Amazon projects the new Glow will be perfect for kids and long-distance loved ones
What you need to know
- Amazon announced an interactive projector with video calling for kids named Glow.
- Kids can interact with the 19-inch projected display to play games, read books, and more.
- Glow is currently part of the Day 1 Edition program and requires an invite to purchase.
Amazon already makes some of the best Android tablets for kids thanks in large part to its fantastic Amazon Kids+ software. Amazon combines tablets designed for kids and the Echo Show 5 Kids into a completely new product called the Amazon Glow.
The new Amazon Glow takes the fun interactivity that a tablet provides but instead of holding a slab of glass, your child will be tapping and swiping on a tabletop. The Amazon Glow will broadcast a 19-inch interactive screen onto a mat that you can place your table, counter, or floor using the built-in projector.
Thanks to the ever-expanding Amazon Kids+ program, your child will be able to play games, read books, and so much more.
What makes this device even more impressive is when the video calling aspect of the Echo Show smart speakers comes into play. Your child will be able to video call only with contacts that you approve and share their experience of playing a game, reading a book, or even solving a puzzle together. The person on the other end will connect with the Amazon Glow through the Glow app on their own device.
Amazon has created two new interactive experiences for the Glow with object scanning and Glow Bits.
Glow Bits is the name of a new learning kit that is launching with the Tangram puzzle game. The Tangram kit will include physical puzzle pieces that the Amazon Glow will recognize, and the person whom your child is chatting with will have digital pieces to use in their app. Working together with your child, they will be able to help solve the puzzle and other challenges.
The Tangram Bits will be bundled with Glow, but new experiences are going to be added in the future and sold separately.
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The object scanning feature is designed to let your child take one of their favorite toys and turn it into a digital object into a puzzle. The idea is that after scanning the toy, your child will then "smash" the scan into pieces that they then put back together or turn the scan into a sticker for other games.
Another fun thing that your child will be able to do is to scan a piece of their favorite school art and turn it into something new remotely with a friend or family member.
At the heart of the Amazon Glow is the Kids+ platform that gives parents peace of mind that they have the final say about what their child can access and whom they can call using the Glow.
Amazon Kids+ is already home to over 20,000 books, games, videos, and more, but along with the announcement of Glow, the platform is growing with new content. With series like Do, Re & Mi, LEGO Monkie Kid, ARPO Robot Babysitter, and more coming to Amazon Kids+, there's no shortage of entertainment available for your child.
Amazon continues to build products and features that both kids and parents can enjoy. With the expansion of Amazon Kids+ and the new Hey, Disney coming in 2022 that will let everyone interact with their favorite Disney characters on their Echo devices — Amazon shows no signs of slowing down.
Projecting happiness
The Amazon Glow lets your child expand their mind with large-scale interactive projections of their favorite games and books. With the built-in video calling feature, they can even share and get help in those experiences from loved ones miles away. Of course, with Amazon Kids+ at the center of Glow, you'll be in complete control.
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