EE
Robin tablet
In
today's connected world, everybody and everything seems to be online.
Naturally, that includes our kids and needless to say, growing up in the web
can be both empowering, but also quite dangerous. Catering content, services
and devices to a younger crowd is becoming more and more relevant, which is why
offers like EE's Robin tablet really seem like a natural step forward and
should become more common it the future.
The
Robin isn't really a revolutionary product and similar efforts already exist,
most notably, the Amazon Kindle Fire Kids Edition, but the key here seems to be
execution and the proper mix of hardware and software to deliver the best
possible child-friendly experience and in this respect, OEMs are just starting
to evolve the experience.
On
the hardware side, Robin doesn't really offer much power, but it's more than
enough for its primary purpose - casual gaming and educational apps. It has a
7-inch display, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage, plus a microSD card slot for up
to 32 GB more. Also, a 2 MP rear-facing camera. This is all quite up to par with
what Amazon offers and so are the protective features – both devices are
encased in a thick layer of rubber. However, unlike the Kindle Fire Kids
Edition, the EE Robin does offer 4G connectivity, making for a lot faster
browsing in the carrier's network.
But, truth be told, you could potentially buy a cheap Chinese tablet, slap a thick case on it and get pretty much the same end result. The real trick and value of Robin definitely lies in the software. The device runs the flexible Kurio operating system, built on top of Android 5.1 Lollipop. It is equipped with all you need to provide a truly safe digital experience for your kinds with advanced parental control features, based on "safe" and "block" lists. These are said to work quite autonomously, but there is also a lot of manual tweaking and control to be done. The Google Play Store is generally the source of content, but thanks to profiles and granular per-app control, you can not only block certain apps, but also time-restrict others.
Speaking of apps, Robin comes preloaded with over 40 popular games, like Fruit
Ninja and Berry Rush. You also get a few months of free access to the Hopster
network – an interactive TV streaming app with high-quality kid shows and
games.
The
Robin will first become available to customers in select stores starting
October 23. Nationwide online availability and EE telesales should start on
November 2. As for pricing, you can get the tablet on a variety of EE monthly
plans, starting as low as GBP 13 a month. It can also be had for GBP 129.99 on
a Pay as you go plan.
