Gizmodo: Child

Apple Will Indoctrinate Your Children with Field Trips

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EDT

Evil monolith Apple has begun a nefarious program to snatch children from the warm arms of their home PCs with ominous-sounding "field trips." These trips do lead to a field, but not one with grass and trees and sunshine. This is a field of glass, of white plastic, of aluminum, and of shameful minimalism.

Sure, Apple has its shiny white coating of education. The (apparently free) one-hour trip can accommodate up to 25 impressionable youngsters. "Let the children create projects using easy-to-understand software like iMovie and iPhoto!" the site exclaims. "Or they can bring in a project they've already created and turn our store into a theater," the site explains. "Free t-shirts!" furthers the site. Well, Apple, let me tell you this. I will not "bring my enthusiasm," and I will not let you "bring the rest." Children should frolic in parks, not museum-like electronics shops. The t-shirts do look sort of sweet, though. [TUAW]

The Kiddo Kidkeeper Keeps Your Child on a Digital Leash

Sean Fallon — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:30:13 EST

Smart Target's Kiddo Kidkeeper Proximity alarm helps bring peace of mind to the parents of adventurous children using a wearable wireless transmitter. When a child has wandered out of a pre-set range, the transmitter will trigger a visual and audible alarm on the parent's receiver, prompting them to reel the kid back in.

The device offers two range settings of 13 and 26 feet, it is waterproof, and it can monitor up to four kids at once—which is great until a hyperactive child decides to remove the device and hurl it into the woods for no good reason. There is no pricing information on the official site, but we did come across a Romanian site selling it for the equivalent of $170, which should be a decent indicator. [Kiddo via Gizmag via OhGizmo and Store4Kids]

ION Gaming System, Wave Hello to Sponge Bob

blongo3 — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:08:05 EST

Hasbro is apparently throwing its hat into the gaming world by releasing their own system. Albeit an educational gaming system. What sets this one apart is that it has it's own built in camera, a-la Sony's EyeToy.

Warren Buckleitner of the NY Times, claims that the ION is easy to use, especially since the camera that is integrated into the unit itself is fully adjustable to account for different heights of little kids. Of course Warren being the genius that he is, also claims that there is no console involved. Well then what is this built in camera built into? And where do you put the games? Yea, that's what I thought.

And for all the parents out there with your Nickelodeon addicted little kids. They will spaz over the fact that they can be on TV with Dorah the Explorer and Sponge Bob. The best game by far has to be the Simon Says, where your kid must stay still in certain positions for an unspecified amount of time. $100 for the ION, $20 for a game, having your kid stay still for a moment while being monitored by a machine, Priceless.– Ben Longo

A Child Waves at the TV, and the Game Begins [NY Times]

Live From CES: Delphi Intelligent Child Restraint and Crib Monitor

Noah R — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:16:54 EST

Delphi is also working on sensors for the child safety zone—an area of much interest to the child-bearing Gizmodo editors. The intelligent child restraint is a device to help ensure that you install your car seat correctly. Child seats are mis-installed 80% of the time, a stat that will come as little surprise to anyone who has spent an hour trying to figure out how to strap one of these suckers in. Press the "test" button on this monitor and it senses whether the belts are tight and that the seat is correctly positioned. If you do something wrong, a red light signals one of four zones that needs work. The trouble, of course, is that it can't tell you how to get the straps correctly positioned, only that you are doing something wrong. But at least it narrows down your search. This sensor has to be manufactured into the seat, but Delphi will only say that they are working with "several" partners to bring this to market.

The other child-safety product on display was a crib with an ultrasonic sound wave emitter on the top. It senses motion and breathing rates, and if something is amiss it will send a signal to your baby monitor.