Mobile Phones :MWC 2010: Tech Helps Parents Take Control Of Kids’ Mobiles
Tags: Bipper, Mobile Phone News, mobile world congress 2010, Parental Controls, Paretn Controlled Mobile, Race Telecom, Wigomo One
Proving that MWC isn’t just all about flashy handset launches and grandiose manufacturer’s announcements, we found some neat ideas tucked away in the outer realms of the event. One innovation we stumbled across were parental-controlled mobile services.
Apparently, children under
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Proving that MWC isn’t just all about flashy handset launches and grandiose manufacturer’s announcements, we found some neat ideas tucked away in the outer realms of the event. One innovation we stumbled across were parental-controlled mobile services.
Apparently, children under 12 represent the fastest growing market segment in the mobile industry. This trend is of concern to many parents, so a number of companies are looking to offer solutions.
BIPPER
Bipper is a software-based system developed specifically for parents who with to keep an eye on their child’s mobile phone.
Parents can buy a special wafer-thin BipperSIM that can then be layered under the operator SIM. Using a web portal, parents can then monitor and manage their children’s mobile phone usage in a number of ways:
- Who they can communicate with;
- How much they can use the phone
- When they can use the phone
- A GPS services that let’s you know where your child’s location.
Bipper launches in Norway this May, with an international release planned over the summer. The whole package, we were told, costs no more than USD.
Bipper on Facebook Pages – Bipper, MobileKids
Bipper on Twitter -BipperMom
WiGomo One
Similar services were offered by Danish design firm, RACE Telcom, who have what they call “the first real mobile phone for children that mom and dad can control from their PC”.
The Wigomo One is currently available only in Denmark, but looking for operator parents in other countries, meanwhile Bipper looks set to launch in Norway in May, closely followed by an international release later in summer 2010.
No pricing was available for Wigomo One however.
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