Kajeet interface serves as training wheels for young cell-phone users
How old is old enough for a child to have their own mobile phone? Ten? Twelve? Sixteen? Younger? Older?
While parents across the globe grapple with this question, the answer may be a little easier thanks to a new phone designed for kids and controlled by parents. Kajeet (www.kajeet.com) gives parents a Web interface to decide what numbers their child's phone can receive calls from or call, who pays for certain calls and the ability to recharge the pay-as-you-go service.
There are no contracts, no fees for activation, early termination or long-distance, and no roaming charges. The phones are available at many major retailers, and range from about $50 to $99. The Kajeet site has a ZIP code search for store locations in your area.
Depending on the model, you'll find the features anyone would want on their mobile phones. There's text and picture messaging, games, mobile instant messaging, customizable ring tones and wallpaper, and Web applications like Google Maps.
The key to parental comfort lies in the Web interface used to fine-tune the features on a child's phone. If a parent has more than one child, each phone can be customized uniquely.
The Kajeet Configurator lets a parent turn off selected phone features depending on the time of day. For example, the outbound voice calls can be turned off during school hours or overnight.
Kajeet uses the Sprint PCS network, so coverage mirrors that service. However, the rate structure and who pays for what are unique to Kajeet.
Voice calls are always 10 cents per minute, as are text messages, whether they are inbound or outbound. Text messaging volume discounts are $4.99 for 200 per month or $19.99 for unlimited texting. Picture messages are 25 cents each.
A parent loads money into his or her child's Kajeet Wallet, and the dimes tick out with every minute or message. There is also a 32-cent daily access fee, regardless of usage.
However, a parent can designate the charges for inbound calls they make to their child will come from the parent's Kajeet account instead of the child's. This means a monthly allowance can be loaded into the card, and the child can spend the money as they like -- voice calls, text messages or picture messages.
Users can also store features on their phones using the Kajeet Navigator feature. The Web site gives detailed instructions for turning features on or off.
Back to my original question. When did you get your child a phone? (If you did.) Share your story with me, along with any circumstances that may have helped you with your decision.
Send an e-mail with "kid phones" as the subject and I'll share the best tales in a future column.
Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.
TIP OF THE WEEK ZeeMoteIt's a remote control for games on your mobile phone. ZeeMote features a full analog thumb-play joystick and four action buttons. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth. The device currently supports 40 games, with more on the way, thanks to the developer world working on additional titles. It will sell for between $25 and $50, depending on the bundle of games with the handset. It's not available yet, but games can sign up for an e-mail alert when it's ready for prime time.
