We’ve seen kid-friendly tablets come and go in the past, but most recently the OLPC XO 3.0 looked like it could be the computing saviour of third word children. The new Kurio might not quite match the OLPC, but at least you’ll be able to buy it.
The new Kurio tablet, made by Inspiration Works, will come in three sizes: 7-inch; 8-inch and 10-inch, reports Pocket Lint. What’s neat about it, though, is that it’s desgined to be used by both adult and child alike, and it seems like the company have put some thought into how they make that happen.
Firstly, the monstrously ugly protective cowling is removable. So, it keeps the device safe while kids use it, but means you don’t feel like a toddler when you check your email on the couch.
Second, it has what sounds like a very well thought through system to blacklist content. You can set up profiles for up to 8 people — hopefully not all your own children — and name specific websites and apps that each user can or cannot use. You can also set a useage timer, though whether that’s for kids or to quell your Facebook habbit, they don’t mention.
In terms of specs, it runs Ice Cream Sandwich, has full (and blockable) access to the Android App Store, and packs HDMI out, 4GB of storage, and an SD card slot add a further 32GB. They all come with front-facing cameras, and the larger two also have rearward facing ones, too. Battery life is a promised six hours.
The only downside is the cost. They cost $US230, $US280 and $US310, with cost rising with size. While that’s cheap in normal tablet terms, it seems a bit steep for something that’s going to get slobbered on, thrown around, and generally treated like a toy. The Kurio launched in the spring. [PocketLint]