Big-box retailer Toys 'R' Us designed and rolled out its own tablet for kids. Available starting October 21st for $150, the Tabeo features a 7-inch touchscreen, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, 50 pre-installed apps including the popular "Angry Birds", and access to 7,000 interactive and educational apps at the retailer's own app store. The tablet's conventional, less "kiddified" design suggests that it is oriented for older kids rather than toddlers.
What Else You Need To Know
- Other specs include a 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor processor, front and rear cameras, 4GB of flash memory, microSD support for additional storage, HDMI output to connect the tablet to a TV, and parental control on what apps can be installed and how long they can be used.
- Makers of kid-friendly tablets Kurio 7, Meep and Lexibook have quickly cut prices to $149.99 to meet the Tabeo's price tag. Toys 'R' Us continues to sell child-centric tablets from other brands.
Other sources
In a bid to battle the "showrooming" phenomenon that is hurting big-box retailers, Toys "R" Us Inc. said Monday it will start selling its own proprietary tablet designed for children.- Ann Zimmerman, The Wall Street Journal
This looks very much like an Archos Child Pad with different colors and $20 added to the asking price.- Steve Dent, engadget
- The Wall Street Journal
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Toys 'R' Us Enters the Tablet Wars
Toys "R" Us has struggled with price competition that has contributed to two years of profit declines while its annual sales of roughly $14 billion have remained relatively flat.
- Engadget
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Toys R Us 7-inch Tabeo kids tablet coming in October for $150
According to the Wall Street Journal, the company will announce more details later today, but pictures on the site indicate it will be more conventional in design style and not as "kiddified" as the toy store's previous offering, the Nabi.
- Good E-Reader
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Toys R Us to Launch their own Kid Friendly Tablet named “Tabeo”
Parents will enjoy some measure of control on what they can install via their own tools that are provided.
- Good E-Reader
- Toys “R” Us to Launch Its Own Kid Friendly Tablet Named “Tabeo”
- TN
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Tabeo Tablet for Kids Sold by Toys R Us for $150
Devices like the Tabeo Tablet can be seen as training wheels for kids trying to get into the whole tablet craze.
- Other
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Toys “R” Us unveils 7-inch Tabeo tablet for kids, available starting October 21 for $150
Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, Tiki Golf and Tiki Cart 3D are amongst the tab’s “nearly 20 included games” that will probably make you a very popular parent all of a sudden (of course, if you don’t end up using the gadget more than your children), while apps like AlphaTots, Discovery Kids Putterbugs, Operation Math and TechCalc will make you “uncool” again.
- Mashable
- Toys ‘R’ Us Gets Into the Tablet Race With $150 Tabeo
- Gizmodo
- Even Toys"R"Us Has a Tablet Now
- Other
- Toys R Us to launch its own tablet for children
- Other
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Toys ‘R Us announces $150, Android 4.0-powered ‘Tabeo’ tablet, goes on sale Oct. 21
Focus groups of parents and children prompted the company to include features that allow parents to control what websites their children visit and how much time they spend playing with the tablet.
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