Baby’s First Tablet

 

Parents are reluctant to turn over their expensive iPads to curious babies and toddlers and for good reason. Into mouths or onto the floor are two places where iPads don’t belong. But a tech-savvy mom, who also happens to be an optic networking pioneer, has introduced the Vinci Tab, the first touchscreen tablet designed for babies and toddlers.

Dan Yang noticed her daughter preferred mom’s smartphone over any of her own baby toys. While she wanted to encourage her daughter’s budding interest in technology, Yang was concerned about safety and she worried that her daughter would develop a bad habit of flipping through apps without any real focus. So she designed a tablet aimed at toddlers.

The Vinci Tab has a patented protective soft-cornered handle made from non-toxic medical grade material. It’s also lightweight and sturdy.

Yang eliminated Wi-Fi, substituting learning-based content for open access to the Internet. Vinci runs on Android 2.3 with a Cortex A8 processor. It has a fully capacitive 7-inch touchscreen designed for unskilled fingers and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera.

However, the Vinci Tab has a very grown-up price. $389 for a Vinci with 4MB of internal storage and 3-hour battery life or $479 for 8MB of storage and double the battery life. Available for preorder on Amazon.com and is expected to ship Aug. 10.

• 11 Facts Every Parent Should Know About Their Baby’s Brain
• Baby-Friendly Keyboard Offers Alternative to Toddler TV
• New App Lets You Turn Your iPhone into a Baby Monitor