Parents desperately wanting to pry kids off their tablets can look no further than Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Tab 3 designed specifically for adolescents. The specs aren't too bad either given the target audience, sporting a 7 inch WSVGA TFT screen (1024 x 600, 170 ppi), a dual-core 1.2 GHz SoC and Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean." The banana-yellow form factor looks rather rugged too, perfect for tantrums and slippery fingers.
"It's no secret that kids are using technology more than ever before," said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. "We saw an opportunity to create a device just for kids that provides them with an intuitive, fun and kid-friendly user experience filled with rich, interactive and educational content that parents will love."
The kid-focused tablet is expected to arrive in Korea sometime in early September, followed by China, Europe, U.S., Africa, South America, and South East Asia. It will come pre-loaded with a brand new Kid's Store focused on "driving the educational possibilities of technology for kids." Additional pre-loaded content will span educational, games, entertainment and e-book apps that can be managed by parents through the tablet's built-in Application Manager.
"Developed with kids' best interests at the forefront, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids also includes a Time Management feature that allows parents to set specific time periods for use," the company said. "When the designated use time is up, a password protected lock screen appears, requiring a parent or adult to enter the password to unlock the device. This tool will help parents ensure the time their children spend on smart devices is balanced."
As previously stated, the hardware specs consist of a 7 inch screen powered by a dual-core SoC clocked at 1.2 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. The tablet will also include a 1.3MP camera on the front and a 3MP camera on the back, dual-band Wireless N connectivity (WiFi Channel bonding, WiFi Direct), Bluetooth 3.0, a micro USB 2.0 port, a micro SD card slot supporting up to 32 GB of storage, and 8 GB of internal storage. The device will be powered by a standard Li-ion 4,000 mAh battery.
The tablet's rugged look will actually be enhanced by an optional orange-colored "Kids Case" featuring a child-friendly grip and an easy-grip C Pen (sorry kids, no S Pen for you) for "fun drawing capabilities" that doesn't involve marking on walls and all over Dad's paperwork. The company will also provide multiple stand options so energetic, anxious little busybodies can entertain themselves without having to actually hold the device.
Currently, Samsung hasn't provided a price, so expect additional news sometime next month.
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