Apparently a wave of smart talking, voice recognition enabled toys like the Shrek 2 Wise Crackin’ Donkey are heading our way, courtesy of some fancy chip technology from Sensory Inc.

Personally I can’t wait for the day when I pick up a gadget or toy to tidy it away, and get lacerated with derisive abuse and snarky back chat.

‘The Shrek and Donkey characters can be spoken to, and they respond in an intelligent way to a range of predefined questions. The conversation sequence is “triggered” by an opening word that the character is listening for.’