Gadgetory

playtime now centers around a parent smartphone I'm Bridget Carey and this is your CNET update Mattel and Google have teamed up to give a high tech upgrade to the classic view master toy using Google's virtual reality technology now the viewmaster is being reimagined as a child's portal into vr this updated version requires a smartphone to be slipped into the front and you download apps that put you in a 3d world that wraps around you 360 degrees maybe you'll pop it on for a dinosaur adventure a space exploration or perhaps someday a tour through Barbie's Dreamhouse you may already have seen this technology called Google cardboard it's called cardboard because Google made a cheap VR phone case out of cardboard lenses magnets velcro and a rubber band and that's what we tested it on during a demo Mattel essentially is turning that into a kid-friendly plastic case with lenses to hold the smartphone and it's selling it for $30 on the smartphone inside an app splits your image in two on the screen which creates that 3d effect Mattel also put a new twist on the classic insertable image discs now the reels are plastic and you don't insert them into anything you just look at them with your view master and the app recognizes which reel you have by the way it looks and then it loads up that content so why even have reels well because Mattel would like to still sell you physical items that you can collect a pack of for cost $15 Mattel didn't share many details because it's still a work in progress coming out in the fall but we do know that it's going to work with multiple types of smartphones and it can adjust to fit several sizes we're told that's gonna even fit an iPhone 6 plus the company wants to tie this into big toy lines like Barbie and Hot Wheels and even repurpose older viewmaster slides they also see this as a tool for a classroom learning Mattel checked with the team of pediatric ophthalmologist to get approval that it's safe for young eyes and it's being marketed for ages 7 and up this isn't the first time Mattel has brought parents gadgets into playtime there was a line of apptivity toys that incorporated ipads and iphones with barbie how even fisher-price Mattel brand executive Doug Wadleigh told us that this wasn't a hit with parents parents really didn't want to let their kids play with their iPad and physical toys at the same time this product is completely different because you have a brand in viewmaster that's always been about immersing kids into another world using 3d imaging everyone wants a piece of virtual reality action LG just began giving away its own virtual reality headset to anyone that buys a g3 smartphone and you could just use that instead of buying the Mattel headset we'll have more on other high tech toys in upcoming reports as we cover toy fair going on now in New York City with your tech news update I'm Bridget Carey