Amazon Glow: Interactive Video Calling for Kids | Amazon

Introducing Amazon Glow: A New Way for Families to Connect

Amazon has unveiled Amazon Glow, a novel interactive device designed to enhance family connections. It enables children to engage with relatives and loved ones remotely through video calls.

While sharing similarities with Facebook’s Portal devices, which also focus on familial video communication, Amazon Glow distinguishes itself by offering a more immersive experience than a standard connected screen.

Interactive Projection and Gameplay

The device utilizes technology to project an interactive space, creating a surface for shared virtual activities. These include games, art projects, puzzles, and more, fostering a sense of in-person interaction.

Amazon Glow integrates immersive projection, sensing technologies, and video capabilities into a single unit. Its 8-inch display is positioned vertically, and a projector generates a 19-inch touch-sensitive area for collaborative play with remote family members using their own tablets.

Gameplay occurs on a dedicated mat, included with the device.

Activities and Features

Children and their loved ones can enjoy games such as Chess, Checkers, Go Fish, and Memory Match. A library of thousands of children’s books is available for shared reading experiences, and creative tools like digital pencils, crayons, and brushes are provided.

The device can also blend physical and digital elements. For instance, it can scan a child’s favorite toy and transform it into a custom jigsaw puzzle, projected onto the surface. Alternatively, a drawing created on paper can be scanned and digitally enhanced with family participation.

Glow Bits, physical objects designed for use with the device, are also included. The initial kit features a Tangram puzzle game, where children manipulate physical pieces while remote family members interact with digital shapes on their tablets.

Content and Entertainment

At launch, Amazon Glow will offer activities featuring popular characters from children’s entertainment. This includes Anna and Elsa from “Frozen,” Woody and Buzz from “Toy Story,” Barbie and Hot Wheels from Mattel, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer from Nickelodeon, and Elmo and Zoe from “Sesame Street.”

The device is primarily intended for families seeking to maintain closer relationships with distant relatives. It can be particularly beneficial for families with traveling parents or grandparents living far away.

Safety and Privacy

Parental controls are a key feature of Amazon Glow. A parent or guardian must first configure the device, granting consent and pre-approving contacts for the child to call.

The device also includes a physical privacy shutter to disable the camera and microphone at any time. Importantly, Amazon Glow is not an Alexa device, meaning no voice or video recordings are collected.

Furthermore, it does not track location data or save drawings created during use.

Amazon will retain profile preferences and activity history to personalize activity suggestions and content within the included Amazon Kids+ subscription.

Pricing and Availability

The retail price of Amazon Glow will be $299.99, but it is launching with a promotional price of $249.99. The package includes the mat, a protective case, the Tangram Bits puzzle game, and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Amazon Kids+ provides unlimited access to a vast library of kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, games, and Alexa skills.

Currently, Amazon Glow is not widely available. Interested customers can request an invitation to the early access program at www.amazon.com/glow.

Initial shipments will be sent to U.S. customers in the coming weeks.

Developers can apply for access to the SDK, which will be released in the first half of 2022.