Ematic’s FunTab line is a series of tablets made specifically for young children, in both a hardware and software sense. The FunTab Mini 2 is just one of the latest devices in that tradition.
The FunTab line tends to try to shed the kids’ tablet stigma of a lack of functionality. The Mini 2, like most other FunTabs, runs Android (in this case, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) on a 1.2 GHz processor. Mini means that the touchscreen is smartphone-sized at 4.3”, but the device seems tablet-sized because of the huge rubber grips, made to be comfortable for kids’ hands. The Mini 2 also has 4 GB of on-board storage, a MicroSD card slot for up to 32 GB more storage, and rear-facing and front-facing cameras. There’s also Wi-Fi compatibility.
Things like Android and Wi-Fi seem to fly in the face of being a kids’ device, but Ematic has parents covered. Kind of like how Samsung has TouchWiz and HTC has Sense, Ematic has its own overlay of sorts for Android – Zoodles Kid Mode. Zoodles manages all online content, keeping it age-appropriate for your children, while allowing parents to make adjustments as they see fit. Parents can also monitor and review all of their kids’ online activity. Also, there’s an app store specifically for the tablet, which Ematic updates with hundreds of apps every day.
On the software side, kids can leave video mail messages using the front-facing camera, and they will have access to many high-profile games (Angry Birds, Cut the Rope) and educational and artistic apps right out of the box.
The FunTab Mini 2 offers the portability of a smartphone-sized device in a kid-friendly way, without being overly restrictive. Kids still have a lot of room to explore and be creative, and parents can rest assured that they’ll be able to make sure their kids stay safe online. Best of all, it’s very affordable – the FunTab Mini 2 is selling for $70 on TigerDirect and Amazon.
