Well it had to come eventually. The synthesis of soft furry animal and cutting edge smartphone technology was bound to come about, once the software and wireless tech was good enough to cope. We’re talking about toys which can talk back and hold ‘intelligent’ conversations, rather than just recite stock recorded phrases.
SuperToy Teddy Bear is a new toy which will use Siri type intelligent assistant technology and Bluetooth to deliver a talking Ted type experience, without all the foul mouthed wise cracks we suspect. The product is just now emerging from a successful Kickstarter funding round, and is destined for delivery sometime in December of this year.
Of course if it runs true to other Kickstarter programs, it will probably emerge late next year once they’ve got all the kinks ironed out and discovered that intelligent assistant style technology is really very over-hyped and under powered. And before that happens a Chinese company will introduce something better at half the price. But hey, it’s Kickstarter right?
The bear is going to cost something like $59 (£39) when it finally arrives, excluding the cost of your very expensive smartphone of course, and it will ship with a range of optional costumes and even role playing modes, so you can have your very own football player, wizard or sailor teddy if that’s your thang. We can’t wait.
We’re also wondering just how ‘real’ the Kickstarter promotional video is, bearing in mind a later video which was posted to YouTube showing the robotic workings. Compare the two videos and make up your own mind.
Kickstarter
Later video
https://youtu.be/nrFzGKUs8-I
Media Interview