Barbie's all new hoverboard and smart home showcased at New York Toy Fair

Barbie is now officially part of the Internet of Things (IoT), with a brand new hoverboard and a refurbished Dreamhouse, fully equipped with the latest technology. Toymaker Mattel recently showcased Barbie in her new high-tech surroundings at the New York annual Toy Fair.

Mattel replaced Barbie's iconic pink convertible with a 21<sup>st century status symbol – a hoverboard. Barbie's new Star Light Adventure RC hoverboard RC drone actually hovers above ground, suspending the doll mid-air atop a drone.

At the Toy Fair, Mattel confirmed that Barbie's hoverboard will be priced at $60 (£41) and will be launched in autumn 2016. The device has been designed to support the added weight of the doll but, it is unclear as to how high the hoverboard can fly.

Barbie's Dreamhouse has also seen massive changes technological advancements that make it 21<sup>st century-like. For instance, fans can now interact with her smart home and give it voice commands like asking Barbie to take a ride on the elevator. The Dreamhouse supports Wi-Fi, connects to various apps and comes equipped with voice recognition features, giving children a more life-like experience interacting with the house.

Using the voice feature, children will be able to give commands and turn on the virtual oven and get started on a meal and even switch on lights. With a simple command like, "Hello Dreamhouse, turn on the bedroom lights", children will be able to turn on lights of the bedroom, according to Mashable.

All of the new high-tech features can be controlled using Barbie's customised app. Moreover, Mattel said that the Dreamhouse will only get smarter as it is developed further. Meaning, with time and usage, the technology will recognise more words and phrases and respond to a player, accordingly.

Barbie's new Dreamhouse will also be launched alongside her new hoverboard, later in the year. At present, the Dreamhouse is priced at $299.