LG is going all out to make its presence felt in the wearables space. After its Android Wear-based G Watch went on sale across the world Monday, it has unveiled a new wearable device for kids, the KizON wristband. KizON is designed primarily for parents to track the location of their pre-school and primary school children. By using GPS and Wi-Fi, the wristband is able to provide real-time location information on a smartphone or tablet, so parents can see where their kids are. The KizON wearable also features a ‘One Step Direct Call’ button, which lets parents contact their children easily. If the kid fails to answer a call from any pre-set phone numbers within 10 seconds, KizON will automatically connect the call so the parent can listen through the built-in microphone. Kids can also dial a pre-configured phone number in case they need to speak to an adult.
Samsung and LG are the only manufacturers with Android Wear watches on the market and both continue to forge ahead in the wearable space. While the Gear Live has received an update that brings “Call a car” support from Lyft, the latter has announced a watch aimed at parents whose entire concept seems to be “Call my kid”. Don’t get confused: the watch is designed for children to wear but since it’s targeting the pre-school and primary school children, parents are the real customers. The idea is somewhat cute, but look at the size of those things- you might as well strap helmets with security cameras on their head! I’m not a parent so probably not the best judge, and I assume these kids are on the younger side of the age range, but given the device’s limited capabilities I would expect something much more form fitting. The LG Kizon’s primary features are based around keeping a close eye on your tikes no matter the distance. For starters, it tracks and reports location via GPS and WiFi (with companion app), pinging parents with location updates throughout the day. The watch has only one button and pressing it will call a specific parent’s number that is pre-configured (and updatable) through the companion app on an Android phone or tablet. It works the other way, too. Parents can call their child directly, and if they don’t answer within 10-seconds the watch will accept the call automatically, letting them listen in on whatever’s happening. Watch out, reckless babysitters!
