Best Kid Technology

all about technology for kids, and the grown-ups who love them

No More Firefly Phone? November 8, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Firefly, FlyPhone, Glow Phone, TicTalk — bestkidtechnology @ 2:26 pm

Although I did think that the flyPhone and the glowPhone look like awesome phones (I’m actually thinking of replacing my son’s Tictalk for the flyPhone when he turns twelve next year), I didn’t know that the original Firefly was being phased out.. I received an email today from Andrew Lowenstein of Firefly Mobile stating the following:

“We are phasing out the original Firefly Blue handset you compare with Kajeet in this article, and offering two new models: a replacement to our original handset for younger kids called the Firefly glowPhone, and a “kid’s first multimedia” handset called the Firefly flyPhone. We believe that both of these phones with their great design, kids lifestyle features and parental controls will be better received by kids and parents alike than offerings from companies like Kajeet. Best, Andrew”

I personally agree, maybe you will to….

 

$250.00 Back With Verizon’s LG Migo November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Free Phones, LG Migo, Where to Buy Cell Phones for Children — bestkidtechnology @ 3:48 pm

The last time I checked on this deal at Amazon, it was no longer available. However, I thought it was such a good thing that I wanted to post it anyway so that you could have the option of watching their site to see if they reintroduce it again.

Here’s how the program works:

Conditional $250 Discount

“The Price listed above for this phone includes an instant $250 discount from Amazon.com. You agree to repay this $250 discount to Amazon.com if, during the six-month period following activation, you: (1) fail to pay your balance due each month on time; (2) fail to maintain your account in good standing; (3) disconnect the line of service; (4) transfer the phone to another line of service; (5) change your service rate plan, including canceling or removing required PDA, BlackBerry, or smartphone features after your product has shipped; or (6) use this line of service to replace an existing account with the carrier. The discount is available only if you are activating a new, non-substitute line of service. If you do not follow these rules, you authorize Amazon.com to charge your credit card $250 as reimbursement of the discount without need for further approval.”

 

LG Migo VX1000 Kid’s Phone

 

Verizon Wireless

 

Buy New

Buy from Amazon.com

 

 

Free LG Migo November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Free Phones, LG Migo, Where to Buy Cell Phones for Children — bestkidtechnology @ 3:18 pm

This phone is FREE after instant discount with a new Verizon account. (Rates usually start at around $119.00) These folks also have free 2 day Fedex shipping…. Great for beating the holiday crowd.

LG Migo Kid’s Phone Info

Lg Migo Kid’s Phone FREE phone deal

LG Migo Kids Phone (Verizon)
LG Migo Kids Phone (Verizon)

 

 

Free Firefly – Regularly $119.00 November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Firefly, Where to Buy Cell Phones for Children — bestkidtechnology @ 3:03 pm

If you’ve been checking out the FireFly phone for kids and teens and see it as a good option for your family. Check out this link, which will show you how to get the phone for free!! You can thank me later – LOL

Go Here to Purchase

 

Go Here for More Info

 

Making a Case for Cell Phones for Children November 7, 2007

Filed under: health and wellness concerns — bestkidtechnology @ 3:04 am

You may have heard a lot about the benefits that cell phones for children can provide. Alternatively, you may think that getting children cell phones is unnecessary. Regardless of your current position, you can really benefit from understanding more about cell phones for kids.

Cell Phones are Great for Responsibility

Those who are sitting on the fence may feel that their child doesn’t have enough responsibility yet to handle having a cell phone. Parents should rest assured that cell phones for children are now geared towards helping their child become more responsible.

Some companies have a place on the Internet where kids can go to keep track of their minutes, as well as outgoing and incoming calls. When they know they have a certain number of minutes per month they will learn when they should and should not be using their phones. Cell phones for children can be a great learning devise.

Built to be Tough and Appealing

Most cell phones for kids are built tough to withstand heavy use. However, your children will still have to take special care with their phone. And they will want to! Most children feel such a strong sense of pride when they are trusted with a cell phone that they’ll do their best to keep it good as new.

