New Barbie Doll to be Internet Connected for Interactive Chat

A new internet connected Barbie doll will have the ability to talk with kids. Hello Barbie uses speech recognition and a WiFi connection to have two-way conversations with children. The prototype was revealed at the New York Toy Fair on 14th February.

The Barbie can play interactive games, tell stories and jokes, and adapt to conversations over time. If a child tells Hello Barbie that they like to dance, the doll will remember and could refer to it in future chats. It has a microphone, speaker, and two multicoloured LEDs integrated into its body, with rechargeable batteries housed in its legs.

A spokesperson for Mattel, the doll’s creator, said, “The number one request we hear from girls around the world is that they want to have a conversation with Barbie. Now, for the first time ever, Barbie can have a two-way conversation.”

Though no release date has been confirmed, Hello Barbie will cost $74.99 (£49).

Source: BBC