Making kids active is by far one of the hardest tasks for a parent. The VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX2 we are talking about can make it somewhat easier for you. Here is how.
Everybody is obsessed with technology. Kids are not excluded from it. Since they grow up seeing their parents use a handful of devices, they will end up demanding one to play with soon. There is no easy way to say no to that.
Sure, you can give him a smartphone. But that would be the biggest mistake you will make as a parent. A smartwatch can lead to sleep deprivation, obesity, undeveloped social skills, impaired brain, and more. (Source: Lifehack)
Here is what you can do instead. Give him a smartwatch. There are some smartwatches for kids that have functionalities to improve their overall health. The watch we are reviewing today is one of them.
So let’s get to the main review and talk about how it is helpful.
1. Design
KidiZoom DX2 uses a silicone-type material on the band. We are not quite sure if it is silicone or plastic, but we do have the feeling that it could break after some time.
The display is a 1.44-inch color touchscreen and the body housing the hardware is made of plastic. There is no active waterproofing in this device. It is splash-proof to some extent since all ports have secure rubber covers. Nevertheless, direct immersion in water still not advisable.
The construction of this watch is simple. One on the left-hand side, you have the home button. The micro-USB port and a camera shutter button are on the right side. There are a front-facing selfie camera and a secondary camera (on the top side) for taking photos of things in front. The master power switch is located at the back for turning it on and off centrally.
What we liked the most about this watch is the color. It is very catchy and attractive for kids. On top of that, it is available in different colors like blue, purple, black, pink, and camouflage. The special edition skateboard swoosh and floral birds each come with a spare wristband without any increase in the price.
2. Features
Camera and video
Kidizoom Smartwatch DX2 has two cameras. One for taking selfies and the other one is for doing photography. The camera shutter button on the right also opens up the camera app right away.
The photo resolution is 640 x 480 pixels and the videos can have either 320 x 240 pixels or 160 x 120 pixels. The length of videos is capped at 60 seconds considering the small internal memory it has (256 MB).
Automatic screen off
One of the concerns for a kids’ device is that they really don’t know how to save battery or when to turn something off.
To solve this problem, this watch has an automatic screen off feature. For example, when the watch is idle for 1 minute, it will go back to clock mode. Also when the camera is on for 3 minutes and there is no activity, it will exit automatically.
Noodle booster
This is one of the interesting aspects of this watch. It comes with three logic based games which are both fun and educational.
They have one called Balloon Numbers where you have to tap balloons with numbers in an ascending or descending order.
The second one on the list is Odd One Out where you have to find out an odd image based on shapes, configuration, and color.
And the final one is Treasure Hunt where you will be guided back and forth through arrows to reach a treasure. All games here are time-boxed and you can try to beat your own personal records.
Pedometer
There is a basic pedometer in this device that counts movements. It is not always-on, so you have to open the pedometer app first and keep it running. Entering another app will stop the pedometer.
Basically, It is able to record the number of steps and the amount of time spent. But there is also a catch. This pedometer is only meant for fun and the data can be far off from a commercial-grade pedometer.
Action challenges
Children expect compelling reasons to run or do any kind of activity. It is not as easy as just telling them to go do that.
The action challenges in this device do a great job. There are three games in it that will challenge them to move.
One of them is called Racing Run which is a timer-based running app where a cartoon on the screen will run if you run yourself. There are also Crazy Dance and Funky Jump where the cartoon will follow you if you dance or jump.
Face studio
The face studio in this watch is very fascinating for kids. There are two apps called Silly Yourself and Monster Yourself which basically turn your selfies into funny characters.
To give it more of a smartwatch feel, you can create custom clock faces from your own photos. You can take photos with your side or front camera, and set it as the clock face.
Time and date
There is a set of timing tools in this watch which includes an Alarm, Timer, Stopwatch, Clock, and a Calendar. The purpose of those tools is to teach them some of the building blocks.
They also made some of the learning materials interactive. For example, if you tap on the clock or the owl, it will say the time. Time-telling is available for both analog and digital watch faces.
Learning lodge
Learning does not stop with the built-in features it has. VTech has a download center called Learning Lodge where you can find more apps, games, and clock faces.
Downloading and installing these contents could have been a little easier. Right now to do that, you have to install the Learning Lodge app on your computer and transfer contents from your computer to the watch.
3. Performance
This watch is not the best we have seen in terms of longevity. The wristband is prone to breaking. What is even more disappointing is that you cannot purchase replacement bands.
But here is a small trick. The special edition skateboard swoosh and floral birds come with a bonus wristband in the package. The price is more or less the same but you are getting an extra band as a backup.
Other than that, we could not find anything wrong with this device. The features work as described and the camera is decent enough for a kid.
We found the battery life to be very good. On a typical use, it would last about 2-3 days. If you reduce the usage, you can make it last up to 2 weeks. On the contrary, very heavy usage of the camera can pull it down to 1 single day.
This watch can be connected to a computer or a mac to transfer files. The process is simple like any other device. Connect it to a computer using the micro-USB cable provided and you will see the watch as a removable drive.
4. Value for Money
VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX2 is a good value for the money in our opinion. It is not the cheapest but the feature-set is nicely optimized for kids aged 4 to 12. The only questionable part is its durability. We expect kids watches to be more sturdy.
One important note though. When you are buying this, make sure you are NOT buying the one with frustration-free packaging. Although this sounds interesting at first, it is a brown unattractive cardboard package. Get the one with standard packaging which has the original transparent box.
You might be curious to know how it compares to the first generation of KidiZoom Smartwatch DX. In short, the newer version has two cameras instead of one and there is also a new motion sensor in it. So you are far better off with the newer one (second generation).
The lack of GPS tracking could throw you off a little bit. If that is what you actually need, you may look into something else like Verizon Gizmowatch which comes with real-time location feed.
Keeping those products aside, if you are serious about getting something good for your kid, Bauisan Kids Smartwatch is our top favorite which supports a 2G nano sim card for two-way calling.
If you do not want to bother with sim connectivity just yet, you can opt for a band like Fitbit Ace 2 which is a pure fitness tracker for kids. You can rest assured that Fitbit will offer you the best in terms of durability.
