Back in my day, working parents often had no idea where their kids went after school – we either died or we didn’t, and it was fine. So putting aside the ethical dilemmas of placing tracking devices on children for a moment, it’s easy to see why a smartwatch that allows primary school-aged children to safely call home could be a valuable tool.
Without a software update, the TCL MoveTime may overheat.
Unfortunately, the TCL MoveTime Family Watch MT40 ($199) might not be the best option.
Although the initial set up of the watch can be quick once underway, it’s getting to this point that’s the hard part. And two distinct features of the MT40 – the fact it can’t connect to random websites, and that kids can’t remove the sim themselves and lose/break/swallow it – make the set-up process of a pre-paid sim even more complicated.
While most new sims require activation on the device they will be used on, this isn't possible with the MT40, so you’ll need to make sure you activate your sim either in-store or on another device beforehand.
You also need to use a special sim tool to insert and remove the sim safely. But be careful – if you accidentally slip the tool along with the sim into the recess, you'll irreparably damage the tray and render the watch useless. Inserting the sim requires some force too, so you must walk a fine line.
Set up requires connecting the watch to a network so it can call specific relatives/friends who have the app installed on their devices, and have been designated as a trusted person. The watch can only voice or video call people who have been approved by a primary parent/guardian.
Once you’ve set up the watch, you must update the software. You don’t get a notification telling you there’s an update available, you just have to somehow know to go to settings and do it manually. We didn’t check the software status before handing the watch to Ronnie, our five-year-old tester, and the watch overheated on her wrist, causing her pain and making her forever cautious and mistrustful of the device.
Despite the overheating issue, it’s relatively easy to use, and Ronnie eventually enjoyed being able to call her mother whenever she wanted. What’s funny is that the camera on the watch is really zoomed in, so most of the time you will be talking to your child’s nostrils. The video on the watch has a low frame rate, so parents will look like they’re moving in stop motion. They’ll also appear like they have a soapy, Vaseline filter over their skin, visibly reducing the signs of ageing, which might be enjoyed by some!
Parents/guardians can designate which hours the watch can be used, so kids can’t call friends or relatives during class or when they’re supposed to be asleep. And, aside from the original burning sensation, Ronnie liked how soft the watch was, even though she found it a bit chunky on her child-sized wrist.
A screenshot of the app in use shows the poor quality of the imaging.
Ronnie’s parents liked the pedometer feature because it gave them an insight into how much Ronnie runs around every day (a lot), and the tracking feature. However, designating safe spaces in the app was a challenge, because it doesn’t allow you to type in addresses, only drop pins on a map. That’s probably fine for kids who tend not to venture too far, but will be super annoying for divorced parents who live hours apart.
In the end, it’s difficult to recommend the TCL MoveTime Family Watch MT40 simpy because of the lack of prompt to update the software, lest you injure a small child. Once set up the watch is fine, but a device intended for little children should never be released with a bug that makes it overheat, whether a firmware update is available or not.
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