Amazon has a new video calling system, but Amazon Glow is for kids, not turning your home into an office extension. The upright video telephony screen integrates a projector, which emits an interactive play area onto the desk or the floor.
The idea is that virtual and physical objects can interact. There are toys and puzzle pieces for the kids that can be placed on the 19-inch projection surface and recognized by the cameras pointing downwards.
For the person on the other end – whether traveling parents, distant grandparents or extended family – there is a free Amazon Glow app. This runs on phones and tablets and allows them to take turns interacting with what is projected for the child. At the same time, the device’s 8-inch touchscreen shows them which video calls and more are being accessed.
There will be a variety of interactive content, with Amazon initially working with Disney, Mattel, Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop. Kids can play Spongbob SquarePants puzzles, card games with Barbie, and go through storybooks with Disney characters. However, Amazon Glow will also support digital content creation.
For example, you can put a physical object – like a toy – under the camera and have it scanned. You can use this to make a digital sticker, says Amazon, or even a custom virtual puzzle.
Since children’s privacy is an important concern, there is a physical privacy screen on the side of the Amazon Glow. If you slide this up, the microphones will also be disconnected. Children can only call pre-selected contacts approved by their parents or guardians.
Amazon also has an SDK that developers can use to create their own interactive content for Amazon Glow. The company is now accepting registrations for this and is assuming that it will open – initially with limited partners – in the first half of 2022.
Amazon Glow itself is $ 249.99; It comes with a 1 year subscription to Amazon Kids. Pre-order requests are now being accepted, with the first units expected to ship next month.
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