THE GARMIN BOUNCE IS AN LTE SMARTWATCH TO HELP PARENTS TRACK THEIR KIDS

Garmin already has a ton of colourful fitness trackers for kids, but now it’s launching the $149.99 Bounce – its first LTE smartwatch for kids. The device is meant to help parents keep an eye on their kids without having to shell out for a smartphone or manage what their kids are doing with it. Bounce includes both built-in GPS and LTE. Bounce allows parents to set alerts for whenever their child leaves a designated area. Children can also send their current location to their parents via a notification in the Garmin Jr. app. Like Apple’s Family Setup on the Apple Watch, parents can activate a do-not-disturb mode during school hours. Aside from location tracking, Bounce also supports two-way text and voice messages. Kids can send messages directly from the watch, which parents then receive in the app. Children can also send messages to other Bounce watches. There’s also an Assistance feature where children in distress can alert their family in the Garmin Jr. app, along with a live view of their current location. It is available in three colours: green, black, and lilac.


BACKBONE’S EXCELLENT PHONE CONTROLLER IS NOW SHIPPING FOR ANDROID

The Backbone One mobile gaming controller is now shipping for Android. There isn’t much that’s different from the iOS version that launched in 2020; it’s $99.99, the Lightning ports have been swapped for USB-C ports, and it has a polished, feature-packed companion app that makes gaming on your phone feel like you’re using a console. Inserting your phone will allow you to play native Android games as well as cloud-based titles from Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. Backbone says that the One should work with most Android phones, assuming that yours has a USB-C port and is running Android 8.0 or higher. The company mentions the Google Pixel 7 and Samsung Galaxy S22 lineups as being compatible, though its product page lists phones from numerous manufacturers. This controller’s presence in the iOS ecosystem has made it tough for others to compete in terms of value and stellar design. In addition to the app that delivers a console-like UI, the controller itself is comfortable, minimalist, and offers both pass-through charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack to allow private, lag-free listening.

RELATED POST

COMMENTS