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LEGO Unveils A New Way To Play
Image courtesy of LEGO // Illustration by Kate Walker
The LEGO Group unveiled SMART Bricks that bring sets to life and revolutionize how they’re played with.
The Big Play: How kids play has evolved tremendously over the past 30 years. But for all that technological innovation, people’s appetite for Denmark’s joyfully analog LEGO bricks hasn’t waned. Still, with AI poised to take playtime to the next level — whether parents are comfortable with it or not — LEGO decided now was the time to imagine its future… just without AI (or even a camera).
Between The Builds: LEGO may be mostly geared toward kids… but here at TFP, we’re itching to get our hands on these.
At CES, LEGO gave its first look at the company’s new “SMART Bricks” (which look like normal 2x4 bricks) and SMART Minifigures, which feature a microchip smaller than a single LEGO stud, wireless charging, and app-based updates.
They’re “packed with over 20 patented world firsts, including sensors, accelerometers, a sound sensor, and an onboard synthesizer driving a miniature speaker,” per Hypebeast.
That can make a car’s engine give off noise when it rolls, a little lightsaber hum when it’s swung, or a mini Christmas tree light up.
And with “SMART Play,” multiple SMART Bricks and Minifigures form a Bluetooth mesh network — allowing creations to react in real time to how they’re being played with, like triggering light and sound effects when two LEGO Star Wars ships do battle.
Final Piece: The LEGO Group called the SMART Bricks, Minifigures, and Play tech “the most significant evolution in the LEGO System-in-Play since the introduction of the LEGO Minifigure in 1978.” In other words, expect 60-year-olds to be just as excited as six-year-olds.
The first sets featuring the tech will ship on March 1st… and they’ll all be Star Wars-related. So, brace yourself for a wave of Disney tie-ins and cross-marketing over the next year.
Next Set: Don’t be surprised if LEGO sets with the SMART tech become the most in-demand gifts this holiday season. Prepare accordingly.
Together with Petivity
Even Good Dogs Get Lost
Everyone knows that sinking feeling when insert dog’s name gets out the backdoor or garage and becomes “lost.”
At a minimum, it’s inconvenient. But sometimes it can be downright dangerous (especially if you live near busy roads).
That’s why all dog lovers need the Petivity Smart GPS + Activity Tracker for Dogs. This smart collar tracks your dog’s whereabouts at all times:
Waterproof, lightweight, and durable design
Battery lasts up to 30 days
Don’t regret not getting this for your pooch!
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited, Polled, and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.