ChildrensTablets
Latest
Toys R Us 7-inch Tabeo kids tablet coming in October for $150
Toys R Us has posted a listing for a new 7-inch child's Android slate priced at $150 called the Tabeo, saying it will go on sale October 1st in stores only. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company will announce more details later today, but pictures on the site indicate it will be more conventional in design style and not as "kiddified" as the toy store's previous offering, the Nabi. Technical specs include a 1GHz processor, 4GB of built-in storage, upgradeable to 32GB, HDMI-out, 50 pre-loaded apps and -- brace for it -- its own native app store offering around 6,000 more. That might mean it's aimed at older kids than the previous tab's six-year old and up target, but it better have some killer features for the younger set -- it's up against a spate of similar products that have already hit shelves. Update: This looks very much like an Archos Child Pad with different colors and $20 added to the asking price. Thanks all who spotted the similarity.
Switched On: Tablets are toys. No, really.
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Ever since the tablet market exploded, we've seen a wide range of designs find both success and failure. But most of the tablets on the market have something in common: they are primarily designed for adults or at least children old enough to be responsible for a fragile device. Particularly for the popular iPad, we have seen a number of specialized cases design to protect the tablet for use with young ones. But a small cadre of tablets aimed specifically at kids -- including preschoolers -- begs several questions. Are tablets good tools for kids? Is there value in optimizing them for kids? And if so, how should they be optimized?
