BB-8 and 5 other fun tech toys for people of all ages

BB-8 and 5 other fun tech toys for people of all ages

(Natalie Crofts/KSL)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Many of the tech advances from recent years have trickled down into the toy market.

As a result, it's easier than ever before to welcome new robot friends and other helpful technology devices into your home. Below are six tech toys that were shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

A BB-8 that obeys your command

When "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released in December, the charming droid BB-8 immediately captured viewers' hearts. While the movies are set in a distant time, a miniature BB-8 can be your companion right now. Sphero showed off its adorable version of the droid at CES in January.

Sphero's BB-8 rolls around to "patrol" independently, or can be controlled through voice and app commands. It can also deliver holographic messages to friends, thanks to the app's augmented reality capabilities. The mini droid is already on the market and can be purchased for $149.99.

A ball that teaches kids programming

This programmable toy is both fun and educational. The bright Hackaball is armed with colored lights, sound and a motion sensor. It was designed to teach kids programming by letting children take control of the ball's settings. Through an app, the kids can make the device's behaviors fit games they make up. Hackaball is also easy to open for kids to look inside.

"What we really love about it is that there are a lot of programming toys available, but Hackable let them use their imagination," said Hackaball CEO Sebastian Potter. "They become more attached to it."

In testing, kids programmed the toy to play games like hot potato, "don't wake the dragon" and even truth or dare. Hackaball can be preordered for $85 and will start shipping in March.

A friendly companion in the shape of a duck

There's more to this adorable duck than meets the eye. Edwin is a Bluetooth-enabled smart duck that can keep kids company during bath time, bedtime and playtime. It performs an impressive range of tasks, from monitoring a child's bathwater temperature and serving as a nightlight to reading stories and playing songs.

Edwin the duck also pairs with various apps for added fun. Kids can use the device to play games on tablets and smartphones by shaking and moving the duck, which has an accelerometer inside.

Edwin has been on the market for several months and retails for $99.

A dinosaur that tells stories

This smiling dinosaur companion is like Siri for kids, according to a company representative. The Cognitoys Dino comes preloaded with curated content, so when children ask it questions the Dino playfully shares stories and tells jokes. The interactive toy also offers lessons on topics like spelling and rhyming.

The Dino is Wi-Fi enabled, meaning it can wirelessly connect to a web-based parent control panel. Using the dashboard, parents can see how much time their children spend asking questions, playing games and listening to stories. Over time, the smart Dino tailors its content to match its owner's personality.

The Cognitoys Dino is available for preorders now and is expected to arrive at retailers in the fall for about $100.

A drone for playing tag and a robot that delivers snacks

Professional drones can be spendy, so Skyrocket Toys created its line of inexpensive, easy-to-use Sky Viper Drones for hobbyists and kids. The drones start at $34.99 and feature automatic launch and land options, so people who are just learning how to fly don't crash the device on their first try, according to a company representative.

The Sky Viper Hover Racer, which is slated to come out in the fall, combines gaming and drones. Using a related app, people can map out courses for races and play tag using lasers in the sky. It will retail for $100.

For those who are interested in more traditional robots, Skyrocket Toys' Mebo will also hit the market this fall for a retail price of $150. The mid-sized bot is somewhat reminiscent of Disney's Wall-E and comes programmed to speak and listen with two-way audio streaming. An app connected to Mebo's HD video stream lets users control the bot's arms and wheels to complete tasks like picking up and delivering snacks.

A robot dinosaur that will follow you around

This friendly robot dinosaur has been around for a few years, but it still stands out when people see it in action. Pleo has charming mannerisms, responding to touch and following its owner around. In fact, it was designed to keep people who can't have pets company, according to a representative from Innvo Labs.

The robot dinosaur comes equipped with multiple touch sensors and speakers to interact with humans. It also changes behavior over time, mimicking the progression of growing through newborn, juvenile and mature stages. Pleo retails for about $469, with additional food and toy accessories available for purchase.

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