The world’s first mobile phone product that is specifically designed to meet the demands of children and their parents will be launched in Hong Kong in December 2008. The mobile phone, which is named Mo1, With an appearance similar to a toy, is developed by the toy chain store ItsImagical.
Mo1 include many child-specific features like:
- No numbers on the keyboard so children can only call or receive calls from phone numbers that are pre-set by their parents
- A GPS-based “Find Me Service” function that allows parents to know the location of their children
- Speed-dial buttons for direct calls to Mom and Dad.
- Emergency phone always enabled
- Speakerphone / hands-free mode on by default, to avoid danger from radio waves.
Rafael Nualart, product research and design director of ItsImagical, explained to Hong Kong’s Ta Kung Pao newspaper that this mobile phone is specially designed to meet the demands of children and their parents. The company embeds a GPS-based Find Me Service function in the mobile phone, which allows the parents to know about where their children are. In addition, there is no number keyboard on the mobile phone and the mobile phone can only call or receive calls from the phone numbers that are pre-set by the parents. Other functions like call restriction and message restriction are also included in the mobile phone to make sure that the children will be prevented from unnecessary calls and information.
Nualart admits that compared with general mobile phones, Mo1 is less advanced in technologies and applications. However, he says it is because most of these functions such as Bluetooth and the PocketPC operating system are not needed for children. His goal is to create a mobile phone which can be used by children safely and independently.
This mobile phone will be sold at a retail price of HKD1,280.