Smart toys should be toys first and smart second. Lego Group's Mindstorms Robotics Invention System, a classic Lego set with brains, is another good example. Smart toys blur the line between toy and tool. Computers are so powerful and versatile that they can convert a toy into a useful tool. Lego Mindstorms can be used to create devices that actually do useful work around the house.
Smart toys blur the line between adult and child.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that nearly half of the people playing with Lego Mindstorms are adults ages 25 to 45. DePasquale found that kind of sad, which I can understand. In general, however, I feel that if a smart toy can provide entertainment and companionship for an isolated or lonely adult, that's great. I could also see Amazing Amy and other smart technology being helpful to people with memory impairments. If nothing else these toys have the virtue of infinite patience.