AT&T exclusive FiLip is a standalone smarwatch for kids that’s part locator, part cellphone
AT&T has announced a standalone smartwatch that will be offered exclusively on their network in the coming months dubbed the “FiLip” (pronounced “Phillip”). Different from the Samsung Galaxy Gears of the world, the FiLip is smartwatch made specifically for kids (between ages 4-11) and is a tool to help parents keep tabs on their children, while ensuring the lines of communication are always open. You know, just until they get into their teenage years.
Children wearing FiLip can only communicate with 5 contacts a parent has specified, so you don’t have to worry about your kids Snapchatting selfies to their friends. Working together with an app for smartphones, parents will be able to see the location of their child, make calls, send messages, and even set “safe zones” that alert the parent when a child leaves a designated area. There’s also an “intelligent emergency procedure” that triggers an automatic location beacon to parents, ambient sound recording, and direct line to emergency services in the event that parents/family/friends can’t be reached.
FiLip is is built right here in the USA (take that Motorola), and will be available in 2 sizes and 4 colors. It’s also semi-rugged featuring water resistance although the manufacturer recommends your kids probably shouldn’t take it swimming.
AT&T was curiously silent on pricing details of service plans and the upfront cost of FiLip (usually not a good sign). If priced right, we can see this being a big hit amongst parents. To be quite honest, I’m thinking about picking one of these up for myself.
[AT&T]