HelicopterParents
Latest
Switched On: A wristed development
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. It is difficult enough to turn around one niche product category and make it successful, as Apple did with the iPad. But combining two marketplace failures is almost certainly a recipe for disaster. FiLIP, the new kid-tracker, is part connected watch, part smartphone. Prior attempts to optimize these devices for children -- or at least for the parents who want their kids to wear them -- haven't been well received. On the wristwear side, there was the Wherify Wireless watch, a monstrous wrist-locked GPS device. It was so optimized for the kidnapper-concerned that it sent an alarm message over the cellular network if it was removed without authorization.
FiLIP is an electronic leash for your kids' wrists and it's coming to AT&T
Electronic leashes for the 21st century kid? You knew this sort of thing was inevitable. FiLIP, a smartwatch and 'locator' for kids that takes helicopter parenting to an excessive level, is heading to AT&T's lineup as an exclusive. As you'd expect from a device targeted to tagging kids, the FiLIP doesn't come close to the functionality of something more grown-up like the Galaxy Gear. It's mainly intended to be a colorful way to keep tabs on your kids, whitelist who can call their wrists, see their current location (via GPS, WiFi and cell tower triangulation), send texts and set safe zone parameters, so you know when you're child is literally out-of-bounds. It's the stuff of overprotective mothers' dreams and, at some point in the "coming months," those needy momagers will be able to pick it up for an undisclosed price with requisite data plan at AT&T. Basically, this is just AT&T giving that neurotic demo a heads-up -- you know, plenty of time to add FiLIP to the ever-increasing to-do list. If you thought you had it bad as a kid, imagine what life's going to be like for this upcoming generation.
