Technology rules at the 2013 Toy Fair
The Mercedes-Benz by Silverlit is a Bluetooth remote-control car that also doubles as a speaker system with music streaming through owner's iTunes library; for ages 8 and up. It's due out in the fall; suggested retail price: $129.99. Credit: Handout
The 110th American International Toy Fair this week at the Javits Center continues the trend of melding online apps and physical toys that emerged at last year's event.
But this year, the toymakers do it better, say several toy industry experts.
Last year it was exciting just to see the toy industry respond to the Web and start to combine physical and virtual worlds, says Laurie Schacht, co-publisher of "The Toy Insider," a consumer guide for parents. More than 1,000 companies gather at Toy Fair to introduce toys that will debut in the upcoming year.
But that innovation didn't translate into huge sales, insiders agree. "Few of the app toys did well," says Scott Goldberg, a spokesman for Silverlit Toys. That's because the physical toys weren't an integral part of the play, he says. This year, parents will see that in many cases the physical part of the toys has more of a purpose -- for instance, Silverlit's new remote-controlled Mercedes, which is run by an app, also can be used as a speaker to play the owner's iTunes library.
Here are some advances in the technology coming in 2013:
A real-world video-game competition is brewing between Activision, creators of the Skylanders gaming franchise, and Disney Interactive. Disney is launching a game dubbed Infinity; Activision is adding a new option, SWAP Force, to its lineup.
Despite all the toys incorporating technology, kids still need the basics, Laurie Schacht, co-publisher of "The Toy Insider," says. She advocates a "well-balanced toy box. You need to play with dolls and action figures. You need to build things and to create."
Here are some technology-free toys coming in 2013:
