The Evolution of Tech Toys: From Apps to Augmented Reality

When it comes to tech toys, companies have been trying various approaches over the years. In 2012, for instance, many were attempting to turn an iPhone or iPad into a toy by simply adding an app or attaching a tablet. However, parents soon realized that less screen time was needed, and concerns about privacy and data collection grew. As a result, companies began to take a different approach.

Nowadays, tech toys are incorporating new sensors and special effects, such as augmented reality (AR). This means that kids can use their tablets or smartphones to access a virtual world that is seamlessly integrated with the physical toy. For example, Pi BOTS teaches young kids how to snap together their own robot and program it through challenges presented in an AR world. The animations appear around their blocky creations, providing an immersive experience.

Another company, Toymaker Themes and Cosmos, is teaching kids how to build their own robots, such as the tumbling Hedgehog pet. Meanwhile, 3Doodler has created safe 3D printing pens that allow kids to melt plastic into any shape, even building their own robot creatures for tabletop battles. Some of these tech toys not only do cool tricks but also come with multiple sensors, making them more realistic best friends.

Spin Master has several robot pets, including a flying al named Ollie's. To teach him how to fly, kids need to play and cuddle with him before he can transform into a little drone and take off. The more they nurture him, the longer he will fly. This is just one example of how tech toys are defying gravity by incorporating new technologies.

Air Hogs zero-gravity laser uses air suction to drive on walls or even go upside down, following the path of the laser gun. This technology brings back memories of the past while introducing new features. Retro video games, such as Pac-Man, have also made a comeback with micro arcades that feature Tetris and classic Atari titles.

Another trend influencing toys is social media and YouTube culture. Fashion dolls, often called "snap stars," are now integrated into toys, coming with their own green screens to share adventures on Instagram or YouTube. These fashionistas are marketed as online influencers, showcasing the reach of YouTube and its impact on toy design. Famous video game players, like Ninja from Fortnite, have even had their own action figures, allowing kids to snuggle up with them at night.

Lastly, there's a growing trend of incorporating llamas into toys, inspired by the loot-filled llama in Fortnite. Toy makers are now putting llamas in everything, from jewelry to pets or dance parties with shaking llamas. This is another example of how online gaming culture is influencing toy design, creating new and imaginative products.

The next generation of kids has grown up in a world where iPads and YouTube were ubiquitous. As a result, parents expect tech toys that are not only entertaining but also educational and safe. The industry is responding by incorporating more creative approaches to tech toys, such as augmented reality, 3D printing, and social media integration. While not every tech toy will be perfect, it's clear that companies are making efforts to create innovative products that cater to the needs of this generation.

To learn more about these tech toys and other new trends in toy design, tune into our next episode of "The Evolution of Tech Toys."

