Robots are fascinating aren't they? We spend hours watching robot videos on YouTube and it's unbelievable the way technology is coming on so quickly and clear that robots are the way forward as the best helpers for us humans!
Last week we met the amazing Cozmo from Anki, you may have seen him on the TV ads recently, no doubt followed by a 'I want one of those!' from your child? If not, I'm going to tell you all about him as we were kindly sent one to review and have been blown away by the skills and cleverness in what's essentially a toy, but so SO much more.
This robot has personality, he communicates, he recognises you by looking at you and can even remember your name. That's just scratching the surface of what little Cozmo can do and he is by far the best robot we've ever met and I'm so so impressed with what he's capable of. Alf is pretty robot obsessed and super excited to take Cozmo for a spin and start interacting. The more you play, the more tricks you unlock and if I had to describe Cozmo very simply, it would be like having the best trained most adorable puppy just arrive at your home - without the mess and vets bills!
Cozmo is not a particularly cheap toy, with an RRP of £179.99 so needless to say you would expect him to be pretty good, and he is. Every expectation I had was completely blown out the water, he's really sweet, super clever and genuinely so much fun to play with. Cozmo is compatible with many iOS and Android devices and by downloading the free app that goes along side, you can start your adventures, train him and unlock lots of new tricks.
You can also create new tricks with simple coding. This toy is a real thinker and perfect for those kids that don't really play with normal 'toys' too much, but are still young, thirsty for knowledge and need something fun to play with. Alf is seven this month and although this is recommended from ages 8+, he has no problem with this, he loves maths and science and this is bang on for what he needs right now. Age wise, I think it depends on the child but they will have much more fun if they can read and use a compatible device happily.
As well as being super clever with tricks and games, Cozmo expresses emotion, he is a real sidekick and lovely to have around. Cozmo learns songs, makes us all laugh and even calls me Mummy in a super cute robot voice. When he's excited and sees something he recognises or likes (like us people or food) he gets all bouncy and shakes with glee, his facial expressions are adorable too.
Cozmo comes with his own charging dock, one charger and three interactive play cubes. Connecting to your device is as simple as popping the code in from his face (screen) and then he'll come to life and become a much loved companion.
Here's a list of features not to be missed;
- Real life movie worthy robot
- Plays games, unlocks more as you play
- Smart, clever and mischievous robot
- Learns and develops through play
- Simple easy to use coding programme to create more actions
- Regularly updated free app
- Cozmo will learn your name and a few members of the family by recognising your face
- Comes with three interactive play cubes
- Explore with Cozmo using your smart device to see what he sees and prompt him to greet people and pets as well as lifting and stacking his cubes
- Gives children the chance to look after him, with feeding, tuning up and entertainment to keep him happy
- Cozmo can roam free to explore his environment, reacting to things he meets and avoiding edges of tables etc to stay safe
- Great fun for all the family, girls and boys
We love Cozmo and the kids have been blown away by what he's capable off and how much like a real pet he is. The only downside for me is that currently the only compatible device for us is my mobile phone, which is quite often low on battery and means handing my phone over when he's played with. This is the only negative though for us and not really a big deal either.
You can read all about Cozmo on the Anki website, where you can see all their work towards making artificial intelligence accessible to everyone, bringing consumer robotics to every day life. Keep up to date with Cozmo as well as the Anki products on their Twitter, YouTube or Instagram pages, or by searching the #AnkiCozmo for other reviews, pictures and videos.
Cozmo has been a huge hit here, I'm super impressed with all he is capable of and can't wait to play some more to see what tricks we can unlock.
Do you have any little tech fans that would love Cozmo too?
Post contains affiliate links, product sent in exchange for an honest review. All words and opinions are our own.
