Hasbro brings back furby

[Leave a Whisper]

https://www.thestreet.com/retailers/hasbro-nostalgia-toy-furby-craze-kid-learn-speak-dance-interact

I doubt they were banned as spy machines. The prevailing rumor is that the originals were possessed. Though I do remember some rumors about them being spy devices because of the way you feed them. This would also be their second comeback. My daughter grabbed a newer one at the swap meet several years ago.

[BlackCurtains]

Yeah, that spy rumor is ridiculous. I bet people thought the same thing about Teddy Ruxpin and even Viewfinder. People are so paranoid

I can't see the pic, so I don't know what they look like, but the last time they were brought back I thought they were cute.

[Ragamuffin]

I can't see the pic, so I don't know what they look like, but the last time they were brought back I thought they were cute.

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They come in two colours: purple and coral.

I think they're really cute! Better than the screen-eye Furbys or the "Connect" Furbys. The screen-eyes were a neat gimmick but Furby looks better with "real" eyes. I wish the beak was "real" too. It's just stuck open all the time, forever. It makes it feel more like a robot than a real little bird-thing.

I think it's interesting how they're designed. I guess a lot of it is what's trendy right now, but when I see the necklace and the sparkly eyes I think of the Furby customizing community. 😂

[shockponie]

I recall my nieces complaining that the last iteration of Furbys (Boom?) made a high pitched noise (which I likened to a mosquito sound because the older folks couldn’t hear it). I like furbs, but the price is hefty. I’d only consider it if I find one on a decent sale.

[DreamvalleyMLP]

It was bound to happen

The purple one looks really cute though. Wish the ears were at least flocked to make them blend with the fur a little more, but still, it's a nice looking reboot.

[Leave a Whisper]

Yeah, they're cute enough.  Just not $70 worth of cute. Daughter dearest got annoyed with her swapmeet furby and shut it off within the month.

[TheClassCalico]

Furby collector here (1998 and 2005 Furbies specifically). There was absolutely no evidence of Furbies spying or being posessed, thankfully, aha! I think that those rumours came from Furbies ability to "learn" English and and the fact that many people found the 1998s creepy. They are also prone to a variety of glitches which may have contributed to the possession rumour.

I'd like to note that this is actually their third comeback! The original in 1998 Furby, the 2005 Furby, the 2012 Furby, and now the 2023 Furby.

I personally don't care about these, they're a little too robotic-looking and cartoony for my taste, and the lack of beak movement is a bother. However, they are an improvement compared to the 2012s and all versions of that generation, in my opinion. I do like that they seem similar to the 2005 Furbies in the sense that they work by responding to commands, and I've heard that they're very soft, so that's nice.

They use a lot of modern slang, which admittedly felt a little odd as an adult collector. I, however, am not the target demographic and I can imagine that some children would love that!

[BlackCurtains]

Thanks for the pic. I... don't really care for it. Not that I collect them, or ever even had one. They are iconic though, so I'm glad a new generation can enjoy them.

[pinkkittywinks]

Cute!!! I will try and pick one up at some point, but what I would love right now is a Chattermax...

Love pkw xxx

[Beth3346]

i remember when the originals came out. i was in junior high. i never had the original. they were the hot christmas toy and impossible to find at a reasonable price. i didn't even ask for one. i think i just wanted CDs and clothes at that time. i don't remember the controversy about the AI. i think at the time there was a lot of speculation about technology getting super advanced fast. the internet was still new to most people. it doesn't surprise me that some people freaked out. there was a backlash to any toy that got popular.

i did get a Sleepytime Ernie around the time the Tickle Me Elmos came out. and one time that thing went off on it's own in the middle of the night. it was a little creepy. i took the batteries out and he was quiet after that.

i think the Furby is kind of cute. but for what it costs i think i'll pass.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I think they are adorable but we already have like, 5 robotic pets in the house... and they all are mostly forgotten about.

 Until the day they shriek, "FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEEEEE!" from the bottom of a closet in the dark, at 3am.  ;D 

Okay well that's why my friend's little brother flung his Furby out the window.  then it fell on the trampoline and bounced and made weirder noises.  and we did not react well to this.  I believe there was screaming.

[Carrehz]

The NSA-banning-Furby thing is true, actually. They thought Furbys had microphones in them and banned them as a precaution; once it was explained to them that that's not how Furbys' ability to "learn" English worked (they were just pre-programmed to speak more English as time went on), the ban was lifted.

they're a bit too cutesy and shiny for my taste, but I like them much better than the last two comebacks Hated the eyes on the 2012 vers and the 2005 ones just never looked quite right to me, somehow.
Their beaks don't move, though?! How weird.

[Leave a Whisper]

The NSA-banning-Furby thing is true, actually. They thought Furbys had microphones in them and banned them as a precaution; once it was explained to them that that's not how Furbys' ability to "learn" English worked (they were just pre-programmed to speak more English as time went on), the ban was lifted.

they're a bit too cutesy and shiny for my taste, but I like them much better than the last two comebacks Hated the eyes on the 2012 vers and the 2005 ones just never looked quite right to me, somehow.
Their beaks don't move, though?! How weird.

Really? Wow, that's wild!

[Beth3346]

I wonder if the NSA allows Alexa or Google Home. or smartphones. so many devices have microphones now

[Leave a Whisper]

I wonder if the NSA allows Alexa or Google Home. or smartphones. so many devices have microphones now

Good point