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Firefly's glowPhone gets FCC'd

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 11th 2007 @ 1:07PM

Okay, we figure we don't have too many regular readers in the 5 to 8 year old category (by all means, give us a shout out in comments if you fall in that range), so we're looking straight at the parents in the crowd with this one. As we found out a few days ago, Firefly Mobile's upcoming glowPhone is targeted at a very young demographic, and it's got the feature set to match; like the original Firefly, it lacks a traditional numeric keypad, instead offering dedicated Mom and Dad keys plus navigational and send / end controls. There are some games and wallpapers built in, too -- though they aren't detailed in the user's manual -- and a "Flashlight" feature glows all the keys simultaneously (hence the "glowPhone" name, we suppose). It's a dualband GSM set and it'll likely be offered through a prepaid service of some sort when it launches next month for $50, though it's unknown whether Firefly will again be partnering with AT&T for the offering.

AT&T gets Smart Limits, details emerge on two new Firefly models

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 10th 2007 @ 2:11PM

Never been a better time to be a parent looking to equip their tykes with kid-safe phones and services, it seems. AT&T recently launched its Smart Limits service, a $4.99 monthly add-on that gives moms and dads a pretty unprecedented level of control over their little ones' mobile usage, including voice, text, and purchase allowances, daily usage schedules, allowed / blocked contact lists and internet usage restrictions. That's all well and good, but check this: the same Wall Street Journal article also sheds some light on a couple new Firefly models, one of which we'd seen not long ago up in the FCC's business. The glowPhone (pictured) seems to be the simpler of the two, targeted at ages 5 through 8 with a nice, low $49.99 price point when it drops in October. The more interesting of the two is the flyPhone, designed with ages 9 to 12 in mind with support for downloadable goodies and that crazy dynamic keypad we'd mentioned before. That one's gonna run $129.99 and will be available with a prepaid service of some sort, though there's no word whether Firefly's relationship with AT&T is going to continue when these hit the street.

[Via mocoNews]

Read - AT&T Smart Limits
Read - Wall Street Journal, "Keeping Junior on a Wireless Leash"

Firefly Mobile's flyPhone with dynamic keypad hits FCC

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 15th 2007 @ 1:10PM

What's this, you say? Kiddies like traditional numeric keypads, too? For Firefly, that's been a problem -- its original model lacked all but the bare essentials necessary to get calls through to parents or authorities. Its new "flyPhone" candybar makes good on that indiscretion but goes one giant step further, offering a dynamic touch sensitive area that can change appearance based on the phone's current mode. Listening to music or watching a movie (yes, watching a movie on that little screen -- the manual says so!), for example, you get the appropriate controls; playing a game, you get directional buttons, and when making a call, you obviously get digits. The flyPhone also offers a camera, so all in all, it looks like this is a giant step up for phone-toting tykes everywhere. Actually, we kinda want one. Does that makes us weird?

AT&T and Verizon kick kid phones to the curb

by Darren Murph posted Apr 13th 2007 @ 12:33PM

In an announcement sure to make tweens scream and parents sigh, both AT&T and Verizon Wireless have seemingly simultaneously decided to stop featuring their respective kid-centric handsets. Folks interested in Verizon's Migo will now be shown LG's 3450L flip-phone instead, as the company claims that its texting abilities and Chaperone capability will lend itself to being an effective youth-oriented option. As for AT&T, its Firefly mobile will now be sold solely online, but there was no mention of what the carrier planned on offering when paranoid parents showed up looking for a highly controllable device in-store. Of course, both of these phones should remain available in other mass market channels for those still interested, but we're sure your nine-year old kid will be lobbying for something a bit more sophisticated in a few months anyway.

[Via PhoneScoop]

Firefly launches DC and Looney Tunes-themed handsets

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 17th 2006 @ 4:10PM

If the standard translucent blue is boring your tyke to tears, Firefly Mobile has a handful of new variations of its child-oriented handset that might just be what the doctor ordered. Through a deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Chicago-based Firefly Mobile is now peddling versions of its pod-shaped Firefly wrapped in Superman, Supergirl, and Tweety Bird designs. The Tweety Bird version is weirding us out a bit (click through to see what we mean) but we're sure they'll be a hit with the little 'uns this holiday season. Look for the phones in stores now or online at Firefly's site for $90 a pop.

[Via Slashphone]

Imaginarium's Mo1 kiddie phone

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 11th 2006 @ 4:08AM

The Imaginarium Mo1, which seems destined for Spain, doesn't appear to sport any unique features that distance it from the young'un mobiles that've launched here in the US: limited keypad, comprehensive parental controls, kid friendly design. It also packs tracking functionality (though we're not sure how we feel about 6-year-olds -- part of the target demographic -- being allowed to wander off far enough for their parents to require such a feature), and in our humblest of opinions, it's a little neater looking than either of our domestic offerings. Look for it this December for a reasonable sounding €59 (about $75) -- if you're on the other side of the pond, that is.

[Via Mobilewhack]

Gigabyte's Keroro phone for youngsters

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 17th 2006 @ 2:48PM

If you're under the age of 12 -- or at least possess the mentality of a 12 year old, as some of us here at Engadget do -- you've gotta be bummed that Japan seems to get all the cool kiddie phones. Sure, we get the Firefly and Migo in these parts, but we don't have any, you know, frog-themed handsets. Gigabyte's new limited-issue Keroro phone celebrates Japan's Keroro Gunso cartoon, better known around here as "Sgt. Frog," and considering the target demographic, the brightly colored slider doesn't seem to be a half-bad device. Besides sporting a miniSD slot with a bundled 128MB card, camera, and what appears to be a mammoth speakerphone on its back, you get a boatload of Keroro-themed swag. No word on pricing, but only 2000 units are planned, so Sgt. Frog fans best get on the horn with their importers post-haste.

[Via Mobile Mentalism]

Indian firm boils the mobile phone down to basics

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 3rd 2006 @ 12:11AM

What if you were to take the mobile phone concept and strip away every conceivable nonessential feature. What would you be left with? The Migo, you say? The Firefly, perhaps? Not even; both of those devices have luxuries like selectable ringtones and displays. India's National Institute of Design has devised the "Mini Mobile," which bears a strong resemblance to a remote control but actually functions as an ultra-simplified phone. We can recite the entire spec sheet to you in three words: three speed dials. That's it. No GPS, no display, no dedicated emergency button. (Technically, there are dedicated buttons to send and end calls, though we don't consider those features.) No word on production plans, but the firm is shopping the design around to manufacturers, arguing that a no-nonsense device will appeal to parents and the elderly. One recommendation, guys: the five randomly placed, identical buttons sorta go against your design principle.

[Via I4U News]