Many cell phone companies do a lot to make their phone more appealing to children. Some cell phones for kids have changeable skins or partnerships with popular cartoon networks. They will be the coolest kid at school when they show up with their new Spongebob cell phone!

Cell Phones are Great for Safety

One of the top reasons parents want to buy their children a cell phone Is for safety purposes. In this day and age, more and more kids are involved with after school activities and are always running here and there. If they have a cell phone it is a lot easier to keep tabs on them and make sure they are safe. Companies are improving the safe use of cell phones for children all the time.

For safety conscious parents, they don’t really care so much about how the phone works; jut that it will be helpful in case of emergency. Most cell phones for children have a one touch dialing for police and for mom and dad. This can be very important when they don’t have time to dial a full phone number

Additionally, many cell phones for kids have a built in GPS service. This can help a parent locate their child if they are ever worried about their whereabouts. GPS can also tell how fast a person is going in case they are in a quickly moving vehicle.

Parents concerned about the safe use of cell phones for children will be delighted to know that you can set boundaries for the GPS locator. Once the child is out of the boundaries, you will be notified as well as the authorities. This kind of peace of mind is priceless.

Why Should My Child Have One?

Cell phones for children are really essential these days. They offer a way for everyone in the family to stay in touch. They also allow your child to stay safe with the use of GPS technology. As long as you teach your child responsibility for using their cell phone, it will be a great investment in your peace of mind and their happiness.

 

Firefly Phones Vs. Kajeet Phones November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Firefly, Kajeet — bestkidtechnology @ 3:03 am

You may have heard all about the new crop of cell phones geared especially to kids. They are full of features that your kids will love, as well as features you’ll love as a parent. Two of the popular cell phones for children are Firefly phones and Kajeet Phones.

In order to make your decision you’ll want to do a little research. There are features prevalent in one phone that may not be in another phone. Think about your needs as a parent, and your child’s needs to pick the cell phone that will work best for your family.

Firefly Phones

The Firefly phone is a fairly simple cell phone for kids. It does not have a keypad, but just five buttons. There is also no camera or some other things you may be used to having on your own phone. That is ok with younger children who will just be happy they have their own phone!

One feature your children will love is that the covers of the phone are interchangeable. If they want a blue phone one day and a red phone the next, it is a simple matter of changing a “skin.” This sort of customization is exactly what children need, and a Firefly phone provides this.

You will like the Firefly Kids cell phone because there are two designated buttons for your child to call you. That is a huge plus if your child has a hard time remembering numbers or needs to call quickly in case of an emergency.

Another huge plus is that there is an emergency button for one-touch phone calls to 911. That definitely adds some peace of mind for the safe use of children’s cell phones!

The Firefly cell phone is a great choice for you if you like simplicity. There is a phone book and other helpful features, but nothing that gets in the way of this being a very useful cell phone for children.

If your children are keen on the idea of being able to send text messages to their friends, they will not be able to do so with the Firefly mobile phone. Again, they may be so excited with having their very own phone that they may not even notice.

The Firefly offers a prepaid plan and one with a contract. Parents who want to maintain control of how long their children are talking on the phone will want to buy the Firefly prepaid phone rather than the version with a contract.

Pros of the Firefly Cell Phone

Simple, 5 button navigation
Emergency Mom and Dad buttons
One touch 911 Button
Prepaid or Contract Plans
Changeable Skins

Cons of the Firefly Cell Phone

No ability to Text Message
May be Too Simple for Some
Has a Small Learning Curve

Kajeet Phones

Another option in the world of cell phones for kids comes from Kajeet Phones. A Kajeet phone allows parents to provide all of the limitations on the child’s phone, rather than the company making a more limited cell phone.

A Kajeet cell phone has the Kajeet Navigator. This is a web software application. Another unique part of the Kajeet phone is the Configurator. This is a Web-based application that you can get to from your home computer.

In the Configurator, parents can set approved and blocked numbers. This is especially important if you want to maintain safe use of cell phones for children.

