My oldest child is nine years old, and the idea of him having an internet- connected device without any parental controls terrifies me. Adding in the extra layer of calling and messaging on top of a phone makes things worse. Kids can have their own phone with peace of mind for their mom and dad.
The wireless service, phones, and custom KidSmart OS are provided by Troomi in an effort to make kids learn how to use technology safely. It means that parents can keep a close eye on their child.
It all works in practice. We spent a month testing the software to see if we could answer that question.
Troomi had two phones, a wireless service, and a custom OS. New features and plans have been added since the launch. Troomi sells the two phones, the A12 and A32, for $179.95 and $2799.95, respectively.
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There are three different plans with different features. There are plans from $19.95 to $29.95 per month.
There are dangers for kids on and off the internet. I try to find ways to allow my kids to explore and learn new things while still being a kid. My six-year-old is not ready for a phone as he heads to first grade this fall, but he will be wearing one of the best kids watches so we can stay in touch if we need to.
Kids wanting a smartphone is nearly unavoidable, but that doesn't mean they need to be exposed to everything on the internet, or the potential pitfalls of a cell phone.
The pressure to join the crowd is there for my nine-year-old because he already has friends with phones. To compromise, my wife and I are exploring options from smaller companies that are doing a great job of balancing the line between allowing kids to explore the world of phones while still keeping their parents in control.
I'm looking at what Troomi has to offer after reviewing two children's phones from Gabb Wireless and Pinwheel. The phones are nothing special.
The A12 and A32 are out of stock, but the A32 is still available. If you were to buy the phones from either of the two companies, they would be the same. It's different if you buy from Troomi, because it comes with custom software.
The operating system created by Troomi, called KidSmart OS, is similar to what you would expect to see on a modern phone. The Parent portal provides a host of different layers of controls to let parents fine tune the device for their child
KidSmart OS and the Troomi Parent Portal create the opportunity for parents to tailor their child's smartphone just for them.
You can enter the Parent Portal from the Troomi website once you have set up your profile. The Home page gives you access to support should you have a question, but it also gives you a quick look at some of the key points about the phone.
The last location of the phone, an overview of the device's status, and a usage summary can be found on the page. Here, you can see the number of calls, the number of sent and received texts, and the amount of time spent talking. Clicking on the text lets you see who sent it and what it was about.
The other four categories can be entered along the left side of the page. You can find the majority of the parental controls on the settings page. The phone can have internet access if you allow it. If you want to turn them on, you can set the schedules.
There are two browsers that you can use if you enable the internet. Troomi has a safe option called the KidSmart Browser that allows you to make a list of websites that your child can access. It tries to keep inappropriate content away from it. It will work the same on your phone if you go with chrome.
Most children are interested in the apps on their phones. It doesn't mean that the phone won't have the full Play Store at its fingertips, even though Troomi allows app access.
There are two ways to choose what apps can be on the phone. Calculator, camera, clock, gallery, and others are included in the basic apps.
It's up to you if you want to install KidSmart on your child's phone or not. There are 60 apps that cover a lot of options. You can find things like Disney+ and Powerschool.
The image is the first of three.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Text messaging settings can be used to decide if you want to text or not. If you want to allow texting, but not be able to send images or be in a group, there is an option. It's possible to set a schedule for texting.
Call can be turned on, off or set to a schedule in the parental portal.
The Troomi Parental Portal has a lot of controls for contacts. If you don't approve a contact within 72 hours, it can't be used, and if you approve a contact, it can't be removed.
Sending and receiving texts from non-contacts, as well as an option for calls, can be blocked by Trooma. All contacts can be blocked with the click of a button.
The first image of two.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
When I clicked on the screen time tab, I was met with a screen that said the feature was coming soon. If everything goes well, this feature will add more options for scheduling access to different apps and features.
Troomi has done a good job of creating layers of parental controls to allow for a customized experience on its KidSmart OS devices.
There is a place to add new contacts in the Contacts tab. If you want your child to be an emergency contact, you can either allow them to contact that person or not.
Emergency Contacts were added to the contact settings. The Suicide Prevention Hotline is loaded by default. Police, fire, family doctor, and more can be added. A quick and easy way for kids to find the number is to add these.
The image is the first of three.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
Chris Wedel has an image on his website.
The apps section can be accessed from the settings tab. The Coming Soon section is under the Basic Apps section. Troomi is working to make sure that the apps they are working on are safe to use on the phone. If there is an app that you want for your child but it isn't currently available, you can request it from Troomi.
The last option is the account tab. Here you can see your account info, shipping address, and payment info.
I think it's a good thing that using the Troomi phone for the past month has been pretty boring. I don't have to worry about my son using the phone because the operating system that Troomi has put together is doing a great job of blocking out unnecessary distraction like games and social media.
Troomi has built a great piece of work. The company has decided to use quality phones that are some of the best cheap phones out there, rather than just finding the cheapest phones. It can be a pain point for parents if they don't have Troomi on their phone.
Troomi phones are special due to the software that needs to be installed and adjusted by them. Parents will need to spend more money if they can just use a phone already available and install their own software.
The phone service is the same as thecellular service. If you want to use the service provided by Troomi, you have to take the phone to your carrier. The Troomi network has done well despite the fact that I don't get a lot of coverage at my home.
Even though 60 apps are a lot for a child, it is still missing some popular options. What is missing and satisfaction with what is available will be different for each person. There are things that are missing. Parents can request these apps if they so desire. 60 is better than nothing, but it's not close to Pinwheel's current list of 437.
I would love to have a Troomi Parent portal app. The portal is only accessible through a web browser at the moment. Sometimes the website requires scrolling sideways or zooming in to see what you're looking for. It would be easier to adjust settings on my child's phone if they had a mobile-first experience.
There is competition for kids space in the smartphones. I think it's broad because you could get any phone with an operating system and you could get parental controls that way.
This is better than nothing but it isn't as good as other options where the rules are baked in. The competition of phones for kids' space is small, that's why.
There are only two options to choose from outside of Troomi. There is a way for your child to have their phone. Gabb is going to be more bare bones. There are no third party apps that can be installed. Acurated list is on the way according to Gabb Wireless.
Pinwheel has a lot of apps with different levels of parental control. The Pinwheel has more applications that can fit into the lives of older children. Due to the limited amount of apps needed to care for, Gabb has less parental controls than Troomi and Pinwheel.
Parents can feel safe handing over their child's phone if they choose one of the three phones. No matter what other companies say, it is up to you.
If you do, you should purchase this.
If you buy this, you should not.
There is a compelling package for both parents and children. The affordable phones and service plans that allow parents to use the phone while protecting their child are great.
Since the KidSmart OS has to be pre-installed, you won't be able to use Troomi with your phone. If your child doesn't have access to a specific app at the moment, you could request it, but it's not known when it will be approved.
It's hard to argue that what Troomi is doing is not good. The company has a good operating system on good phones that is backed by a Parent portal. All of them are designed to make parents and kids feel safe while using a mobile device.
The third-party app list may be thin. It's definitely true. It is growing, and what is there is good. It's not a big deal to see a Troomi Parent Portal app that avoids the web page. Many other families could benefit from a Troomi phone, as my son and I have found few issues with it.
If you're in the market to buy a phone for your child, take a look at Troomi.
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