Mattel unveiled the Hello Barbie Dreamhouse, a high-tech dollhouse, at the 2016 New York International Toy Fair on Saturday. And because she's a modern woman in a modern world, she's getting a drone this year too.
Let's start first with the Dreamhouse, which is decked out with smart technology: it's Wi-Fi enabled, connects to an app, and has voice recognition software so kids can talk directly to the dollhouse.
Similar to how Siri works with Apple's HomeKit-enabled products and how the Amazon Echo syncs with its own collection of gadgets, you make verbal requests, like telling the house to take Barbie for an elevator ride, asking it to turn on the virtual oven to start cooking, or getting ready for a party (the lights flash, the chandeliers spin, and the stairs turn into a slide). The lights will also respond to the command, "Hey Dreamhouse. Turn on the bedroom light."
Like Philips Hue smart lights, you can customize the shades and colors however you want. All of this – including the game’s different setup modes (relax, party, and fun) that have different lights, sounds, and dialogue that will respond to the child – can be controlled via the companion app.
The lighting control features go beyond voice control. By pressing a button embedded in the floor of each room, the area “wakes up” so it knows you’re ready to play (e.g. the fireplace will turn on if the living room button is on). This way, the room knows when the doll is nearby and can react accordingly.
The product comes just a year after Mattel introduced Hello Barbie, a doll with Siri-like capabilities that allowed kids to have real-life conversations. While the doll was a huge technological step forward, the doll was criticized after security researchers warned that the toy could be used by hackers to spy on children.
Barbie's expansion into technology continues with her new Star Light Adventure RC hoverboard RC drone ($59.99), which hovers in the air and is controlled via a remote control.
Let's admit it, we've always wanted to live in Barbie's Dreamhouse, and now its new high-tech additions make us envy it even more!
