Episode 50- Talking Dolls

An Incomplete Timeline

1890– The Edison Phonograph Doll

Used a wax cylinder phonograph. Before then the cylinders were tin-foil. It would play nursery rhymes

1920s- The Mama Doll

Used a cylindrical bellows. When squeezed air came out and it kinda sorta sounded like “mama”.

1960– The Chatty Kathy

Used a string to drag a needle across a grooved disc…essentially a record player with a disc not a cylinder.

1985– Teddy Ruxpin Bear

Used a cassette tape

1987– The Jill Doll

Used a cassette tape.

1994– The Telephone Tammy Doll

Used wireless technology to allow you to call her. I couldn’t find what she used to speak but since it’s the 90s it might be a cassette or even an early CD.

1998– The Furby

Used, basically, a small simply computer.

2014– The My Friend Cayla Doll

Used…and app. With a Bluetooth connection you can talk to her, she connects to the internet and the cloud-based service there to give you a good bit of interactivity.