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Mattel Shows Off Internet-Connected 'Hello Barbie'

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Barbie has had a lot of adventures over the years, but her next journey will be to the cloud. Mattel is at Toy Fair this week showing off an Internet-connected version of its iconic doll.

As first reported by Fast Company, Mattel has teamed up with ToyTalk for Hello Barbie, a version of the doll that can carry on a conversation via Wi-Fi and voice-recognition technology. Hello Barbie is still in the works, but Mattel plans to have her on shelves this holiday season, Fast Company said.

Talking dolls are nothing new, but this Barbie has a 21st century twist: she will remember your responses, store the data in the cloud, and get to know you over time, like Cortana or Siri. Updates will also happen via Wi-Fi.

In a Toy Fair demo captured by Chip Chick (video below), a Mattel spokeswoman said Hello Barbie will be able to play games, tell jokes, and carry on a conversation with her owner.

The spokeswoman, pressing a button on Barbie's belt, welcomed the doll to New York, and Barbie responded by asking her about her favorite part of the Big Apple. They then discussed favorite foods and what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Hello Barbie "will remember and get to know my likes and dislikes," the spokeswoman said.

Let's just hope Hello Barbie isn't hacked and re-programmed to say some inappropriate stuff, like those baby monitors, or switched to an always-on mode.

Until Hello Barbie arrives, meanwhile, check out Barbie Fashion Design Maker (slideshow above), which lets you design outfits for Barbie on a tablet or PC and print them out.

Mattel, meanwhile, also just partnered with Google for an updated version of its classic View-Master, which uses Google Cardboard.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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