For parents who are especially concerned, you can also view sent and received calls. This can be important if you’re worried that your child is contacting something they should not be.

Kajeet phones seem to be geared toward helping children learn how to live in the real world. One way they do this is by having wallets in the Configurator. In these wallets, your kids can earn how to manage their money and the amount that is going into the cell phone plan.

Kajeet is a pre-paid service, so it is a great learning tool for your children to see how many minutes they have left and come up with better ways they could be using them.

Your kids will want a Kajeet phone because they’ve recently partnered with Nickelodeon! They can get ring tones, games, and images all with a Nickelodeon theme. So many children love Spongebob and Rugrats that they’ll flip for this service.

Kajeet phones allow for text messaging which is all the rage among kids and teenagers these days. The main goal of the Kajeet service seems to be teaching kids responsibility, while still giving them a great full-featured cell phone for children.

Pros of the Kajeet Phone
Full Featured
Parents decide how much or how little freedom their children have.
Nickelodeon themes
Text messaging capability
Teaches Responsibility

Cons of the Kajeet Phone
May offer too much freedom
Not as easy to use for younger children
Has a learning curve

Which Phone is Right for My Child?

Firefly phones and Kajeet Phones are both wonderful in their own way. Weigh the pros and cons of each to make your decision. Regardless of which cell phone you choose, your child will thank you and you will feel great for taking part in safe use of cell phones for children.

 

Tips and Tools for the Safe Use of Cell Phones for Children November 7, 2007

Filed under: Child Safety — bestkidtechnology @ 3:02 am

Many parents struggle with the decision of whether or not to buy their child a cell phone. On one hand they don’t want to spoil their child. After all, they didn’t have a cell phone growing up! Well, the times have changed and it is time to reconsider.

We’re Always on the Go!

In this day and age we are all so busy with going here and there that cell phones are practically essential. We all want our children to be safe, and buying them a cell phone is one way to ensure that they are. Companies are standing up and taking notice that we all want safe use of cell phones for children.

Protect Against Predators

As a parent considering buying your child a cell phone, you may be concerned that a predator will be able to contact them more readily. This is a valid concern, especially if your child is one who doesn’t always use best judgment with whether or not to talk to strangers.

However, companies considering safe use of cell phones for children have this exact problem in mind. You can set children’s cell phones to only accept incoming calls from approved phones. That means that you have total control.

The benefits far outweigh the costs as far as worrying about the safe use of cell phones for children. Protection against predators is much easier if your child has a way out. They can call you or the police with just the push of a button! Many of these cell phones and plans have preprogrammed numbers that are truly one touch and you’re done calling. If your child is in a dangerous situation, these safe cell phones can be a lifesaver.

Monitor Location

In addition to easy, monitored dialing, many cell phone companies and services have started a tracking system for you to monitor the location of your child. This is a huge breakthrough in the safe use of cell phones for children.

Imagine that your child is out and about with a friend but they aren’t where they said they would be. You can look up their location using the cell phone technology! Being able to locate your child is the ultimate selling point for worried parents.

The worst feeling in the world is when your child is lost and you have no idea of where to find them. This problem can be immediately fixed by giving your child a cell phone with GPS technology. Safe use of cell phones for children has never been better.

Another great aspect of cell phone GPS is that it not only shows location, but speed of travel. If your child is standing still or in a fast moving car, you will be able to find them.

Setting Boundaries

As a parent worried about the safe use of cell phones, you can set boundaries for your child. The GPS system will alert you when your child goes out of the boundary. Since many parents feel helpless when dealing with their missing child, the phone also alerts the tracking company if something is wrong.

In turn, the tracking company can notify local authorities. All of these measures of safe use of cell phones for children will go a long way toward helping give you a great peace of mind.

Making the Decision

If the decision of whether or not to buy a cell phone for your child has been weighing heavily on your mind, please consider buying one. The safe use of cell phones for children is important on the minds of cell phone companies and service providers. The new technologies they provide are a top of the line way to keep your child safe.

