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Netflix gives 'Fast and Furious' the cartoon treatment it deserves
With eight feature releases and a couple of short films, the Fast and Furious franchise has worked its way into the public consciousness. When you think about it, though, while the films are rated PG-13, the core concept is pretty kid-friendly: fast cars and one-liners abound. It doesn't hurt that it's also the sixth-highest-grossing film series of all time. That's probably why Netflix and DreamWorks are bringing the concept to the small screen as an animated series.
Thinga is a kid-friendly search engine with parental controls
Keeping kids away from questionable content while they surf the web is an ongoing battle, and there's a new site that's looking to help. Thinga, a kid-friendly search engine, offers answers to children's queries from the company's own content library, white-listed sites or privacy-minded search site DuckDuckGo. Thinga comes from a Yahoo Kids alum who worked on that kid-focused project before it shut down a while back. Those search results are vetted by the team at Thinga to make sure they're appropriate.
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.
LeapFrog's child-friendly LeapPad 2 goes on sale for $100, is ready for sticky fingers
You might've already checked out our hands-on time with LeapFrog's next-gen LeapPad, but starting today, now you can finally get your own palms on the kid-friendly slate. The company -- who's also introduced us to the Explorer -- has announced its LeapPad 2 is now up for grabs at an array of online and brick-and-mortar shops, such as Target, Best Buy, Kmart, Amazon and, naturally, its very own site. Now, the $100 LeapPad 2 isn't anywhere near the same class as Mountain View's $200 Nexus 7, though for obvious reasons, as it's targeted at a completely different audience. In other words, those 100 bucks might just be enough to keep kids away from your precious every-day tablet. We'll let you decide that, however.
New child-friendly Vinci Tab II 'M' is smaller, lighter, cheaper
If your Vinci II tablet was working out your children's arms, more than their minds, then fear not. The makers have just announced the arrival of a new, lighter "M" model. The 5-inch kiddie slate is compatible with the Vinci Curriculum and Kids library apps, and keeps the option for Parent Mode for when Dad wants to check the football scores via the Android-based OS. Designed for users kids on the go, the tablets can also be networked for some little-LAN action. It's still the same 1.2 GHz A8 Cortex running the show, but if you thought that smaller screen might mean more battery, then sadly you're mistaken, with the company's own website estimating just four hours of junior-fun -- half that of the larger version. That said, up for pre-order at $169 ($80 less than the 7-incher) maybe that's enough to soften the already rubberized blow.
Archos Child Pad arrives at FCC, escapes drool-free
If our eyes don't deceive us, that's the Archos Child Pad that just arrived at the FCC. Now, we know what you're thinking: any proper test of this tablet would require someone gnawing on the corners and drooling on the screen, but c'mon -- this is the FCC we're talking about. Curiously, the test documents reveal support for 802.11n, which comes as a nice surprise, since we'd previously only known of support for 802.11b/g. As you might've expected, WiFi is the only radio in the Child Pad, which means the little one won't be pairing it with any Bluetooth devices or putting the hurt on your data plan any time soon. This rubbery, resistive touch, Ice Cream Sandwich-filled creation was previously announced for $129 with availability in late March. While the Archos folks may have missed that goal, with the FCC's stamp of approval, it appears your tike won't have long to coat the Child Pad in celebratory slobber.
Archos unveils 7-inch Child Pad slate: $130, Ice Cream Sandwich on board
We know you've already added the Fisher Price DVR to the list of gadgets that may withstand the physical trauma your kid's about to put it through. But how does an ICS-equipped, 7-inch slate with parental controls sound? Dubbed Child Pad, this sticky finger-friendly tab isn't just flaunting the fact it's tasting Android's freshest treat before most of you, it's doing so with a rather modest 1GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM. In theory, that should be enough to handle your little one's multitouch doings. Speaking of, Archos is pairing up the $130 machine with access to the AppLibs Kids App Store, which offers a portfolio of over 10,000 games, books and apps. Unfortunately, there's no word on what kind of ports or internal storage the Child Pad's packing. The good news is Archos isn't saying you need to be in first grade to use it, so feel free to grab one for yourself (or your kid) when it hits shelves at the end of the month.
Toys R Us' Nabi Android tablet lets junior play while mommy drinks
True, mommy may not have to drink, but as long as Toys R Us' Nabi tablet is in the house, that cabinet door will always be open. Designed to distract kids aged six years and up, this tot-sized Android slate boasts a seven-inch, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen display, 4GB of onboard storage, and a 533MHz dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU. These certainly aren't the most scintillating specs we've ever come across (even by kiddo tablet standards), but keep in mind that we're talking about six-year-olds, here. They don't know anything. Plus, they'll probably be distracted by the Nabi's customized UI, tailored for so-called "kiddified" browsing, reading and TV watching. If you ever get a hankering to get in on the action yourself, you can always send the beast to time out and play with the tablet yourself, thanks to a built-in "Mommy Mode" that provides a more mature Android experience. No word yet on whether Toys R Us plans to introduce a "Daddy Mode" (or, for that matter, a "Postman Mode"), but that's probably a conversation for another day. Hands-off parents can pre-order the Nabi for $200, at the source link below.
Kaleidescape releases Cinema One DVD movie server, appeals to the toddler film buff set
Despite the legal hoopla related to its DVD ripping practices, Kaleidescape is still releasing high-end media servers designed to save the rich (and now their spawn) from the hassle of opening a movie box. The Cinema One is its latest and most affordable creation to date, but still costs a hefty $4,999. For the most part, the server is just a cheaper replacement to 2009's Mini System, that can store up to 225 DVDs or 2,500 CDs for instant access. It also sports the same hassle-free setup, but adds a new wrinkle in the form of kid-friendly features. Specifically, a junior remote is included in addition to the standard version, which triggers a simplified system UI anytime it's used. While we're all for toddlers being able to watch their favorite content too, at this price we'd have rather seen support for Blu-rays and dare we say Netflix streaming. Then again, we aren't in the best position to judge the value of a digital babysitter. For more shots of the kiddo UI and remote check out the gallery below, otherwise read the full PR after the break. %Gallery-109199%
