New Disney Toys Use iPad as Virtual Play Mat
How many times have you heard the phrase “They never had that when I was a kid!”? If you could hear me speaking aloud right now, you’d be hearing it again. Disney has just released a line of toys called the Disney AppMATesTM Mobile Application Toys and they are nothing short of fantastic looking. When used with your iPad 2 as a virtual play mat, these toys interact and come to life in a way that will revolutionize the way children play with toys.
The toys themselves feature sensors that allow the iPad to track their movement and activities without the need for cables or even a Bluetooth connection.
Working together with the newly designed Cars 2 Appmates app (available in October), children will be able to explore the world of Radiator Springs, perform guided missions or even race their cars on one of the five provided race tracks. Each toy unlocks different features and content which should encourage children to keep coming back to play again and again. (and if not them, you can take your own turn while they are sleeping…)
With help from Spin Master, the Disney AppMATes toys will be available at national retailers (including the Apple Store and Disney store as well as their online counterparts) beginning in October. Vehicle two-packs are expected to sell for $19.99 and will feature Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, Finn McMissile, and Holley Shiftwell. Other beloved characters Francesco Bernoulli and Shu Todorok will be available exclusively in Apple Stores and Apple Online in November.
For those of you looking into a set of these toys for your child, you may want to consider also grabbing the Disney Cars themed Protective iPad Case that features a rubberized exterior, a memory foam inlay and a protective screen cover.
Disney AppMATesTM Mobile Application Toys are the latest iPad friendly offering from Disney, following in the footsteps of the Disney Pix app that works seamlessly with the Disney AppClix digital cameras and the Disney Spotlight system that lets children create, record, and star in their own music videos.
