NEW YORK – Toy maker Mattel said it plans to introduce at this
year’s
(Feb. 12-15, here) a range of “Apptivity”-enabled high-tech toys
ranging from a Barbie fashion model digital camera to a Fisher-Price DVR.
Other slated offerings include
Hot Wheels Apptivity vehicles and an Apptivity Monkey plush toy that interact
with tablets and smartphones,
Mattel said its Apptivity concept allows kids to take a physical
toy and safely play with it on the screen of an iPad.
For example, the Hot
Wheels Apptivity system lets kids take a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car and race
through three game modes on an iPad screen.
Apptivity is also found in Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn
Apptivity Monkey, which is billed as an interactive plush learning toy for
babies that lets toddlers use apps on their parents’ iPhone or iPod Touch
device.
By squeezing the monkey’s hands and feet, kids can interact with
the app, while learning colors, numbers, animals and other lessons.
Meanwhile, a new Barbie Photo Fashion Doll is actually a digital
camera. Girls can play fashion shoot by using the Barbie doll t-shirt as a canvas.
Girls can showcase preloaded graphics or take their own pictures and display
them on the shirt.
A Fisher-Price, kid-tough portable DVR is designed to let preschoolers
take their favorite content on the go. The DVD connects directly to a TV and
set top box to record favorite TV shows.
The concept will let parents maximize TV content they’re already
paying for at home while preschoolers can take their favorite TV shows with
them on road trips and vacations.
