In today’s world, giving a smartphone to a child is not seen as that big of a deal, but it can still lead to disaster. Yip Yap has announced a new way to let your kid play mobile games and call people without borrowing your $600 smartphone.
It is called Pipsqueak, a new Bluetooth mobile targeted at children aged three to eight years old. The device is cheap, built to last, and offers a lot of the functionality found on a regular smartphone.
Parents can create an approved caller list, letting their kid call close family and friends. Mobile calls to the parent’s smartphone can also be diverted to the Pipsqueak. Since the device uses Bluetooth, it will use the parent’s cellular contract.
Games will be available on the Pipsqueak, but instead of approving games from the Google Play store, Yip Yap will build or port them onto the mobile. Snake and Angry Pirates are the two games mentioned on the campaign page, but Yip Yap claims it will build a robust gaming catalog in the near future.
Kids will also be able to listen to music and watch videos on Pipsqueak, which will sport 4GB of internal storage and up to 32GB of expandable storage. Yip Yap will handle media imports on its website, where parents can convert videos to fit the 2.4-inch display.
A microphone is available on Pipsqueak, letting kids record their own voice and play it back in slow motion or high pitch. Yip Yap has added a soundboard to the device, which includes hundreds of noises — sound themes will be available on the website.
Yip Yap Universe is already starting to design new games, videos, soundboards, wallpapers, and screensavers. Kids can also customize their Pipsqueak with seven color options and a swappable disc on the back.
The Pipsqueak is available for $70 on Indiegogo, with a delivery date of May 2016. For those who don’t want to wait, a $90 option is available with December 2015 shipping.
