FURBY CONNECT- A Cute AI toy
Furby Connect is an interactive AI toy for children ages 5 and beyond. It is originally launched by robotic toy company Tiger Electronics in 1998. Later, it's features were enhanced by the largest toy company Hasbro. It also ranges from different species of animals and is available in different attractive colors. The most famous one presented above is a owl like creature having large, round LED lights., has fur on its body. It's main features includes dancing when listening to music, sleeping, left, right, back and upside down movements. Furby Connect is available in English and Russian languages. It's other features includes mood change from happy to sad and from being scared to being excited. Each furby is different and reacts according to how it being treated by you.
Also, to use its various features you need to download its app 'Furby Connect World' app. However, the app is now discontinued because of security reasons. The toy is connected through blue tooth, motion sensors, microphones and a speaker. Furby is able to learn new phrases after learning from the environment and even goes to sleep when not being used for a little while. It comes with appealing sleep mask that keep it asleep the whole night. Moreover, you can turn it off too.
Hope your child enjoy playing with this BFF!
Kondapalli toys: A short note
Kondapalli toys are colorful, wooden toys from Andhra Pradesh. They derived their name from the Kondapalli- a sub urban town of Vijaywada city. The Kondapalli toy making tradition is in the place since 400 years now. In the medieval times, the artisans from Rajasthan migrated to Andhra Pradesh bringing with them the art of making toys. These artists were known as Aryakshatriyas. The legend says that Mukta Rishi was blessed by the Lord Shiva himself to make him skilled artisan in toy making. His lineage continued and migrated. There is also a reference to this group of artisans in the Brahmanda Purana. Kondapalli toys are made of soft wood known as Tella Poniki found in the surrounding hills of the region.
Kondapalli toys are registered as GI (geographic indication) toys from Andhra Pradesh. The toys are sustainable in their essence as wood is used instead of noxious plastics, vegetable colors instead of harmful chemical colors. However, there influence are overpowered by manufactured modern toys. Modern toys are unsustainable and expensive to purchase. Government of India has launched various schemes such as Production Linked Incentive scheme to spread the importance of indigenous toys purchase.
Kondapalli toys comes in various forms such as gods and goddesses, animals, male or female dancers, home etc.
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Kondapalli toys were once very famous, however, with the changing times and technology they are succumbed under the pressure of modern new demands. It is the people which could bring back our traditional toys into the play.
A brief on GI JOE toys
One who is born in late 80's or 90's may remember how fun is it to play with action figure toys that were in huge demand in those days. GI JOE action figures were among them which was having huge children fan followers. Originally GI JOE were produced in 1960's as military figure which then changed to adventurer figure due to the protest by Vietnam. In those times, the figures were larger in size and not so attractive. However due to the competition by small figures of Star Wars toys in 1980's, Hasbro the parent company of GIJOE has reduced their size to about 4 to 5 inches toys. The team of GIJOE have begun to manufacture where more than 50 characters were produced. Moreover, the GIJOE's antagonist team Cobra, the Enemy were also produced.
Almost all figures comes in military uniform with weapon accessories with each toy. Each unique figure has unique weapons ranging from machine guns to rocket launchers, helmets to figure stand. Apart from this, each GIJOE figure has unique code name such as Flint, Hawk, Cobra Commander with each having their own specialties. Some are communication specialist and some are specialists in sabotage or martial arts. These ranges of specialties, weaponry, figure colors, figure uniforms make them really awesome action figures.
Moreover, Hasbro also launched GIJOE action vehicles such as submarines, military helicopters, military hovercrafts, fighter jets etc. These action vehicles were somewhat expensive than the action figures but worth to purchase as acted as a supplement to the action figure. However, children faced the problem of parts being lost as they are small. But this is completely dependent on how a child cares for his product.
The best part was the back part of the cover of the
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of action figures where the description of each figure were mentioned. This included the birthplace, tactics, strategies of the action figures. However, with changed times, the demands for the action figures have become almost redundant. It's very difficult to buy one and even if one is available that is at very high price. But the good news is that there are GIJOE collectors available which sell the products online at the affordable prices.