 

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone – An Overview November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Education, TicTalk — bestkidtechnology @ 3:01 am

It seems like everyone has a cell phone these days. It can even be difficult to remember how we used to live without them! Our kids don’t want to be left out of the trend, but it can be difficult to think about giving them that freedom at such a young age. Leapfrog’s Tic Talk Phone is a great way to get your kids started with their very own cell phone in a safe way.

Leapfrog is a company that has made a name for themselves as a leader in educational technology. They’ve decided to take what they’ve learned in the educational market and translate that into cell phones for children.

Built to be Tough

The first draw for parents might be that Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone is a great model for children who are rough with their belongings. The phone itself looks like a stopwatch with a knob for scrolling rather than keypad controls. It is made with high quality, durable materials to stand the test of time. You can rest assured that your investment is safe.

One drawback to the sturdy design might be that some children have a little trouble getting the hang of using the knob on Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. However, once they become more familiar with the way everything works it will become like second nature. Kids really end up loving this cell phone in no time at all.

Safe Use of Cell Phones for Children

Parents also love Leapfrog’s Tic Talk Phone because it is meant to be a leader in safe use of cell phones for children. It has many parental controls to make sure that your child stays safe.

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone uses prepaid minutes to help give you total control as a parent. Your child cannot go over their minutes. Additionally, children can only call numbers that you have programmed into their phone.

Parents go to Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone website in order to set everything up for their children. For parents who are worried that Leapfrog’s website will be difficult to use. You can rest assured that there are step-by-step instructions provided to make for an easy experience.

Pay as You Go

One of the first things you’ll want to do is get a prepaid phone card. This will ensure that your child has enough minutes to use on Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone. Always make sure they’ll have enough minutes to call you when there is an emergency.

Educational Games

Something that makes Leapfrog stand out in the world of cell phones for kids are their pre-loaded educational games. There is no need to worry that your child will waste their time away playing Tetris all day, these games will truly help them learn.

When your child plays the games in Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone, they have the opportunity to earn extra minutes. As a parent, you can give more minutes as a reward for doing well at playing the games. This can be a huge motivating factor!

Deciding to Buy Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of cell phones for children, Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone is a great way to ease yourself into the process. Gone are the days were it was safe to let your child visit a friend or have a play date without having a cell phone.

Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone gives you total control over what your child is doing, whom they can call, and how many minutes they are able to use. Not only will this cell phone benefit you as the parent, but your child will also be drawn to its kid-friendly design. Get your child this cell phone today to help keep them safe.

 

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone November 7, 2007

Filed under: Cell Phone Brands, Education, TicTalk — bestkidtechnology @ 2:58 am

Another entry into the world of cell phones for children is Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. The TicTalk phone is probably one of the most unique looking cell phones out there. It looks a bit like a stopwatch and is very durable. This is a good model for parents who are worried that their children will immediately break the phone. Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone should stand up to even the most active of children.

The TicTalk works by scrolling through numbers in a phonebook. There is no dialing involved for the child. This may or may not be easy to get used to, but can actually be quite convenient once they learn the ropes.

Parents set the actual phone up online. This is a great way to add convenience for those who prefer the simplicity of typing online.

Kids will want to scoop Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone up because it has games on it that are pre-installed by Leapfrog. The phone is overall more full featured than some other cell phones for kids that are available today.

[ Included games teach Math, Spelling, Science and Social Studies for Grades 1-6.]

TicTalk

 

Verizon’s LG Migo November 7, 2007

Filed under: Uncategorized — bestkidtechnology @ 2:53 am

LG Migo VerizonThe LG Migo phone is another option in the world of cell phones for kids. It is a bright green color that will immediately attract children who want a cool looking phone to impress their friends. This phone is geared towards a slightly younger audience, which is something to keep in mind.

The phone has five speed dial buttons that you can program. This is a great option for younger children who are unable to remember phone numbers.

LG Migo also has a Chaperone service that is ideal for parents. The system acts as a kind of GPS device. You set the boundaries that are ok for your child to be in. If they leave that area your phone will be notified with a text message. This is something to keep in mind for safe use of cell phones for children.