When it comes to kids and smartphones it’s a hot topic in the world of those parents of pre-teens. But the new Opel Mobile SmartKids phone might answer a lot of questions and be the perfect solution for a kids first phone.
For many, the first device a child gets might be a kids smartwatch – there are plenty on the market, and they are great for those under 11. But they are also $350 so when you compare that to many cheap mobile phones, it’s a tough sell.
However, those cheap smartphones don’t have the features a parent might want for their child.
Namely, the key needs are location, and call restrictions.
You want to know where your kids are, get notifications when they move into and out of areas like the park, or school, and you want to ensure they can’t make random phone calls, and random people can’t call them.
Enter the Opel Mobile SmartKids phone. This thing has it all.
And for some parents, a critical feature – no camera.
It’s no the first kids phone ever made, but it sure looks to have the most comprehensive set of features we’ve seen yet in a smartphone.
The 5.5 inch screen is bright and colourful, nothing negative to say there, but don’t expect flagship performance here – you’re getting a cheap phone, and if you wanted this level of performance, you probably shouldn’t need to pay more than $149 or $199, but it’s the layer of Parental control that adds epic value to the Opel Mobile SmartKids Phone.
Using the built-in app, you can register a child, then on your own smartphone using the SmartKids Guardian app you can then setup a range of controls.
GeoFencing locations to enable you to get location notifications.
This is done really simply and intuitively on a map.
Then you can setup a whitelist of contacts – only those number can then be called by the child, and only those numbers can call the child.
Simple security that really matters.
And then with Apps, you can control which apps are allowed on the device, and set a limited screen time per app on specific days.
Really really simple stuff, and a game changer for parents juggling the desire to give kids that freedom to leave home but the fear of the big world out there.
Available at JB HiFi and The Good Guys, the Opel Mobile SmartKids Phone will set you back $249.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts several popular podcasts, EFTM, Two Blokes Talking Tech, Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, and the Private Feed. He is the resident tech expert for Triple M on radio across Australia, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show and appears regularly on 9 News, A Current Affair and Sky News Early Edition.
Father of three, he is often found in his Man Cave.
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