Furby Party Rockers
© 2013 Hasbro, Inc.
Furby has a new little brother/sister. In stores this week, Furby Party Rockers from Hasbro ($23, www.hasbrotoyshop.com) are smaller and cost a lot less than a regular $60 Furby. But they do less, too. There's no animatronics and cheaper, back-lit lenticular eyes, designed to look like more expensive color eyes that move. They run on three AAA batteries and come in four varieties, complete with pre-determined personalities and names like Loveby and Scoffby. So what can they do? Because the base is rounded, you wake up a these little Furbys with a rocking motion. These motions are captured and counted, along the sound of our voice. More sound and motion equals more Furbish-talk, and eventually a song. If another Furby is near, large or small, they will sing in harmony. According Kris Paulson, Hasbro's design manager of integrated play, Furbys communicate with high frequency sounds, called audio watermarks. You probably can’t hear them, but a nearby Furby or your dog probably can. So can your phone if it's running the free Furby App. These new Furbys are part of a growing Furby empire that includes dress up items, furniture (furbiture) and social media hooks. One feature that Party Rockers share with their larger counterpart is that there is no off switch. Your only option is to remove the batteries, or drop one into solitary confinement for a few minutes. Finding such a place when kids are around just might count as a 21st century parenting skill. See the video at http://youtu.be/lAUNKE3NEjo.
$25, Smart Toy
Teaches: A smart toy, some music