Talk about product growth.
Fuhu added two jumbo-sized kid tablets to its Nabi line on Tuesday — a 20-inch model and a 24-inch model — calling them the largest Android tablets available.
The Big Tab HD 20 and Big Tab HD 24 are designed for kids to share and to promote social interaction, proving that focus groups always have better-behaved kids than the ones at home.
These Big Tabs indicate a markedly different approach than we’ve seen from other recent CE toy introductions: VTech with its Kidizoom smart watch and LeapFrog with its fitness-inspired LeapBand. Unlike the Big Tabs, these are meant to be portable and easily used everywhere and anywhere.
The Big Tabs, on the other hand, will not only require parents to look beyond the traditional tablet-sized accessories for a much-needed protective case (are you listening Otterbox?), but they will also likely prove to be rather unwieldy in cars and restaurants — two common environments for such devices.
Fuhu is clearly prioritizing “family time” when it comes to the tablets by highlighting their multiplayer capabilities and included board game apps, but CEO Jim Mitchell also gives a nod to another potential consumer: seniors. While parents may be hesitant to drop $449 or $549 on what could end up being a second or third tablet, it would make a practical option for seniors who don’t necessarily need to be occupied between the salad and the entrée.
