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How to manage your child's screen time (and why you should)
In an age when we all have a tiny computer in our pockets, it's important that we learn to limit screen time in favor of actual human interaction and productivity. It's even more essential that we limit media consumption for children, especially since they're being exposed to things like phones and tablets at an increasingly younger age. Those devices are part of kids' lives earlier than ever, so it's important to keep tabs on how often they use them or watch TV. There are a number of reasons why you should do this as a parent, and, ironically, there's also a range of tech available to help with the task. READ ON: How to manage your child's screen time
The gadgets we recommend for new parents
Rattlers are pretty basic, in that they make noise to get a baby's attention. But the SmartNoggin NogginStik goes a step further: It also lights up, which could help to snap your kid out of an epic freak-out session. It has a goofy face, something that helps little ones learn to recognize human faces. And it also has a ridged handle, which encourages motor development, as well as a mirror on the bottom. That variety means there's less of a chance your baby will get bored with it, and makes it essential for every diaper bag. READ ON: The best baby gadgets to buy for new parents
How tech does (and doesn't) help babies sleep
The truth is, technology probably does more to interrupt a child's sleep than help induce it Both exposure to screens and addictive routines can keep a kid awake. That said, certain gadgets, like a sleep clock, could help establish a healthy sleep cycle. READ ON: The dos and don'ts of helping your kid to sleep.
Google's experimental Rivet app helps kids learn to read
Far too many kids struggle to read at an age-appropriate level, but Google is betting that technology could help them get up to speed. The company's experimental Area 120 unit has released Rivet, an app for Android and iOS that aims to make reading practice both accessible and rewarding. It offers more than 2,000 books ranked by difficulty, and uses speech technology to coach kids on their pronunciation. Rivet can read words or whole pages, highlighting words as it goes along, but it can also listen to a child's own reading and offer feedback on the words they didn't get right.
The $70 Fitbit for kids is now available
Last summer, Fitbit introduced its kid-focussed fitness tracker, Ace. Now, the company is back with a new model, Ace 2, and it's dropped the price by $30. Fitbit teased Ace 2 in March, when it announced its Inspire and Inspire HR wearables, but the kid-friendly device is just now available and listed at $69.95.
A parent's guide to raising a good digital citizen
"Do you know what you're looking at?" I ask my five-year-old and seven-year-old when we're on the iPad. "Yeah, yeah," they grumble as they swipe and tap during their 10-minute dip into deviceland. While we peruse pictures of dinosaurs or exploding volcanoes on YouTube or whatever it is that piques their interest, I ask a bunch of questions. Not surprisingly, they never know the answer to my favorite internet-safety question, "How do you know this one's not a joke?"
How to buy tech gifts for other people’s kids
Gift giving for kids has gotten a lot more complicated over the past two decades or so. Gone are the days when you could just buy a doll or toy truck and know that it would be enjoyed by the child and fairly noncontroversial with the parents. A lot of that recent complication comes from how tech-heavy toys have gotten, from robot kits to drones to AR-enabled playsets. And that's before you even consider video games and consoles like Xbox or PlayStation. When it's your kid it's a little easier: After all, you should know what they like, what they'll take care of and what rules you've set for them. But what about your best friends' kids, your nieces and nephews or young cousins? While there's no silver bullet gift since every kid is different, there are some general guidelines you can follow when purchasing a tech gift for kids, one that won't have the other adults glaring at you or the kids tossing it to the side in favor of something shinier.
The best coding kits for kids
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Part of the reason I write about technology for a living is that I couldn't cut it as a coder. It's not that I regret my career choice (I definitely don't), but I do regret having never really learned the art of programming. And it's not because I want to build apps or games or anything. It's because you pick up a lot of peripheral skills. This is the primary reason I want my kid to learn to code. I don't necessarily want him to become an engineer (though I certainly wouldn't be upset if he did). Instead, I see coding as a great teaching tool. It's a way to teach cause and effect and problem-solving skills. And mastering the logic behind simple routines can even make your kid a better and more convincing communicator.
Google Play Store has a problem with violent games made for kids
Google's issues with disturbing child-oriented content extend beyond YouTube. Wired has found dozens of Android apps on the Play Store that were rated as safe for kids, but featured gruesome content. Mad Max Zombies was rated PEGI 3 but had you gunning down the undead with plenty of blood, while Baby Panda Dental Care had you pulling teeth in a fairly graphic fashion. There were also pay-to-play slot machines and apps with questionable uses of location tracking and device permissions.
Verizon has a phone plan for kids, complete with parental controls
Like it or not, many kids have smartphones -- and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) wants to capitalize on that with a plan meant to reassure parents anxious about what their young ones might see. The carrier's newly unveiled Just Kids plan melds 5GB of LTE data, unlimited calling/talk to 20 parent-defined contacts and a subscription to Verizon Smart Family Premium's parental controls, all at prices noticeably lower than for the grown-ups ($35 to $55 per month depending on the total number of lines). Ideally, this saves you some money each month while giving you tools to limit usage, filter out unsavory content and keep track of your kids' whereabouts.
