mattel
Latest
Because everything needs AI in 2023, Mattel added it to Pictionary
Mattel’s Pictionary just got an AI-enhanced update. Pictionary Vs. AI tasks players with drawing from clues, like the normal game, but these doodles are sent to an algorithm that tries to guess what you drew.
Netflix and Mattel are making a live-action 'Masters of the universe' movie
Netflix is teaming up with Mattel to make a live-action 'Masters of the Universe' movie, and they've already chosen their He-Man actor.
Mattel arrives at the LA Motor Show with a life-size Barbie Extra EV
What kid hasn't wished that their toy car was a full-sized road-going vehicle?
Hot Wheels' latest RC Cybertruck puts a Cyberquad in your hand for only $100
Hot Wheels has a new $100 RC Cybertruck on the way, and it's got the Cyberquad ATV in the package.
Netflix's 'Masters of the Universe' premieres July 23rd with action figures in tow
Netflix is premiering Kevin Smith's 'Masters of the Universe: Revelation' series on July 23rd, and it's showing off the matching action figures.
Of course the Hot Wheels Cybertruck has been delayed
Tesla is known for delivering its electric vehicles a little later than intended. It’s strangely fitting, then, to hear that toy versions of the Cybertruck won’t be arriving on time either.
'Minecraft Earth' gets a bit more physical thanks to new NFC-enabled minis
When the mobile-based Minecraft Earth was announced last year, it immediately drew comparisons to Pokémon Go because of its use of augmented reality and location-based activities. But it was very different (as senior editor Jess Conditt will attest), since it didn't require you to actually go outside to partake in its mining and building gameplay. Now, Mattel has added another play dimension to Minecraft Earth that Pokémon Go can't really boast of: NFC-enabled figurines.
The Hot Wheels RC Cybertruck is a mini Tesla for $400
If you're feeling pretty hype about the Tesla Cybertruck but don't have $39,900 to spend on one, maybe Hot Wheels' newest RC vehicle is more your thing. Sure, it's only 1/10 the size and made out of plastic, but here it only takes $400 to live out your Tesla dreams.
The new Hot Wheels coding kit requires fine motor skills (updated)
Modern parents are faced with a bit of a tech dilemma. You want the kids to learn STEM skills, but you also don't want them spending all their time in front of screens. To combat this problem many coding tools incorporate some kind of physical element that kids have to put together or manipulate; with building toys like LEGO the marriage of physical play and computer programming makes a lot of sense. Then there's something like Hot Wheels, which never really claimed to be educational. This year the brand upgraded its basic racing experience with Hot Wheels ID, which added NFC to the cars and Bluetooth to the track, allowing the playset to keep tabs on how fast your vehicles are going and how far they've traveled. Now the product has a new coding aspect, via Apple's Swift Playgrounds. And it sounds great in concept. But after some time spent with it, I'm not sure this is a very good use of a very expensive playset.
Everything in our holiday gift guide that you can buy for $50 or less
Depending on your budget and how many people are on your gift list this year, you might only have a modest amount to spend on each person. Even if you instill a cap of fifty bucks, though, you still have plenty of options. In Engadget's 2019 holiday gift guide, we have nearly 50 under $50, with picks running the gamut from toys, to video games, to books and movies, to mobile and gaming accessories. As it happens, today is Black Friday in the US, so chances are, many of the items here will cost you even less than the list price. Happy deal hunting!
The best tech toys and STEM kits
There once was a time when a toy section of the Engadget gift guide would have been a hodge-podge of toys that happened to take batteries, light up and make enough noise to annoy even the most patient of parents. (Yes, that means we probably would have been into the Hess truck.) But times have changed and now that everything is smart -- baby onesies, diapers -- our standards are higher. When it came time to curating our annual holiday toy list, the bar wasn't: Is this electronic? It's now: Is this thing fun? And most importantly, will this thing still be engaging after a kid has played with it for five minutes? We've had the better part of the year to answer this question. Some of the biggest toy makers have been teasing their wares since Toy Fair back in February. Since then, we've been keeping a running list of the things so clever, we might have wanted them ourselves if we were still school-age. From a lightsaber with built-in coaching to app-connected Hot Wheels, we homed in on the toys that don't just throw in tech for tech's sake, but that are actually better because of all the sensors inside.
