New Furby hits town

BANGKOK: -- An updated version of the robotic pet called “Furby” has hit the Thai market after the first version sold 40 million units worldwide. Furby is a fluffy robot with a bird’s beak and a rabbit’s big eyes and became a massive international hit because it perfectly imitates a real animal in several ways. It can blink its eyes and even pronounce hundreds of words.

The importer expects to sell more than 10,000 Furbys in the next six months.

Sameer Prasad, country manager of TS Lifestyle (Thailand) - the local distributor of Furbys - said the creature had become one of the best-selling toys in the world. The first version, launched in 1998, sold more than 40 million in a single year.

The US-made pet has now reached the Thai market. The latest “Emoto-Tronics” technology allows the new Furby realistic movements and six times the memory size. Furby will react based on how a child interacts with it. The technology is the ultimate combination of advanced robotic technology, puppetry and realistic lifelike reactions and movements.

Priced in Thailand at Bt2,795, the Furby has emotional responses, one of the most noticeable changes from the original version. It can speak, dance, sing, tell jokes, play games, and express glad or sad moods in a variety of ways. The new version also features advanced voice recognition and enhanced communications with kids and other Furbys.

Furby is made by Hasbro, the world’s second-largest toy manufacturer and distributor after Mattel, the producer of Barbie fashion dolls.

Prasad said that the new version of Furby was launched in the United States in August and more than six million units have been sold domestically so far. In Asia, the new Furby was launched in Hong Kong in September.

“The new version of Furby targets girls aged between six and 14. But in many markets such as the US and Hong Kong, adults buy them since Furby can connect to people like a friend,” said Prasad, adding that Furby can speak hundreds of programmed words and dozens of phrases in “Furbish” language and English. The evolved Furby creature will be larger than the original to accommodate the multi-motor system that brings the toy to life and doubles its animation features. One motor is devoted exclusively to facial expressions.

Prasad said that technology was more and more connected with toys but many electronic toys such as computer games take children away from reality. Furby, on the other hand, uses technology to bring children back to reality and create feelings of nurturing and care.

--The Nation 2005-12-03

Yeah, nothings as much like reality as talking to a computerised teddy bear.

Cant believe the Furb is still around, but then again so is the Teddy Bear.

I think KING KONG is going to be huge this Xmas with boys and girls.

Unlike "Godzilla" which I think is more attractive to boys, Kong has an appeal to girls in that it is really a love story.

My favorite is the egg scrabbler http://www.ronco.com/rco_prodinfo.aspx?pid...or=&active=desc

More at ronco.ocm

My favorite is the egg scrabbler http://www.ronco.com/rco_prodinfo.aspx?pid...or=&active=desc

More at ronco.com

My favorite is the egg scrabbler http://www.ronco.com/rco_prodinfo.aspx?pid...or=&active=desc

More at          ronco.com

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LOL, thats great I bet it works well too. Mr. Ronco is a marketing guru.

Have you ever had an egg shatter on you and bits go flying all over the kitchen?

What I need is the perfect auto 3 min egg maker, I never get it right. I think you have to go to England to get it done right, Could be an altitude thing.

When I was living there back in my teens I ate them all the time, I think it was because I liked snapping the tops off with the cracker.