This post was sponsored by Duracell as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.
When I was a kid, I remember having this blue clunky robot named Casey that would play cassette tapes. I would honestly play with it for hours, letting it play tapes of my favorite songs like Baloo from the Jungle Book while I would be doing some sort of other activity like sewing quilts or baking cookies. Kidding not kidding? Anyways, I was literally obsessed with it, it would sleep with me at night sometimes, lulling me to sleep with stories and songs. Fast forward 30 years – here I am writing to you with a Masters in Journalism and Communications. Was listening to a robotic tape and using technology – even on a farm – to blame for my current passion in tech and computers? Hmmmmm.
As a tech junkie, I am both skeptical and excited to embrace it. I couldn’t function without apps anymore (well, I could but #firstworldproblems), but at the same time – will they replace us? Will those crazy movies about robots become reality? I decided to take a chance, hoping Chip, the new Robotic dog wouldn’t somehow turn into Cujo in the middle of the night.
One thing that hasn’t changed in 30 years? Batteries. Just like Casey would need some Duracell double AAs (actually I think they took those huge D batteries), so do these fun new WowWee products Chip and COJI. Hmmm Chip, COJI, Casey, Cujo…. That just proves that batteries are here to power the future. No matter how advanced we become, we still have to charge up our devices, even our electric cars! Duracell is a staple everyone should have in their household, because, you never know when you’ll need some backups. Isn’t that why they’re always near the counter when you go to checkout at Toys R Us? Nothing is worse than bringing home a new toy or getting a birthday present and they can’t actually USE it until the parents grab some Duracell batteries. We’ve all done this parenting fail.
So what is CHiP?
CHiP is our new pet – an intelligent, friendly robot puppy. CHiP runs around our house just like a real puppy, wanting love, attention, to play and chase his ball. He uses advanced sensors and smart accessories, and responds uniquely in behavior, (so no other CHiP is ever quite like yours). We named ours PiG after the movie Home. It takes a little getting used to – just like a real animal, they require attention, so while I am working, he’ll want to play, or while we’re watching a movie at night, he’ll want to come up and snuggle with us on the couch.
Who is COJI
Being the tech junkie I am, I figured if my son wants to play with apps and technology, I want it to be educational. COJI is a coding robot that teaches your child the basics of programming using a language they already know – Emojis! Even as young as Max (four-years old), d pre-readers can string together smiley faces and other emojis using the app to solve problems and control COJI actions. Even after that, kids can drive COJI around using a compatible smartphone or tablet as a remote control, or even make him react to physical stimulation though things like tilting and shaking.
Computers and coding are only going to get more advanced and lead to new innovative jobs once he grows up, so using robotics designed for learning is a win-win for us.
Where to stock up
You can always find a full selection of Duracell batteries at Toys R Us, and you can even get CHiP and COJI there, too (and online!).
