Fisher-Price made a working adult chatter phone because we’re all broken inside

Baby’s first “cell phone” is now a real cell phone. The iconic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone pull toy was turned into a working, bluetooth-connected handset for adults. It still has a rainbow colored dial. It has eyes that wobble when the wheels roll. But now, 60 years after its inception, you can take your business calls on the large red plastic handset.

The new collector’s item was pre-ordered for a limited time on Tuesday at Best buy for $ 60, with an additional batch released for sale on Thursday. I’m excited to announce that Chatter is working the way you hope it will. I had an early model of this smiling buddy sitting on my desk all week.

If, like me, you’ve been broken up from work for far too long, you’ll love the many nice surprises:

• He speaks! When Chatter turns on and connects to your phone via Bluetooth (iOS and Android), a small male voice says, “Hello, we’re ready to go!”
• Chatter says any number you dial as your finger spins the wheel, giving you endorsement and confirmation that you are a voter.
• There is an optional hands-free button for hands-free calling.
• It rings for incoming calls and answers with a simple pick-up. Outgoing calls begin when you lift the handset and dial.
• Its rubber wheels won’t roll off your desk when you use the lock switch on the bottom.
• For the first time, there is a mobile phone that can’t hide the fact that it’s watching you. But his eyes do not look you up and down out of condemnation. He sees how much you’ve grown. And he’s proud of everything you’ve achieved. And he wants you to be proud too.
• Chatter is rechargeable and has nine hours of talk time.

The Chatter phone has drawn several looks over the years. He’s gotten a bit of a facelift since then Original publication, and this bluetooth model reflects the new, more rounded design.

Compare it side by side with the actual pull toy ($ 7 on Amazon), the adult Chatter phone has more weight and is built with higher quality materials, especially in the rotating wheel and wheels. But adult chatters lack one key trait: there is no pull-cord.

This special edition phone fits in perfectly with a trend that is driving toy sales this year: Adults are buying more toys for themselves. The The Toy Association trade group calls this the “Kidult” trend, and it has been fueled by the pandemic as adults turn to toys to bring some ease into their lives.

Chatter isn’t the only bluetooth-enabled receiver that can unlock your childhood. There are those too Banana phonewhich yeah that’s exactly what you’re expecting. It goes for $ 40 on Amazon And as I found using it, the Banana Phone is a great way to get your kids to talk to their grandparents without giving them your $ 1,000 smartphone. (The only downside is that I always start singing this Banana Phone song.)

So all in all, it seems like the perfect time for Chatter to re-enter our lives. And did I mention what happens if you turn it off? He says, “I love you, bye.”

We love you too, chatter. May you have another 60 years teaching kids what phones did before apps.