XPLORA X5 PLAY - Watch Phone for Children 4G - Calls, Messages, Kids School Mode, SOS Function, GPS Location, Camera and Pedometer - Includes 2 Year Warranty (PINK)

Product Information

The companion app for the XPlora is fantastic, especially with regards to the geo fencing safety feature. You can easily set “safe zones” that will trigger a text message to the parent when the child gets outside the boundaries. My only complaint about this feature is that the smallest radius available is 300 feet, which, if one lives in a large metropolitan area like we do, can mean your child could be crossing busy streets without your supervision. That being said, I did appreciate that I got a text message from the watch the second my daughter left her safe zone (don’t worry, she was in the car with me). Children can also send audio messages with amusing sound effects like “robot” or “chipmunk” or share photos they’ve taken. Any media your child sends to their friends’ nearby Tobi Robot Smartwatches will vanish after roughly 15 seconds. Outside of the microphone issue on the Xplora X5 Play, this smartwatch's physical hardware is great. It looks good and has excellent battery life. Perhaps the microphone could be adjusted in a software update to solve that problem. The software experience on the watch itself is responsive and easy to use, except for the missing music player.

Both my son and I wish that the Xcoins he earned could be spent on rewards that we create, not just in the GoPlay store. The Kurio doesn’t have as many high-tech features as the X5 Play and doesn’t need a sim card, but it is smarter than the Vtech – with its options for pink, blue and purple rubber straps, you would be forgiven for thinking it has a similar spec at surface-level. What it has that makes it feel more suited to an older audience than the Vtech however, is a 1.54-inch 240x 240pixel touchscreen digital interface, which has the feel of a mini computer screen. The extra strap that comes in the box is also a colour-changing thermal strap that changes from purple to blue. One of the ways that the Xplora X5 Play works is as a gamified device that encourages kids to be more active. Your little ones can send messages via Bluetooth to other Kurio watches or via the Kurio Android app (not available on iOS) plus a front-facing camera lets them take selfies and videos, and add fun filters before sharing.Kids can also use the phone to send messages (including voice memos) and emojis to parents, as well as photos and videos. Because the watch uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular to determine its location, I found the results generally accurate. However, it would report the watch to be nowhere near its actual location from time to time. This is likely attributed to the X5 Play pinging location from the cell tower it was connected to rather than using the GPS. After a refresh, it would usually show the correct location. One of the main reasons for getting a connected smartwatch is for communication. Messaging works as expected on the Xplora X5 Play, although it's a little light on the number of available emoji compared to other smartwatches. The watch can also make calls, but the quality of the calls is not great. It seems as if the sensitivity level of the microphone is cranked all the way up. In terms of the companion app for the parent, it is a bit underwhelming. Location reporting can be incorrect. The inability to create custom rewards for the Xcoin program is disappointing, and not seeing the live step-count on for the watch is frustrating. While these aren't deal-breakers, the software feels like an afterthought for a device that is so well thought out from a hardware perspective.

This SIM card part has to be done first before you pair the watch up with your phone. Once the activation part is done, there's a QR code on the watch that's scanned by your phone to establish the connection between the two. Feel safe and worry-free when you take your children out on trips or excursions, as you can locate your child with the X5 Play, thanks to its GPS feature. You can also create Safe Zones, which will alert you whenever your child leaves or enters the zone. Our seven-year-old tester was instantly attracted to its vivid display that lets you swipe between its built-in features including a camera, speaker and microphone. There are 20 built-in apps including a host of games to keep kids occupied and our tester was particularly taken with the motion detection games such as Ninja Roll and Snake that encourages movement. If paired with another Kurio watch user kids can play games such as noughts and crosses, which seems like a nice interactive touch, as does its ability to send photos, emojis, doodles, texts and voice messages to other Kurio watches via Bluetooth. Alistair Wilson, Director of Devices and Partnerships, EE, said: “Technology offers invaluable benefits for parents, and our research found that over a quarter believe it can help to support their children to be healthy and stay active. The launch of the X5 Play smartwatch on EE, with it’s own phone number, can give parents extra peace of mind with signal coverage in more places and a fast overall connection they can depend on, allowing them to stay in touch with their children as they find new activities they love.” Goplay: With the mentioned pedometer, a new universe opens up for you and the children - namely Xplora's own award-winning activity platform Goplay. The children's steps are converted here into a separate currency - Xplora Coins. By earning Coins through activity, kids can buy cool products in the Goplay Store, they can use them to play fun games in the Xplora Arcade or join exciting auctions! Through campaigns, your children can also help change the world, by converting their steps into humanitarian work - we have already planted new trees and given water to poor children. The next project is about building cities with green energy.We can vouch that it does effectively encourage kids to want to walk more so they can amp up their step count - ours were running around the house to get their step count up, and begging to go on extra walks outside. You can pair the two watches if your child’s best friend also owns a Tobi Robot watch, so they can enjoy the fun of exchanging emojis. They can only share items while they are roughly 50 feet apart because the controlled connection happens via Bluetooth. According to Xplora, children who wear the watch and engage with the Goplay platform walk up to 300% more steps a day than regular users. Does your child just want a smartwatch like yours to play with? Are you hoping to help them be more responsible with a watch they can tell time with and set reminders through? Or are you looking for a safety device that will allow you to communicate directly with your child throughout the day, and pinpoint their location when necessary? Naturally, it was just a matter of time before companies realized this and started making smartwatches specifically for kids.