In its never - ending pursuance to bring intact families into its ecosystem , Amazon hasannounceda new smart speaker / video chatting machine call Glow . It ’s meant for kids to video Old World chat with other folks with Alexa - enable gadget in a controlled surround . Amazon says it “ reimagines the way tyke can connect with distant family unit and booster . ”
The Amazon Glow — not to be obnubilate with theEcho Glow , a bright lamp for kid — packs a vertical smartphone show in a giant speaker system case that looks like a comically large ‘ 90s - epoch cell phone . It has an 8 - inch liquid crystal display CRT screen , and it projects a touch - sensitive sphere that ’s about 19 inch across . Kids can share their “ practical space ” in existent - time using the Amazon Glow app . Folks on the other end can use Alexa on an Android or iOS gadget , and Amazon will lend Fire OS compatibility presently .
Each Amazon Glow machine comes with a one - year subscription to Amazon Kids+ , unlocking Glow ’s many game and apps . The app include “ one C of hours ” of synergistic activities , including object scanning , so kids can make virtual sticker to post out or even completing a jigsaw teaser with Grammy on the other line . Kids can also read along with an adult , play a simple chess plot or Go Fish , and draw along with someone else .
Amazon Glow lets kids interact with their faves in real-time.Image: Amazon
Amazon said it collaborated with Disney , Mattel , Nickelodeon , and Sesame Workshop to make interactive content for Glow . It ’s open up development to a “ limited hardening of partners ” in the first half of next year to create more mental object for the Glow platform . It will also be selling Glow Bits hear kits for unlocking additional content . The first Bits kit is a Tangram puzzle game , and it comes bunch up with the purchase of Glow .
Of course , the biggest interrogative sentence top of judgment for parent is what the parental controls are like . Like on theEcho Showdevices , parent can fix up the Glow so that youngster can only call contacts that parent have approved beforehand . There ’s also a privateness shutter on the camera , and a hardware deaf-and-dumb person button to shut off the mike . The Glow is n’t Alexa - enabled , so Amazon says it does n’t collect voice recordings .
Amazon Glow appears to excerpt some shaver - centric abilities available in similar devices likeFacebookPortal , which has Alexa built in . In add-on to enable video chat , your child and someone else can read through a virtual book together using Story Time . However , theparental controlson Facebook Portal are limited , and the machine has access to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger when it ’s unlocked .
The Amazon Glow works with sold-separately Glow Bits.Image: Amazon
Amazon Glow also integrates some of the add - on abilities of tablets like the iPad . you may buy a third - party accoutrement like theOsmo Projectorto get a standardised experience of the physical - meets - virtual world of learning and looseness .
If you ’re interested in learn out the twist , you’re able to quest an invitation to be part of the early access Glow programme . The Glow is presently usable for an prefatorial cost of $ 250 , though it will retail for $ 300 . freshness fare with a mat and a flatness suit , too , as well as a two - class guarantee . Amazon say if it break dance , you’re able to hark back it , and it will replace it for free .
We ’ll have to test out the Glow to vet its privacy title and see how it stacks up to Portal ( and FaceTime on an iPad ) for connecting Thomas Kid and family . stay put tuned for a full recapitulation .
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