Smartwatches may not have become ubiquitous in the same way that smartphones did, but they are still selling and there is an ever-growing range of devices. The Kurio watch by KD Interactive is intended exclusively for children. It has a list of features, including a camera, a variety of apps and games, messaging, and call support when paired with a phone via Bluetooth.
It’s all wrapped up in a brightly colored package for $60. So is it worth buying one for your little cherub? Let’s take a closer look.
Thick and cheap design.
Colorful plastic is a trademark of kid tech, and the Kurio watch comes in blue, purple, or pink. The comfortable silicone strap has a buckle and fit our 4-year-old and 7-year-old testers well, although they did need help putting it on.
The watch face is massive, and at the center is a 1.54-inch square touchscreen. With a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels, it’s not the sharpest screen we’ve ever seen, but the kids didn’t complain.
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
On the right side you’ll find the power button and a lightweight flap that opens to reveal a MicroSD card slot, so you can expand the meager 256MB of storage. On the left side is another flimsy cover that hides the Micro USB port for charging the Kurio watch.
It’s a basic smartwatch, but KD Interactive has packed a lot into its $60. There’s a camera above the screen, a speaker, a microphone, a vibration motor, and a motion sensor.
Navigation and customization
All smartwatches face the challenge of presenting a useful interface in such a small space, and the Kurio Watch is certainly no exception. All the main functions and options are arranged in a grid of icons. Swiping is pretty easy most of the time, and you can always go back one step by swiping left, but our testers were often frustrated by the small radio buttons and slight navigation lag. Even trying to navigate adulthood turns out to be more complicated than it should be.
This is Kurio’s own software design, and while it’s nice that the watch works as a standalone device without the need for a smartphone, it’s slow and cumbersome to use. Fortunately, there’s a good selection of themes, so you can customize your watch face and clock.
Fun features and games
The first feature our kids wanted to try was the camera. A spy camera on the wrist is the dream of a seven-year-old, but she soon discovered that taking anything other than selfies on the wrist is quite difficult. There are some layers for selfies, to add silly hats or animal faces, which both kids enjoyed.
It’s a basic smartwatch, but KD Interactive has packed a lot into its $60.
Unfortunately, the camera is of poor quality. It’s rated at 0.3 megapixels, but all the photos it takes are grainy. In low light there is only noise, and in well-lit environments subjects tend to turn white. You can also record video, but the quality is lousy.
There are a handful of other features and apps on the Kurio Watch, including a music player, messaging, art app, fitness tracker, translator, alarm clock, calendar, calculator, contacts, and reminders. You can also fill out your Emergency Information (ICE). They are all simple. The translator is a nice idea, it offers words like hello in multiple languages and says them out loud. The kids also liked the music player, although the speaker is inevitably sorely lacking.
The games are the main attraction, but the selection is limited to Snake, Tic-Tac-Toe, Ninja Roll, Pirates Battle, and Sport Challenge. The quality is very bad. Tic-Tac-Toe was our four-year-old’s favorite, but the seven-year-old quickly tried all the games and dismissed them as “junk.” Against a console or even a tablet or smartphone, kids won’t choose to play with the Kurio Watch, but if they’re out and about with nothing else to hand, it might take a few minutes.
We are concerned about the lack of additional content here. There’s no option to download more apps or games, so longevity will be limited.
Two is better than one
One of the best features of the Kurio watch is its Bluetooth 3.0 support. It can be paired with an Android phone, so you can make calls or send messages. That’s great if you’re willing to let your child call or text your phone, but we don’t think many parents do that. It makes more sense for older children who have their own phone.
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
It’s more fun if you have more than one Kurio watch as they can also send messages to other Kurio watches within range which is great fun for siblings. The messaging app supports voice, text, photos, emojis, and drawings. Our testers had a fun night sending weird emojis, weird skits, and funny voicemails back and forth.
There is also a two player mode for Tic-Tac-Toe and Pirates Battle which makes the games much more fun.
Battery duration
The Kurio Watch has a 400mAh battery, but it doesn’t seem to last very long. Gaming and camera use seem to consume it at an alarming rate, and our testers often caught it and found it was running low on power. A few hours of texting back and forth was enough to completely deplete one of the watches.
They probably averaged two to three days of light use before needing a recharge, but if used continuously for a few hours the battery drains quickly.
Fortunately, they charge in a few hours and seem to be fine with whatever USB to Micro USB cables and chargers are out there. You get the cable in the box with the Kurio watch, but not the charger. The user manual warns against using the Kurio watch while charging.
warranty information
The Kurio watch comes with a one-year limited warranty. It only covers defective workmanship or materials, so there is no coverage for accidental damage. It’s also not waterproof, so watch out for liquid damage. This is a big drawback for a device intended for children.
Conclusion
Smartwatches are definitely niche, and the Kurio isn’t a must-have, but it’s a decent smartwatch option for kids. However, it could be so much better.
Is there a better alternative?
If your child doesn’t already have a tablet, we recommend buying an Amazon Fire instead of a Kurio watch. It’s cheaper and will offer a much broader and more expandable entertainment experience.
There is not a huge selection of smart watches for children. You could consider the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX, it’s pretty similar to the Kurio Watch, but the design is a bit nicer. It also has more games and branding right out of the box and offers the ability to download even more.
For younger kids, there’s the LeapFrog LeapBand, which is much more limited but also much cheaper. The Kurio Watch seems to be the only smartwatch for kids that can actually connect to an Android phone for calls and messages.
How long will it last?
We have some doubts about the longevity of the Kurio watch. The fact that you can’t download more apps or games is a real disappointment. Kids will quickly get bored with what’s available and we wouldn’t be surprised if after a month this languishes in a drawer. If you have two kids and they use Kurio watches for texting, then we can see them being worn for a long time; is by far the best feature.
Should you buy it?
It depends, but probably not. KD Interactive recommends the Kurio watch for ages six and up, but we disagree. Our four year old played with it a lot more than our seven year old and we don’t think kids over ten would be impressed. Any four to eight year old who has been longing for a smartwatch will be delighted, at least for a while. As a gift for two brothers, the Kurio watch is excellent and definitely worth considering. For older children or as a first-tech gift, we recommend looking at something else.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn