todd McFarlane
more than any other working female journalist.