Netflix's latest interactive series for kids is 'Battle Kitty'
Netflix's growing catalog of interactive shows now includes another aimed at the younger crowd. The service has unveiled Battle Kitty, an animated series where kids help its namesake warrior fight monsters on an island and become a champion. Its origins are as unusual as the format, too. It's based on Instagram posts from animator Matt Layzell (known for work on titles like Sanjay and Craig and Pinky Malinky), who'll be a showrunner for the first time.
Senate bill proposes stricter privacy controls for children
Some politicians don't believe the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act does enough to protect kids in the modern era, and they're hoping to update it accordingly. Senators Ed Markey and Josh Hawley have introduced a bill that would amend COPPA with stricter controls on kids' data. It would ban ads targeted at kids, and would require an "Eraser Button" that would let kids and parents wipe data. The measure would still ban the collection of personal data for kids under 13 without their parents' consent, but it would also ban collecting data from the 13- to 15-year-old crowd without the user's permission.
FTC fines TikTok $5.7 million over child privacy violations
The creators of TikTok are facing US penalties for allegedly doing too little to respect kids' privacy. The Federal Trade Commission has fined TikTok (aka Musical.ly) $5.7 million as part of a settlement over reported COPPA violations in its lip-syncing video app. Regulators said that TikTok not only collected personal information from under-13 users without their parents' consent, but made those profiles public and, until October 2016, let people share their location with nearby friends. The developers knew a "significant percentage" of users were under 13 but didn't change their ways even after "thousands of complaints," the FTC said.
Disney, Nestle pull YouTube ads in uproar over child videos
YouTube is still grappling with predatory comments on child videos, and it's once again facing the consequences. Bloomberg has learned that Disney, Fortnite creator Epic Games, Nestle and Oetker have "paused" spending on YouTube ads after video blogger Mark Watson shared a video showing how comments on videos with children were being used to enable an ad hoc softcore child porn ring. Commenters would flag videos where underage girls were performing supposedly suggestive actions, such as gymnastics, while YouTube's own algorithms would inadvertently suggest similar videos.
UK bans gambling ads from sites and games that target kids
The UK will prohibit child-friendly websites and video games from running gambling ads, a move that poses potential ramifications for app developers, soccer stars and social media influencers alike. Starting April 1st, gambling companies will be banned from targeting ads at under-18s on social media and across the web. Bookmakers will also be forced to restrict their ads from sections of sites that are youth-oriented -- for instance, web pages dedicated to younger supporters on a soccer club's website.
How the creators of 'Ralph Breaks the Internet’ showed two sides to life online
Warning: May contain light spoilers. "Everything is for sale on the internet." Phil Johnston, the director/co-writer of the Oscar nominated Ralph Breaks the Internet, isn't holding back. "From the pop-ups to the videos you watch, commerce is a part of... everything."
Speak & Spell is B-A-C-K
If you're a techie of a certain age (cough), you probably have fond memories of the Speak & Spell. The Texas Instruments toy's quirky speech synthesis may be quaint by modern standards, but it sounded like magic at a time when getting any computer to talk was a big deal. You'll be glad to hear it's back, then. Basic Fun is introducing a revived Speak & Spell that includes all the familiar games, that simple segmented display (albeit one based on modern LCDs) and, of course, that signature orange-and-yellow design. However, there is one important change you'll have to consider: the voice.
Sphero gets into app-enabled music gadgets with the Specdrums ring
Back in June 2018, Sphero acquired Specdrums, a startup that found Kickstarter success with music-making rings. As part of that deal, we knew Sphero would be working on its own version of the product, and today the company's making it official. The new but familiarly named Specdrums are app-supported rings that let you, or your kids, play music by tapping the wearable instruments on different colors and surfaces. There are hundreds of customizable sounds and loops, all of which are created by tapping the Specdrums rings on the included playpad and other colored items around you.
Oath to pay $5 million settlement over children's online privacy
Oath (Engadget's parent brand) is paying a record-breaking settlement for its approach to children's privacy. The Verizon-owned media company has agreed to pay $4.95 million, the largest ever settlement in a case like this, after New York state found that it violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by running targeted ads on sites meant primarily for kids under 13 years old, such as Roblox.com. Up until November 2017, Oath's systems (and AOL's before that) reportedly ignored information warning that sites were subject to COPPA rules and sent ads that collected potentially sensitive data through the use of cookies and location info.
Ask Engadget: Is it OK to buy a tech toy for someone else's kid?
The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fact, our community's knowledge and insights are a reason why many of you participate in the comments. We truly value the time and detail you all spend in responding to questions from your fellow tech-obsessed commenters, which is why we've decided to bring back the much-missed "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question comes to us from a reader who needs a great gadget recommendation for a child. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! I'm looking for a good tech gift for someone else's child. What would be an appropriate choice for a kid in the 7 to 10 age range?
