

Bumblephone - Computer Phone for Kids (Twilio) - jmhobbs
http://bumblephone.com/

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kellishaver
I have mixed feelings on this. I want to like it because it seems like a good
idea, but then the more I think about it, there doesn't seem to be that much
practical use for the service. The way I see this, kids who need phone dialing
that simplistic would be too young to use it.

I think this would work better as an IM/voice chat program aimed at the 7-11yr
old crowd-a way for them to easily chat with other kids, when they happen to
be online (and maybe a "voice mail" type system), from an approved list of
friends their parents have added.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't like the idea of kids and phones - not
that talking to Grandma across the country is bad or anything. It's just that
I don't think a young child has any business using a phone (voice chat, etc.)
without first obtaining permission to do so, even if it's safe. So I would
either a: make the call for her or 2: supervise while she dials. I mostly feel
this way because kids tend to obsess over things and so a child with free
reign over a big yellow "call" button would get annoying to others. By the
time my kid is old enough to pick up the phone and call someone whenever she
wants to (i.e. has a basic understanding of telephone etiquette and respect
for others' time), basic phone usage just isn't a challenge at that age.

Add to this the fact that your average land-line or cell phone service
includes local calling, as well as nationwide long distance at a fixed rate
and it makes it hard to justify the cost of buying Bumble credits just for the
ease of connectivity.