Next-gen ‘Pictionary Air’ arrives at Target June 23rd
Starting this Sunday, you can pick up Pictionary Air at your local Target for $20. The new game puts a high-tech spin on the classic. You'll still pull a card, choose from a list of items to draw and race against a timer, but you'll use a large digital pen to sketch in the air. Thanks to the app, other players will see your doodle on their phones, tablets or TV screens, but you won't see your creation until your time is up.
NFC-enabled Hot Wheels cars keep tabs on which is fastest
Hot Wheels has done a lot over the past few years to reinvent itself as a brand that's more than just little die-cast cars. We've seen remote control vehicles, augmented reality racing and even cars you build yourself. Now the brand's next step is to go back to its 1/64-scale roots, but with a decidedly modern twist. Hot Wheels ID look like normal cars, but each carries a tiny NFC chip in the bottom that makes it possible to track each car's race time and speed. Now, when kids claim their car is the fastest, they have the data to back it up.
MGM is somehow making a live-action movie about the View-Master
If you have fond memories of playing with a View-Master as a kid, Mattel is hoping to cash in on your nostalgia. The toy maker is teaming up with media company MGM to produce a live-action film based on the classic stereoscope toy. Details on the film are sparse -- there doesn't appear to be writers, directors or actors attached to the project at this time -- but it sure seems like studios are running out of ideas if they're reaching for the View-Master as their source material.
High-tech Pictionary is more challenging than using a pen
Pictionary seems like one of those perfect games that doesn't really need an upgrade. You draw on a piece of paper, and people guess what you're trying to show them. Sure, you can put the game on a phone or tablet, but the basic concept remains the same no matter where you play. However, this weekend at Toy Fair Mattel is unveiling Pictionary Air, which takes away the paper — or any other drawing surface, really — and asks to you draw in the empty space in front of you.
Mattel's free 'Uno' mobile game is now available worldwide
While third-party Uno apps have been around for some time, Mattel released its own mobile version of the classic card game in certain countries and on Facebook Instant Games last year. Now, the toymaker and NetEase, through their Mattel163 studio, are rolling out the game worldwide on iOS and Android.
The first 'Rocket League' Hot Wheels car arrives this month
Want a tangible sign of your devotion to Rocket League, but would rather not drop $180 on an RC car kit or even several dollars on a Pull-Back Racer? Don't worry, you can buy something with your pocket change. Hot Wheels is launching its first Rocket League die-cast car, the Octane, later in December for a very modest $1.09. You can't really set up miniature matches when only the blue will be available at first (orange doesn't show up until 2019), but this should let you race Rocket League-style on Hot Wheels tracks.
Mattel's new robot is a pet dinosaur that won't try to eat you
Since dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago, we've never experienced them as living, breathing animals. We can look at their bones in a museum, or we can watch recreations of them in films like this summer's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. But both those options lack that visceral feeling you get from seeing a real creature in a zoo. Though it's unlikely you'll ever see a dinosaur in the flesh, you can still pretend to have one as a pet, thanks to Mattel's new Alpha Training Blue robot. She roars, coos and even responds to your commands like her movie inspiration -- but is far less deadly.
'Mario Kart' Hot Wheels cars arrive next summer
Not every Mario Kart fan has the means to move their obsession into real life by flying to Japan and checking out a Mario Kart ride at a theme park or tearing around the streets of Tokyo in a go-kart while dressed as Yoshi. Mattel will soon offer something a little more modest with branded Mario Kart Hot Wheels cars.
Barbie's latest career path is robotics engineering
Earlier this year, Mattel announced that it was partnering with Tynker to bring Barbie-themed coding lessons to young kids. As of today, six free coding experiences are now available as is a new STEM-themed doll -- Robotics Engineer Barbie. The lessons are geared towards beginners, kindergarten-aged and older, and aim to teach logic, problem-solving and the basics of coding. While they learn, kids can also take on different career roles alongside Barbie, including musician, astronaut, pastry chef, robotics engineer, farmer and beekeeper.
