Using the brains of a smartphone in toys.    I’m Fred Fishkin with technology BootCamp, a report on gadgets and gear.    More and more toys are tapping into the processing power of smartphones, both iPhones and Androids.   They can work as controllers for remote control helicopters and cars.   Now a company called Physical Apps is putting a smartphone inside of a ball and combining that with apps.   It’s called TheO.  Chairman Bob Houvener…

“What we’re doing is we’re providing physical enablers for smart devices.   So someone can take their iPod, Android, iPhone, put it inside of the physical enabler and then they can bounce it off the floor, the walls and turn the experience that used to be just kids with thumbs on the screen, into something where they’re physically playing with a ball, throwing it around indoors and out.”

Houvener says the foam ball provides plenty of protection. Gulp.   TheO is expected to arrive in May for about 25 dollars.   You can find us with archives, interviews and more at BootCamp.com.