Hands-on: Polaroid’s Android-powered Kid’s Tablet [VIDEO]
We’ve seen quite a few tablets geared towards children recently, but the latest to enter the fold was a bit surprising. Polaroid, the company traditionally known for its instant cameras, whipped up their own kid-safe slate and had it on hand at CES. We got to take a look during our time on the show floor.
Unlike Polaroid’s other tablet options (low-cost 7-inch and 10-inch models running Android 4.2), the Kid’s Tablet doesn’t feel like it will break under the pressure of your finger’s touch. That’s the point, though. The 7-inch screen is cased within a rubberized frame that provides plenty of grip for the little ones while keeping the internals safe. Those internals aren’t the best, as you might expect, but they are serviceable. You get a 1GHz processor, 2MP camera, and Android 4.0.
Polaroid has included a slightly customized interface with their own selection of Windows Phone-esque widgets and plenty of content for the kids. Apps, video, and games should keep them plenty busy. A child-safe browser is also included (and at default blocked Phandroid.com. Are we really not mom and dad approved?).
One of the best features for parents is the inclusion of a lock switch on the bottom of the device. This effectively turns off input to the tablet, meaning a movie won’t be interrupted but an eager child accidentally hitting the home button. Other controls are nice and big, perfect for young hands to explore.
The Polaroid Kid’s tablet will be available this spring for a price of $149.99. If you have children in your life constantly toying with your expensive gadgets, it might be worth considering when it does drop.