Probably the hottest category of all are hi-tech toys. The buzz created by Sony’s $2,500 AIBO robot dog has filtered down to some more affordable models. The $100 Rocket the Wonder Dog has a microchip that allows a child to train it to respond to human voices. He pants, barks, scratches, begs, displays emotion when he’s fed or scolded, and never makes a mess on the rug.

category： 种类；今年最热销的玩具都是一些高科技的产品。
filter down to：慢慢传开；索尼公司的机器狗原先卖到2500美元，现在已经转变成一些其它更为便宜的玩具狗。
microchip： 微型芯片；机器狗使用微型芯片可以对人们发出的声音指令做出各种不同的动作。
make a mess： 弄得一团糟；机器狗当然不会像真正的小狗那样把地毯弄得脏兮兮的。

The $49 LeapTop is like a kiddie laptop that can download games and lesson sets from the Internet. It’s being sold as an educational toy, because kids can quiz themselves on spelling or math. It’s for very young kids, ages 4-6. You need an extra $24.99 connector and a PC to download lessons from the Net.

laptop：膝上型电脑；这种膝上型电脑是一种教育型的玩具。
download：下载。

Cybikos can form wireless chat rooms with any other Cybikos within about 300 feet, and if kids put in personal profile information, the machine will buzz if potential friends (or romantic interests) with Cybikos walk by. It would be a lot less fun to be the only kid in class with a Cybiko.

chat room：聊天室；这种名为Cybikos的高科技玩具可以在相互之间建立聊天室交谈。
potential：潜在的，未知的；这种玩具在另一个携带它的人经过身边的时候，还会发出叫声。
in class with：相同的；作者认为由于Cybikos只能在拥有它的人之间交流，所以它给人带来的快乐将大打折扣。

Construction toys have fully entered the information age with the $129.99 CyberK’NEX, buildable models you program with a computer. Kids can program them to do all sorts of things, including climb walls, guard their rooms and launch missiles at interloping siblings. The toys might appeal to adult geeks, too.

program：程序，编程；这种CyberK’NEX玩具允许孩子们给它编一些程序，使它能够做出爬墙，保护房间和发射导弹等动作。
interlope：闯入，侵入。
sibling：同胞，同类；这种玩具还可以向闯入的同类开火射击。
geek：奇怪滑稽的人；这种玩具那么好玩，当然也会吸引一些童心未泯的“大孩子”啦。