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entechnology and toys it could be hit or miss but a New York Toy Fair we're here to see the trends and how technology is changing playtime I'm Bridget Carey let's break it down there's nothing quite like toy fair more than a thousand toy companies from around the world come to the Javits Convention Center in New York City flaunting the latest figurines and fluff that they hope the kiddos will beg their parents to buy and to stand out in the crowd these toys often try to weave in some new tech tricks this is my seventh year covering Toy Fair and my second law pregnant so you could say that I'm hungry to find it sucked oh that will really enrich a child to play a time and imagination let's flashback to 2012 back then companies were trying to turn an iPhone or iPad into a toy just add an app or attach a tablet it didn't really work parents wanted less screen time and soon came the privacy and data collection worries because when you have to blend the digital and physical you gotta find the right balance now companies are taking another approach they are squeezing and new sensors and incorporating things like augmented reality special effects revealing a new world if kids just hold up their phone or tablet and in the case of Pi BOTS that means using AR tricks to make learning fun PI BOTS teaches young kids how to snap together their own robot and program it through the challenges presented in an augmented reality world animations are appearing around their blocky creation but not everything requires an app Toymaker themes and cosmos teaches kids how to build their own robots like the tumbling Hedgehog pet 3doodler creates kids safe 3d printing pens so you can melt plastic into any shape even build your own robot creature for tabletop battles but some of the best robots just do cool tricks you can show off to your friends and multiple sensors make it a more realistic best friend this is you know I'm getting elephant kisses Oh Spin Master has quite a few robot pets but I was taken aback by one in particular the flying al named Ollie's you have to nurture this little guy to teach him how to fly it needs you to play and cuddle before it's ready to transform into a little drone and take off the more you nurture the longer it will fly but that's not the only way tech toys are defying gravity why race on the ground when you can race on a wall Air Hogs zero-gravity laser uses air suction to drive on walls or even go upside down it follows the path of the laser gun sometimes the tech of the past comes back in new ways Speak & Spell is back along with several retro toys and games even edge sketch got a new twist you can do it all in color but you still gotta shake to a ring of course every year people go nuts for retro video games if you love pac-man you can out take it on the go with my karora Kade this is a pacman game that fits in your wallet it's so a debating the micro arcades will also feature Tetris and some classic Atari titles or you could play pac-man at home and hang it on your wall arcade 1up has come up with new designs for their building yourself classic arcade systems including a new wall unit you can hang or take a seat at one of their new tabletop machines ColecoVision eva makes a comeback with miniature games and there's a new Rainbow Brite game well the company invented it to really tug on those nostalgic heartstrings but behind the robots and the flashy video screens another trend began to emerge as I walk the show floor there was a different kind of tech influencing toys it was an influence of our social media and YouTube culture snap stars are fashion dolls that are also social media stars they come with their own green screen these smartphone toting fashionistas are marketed as online influencers making YouTube videos and sharing their adventures on Instagram doing it for the gram yeah the reach of YouTube was everywhere YouTube stars had their faces plastered across boxes of various toys or the toys themselves have tools to prop up your phone so you can easily share videos of your playtime online some famous video game players on Twitch even had their own action figures fortnight master ninja has his own toy line so now you could snuggle up at night with his blue hair with a new series of collectibles the twitch streamer ninja shot to fame playing the battle royale game fortnight and as it turns out fortnight is a powerful force in the toy world because there's another trend that followed me everywhere I turned llamas llamas everywhere you see in fortnight a loot filled llama is a big feature of the game so toy makers are putting llamas in everything seriously you can even wear llama jewelry pets or have a dance party with a shaking llama it's another mama no I'm not a llama I'm an oh oh sorry llama tell ya the influence of online gamer culture is nothing to spit at toy makers have to tackle a new puzzle for this next generation today's ten year olds have lived in a world where the iPad and YouTube existed their whole lives you can't ignore their expectations for wanting tech as entertainment but there's something magical and how toys are finding ways to just lay touch the digital world and still just well be toys well you know Emmett's clearly not every tech toy is awesome but it is clear the industry is getting much more creative and how they're approaching the problem so cheers to that thanks for watching another bridge it breaks it down let me know in the comments which toys tickle your fancy and you know what you gotta like it subscribe or else I missedtechnology and toys it could be hit or miss but a New York Toy Fair we're here to see the trends and how technology is changing playtime I'm Bridget Carey let's break it down there's nothing quite like toy fair more than a thousand toy companies from around the world come to the Javits Convention Center in New York City flaunting the latest figurines and fluff that they hope the kiddos will beg their parents to buy and to stand out in the crowd these toys often try to weave in some new tech tricks this is my seventh year covering Toy Fair and my second law pregnant so you could say that I'm hungry to find it sucked oh that will really enrich a child to play a time and imagination let's flashback to 2012 back then companies were trying to turn an iPhone or iPad into a toy just add an app or attach a tablet it didn't really work parents wanted less screen time and soon came the privacy and data collection worries because when you have to blend the digital and physical you gotta find the right balance now companies are taking another approach they are squeezing and new sensors and incorporating things like augmented reality special effects revealing a new world if kids just hold up their phone or tablet and in the case of Pi BOTS that means using AR tricks to make learning fun PI BOTS teaches young kids how to snap together their own robot and program it through the challenges presented in an augmented reality world animations are appearing around their blocky creation but not everything requires an app Toymaker themes and cosmos teaches kids how to build their own robots like the tumbling Hedgehog pet 3doodler creates kids safe 3d printing pens so you can melt plastic into any shape even build your own robot creature for tabletop battles but some of the best robots just do cool tricks you can show off to your friends and multiple sensors make it a more realistic best friend this is you know I'm getting elephant kisses Oh Spin Master has quite a few robot pets but I was taken aback by one in particular the flying al named Ollie's you have to nurture this little guy to teach him how to fly it needs you to play and cuddle before it's ready to transform into a little drone and take off the more you nurture the longer it will fly but that's not the only way tech toys are defying gravity why race on the ground when you can race on a wall Air Hogs zero-gravity laser uses air suction to drive on walls or even go upside down it follows the path of the laser gun sometimes the tech of the past comes back in new ways Speak & Spell is back along with several retro toys and games even edge sketch got a new twist you can do it all in color but you still gotta shake to a ring of course every year people go nuts for retro video games if you love pac-man you can out take it on the go with my karora Kade this is a pacman game that fits in your wallet it's so a debating the micro arcades will also feature Tetris and some classic Atari titles or you could play pac-man at home and hang it on your wall arcade 1up has come up with new designs for their building yourself classic arcade systems including a new wall unit you can hang or take a seat at one of their new tabletop machines ColecoVision eva makes a comeback with miniature games and there's a new Rainbow Brite game well the company invented it to really tug on those nostalgic heartstrings but behind the robots and the flashy video screens another trend began to emerge as I walk the show floor there was a different kind of tech influencing toys it was an influence of our social media and YouTube culture snap stars are fashion dolls that are also social media stars they come with their own green screen these smartphone toting fashionistas are marketed as online influencers making YouTube videos and sharing their adventures on Instagram doing it for the gram yeah the reach of YouTube was everywhere YouTube stars had their faces plastered across boxes of various toys or the toys themselves have tools to prop up your phone so you can easily share videos of your playtime online some famous video game players on Twitch even had their own action figures fortnight master ninja has his own toy line so now you could snuggle up at night with his blue hair with a new series of collectibles the twitch streamer ninja shot to fame playing the battle royale game fortnight and as it turns out fortnight is a powerful force in the toy world because there's another trend that followed me everywhere I turned llamas llamas everywhere you see in fortnight a loot filled llama is a big feature of the game so toy makers are putting llamas in everything seriously you can even wear llama jewelry pets or have a dance party with a shaking llama it's another mama no I'm not a llama I'm an oh oh sorry llama tell ya the influence of online gamer culture is nothing to spit at toy makers have to tackle a new puzzle for this next generation today's ten year olds have lived in a world where the iPad and YouTube existed their whole lives you can't ignore their expectations for wanting tech as entertainment but there's something magical and how toys are finding ways to just lay touch the digital world and still just well be toys well you know Emmett's clearly not every tech toy is awesome but it is clear the industry is getting much more creative and how they're approaching the problem so cheers to that thanks for watching another bridge it breaks it down let me know in the comments which toys tickle your fancy and you know what you gotta like it subscribe or else I missed\n"