My partner is on one of the teams responsible for red tape and cost-cutting at Alphabet. After having frequent conversations about past failed projects, I'm surprised this project got the green light. Personally, I don't see this product taking off. As a parent, I think it looks quite lame, and I don't think anyone at Google knows how to break into product areas for kids. I've seen quite a few headlines concerned about Nvidia being the next Cisco, but as someone who has had family at both Cisco and Google over the last 30 years, I really think Alphabet is more likely to become the next Cisco, where middle-aged engineers go to work for 30 hours a week to keep the internet's backbone afloat.
Google releases smart watch for kids
121–130 of 809 posts
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#122Google tracking yo kids, your moma, papa, sisters. Build a ad profile early, even a family profile, gotta serve them good ads
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#123Ugh, I threw up a little in my mouth just from the headline. This constant tracking of kids is unnecessary and dangerous. Generations of kids survived without their parents needing to know their location at all times. And yes, I totally admit, some kids (very few actually depending on the locale) didn't survive. But we've traded this false sense of "safety" for kids that are so risk averse it is seriously negatively…
For better or for worse the ship has definitely sailed on the laissez-faire "be home before sunset" parenting of past generations. Assuming that, its probably a net positive if a product like this can give a parent who would otherwise be full helicopter enough assurance to let their kid have more freedom and independence. Especially if its in lieu of a smartphone.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#124Ugh, I threw up a little in my mouth just from the headline. This constant tracking of kids is unnecessary and dangerous. Generations of kids survived without their parents needing to know their location at all times. And yes, I totally admit, some kids (very few actually depending on the locale) didn't survive. But we've traded this false sense of "safety" for kids that are so risk averse it is seriously negatively…
I agree with this 1000%. Kids need to be free and explore things on their own.
Why are we living in a world where we think that kids do not deserve privacy? Or where we think that we cannot trust our children?
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#125Earlier quoted context omitted.
$229 plus mandatory subscription of $120 per year.
Or $60 if you pay annually instead of monthly - though who knows how long that annual discount will last. [edit] and there's no buying the watch WITHOUT the Fitbit Ace Pass data plan, the watch setup REQUIRES a data plan. from the Compatability section of Tech Specs page: "Requires Wi-Fi and Fitbit Ace Pass data plan for setup." [edit2] though I guess you could buy just one month of the data plan, just for setting up…
Pretty bold for a company known to EOL their products to even offer an annual plan.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#126Ugh, I threw up a little in my mouth just from the headline. This constant tracking of kids is unnecessary and dangerous. Generations of kids survived without their parents needing to know their location at all times. And yes, I totally admit, some kids (very few actually depending on the locale) didn't survive. But we've traded this false sense of "safety" for kids that are so risk averse it is seriously negatively…
Kids don't need more tech, they need less of it (and FWIW, most adults, too).
There was a "looking back" piece of WGN-TV last week about a 10-year-old and a 14-year-old who rode their horses from Missouri to New York City to meet Roosevelt. Alone. All they had with them was canteens, and a map.
Then they bought a car with the money they raised along the way, and drove home to Missouri. Alone.
Today you can't get an adult to sit on a chair for 30 minutes without them using a phone, a water bottle, or both as a pacifier.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also for adults, it's a much less intrusive technology.
I'm not sure I agree with less intrusive. Having a tracker attached to your body that can notify you of anything it wants is very intrusive. It is, however, seemingly less addictive in some capacities. No doom scrolling, etc.
Considering the number of times I've heard cell phones referred to as being "attached at the hip", I think that ship has sailed.
Also, almost every smart watch allows you to block notifications on top of what you phone already blocks, so if you have apps that you want notifications from for when your attention is on your phone, but not all the time, you can only allow those through. It's not "anything it wants", it's anything you choose.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#128Ugh, I threw up a little in my mouth just from the headline. This constant tracking of kids is unnecessary and dangerous. Generations of kids survived without their parents needing to know their location at all times. And yes, I totally admit, some kids (very few actually depending on the locale) didn't survive. But we've traded this false sense of "safety" for kids that are so risk averse it is seriously negatively…
Having kids solely use a smart watch with some amount of connectedness (GPS, phone calls, a game or two) seems healthier and considerably "less tech" than a full on smartphone.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#129The 5% of the world that makes most of the decisions has an active interest in creating a labor force that will passively and diligently maintain order.
The subconscious drive to give young children technology is no different in its psychohistorical origins than the Hitler Youth. One could ask for what purpose does somebody want to "monitor" themselves.
Is it for any great works or for the prolongation of bare life through the min-maxing of REM cycles.
Re: Google releases smart watch for kids
#130My partner is on one of the teams responsible for red tape and cost-cutting at Alphabet. After having frequent conversations about past failed projects, I'm surprised this project got the green light. Personally, I don't see this product taking off. As a parent, I think it looks quite lame, and I don't think anyone at Google knows how to break into product areas for kids. I've seen quite a few headlines concerned abo…
I worked on Android Wear many, many, years ago. 2016ish. This segment and use case was quietly huge, massive, in at least China, and I bet it still is. (Left google late 23)
I'd love to hear more about this team for cost cutting, it really messed things up*: external, or internal?
* You may imagine I am finding some humor in "my SO is on the google cost cutting team and I don't get why this team exists, why would anyone want a watch for their kid." I am, but I understand where you're coming from, and I'm sure your SO likely would have learned more about the watch market before making similar decisions