Best High Tech Toys We've Seen at the 2016 Toy Fair
Even Barbie now has a connected home.
— -- Imagine a place filled with hundreds of thousands of toys -- and no kids allowed.
The 2016 International Toy Fair includes exhibitors from around the world sprawled out across 422,000 square feet at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, giving industry insiders the first look at the toys children will likely have on their wish lists later this holiday season.
As the show comes to a close today, here's a look at some of the coolest high-tech toys we found while browsing the convention space.
Barbie's Dreamhouse
Even Barbie now has a connected home. Mattel's new Barbie Dreamhouse is Wi-Fi connected and responds to voice commands. Children can say, "OK Dreamhouse, it's time to get ready for school," which will turn on the lights and the shower. "Party mode" will turn Barbie's home into a flashy, high-tech palace perfect for entertaining.
Barbie's new Dreamhouse is set to hit stores this fall and will have a price tag of $299, according to a Mattel representative. The new Dreamhouse uses voice recognition technology from Toy Talk, the company that worked with Mattel on its Hello Barbie doll that was released last year.
ThingMaker
Mattel's new ThingMaker is like having a toy factory in your home. Using an app, children can create and customize jewelry or a figurine they want to print before sending the design to their ThingMaker, which will 3-D print the item.
Pre-orders for the printer begin today on Amazon for $299.99 but interested designers will have to wait until this fall for the product to ship.
Edwin the Duck
This cute, squishy rubber duck is designed to be a learning toy and companion for children, sharing stories, games, songs and lessons. Edwin is also compatible with a few apps parents can control, including "sleepy time" to start lullabies, "wellness" for turning Edwin into a forehead thermometer and "bath time" for monitoring water temperature.
Edwin was recently released and is available for $99.99.
iChanter
This cuddly, Wi-Fi enabled bear helps parents stay connected with their children without having to give them a smartphone. A paired app allows parents or other loved ones to record a message for their child, which they can hear when they press a button on the bear's belly. A "scheduled message delivery" mode also lets parents schedule when they want their child to receive a message, making it ideal for when the babysitter has to tuck them in at night.
Aside from messages, iChanter can also play stories and songs. The bear's creator told ABC News they expect it will hit the market sometime in July.
Sphero's BB-8
You can now have your own BB-8 droid -- complete with an adaptive personality that will change the more you play with it.
Sphero's take on the loyal Astromech Droid, which made its film debut last year in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," allows users to guide BB-8 using a smartphone or tablet. The droid will also respond to voice commands and even show a range of expressions.
BB-8 by Sphero retails for $149.99.
