Part of the Computing fundamentals glossary:

Furby (pronounced FURR-bee ) is the name of an electronic toy, five inches tall, that is covered with simulated fur, has big eyes and ears, a vocabulary of over 200 words, and a limited ability to react to its environment. Created by toy designer Dave Hampton and made by Tiger Electronics, Furbies are expected to replace the Tamagotchi as the cyberpet to own. Furby was designed to appeal to 7- to 9-year old girls but, based on early sales, the toy also appeals to anyone fascinated by technology. Each Furby contains embedded systems programming and six sensors so that it can:

Next Steps

  • Dance, wiggle, and squirm in reaction to pokes and prods
  • Talk in English and in its own language, Furbish
  • Tell when the lights go out, when it's being petted, or when music is played - and react accordingly
  • Hold a conversation with other Furbies (using infrared transmission signals)
  • Catch another Furby's cold
Furby requires batteries and costs about $30 US.

This was last updated in April 2005
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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