The Spy Video Trakr is a programmable, remote-controlled vehicle that transmits video, audio, and data.
Wild Planet Entertainment says it’s the first to give kids
the tools to create and share custom apps that can be downloaded, at no cost,
onto a toy. “We’re teaching kids how to write their own applications and
program their toys to do exactly what they want them to do.”
The Spy Video Trakr has a color LCD, SD card slot for
storage, a speaker, and a microphone. It will sell for $120 in October 2010.
It allows users to create, download, and share custom
programs. Once kids create new programs, they have the option of posting them
on a designated website for other kids to access.
“We believe kids will fuel the spread of app-sharing in
toys,” the company says. “It’s empowering when something kids create becomes of
interest to other people. Kids will take pride in having programs they designed
downloaded by others. They’ll come up with things toy industry executives would
never imagine. The apps downloaded the most will likely be the ones created by
kids.”
The toy will come with three apps already installed, and a
collection of free apps will be available online when the product launches.
With a night vision app, kids can drive the remote toy in
total darkness, yet see everything in the path of the vehicle on the color
screen on the remote, the company says. If they’ve installed a motion alarm
app, they can park the vehicle in front of a doorway and convert the camera
into a sensor that will trigger a siren when someone enters the room. If
they’ve created and downloaded a custom app, the vehicle can snap a picture of
the person who crosses the threshold; call out: "You’re busted, little
brother! I have a picture of you sneaking into my room!”; and then squeal its
tires and automatically navigate its way back to the driver.
February 15, 2010
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