Video: Parenting digital natives
In December[1], Republic Wireless announced Relay. The screen-less device is designed to take the place of smartphones that parents often buy for young kids. The thinking is that ditching a screen on the device will encourage the child to stop staring at a device and enjoy his or her surroundings, curbing smartphone addiction and the feeling of needing to be always connected.
Read also: Fitbit announces its first wearable for kids[2]
Without a screen, the minimal device acts more like a walkie-talkie, sending audio at the push of a button, followed by waiting for audio to play on the speaker.
Republic recently began shipping Relay to its early customers, and I was fortunate enough to receive a starter pack for my kids to help me test. The $149 kit includes two Relays and charging cables. An additional device is $99, or you can purchase a pack of three Relays for $199.
Relay service is $6.99 per month per device.
Design
(Image: Jason Cipriani/ZDNet)
My first impression of the Relay when I opened the box is just how small it is. Going back and watching the launch video, it should have been clearer to me that it wasn't all that big, but for whatever reason, I expected a bigger device. Each Relay measures 2.67 x 2.67 x 0.2 inches.
The top of the device is a giant speaker grille, with a single button in the middle. That button is used to initiate a call, where the user holds it in and talks, and then releases the button to wait for a response. Just like walkie-talkies, only modern.
Read also: Could kids raised by tablets save cybersecurity