How-to guru combines Furby, Alexa to make Furlexa

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A creative and tech-savvy guy decided it was time to give a talking toy for kids a major upgrade.

Zach Levine runs a website made for helping you make new things and his latest project combines Furbies and Amazon’s Alexa.

He’s calling it Furlexa.

And anyone who watches the video on Levine’s site, howchoo.com, can make their very own Furlexa, too.

The video explains how to integrate Alexa’s open-source voice service into the body of a toy made popular in the 1990s.

“I think there's a lot of nostalgia. People love things from the 90s. I loved Furby when I was a kid,” the Tampa-based entrepreneur told FOX 13 News. “It was this magical thing and it will always have this special place in my heart.”

He said creating Furlexa was all about the challenge. If you want one, you’ll have to make your own because these won't be for sale.

Levine said some Furbies were harmed in the making of this story. He broke a few before he got it right.

The first completed Furlexa Levine made took him about 50 hours, but with the tutorial, he says it will take about 3.