{"id":153,"date":"2019-07-22T17:25:17","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T09:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/?p=153"},"modified":"2019-07-22T17:26:40","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T09:26:40","slug":"app-controlled-robots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/app-controlled-robots\/","title":{"rendered":"App-Controlled Robots"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are so many App-Controlled robots around that it can be tough to choose the best one for the child in your life.  Robotic toys can be automated or programmed \u2013 some even have built-in  artificial intelligence \u2013 and in most cases they give kids the opportunity to develop planning skills or interact with a virtual companion.  We&#8217;ve rounded up the very best options for a range of budgets and ages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Wonder Workshop Dash (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2y4Edyw\" target=\"_blank\">Wonder Workshop Dash<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Best of the Best<\/li><li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"4M 4153 Kidz Labs Tin Can Robot (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2Yi5so2\" target=\"_blank\">4M 4153 Kidz Labs Tin Can Robot<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Best value<\/li><li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anki Vector (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2XVQmp9\" target=\"_blank\">Anki Vector<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;  Cozmo&#8217;s new bigger and brainier sibling<\/li><li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anki Cozmo (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2XYx0PZ\" target=\"_blank\">Anki Cozmo<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;  Tiny and adorable, but deceptively clever<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32KmudO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Sphero SPRK+ App-Enabled Robot (opens in a new tab)\">Sphero SPRK+ App-Enabled Robot<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;  Programmable bot that grows with you<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"title\"><strong>Wonder Workshop Dash \u2013 Coding Robot for Kids 6+ \u2013 Voice Activated \u2013 Navigates Objects \u2013 5 Free Programming STEM Apps \u2013 Creating Confident Digital Citizens<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2y4Edyw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-154\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"189\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2y4Edyw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/buy.png\" width=\"266\" height=\"63\" \/><\/a>This robotics toy has been winning awards since 2016.\u00a0 One of the notable one is &#8220;Best Toy Award from Oppenneim Toy Portfolio&#8221;.\u00a0 <span class=\"a-size-base-plus\">Kids 6 years and up will have no problem learning how to use this responsive robot thanks to a very intuitive companion app.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Uses Blockly drag-and-drop coding app to program moves and behaviors. Easy to connect to app; responds quickly to commands. High-quality, sturdy robot that holds up to frequent use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cons: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Initial firmware update can be glitchy, and can only be done through a Bluetooth connection to the robot. Some device compatibility issues.<\/p>\n<div class=\"a-section\">\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With its multiple features, this is definitely among the best. Do get it today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"houseofrobos-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"B00SKURVKY\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"3fe10a2c7ff883395faff8c6ba064e17\";\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><\/p><br>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"title\"><strong>4M 4153 Kidz Labs Tin Can Robot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span class=\"a-size-base-plus\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2Yi5so2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-164\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"204\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2Yi5so2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/buy.png\" width=\"266\" height=\"63\" \/><\/a>Tiny bolts and screws make this challenging to put together, but for its budget-friendly price, kids can build a fun and functional robot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Not too challenging for kids within the 7 to 13 age range to put together. Any soda can may be used for the robot \u201cbody.\u201d Motor runs reliably without breaking down.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Screws are very small and parents may need to help with this part of assembly. Instructions miss some key assembly points, and some will need to find YouTube videos of the build process.<\/p>\n<div class=\"a-section\">\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"cr-widget-FocalReviews\" data-hook=\"cr-widget-FocalReviews\"><span class=\"a-size-base review-text\" data-hook=\"review-body\"><span class=\"\">Your kid will absolutely loved this tin can robot! Get it today.<br \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"houseofrobos-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"B0015QJBW6\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"93b415b22d9e36c3a76a21c092998984\";\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><\/p><br>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"title\"><strong>Vector Robot by Anki, A Home Robot Who Hangs Out &amp; Helps Out, With Amazon Alexa Built-In<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2XVQmp9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-166\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a><span class=\"a-size-base-plus\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2XVQmp9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/buy.png\" width=\"266\" height=\"63\" \/><\/a><\/span>Anki Vector is a newer sibling to the cute <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2XYx0PZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anki Cozmo (opens in a new tab)\">Anki Cozmo<\/a><\/strong> which is an adorable little bot that provides a great gateway to coding, the Vector is less of a toy and more like a cross between a pet and a virtual assistant.\u00a0 Vector is considerably larger than Cozmo, and doesn&#8217;t require a smartphone app (other than for the initial setup). Instead, all the processing happens within the robot itself, which connects directly to your home Wi-Fi network.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>In action, it has real personality (thanks to an  animation expert from Dreamworks) and is capable of learning faces and playing games. Four near-field microphones enable it to respond to voice  commands, and an imminent software update will make it compatible with Amazon Alexa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No mobile app required. Powerful built-in processor. Great fun to use! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some features still in development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot can be done with this expressive robot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"houseofrobos-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"B07G3ZNK4Y\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"ee022ee00f51875b7c40c78a60b5715c\";\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><\/p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"houseofrobos-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"B074WC4NHW\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"741419586cd57bc0b56c7dd58fc1ef5a\";\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><br>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"title\"><strong>Sphero SPRK+ App-Enabled Robot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span class=\"a-size-base-plus\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32KmudO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/toy4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"167\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32KmudO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/buy.png\" width=\"266\" height=\"63\" \/><\/a>This Robot is fun for all ages.\u00a0 Its&#8217; UI makes it easy to control, and it offers real coding capability for those wanting detailed programming features.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Easy to control with companion phone app. Programming moves is also possible. Color-changing feature is easy to program. Water-resistant \u2013 can float and move in water.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Clear plastic can scratch easily. Works only with Sphero and Lightning Lab apps, not other apps from the manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a great programmable robot that grows with its owner. Try it out today.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"houseofrobos-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"B01GZ1S7OS\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"4d84c57f48402ac283caca13dcfcfa2e\";\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are so many App-Controlled robots around that it can be tough to choose the best one for the child in your life. Robotic toys can be automated or programmed \u2013 some even have built-in artificial intelligence \u2013 and in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-app-controlled-robots","category-electronic-pets","category-robotics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions\/174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houseofrobos.com\/robotic-toys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}