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History of Snakes and Ladders
Ancient India, apart from contributing in mathematics, sciences, philosophy and poetry also contributed in other aspects. One of this is inculcating moral values in children via the medium of playing. One of the best example in this category is the creation of Snakes and Ladders game.
Snakes and Ladders, a board game originally known as Moksha Patam developed in ancient India. It is not exactly known who invented the game but its legacy has continued generations after generations and still very popular. It is played on a board with numbered squares, overflowed with ladders and snakes pictures. The objective of the players is to navigate one's game piece, according to die rolls, from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square). Basically, it is a game of probability and helps us to understand the ups and downs of life.
This game has adaptations in Jainism, Buddhist and Islamic cultures also. The modern version of the game came from the West where the original version got changed and adapted in various forms. During these evolution, the morality aspect of the game got separated from the game. In the ancient version, the board has more snakes than ladders representing there are more vices than virtues in a person's lifetime.
Now, the snakes and ladders are almost equal. The ancient version of the game signifies the karmic journey of the individual where he need to play again and again until he reaches the Vaikuntha (the sacred domain of Vishnu). When he reaches the Vaikuntha, he get Moksha and unified with the supreme lord.
How to play it?
The goal of the player is to be the first to reach the square 100. Whichever player reaches the 100 first is a winner. Players start from the square numbered 1. To advance each player rolls a die. When a piece lands on the top of the snake, the snake let the player fall down but when a piece lands on the bottom of the ladder, the player move to the top of the ladder. The winner need to land exactly on the square 100.
Significance
The significance of snakes and ladders holds an important place in modern world where desires, lust are at their peak. Under the influence of desires and lust an individual commit such acts which are detrimental to the humanity and the social fabric. This game holds importance for teaching children the concept of morality, vices and virtues in the world. The parents should make their children understand the philosophy behind the game to their children while they are playing the game. Schools should also incorporate such ancient treasures in their curriculum so that children could become the better citizens in the future.
A Brief on Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels, the metal die-cast toy cars designed and produced for the children above 3 years of age. Elliot Handler, the co-founder of Mattel company first had an idea of producing such toy cars. His executives were against this idea but they proved wrong as the idea attained great success. There were 16 castings released in 1968 out of which 11 were designed by Harry Bentley Bradley. Bradley is famous for designing Hot Wheels Custom Camaro which was also launched in 1968.
The company uses bright colors to attract kids. The toy cars are made of quality metal and plastic tyres which ensured the durability of the product and made these cars long lasting. Among its many series, it includes, fast and furious series, batman series, Disney character series and also includes bikes, trucks and even helicopters.
The toy cars ranges from Ferraris, Mustangs, Porsches, Chrysler, Nissan, Land Rover, monster trucks etc. You name the car and it is there in the toy segment of Hot Wheels. Apart from profusion of types of cars, these toy cars are very affordable and do not burden the pocket of parents. The affordability makes children collects so many cars and be able to flaunt the collection to their mates.
Mattel also sells track play sets for the toy cars. The 
track sets has loops, twists and turns which allows
the children to have an adventurous stint with the toy cars. Most track sets have handy car launcher
at one extreme which accelerates the car to a good
level and forces it to take a round of a track in one go. The track sets are available in variety of shapes and segments which makes them look creative and fun. It also imparts out of the box thinking to the children.
Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge was a TV series
with its first episode launched on 30 May, 2023 and has
total 10 episodes with only single season. 
In this, seven contestants compete each other
racing the toy cars which they choose according
to their past lives. This show was hosted by Rutledge
Wood and judged by Ford car designer Dalal Elsheikh and
Hertrech Eugene Jr. It is a must watch for every Hot Wheels
enthusiast.
Hot wheels are also available as different character cars
such as Minions, Looney Tunes, Space Jam, Street Fighter etc. They can be purchased both in shop and online. They are available as single cars and car sets on flipkart.com , funcorp.in and amazon.in etc.
Enjoy the ride with hot wheels !
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