Tech the halls
Shopping for holiday gifts? From little ones to seniors, there’s an electronic toy for every age
SNUGGLY SHARK They have the rest of their lives to tackle email. While they’re young, make communication fun with Gory, the Talkie by Toymail. Safely send voice messages from your smartphone to kids as young as 3; they access them by pressing a simple button. Choose from five cozy characters, including a shark, a pig, and a unicorn. $52, (888) 280-4331, amazon.com
JUST SHOW ME Some of us are visual learners; we have to see it to grasp it. That’s the ideal audience for the Echo Show, a step up from Amazon’s voice-commanded Alexa. It adds a screen to show you the news, song lyrics, weather, recipes, your calendar, and anything else you ask your virtual assistant to retrieve. $230, (888) 280-4331, amazon.com
A REAL DOLL Talking dolls have been around for years, but Luvabella is as close to real as it gets. She or he giggles, learns new words and animal sounds, and even has a heartbeat. Feed, comfort, and get your doll to talk to you. No strings to pull, this doll is totally interactive. $100, (800) 591-3869, target.com
THE FORCE Admit it—you’ve wanted your own droid since you first saw Star Wars. Your dream can come true with the Sphero Star Wars BB-8 App-Enabled Droid. Its built-in camera creates virtual holographic videos, and you can command it through an app on your smartphone. $150, (888) 237-8289, bestbuy.com
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS It blows kisses, talks in baby babble, and grabs your fingers, just like a baby—but much tinier. Kids can hold a Fingerlings Interactive Baby Monkey in their palms, and the colorful mini primate responds with sound, blinks, and movement. $15 and up, (800) 925-6278, walmart.com
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