Amazon Glow: New interactive device for children

Thanks to Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdown around the world, parents, and children are all cooped up at home. All are forced to work and study online, but it is a tedious task for elders to control young kids while they have to attend virtual conferences.

We have witnessed several viral videos of fathers and mothers getting interrupted by children during the middle of serious meetings. Initially, it comes off heartwarming and can be excused once or twice, but repeated interruptions are not welcome.

In times of desperation, people hand the children smartphones or tablets to keep them occupied, but very few take measures to set parental locks. This sometimes leads to the accidental purchase of items on e-commerce sites and in more serious cases, kids may come in contact with age-inappropriate content or a predator online.

Coincidentally, Amazon on Tuesday (September 28) launched Amazon Glow, a promising children-friendly gadget that allows parents to breathe a sigh of relief.

Amazon Glow looks like a slim compact coffee machine with a screen. It is an innovative interactive projector-cum-video-calling device.

It fuses projection, video, and sensing technologies to create a virtual experience that feels like being together in person, no matter how far the loved one is.

For instance, a child can interact with grandparents far away and play puzzles or read stories with them or draw doodles on the virtual screen right in front of the screen.

The person on the other side just has to install the Amazon Glow app on the phone to interact with children.

Amazon also offers GlowBits accessory free with the device for a limited time. It comes with a popular Tangram puzzle game with actual physical pieces. With this, the child can complete the puzzle, and thanks to deeper integration with Amazon Glow, the in-built projector can beam virtual animation of completed puzzle art, which comes to life in 3D on the projection mat.

Amazon Glow device. Credit: Amazon

Also, children can scan a favourite school art project and transform it into a new masterpiece with the help of a loved one far away from home.

Besides puzzles, children will get access to Chess, Checkers, Go Fish, Memory Match, and several more games.

Furthermore, Amazon has collaborated with top animation companies and children's channels including Disney, Pixar, Mattel, Sesame Street, and Nickelodeon to offer age-appropriate video content, art, puzzles, and more. The package is offered separately for $2.99.

Amazon Glow, Interactive Projector + Video Calling, Designed for Togetherness, with Tangram Bits, Kids 3+. Credit: Amazon

As far as privacy is concerned, Amazon Glow comes built with parental controls front and center. Kids can only call pre-approved contacts that parents select. With the Amazon Parent Dashboard, parents can see who their kids are contacting.

Amazon Glow is available at an introductory, early access price of $249.99 (MSRP of $299.99). For now, it is available only in the US.

Also, the company is offering a 2-year worry-free guarantee—if it breaks, return it, and Amazon will replace it for free.

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