2016 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE – Toymail Talkies

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The product(s) featured in this post was provided to me free of cost to me for inclusion in the holiday gift guide. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own.

GIFT IDEA: Toymail Talkies

PRICE: price ranges from $10 to $59

PURCHASE on the Toymail website and on Amazon

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Technology has really evolved over the years. Technology used to be limited to business use. Eventually, computers did make their way into the home. First it was desktop computers, which were bulky and quite limited in what they could do. Then came the laptops, digital cameras, tablets, phones, watches and all sorts of other things. Communication is getting simpler and more accessible all the time. The latest melding of toys and technology comes from Toymail, with a product called Talkies.

Our youngest children don’t have cell phones to use when they want to communicate. While toddlers may be capable of taking part in a phone call, a phone isn’t something you’re likely to find near them all of the time. But, their toys are. Toymail Talkies allow young children to use technology to communicate while still encouraging them to have fun. Talkies are colorful, fun screen-free plush toys that can connect with approved adults as well as friends who also have Talkies.

A key part of Toymail’s tech that resonates deeply with parents is that they can now build bonds with their children throughout the day, without having to put them behind a screen. Toymail chose messaging as its first service because of the enormous untapped market – 95 percent of children under the age of 10 don’t have a phone (70 percent of parents feel it would be inappropriate for children that age). Yet, 71 percent of parents surveyed state that they want their children to stay connected with friends and family for both social and security reasons.

“Mothers who work even part time outside of the home struggle with the demands of their career and family, and I am no exception,” says Toymail cofounder, Audry Hill. “I have three small kids and when I hear them say things like, ‘Mommy, please don’t go!’ or ‘Promise you will come home in a few minutes,’ it breaks my heart. I wanted to stay connected to my kids throughout the day, and I knew I wasn’t alone. Families are separated more than ever because of the demands of work, geography, and life situations such as divorce. So our technology comes at a time where this kind of connection is needed more than ever.”

“The experience is magical when a child so young is able to send a message directly to a phone and connect with a loved one they wouldn’t otherwise have access to on their own,” said Gauri Nanda,
Toymail CEO and cofounder. “We’re beyond excited to bring Talkies to the masses and execute our vision of a fun, safe and revolutionary messaging toy for kids.”

Toymail Talkies come in three character options: Gory the Shark, Hank the Dino and Bitsy the Bat. Sending voice messages with Toymail is simple – parents purchase a Talkie, connect to it via 2.4 GHz WIFI and the Toymail app for iOS, Android or Kindle, and invite friends and family members to exchange messages with their child. Kids can also initiate messages directly from their Talkie toys to approved contacts with the app or other friends’ Talkies. The toy’s two-button interface is easy and straightforward, allowing children as young as three to use. In addition to the two-way messaging base model, the toy reacts to physical play (it will snore, laugh, and say “wee”) and the product offers unlimited access to expandable content through a $2.99 monthly subscription. Features include schedulers to keep kids on track and in bed on time, fun voice recording filters, and play upgrades to build the toy’s personality.

Talkies are a fun way for children to stay in contact with their loved ones without the need to be connected to a device with a screen. It’s great that something fun can empower them to easily communicate with others on their own. They’re also a nice way to give parents the peace of mind knowing that their child knows how they feel without having to be tethered to a device.

Be sure not to miss Toymail’s “Biggest Sale of the Year”! Starting for Thanksgiving, the entire site will be 30% off and there will be free domestic shipping on all orders over $59!

Products include:

• Talkies WIFI Voice Messengers
• Teensies (Mini Voice Recorders)
• Weensies (Silly Sound Maker Clips)

Early bird specials starting as well Thursday:

• 1st 100 orders get a free Weensie 3-pack ($15 value), use code THANKWEENSIE
• Orders 200-500 get a free Teensie (of their choice – $10 value) use code TEENSIE300