Wayne, N.J. – Retailer Toys “R” Us is launching its first private-label consumer electronics product, a $149 Android 4.0 tablet that will be available exclusively in company stores nationwide on Oct. 21.
The tablet is available for preorder on the chain’s website.
The 7-inch multitouch Wi-Fi tablet , called Tabeo, is targeted to children and features 50 free, preinstalled entertainment and education apps. It also comes with parental control of website access.
More than 7,000 more apps, curated by the retailer to be “high quality and kid-friendly,” will be available for download from the Tabeo app store. Preinstalled e-books will also be available on the tablet.
The tablet features 4GB of embedded flash memory, 32GB MicroSDHC slot, 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 800 by 480 capacitive touchscreen, 1080p 30 fps video storage, audio music playback, MicroUSB 2.0, mini HDMI output, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, built-in speaker, microphone and front-facing camera for video chats, and lithium-polymer battery that delivers six to seven hours of video playback, 35 hours of music playback or 10 hours of Internet browsing. It measures 8.8 by 5.6 by 0.48 inches.
At launch, Tabeo accessories will be available at the chain’s stores and website, including bumpers in multiple colors, cases featuring kids-themed licenses, docks and Tabeo-branded cables.
The tablet is priced less than Amazon’s latest opening-price Kindle Fire tablet at $159.
The chain’s label tablet joins several other kids-oriented tablets launched this year, including Oregon Scientific’s Meep 7-inch Android tablet, which is also priced at an everyday $149. TechnoSource, a division of LF Products, offers its own kids tablet, the Kurio.
Almost 20 preinstalled games include Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, 100 Floors, Collapse!, Tiki Golf and Tiki Cart 3D. Ten preinstalled education apps include AlphaTots, Discovery Kids Putterbugs, Operation Math, TechCalc and five other learning apps. Included entertainment apps include Putt Putt Zoo, Freddy Fish and the Stolen Shell, and Camera App. Included e-books are “iStorybooks,” “Candy Factory” and “Little Red Riding Hood.”
Included parental controls are customizable, enabling parents to set different levels of security for up to eight users. The tablet’s filter can be set to block 27 predetermined categories of content. Parents can also include additional sites to block. Accessible sites can be modified by clicking on a box within Tabeo’s controls or remotely through the Internet. Kids who find a new site that they want to visit can send requests to their parent to unblock the specific website.
The tablet can also be set to allow web access only on certain days or during certain hours.
The device ships with lime-green bumper, one USB cable and USB power adapter.
