A startup company today released a mobile phone designed specifically for 8- to 12-year-old children.
“Why aren’t parents buying cell phones (for their children)? They’re such practical tools,” said Fred Bullock, chief marketing officer for Firefly Mobile Inc., the company behind the new device. “It’s a huge untapped market.”
The company’s new phone, dubbed the Firefly, replaces the standard 10-key layout with five buttons that can directly dial the child’s mom or dad, or 20 other pre-selected numbers. The tiny phone also features a button dedicated for 911 emergency calls. Parents will be able to control the use of the phone; for instance, they can ensure the phone will receive calls only from a select set of numbers.
“It was also very important to make a phone that kids would like and want,” Bullock said.
The phone is about twice the size of a cigarette lighter and weights 2 ounces. It also features a set of blinking lights and glowing keys.
Firefly Mobile is selling the device with prepaid service through Triton PCS/Suncom and will soon sell it through Cincinnati Bell. Triton is offering the phone for $200 with 1,200 prepaid minutes. Firefly also will sell the phone through its own Web site for $100 with 30 prepaid minutes, as well as through Target stores under an exclusive arrangement with the retailer. The company will sell the service under a mobile virtual network operator arrangement with Cingular Wireless.
Firefly said the phone is specifically designed for children and is built by Solectron Corp.
Toy maker Hasbro said in February it is working on a phone using two-way radio technology for children ages 11 to 14. U.K. researchers have suggested that children limit their use of wireless devices until the health effects of wireless-phone use can be further studied.
