LeapFrog Unveils LeapBand Activity Tracker
Wearable tech just got a whole lot more kid friendly. LeapFrog Enterprises today announced its newest toy, the LeapBand, which the company is calling the first wearable activity tracker specifically for children ages 4 to 7 years old.
Think of it as a combination of a pedometer and those Tamagotchi virtual pets from the 90s that are aimed at getting the younger generation moving and active.
The LeapBand form factor resembles a toy watch. The watch strap is made of thick, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) plastic, and snaps onto a child's wrist. It will be available in three colors: pink, green, or blue. According to LeapFrog, the final strap mechanism is still being worked out. The rectangular device measures 1.9 by 2.3 by 1.6 inches (HWD) and has a 1.44-inch, thin-film-transistor (TFT) color display. The screen has a 128-by-128 resolution and is backlit.
Right above the screen is the speaker, and to the left of that is an activity button. Below the screen are left and right arrow keys, with a star key between them. There is a miniUSB port on the right side of the LeapBand. You can charge the built-in rechargeable Lithium-Polymer battery via your computer using the bundled cable. According to LeapFrog, the device will need recharging every four to six days, assuming standard play time.
When you first activate the LeapBand, you will be asked to choose from one of eight customizable pets from LeapFrog's Pet Pals franchise—a cat, dog, dragon, monkey, panda, penguin, robot, and unicorn. You can then choose to customize your pet with seven different colors and four different names. After that first activation, the LeapBand stays on constantly (even when the screen goes dark), as it measures your child's activity throughout the day. To turn the screen on, press the star key. With school or night modes, though, parents can set the screen to stay dark or quiet so as not to disrupt class or sleep time.
The LeapBand comes with 10 pre-loaded activity games and challenges, and parents can load 40 additional challenges for free from LeapFrog Connect. Kids earn points for activities they engage in. The more points they earn, the more chances they have to unlock additional pets, or earn virtual toys for each of those pets. There are mini-games that encourage movement, such as Pet boogie, Pet Chef, and Pet Salon. Each mini-game ends with a short fact about physical activity, nutrition, or hygiene.
The LeapBand will be available in the U.S. online and at major retailers sometime in August for $39.99. There is also a companion app called 'Petalon' that will be available for free download on the LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra tablet, on Apple iOS devices running 6.0 or higher, and on Google Android devices running 4.03 or higher.
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