For parents, the decision is coming up earlier and earlier: Should you give your kid a smartphone?
On the other hand, well, youve gotta get in touch with the kid sometimes.
You want to know if softball practice is running late or whether shes still waiting at the bus stop.
No screens, no texting, no phone numbers to punch in.
The company sent me a couple of Relays to test out.
), and it was nice that the unit was her own.
The sound on the Relay is clear and although theres a tiny delay, it hasnt affected our conversations.
), and if your kids friends have Relays, they can form a channel of their own.
No data is ever stored, and Republic Wireless worked withCommon Senseto confirm the equipment is safe and secure.
Relay is GPS enabled, so you might see where your kid is at any moment.
But theres also the argument that tracking young kids gives themmorefreedom.
Put childhood back in motion, the Relay website proclaims.
Give kids what we hadspace to grow, explore, find friends and have fun.
There are some challenges with using Relay, particularly without the app.
First: Theres no ring or ability to ignore the thing.
One day, with permission, I sent my daughter to school with it.
As soon as she settled in, I started getting messages.
HIIIIIIIIIIIIII!Hi.Hi, Michelle.
This is Ms. Melaina.
This is so neat!
Does it work by satellite?Yes, it connects through wifi and 4G LTE.Nice.
Okay, heres Maggie again.
Hi, Mom.Hi, Maggie.
Part of me wanted to say Just text me!
but then I remembered she had no way to do so and cannot yet read or write.
And Republic Wireless is constantly updating Relay to add more features.
And yet just for that, Relay is pricey.
A starter pack of two Relays costs $149, plus a $6.99 monthly plan.
