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Google releases smart watch for kids

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Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#191

Post by Loughla »

daymanstep wrote: post #146
wepple wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Generations of kids survived without their parents needing to know their location at all times. And cars used to be safe even without seatbelts! It turns out times change. Before you think I’m disagreeing with the entirety of your comment, my own kids are the most free-range in-the-dirt kids I know. But it’s location-dependent. I trust cities and their people far less than wild animals.

> I trust cities and their people far less than wild animals. Is this based on statistical reasoning? Would you really rather leave your kid with say, a wild boar, than with a person randomly chosen out of a city's population?

I think you missed the point a little or are being overly pedantic.

I trust the wildlife where I live, because I know the dangerous stuff isn't here.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#193

Post by stickfigure »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #106

Ugh, 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 can only guess you (and most of the other naysayers in this thread) don't have young children.

My wife and I have been looking for something exactly like this for our 6yo. I lost him on a ski slope once over a year ago and I think he's still traumatized. He recently was afraid of going on a class trip because he was afraid of getting lost.

This isn't for teenagers. It's for kids that are still attached to mama/papa. It's not necessarily even for everyday. But field trips, amusement parks, big crowded events, hell even shopping malls? I remember many times as a kid having my parents call out on the PA system when I got lost in a department store.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#194

Post by enragedcacti »

krisoft wrote: post #185
enragedcacti wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If only all social problems could be solved so easily. Theft? It only happens because (some) people keep stealing. They should just stop. In the absence of people just doing what I think is right instantly and without question, I pity the child whose parents solve this anxiety by trapping them in the house 16 hours a day.

I don’t understand your example. Theft is complicated to solve because the one stealing gets a benefit from doing it. To solve that you need to change the cost/benefit balance for everyone. To solve the over anxious parent problem you just need to get up to two people to chill out. It provides an immediate benefit for them (they will be chill) while it also provides them a long term benefit (a well adjusted offspring…

helicopter parents believe they are getting the benefit of keeping their child safe, and convincing them otherwise is extremely nontrivial. To solve the over anxious parent problem (societally) we have to convince all of them, not just one set.

Gambling, alcoholism, or hard drugs might be a more apt comparison. Quitting obviously reaps huge benefits short and long term and yet we as a society still have not solved these problems by saying "just don't actually".

Once we acknowledge that, it becomes obvious that finding ways to reduce harm is good.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#195

Post by ssgodderidge »

stickfigure wrote: post #193
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #106

Ugh, 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 can only guess you (and most of the other naysayers in this thread) don't have young children. My wife and I have been looking for something exactly like this for our 6yo. I lost him on a ski slope once over a year ago and I think he's still traumatized. He recently was afraid of going on a class trip because he was afraid of getting lost. This isn't for teenagers. It's for kids that are still attached to mama/papa…

Agreed- just because you have these devices on hand doesn’t make you a helicopter parent. It’s just like having food storage doesn’t make you paranoid. You’re just prepared.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#196

Post by delecti »

rmrfchik wrote: post #28

In next year: Google EOL watch for kids, closes servers rendering watches useless.

It's not like this is a uniquely Google-y model, it's just a fitbit. Based on their past history of dropping support for legacy devices, I'd expect it to remain supported for a minimum of 5 years, but maybe a decade or more. And if this page is up-to-date, then it seems like they've only EOL'd 7 out of ~40ish models in the company's ~15 year history.

https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/legal/legacy-device-policy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fitbit_products#Fitbit...

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#197

Post by wilsonnb3 »

gnicholas wrote: post #59

What's the benefit of this over a cheap LTE Apple Watch? I'm not an AW fanboy (Pebble/Garmin for me), but I had always anticipated getting my kid an LTE AW when the time came. It doesn't look like the pricing is much different, and for families with iPhones it would presumably be simpler to stay in the Apple ecosystem. Is there something I'm missing, or is this just for Android families? Regardless, I'm happy to see…

You can (in fact, I think you have to) get the data plan straight from Google.

Lots of carriers, particularly cheaper MVNOs, don't support LTE watches and even less support the standalone Apple Watch setup.

So in that sense, it is convenient.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#198

Post by Narkov »

> Fitbit Ace LTE has been tested with hundreds of families and is designed to get 16+ hours of use from a full battery.

Fail. Adults struggle to recharge their devices every day and my kids certainly won't remember to. Garmin Kids watches, while drastically different in functionality and connectivity, last 12 months before a battery replacement is needed and are wildly more suitable for young kids.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#199

Post by iteria »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #144
enragedcacti wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

> For better or for worse the ship has definitely sailed on the laissez-faire "be home before sunset" parenting of past generations. It's only "sailed" because (some) parents demand to know where their kid is at all times. While I think it's difficult for any individual parent to, say, forbid social media for too long lest they ostracize their kid, saying "I won't track my kids" is a choice any parent can make. I jus…

It's a choice a parent can make until someone calls the cops because your kid is unattended. I've had people give me you're an awful parent side eyes for not keeping my eyes on my kid 100% of the time in a fenced in park. Letting my kid walk to school like I did as a kid is just forever outside of my reach if I want to not have CPS called on me. At least if I geotag my kid with someone obvious people will be chill about her playing in front of the house.

Re: Google releases smart watch for kids

#200

Post by TeMPOraL »

philomath_mn wrote: post #53
playingalong wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. Their class at school has a WhatsApp or similar group chat.

We can fire up WhatApp on desktop or tablet -- the constant access is the biggest issue I have with smartphones.

Can they? Aren't PC apps second-tier citizens of WhatsApp world, requiring regular reauthentication with your phone?
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