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Mattel's Aristotle is a kid-focused Echo alternative
First there was Alexa, Siri, Cortana and the Google Assistant. Now you can prepare to add Aristotle to that growing list of voice-enabled assistants. Mattel's cheerful AI companion differs from the competition by focusing on children, first and foremost. It's been packaged inside a smart speaker (what else?) and promises to understand your little one's vocal ramblings, all the way from toddler to middle school. That's a bold promise, given most of the current offerings struggle with even the most eloquent adults. Mattel says it's solved the problem with a custom AI engine, which uses a mixture of "natural language processing" to learn your child's enunciation.
The new Nabi kid-friendly Android tablets are seriously huge
In addition to an action cam for adventurous kids, Fuhu has announced new Big Tab options at CES -- and they're so huge, they dwarf the 24-inch model launched in 2014. These latest entries to the Big Tab lineup include 42-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch models, so they're definitely not something you'd hold in your hand to watch Netflix or check your emails on. Fuhu envisions these tablets to be used in kitchens and living rooms for interactive activities or as smart TVs, as they're touchscreen displays with access to Google Play. The 55- and 65-inch ones even have full Ultra HD resolution, WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. According to USA Today, these huge tablets will hit the market in the second half of 2015, with the cheapest option priced at $699. The most expensive one will cost you quite a bit: $3,999 for the 65-inch 4K model.
The new Nabi Square HD is a 4K action camera for kids
There are a lot of durable, high-resolution action cameras on the market, but how many would you feel comfortable giving to your kids? Probably not many: Most such cameras won't tolerate absentminded abuse without a protective case -- and they're expensive to boot. An attentive parent could lend a GoPro or a Sony Action Cam to their offspring, but it could become an expensive proposition. Instead, Fuhu wants to call your attention to its new Nabi Square HD: a "kid-proof" 4K action cam that costs $170.
Fuhu announces the $250 Nabi XD for tweens: 10.1-inch display, Jelly Bean on offer
Fuhu's latest attempt at a tablet for youngsters is the Nabi XD, this time promising to help keep your tween's hands off your shiny new slate and also eschew sibling rivalry. It's packing specs that match its grown-up approach -- a 10.1-inch, 1,366 x 768 IPS display, quad-core Tegra 3 innards, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, dual snappers, and NFC. The customizable wrapper atop the OS boasts a "gadget-based", rule-governed interface that changes depending on time and location. Concerned parents can take solace in its kid-friendly browsing, and fool themselves by springing for the optional silicone keyboard cover -- an accessory that should, in theory, assist with homework, but one that might just be relegated to the side in favor of the device's more enticing gaming capabilities. The tablet will set you back $249 for 16GB and $349 for the 32GB iterations when it lands late December, but ask yourselves first -- is this really what your kid wants?
Fuhu's Nabi Jr. Tegra-powered kiddie tablet keeps the small ones occupied for five minutes
If your Clarkson-esque toddler screams "more power!" at its kiddie tablet, perhaps it's time to upgrade. Fuhu, makers of the Nabi, are trying to address that problem with the Nabi Jr., a 5-inch baby slate that's packing NVIDIA's marginally faster OG Tegra internals. The ICS-running hardware also includes an 800 x 400 capacitive touchscreen, rotating webcam and a customized education-friendly software layer. If you think it'll satisfy your spec-demanding infants, a 4GB model will set you back $100, or you can grab a 16GB version for $130.
Children's tablet maker suing Toys R Us over Tabeo design
Currently lawsuits are all the rage in the tech industry, however it's somewhat of a sad day when the ill-effects of corporate hardball trickle down to children's toys. Nabi tablet maker Fuhu filed a lawsuit at a San Diego, California federal court claiming that mega retailer Toys R Us stole its product's trade secrets for the development of its forthcoming Tabeo tablet for children. Fuhu alleges that last year Toys R Us agreed to exclusively carry the Nabi tablet in order to gain access to confidential information before launching a tablet of its own. The partnership between the two companies ended in January and Toys R Us has since announced its plans to release its Tabeo tablet this fall. Fuhu is suing for an undisclosed sum and requesting that Toys R Us relinquish its stock of Tabeo tablets. It's too early to tell if this lawsuit will have an impact on the Tabeo's launch plans, but if Fuhu has its way, Toys R Us will receive a lump of coal and a court order this holiday season. Bah, humbug!
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?
