Amazon Glow is a video chat device for kids

Source: Amazon

Amazon's new video chat device is its take on Facebook's Portal, but it's specifically designed for kids to video chat with remote family and friends. The Amazon Glow is equipped with a vertical smartphone-like 8-inch LCD screen with a 19-inch touch-sensitive area and a giant speaker case. As Gizmodo describes it, the Glow looks like a big large '90s-era cellphone.

Kids can share their "virtual space" via the Amazon Glow app, and those on the other end (like grandparents) can use Alexa on Android and iOS to interact with the child. Strangely enough, Amazon hasn't brought compatibility to its Fire OS at launch. That's coming at a later date.

The Amazon Glow gets a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which unlocks its games and apps. You get access to "hundreds of hours" of interactive activities like object scanning for virtual stickers, complete a jigsaw puzzle with an adult, read along with them, play chess or Go Fish, or draw with someone else.

According to Amazon, it collaborated with Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, and Mattel to create content for Glow. And it plans to open up development to a "limited set of partners" in the first half of 2022. 

Source: Amazon

Amazon will also sell "Glow Bits" learning kits for more content. The first available kit is a Tangram puzzle game that comes bundled with the Glow.

Parents can set up the Glow so children can only contact those you've approved beforehand. The camera has a privacy shutter and a hardware mute button for the microphone. Amazon didn't include Alexa with the device, so it says it won't collect voice recordings.

If you're interested in the Amazon Glow, you need to request to be part of the early access Glow program. It's available at an introductory price of US$250 (around CA$319 converted), but it will retail for US$300 (CA$382). The device comes with a mat and mat case. Amazon offers a two-year guarantee, so if it breaks in that timeframe, the company will replace it for free.