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Toymaker Mattel ( MAT ) is revitalizing a few of its analog brands with digital technology from companies such as Autodesk ( ADSK ) and Alphabet ( GOOGL )-owned Google. At the Toy Fair 2016 conference in New York City, Mattel announced a ThingMaker home 3D printer and View-Master 360-degree image goggles . The annual toy fair, sponsored by the Toy Industry Association, opened Saturday and ended Tuesday. The original ThingMaker from Mattel debuted in the 1960s and allowed kids to mold their own rubbery creatures at home. The reimagined product uses 3D printing and was developed in partnership with Autodesk, a computer-aided design software firm. The ThingMaker 3D printing eco-system includes the ThingMaker 3D Printer and ThingMaker Design App. With the easy-to-use 3D printer, kids and families will be able to create and print plastic figures such as dolls, robots and dinosaurs, or wearable accessories like bracelets and necklaces. The ThingMaker 3D Printer will be available in the fall for $299.99, along with a variety of plastic-filament color options. Mattel also announced a collaboration with Google to update its View-Master for the modern age. The original View-Master debuted in 1939 and allowed kids to see 3D images by looking at pictures on swappable cardboard reels. The new View-Master works with Google Cardboard for an immersive surround-image experience. “Mattel’s new View-Master offers an easy-to-use and affordable platform that will enable users to take engaging field trips where they can explore famous places, landmarks, nature, planets and more in 360-degree ‘photospheres,’ ” Mattel said in a press release. “By pairing the View-Master’s ‘experience reel’ and app with an Android smartphone, kids will immediately experience an imaginative and interactive learning environment.” The experience reels will have themes such as nature, adventure destinations and science. The View-Master viewer and a sample experience reel will be available in the fall for $29.99. Mattel will sell packs containing four themed-experience reels for $14.99. The viewer and reels need to be paired with a smartphone and app. Scalper1 News
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