Skip to main content

The Verizon GizmoWatch puts a quick-communication device on your kid’s wrist

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Today’s smartwatches may be largely tailored to adults, but that doesn’t mean that kids have to be left out completely. In fact, Verizon has announced a new addition to its lineup of smartwatches for kids — the Verizon GizmoWatch.

The GizmoWatch is the first device in the lineup to offer 4G LTE connectivity, meaning that your child should have decently fast connectivity most of the time, especially if they stay within the limits of a city. Apart from the 4G connectivity, you will find a basic user interface that shows the time and allows kids to message their parents quickly and easily.

Recommended Videos

Parents also have a lot of control over how the watch is used. Parents can pick up to 10 phone numbers that can call kids — and any other phone number won’t go through at all. Parents can also pick up to 20 pre-approved messages that can be sent. On top of that, parents can choose when the watch turns on and shuts down. All of this can be controlled through the accompanying iOS or Android app.

Under the hood, the device features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor, which is the chip found on most flagship Wear OS smartwatches from last year.

When it comes to price, the watch is priced at $180, which is pretty expensive for such a basic device. There are plenty of fully featured Wear OS smartwatches that do a whole lot more but come at the same price, though of course, parents probably won’t want their kids to use one of those devices. You will also have to pay an extra $5 per month to cover the data costs of the device.

Of course, just because the GizmoWatch is a decent device, there are plenty of questions about whether or not you should be strapping a GPS to your kids 24/7. With the device, parents can track their kids’ movements at all times but whether parents actually want to, or feel the need to do so, is another question altogether.

According to Verizon, the GizmoWatch is built for kids between the ages of 3 and 11 years old. It’s available now from the Verizon website.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
The Pixel Watch puts the best of Google’s software on your wrist for $350
Google Assistant on the Google Pixel Watch.

Google has finally launched its first smartwatch, the aptly named Pixel Watch. It stays true to the famed Pixel formula of mixing half-decent hardware with a ton of Google-integrated services to offer a seamless software experience.

For the Pixel Watch, Google is charging $350 a pop. But if you’re eyeing the version with cellular connectivity (4G) support, prepare to pay a cool $400. For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $400, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5’s LTE variant costs only $330 right now.
What's on the table?
The Pixel Watch’s design is fresh, thanks to the dramatically curved glass alongside the periphery, meeting the metallic shell halfway through. It will be available in three case choices – matte black, polished silver, and champagne gold – all made out of stainless steel.

Read more
Will your old Apple Watch bands fit the Apple Watch Ultra?
Someone wearing the Apple Watch Ultra while climbing.

Apple now has an entirely new category of Apple Watch designed for outdoor adventurers and extreme sports enthusiasts: the Apple Watch Ultra. The new wearable is larger, more durable, and more rugged than any model Apple has released in the past. It even comes with some rugged new Apple Watch bands to match the more adventurous design.

However, its 49mm size likely has you asking at least one obvious question: Will my existing Apple Watch bands work with the Apple Watch Ultra?

Read more
Will your Apple Watch get WatchOS 9? Here are the compatible models
Car crash detection on Apple Watch Series 8.

Apple took the stage at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6 to unveil WatchOS 9, the next big update to the operating system for the Apple Watch. Following several months in beta, WatchOS 9 was officially made available on September 12, along with the Apple Watch Series 8.

This also marks the first time in two years that Apple is dropping support for an older Apple Watch model in a new WatchOS release. The Apple Watch Series 3, which made its debut alongside the iPhone 7 in 2017, isn’t making the cut this year. So, if you plan to upgrade to WatchOS 9, you’ll need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later. This includes the Apple Watch SE, released alongside the Apple Watch Series 6 in 2020. Let's take a closer look.
The end of an era

Read more