Do you have a child aged 3 – 9 and live in the UK? If so, sign up for your chance to try LG’s latest communication device that is designed with families in mind – introducing the LG KizON. NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

LG is delighted to invite 25 Mumsnetters to try out the new LG KizON with their DCs.

Here’s what LG say, “We would be delighted to have you test our latest wearable device, the LG KizON, designed for children and made for parents. The LG KizON is a wearable designed exclusively for pre-school and primary school children that gives you a simple and convenient way to communicate with your youngsters.

The LG KizON has been designed specifically for children to wear on their wrists to be used as a direct communication device with their parents and guardians. Sharing information and call access with a limited number of adults - approved by you - the LG KizON offers ease of mind by delivering real-time information of a wearer’s location and giving your children the ability to securely communicate with you via just a press of a button.

With its GPS capability, durable child-friendly design, easy-to-use functionality and a long lasting battery, the LG KizON offers an unobtrusive and secure way for your family to check in on your child’s location, call them back home for dinner or even just call to say hello, giving you peace of mind and giving them greater freedom and independence while they play.

This product test is open to all UK Mumsnetters with at least one child age 3-9 and has an Android phone with the software Jellybean 4.1 or above. Everyone who is selected to take part will receive a free LG KizON, supplied with phone credit to last the duration of the three and a half week trial period lasting 25th March – 13th April . To get started, testers will just need to download the LG KizON app from the Google Play Store in order to register themselves with their child’s device.

Upon receiving the device, testers will be provided with clear set up instructions, a guide on how to get the most from the product and have access to product experts should they have any further questions. Testers will be required to post their feedback via the trial survey by 10th April and then directly on a Mumsnet feedback thread by 13th April. Testers will be welcome to keep their LG KizON as a thank you for taking the time to share their invaluable feedback.

If you’re interested in trying the latest in children’s technology with the LG KizON, please sign up here. Entrants must apply by 5pm Tuesday 24th March and testers will be contacted on Wednesday 25th March.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Ah thanks HappySunflower, I was only looking at the sim. I did not think to check the box. Thank you :)

I would also like to know how we access the product experts mentioned at the start of the thread?

When I used the contact us live chat option I was put through to someone who had never even heard of the product!

I'd also like to know call/tracking costs and info about how to top up credit.

Ive looked through all the literature we got with it and cant find anything regarding the charges/cost of running these things. How are we meant to know how much credit is on them???

I share your frustration, MummyB
I've tried both a phone call and an online chat with LG customer services. My advice to anyone considering doing the same is to not waste your time as these things are so new that they don't even have a clue what a KizOn is!
I was told they would need to consult with theirhead office when they are back on Tueday.

Bit of a pain during a weekend when we are out and about a lot so have an ideal time to use it.

Not very well organised by the manufacturer then. Its ideal time for using it. It says it lets you know when the battery is getting low but I think its equally essential it lets us know when credit is running low in case our dc need to get hold of us!. I think its very odd how Mumsnet said theres enough credit on them to last the test period but that has been the only mention of credit. Very odd how theres no mention of topping up and/or charges on the instructions.

Yes I have looked all over for instructions on how to top up the credit today and can find none. The only other option I can imagine is to try and take out the sim and see if I can get it to work in my phone. Then find the O2 numbers for credit checking and top up. That seems a little bit of a faff though, I'd like to think that's not how it's done normally. The logical option is via the app, but I can't find anywhere on there involving credit.

Is anyone else's sim card in the kizon going to voicemail if the child doesn't answer your call? I've selected the setting so the device should pickup automatically after 10s, but before then the o2 voicemail answers the call.

I would expect there's a charge for each text message sent to the guardian's phone saying the kizon had been switched on or off , so it'll be whatever o2 payg text charges are each time the device is switched on our off . If so, it'd be useful to have a setting on the app to switch text messaging off . You can avoid the text charge to find the battery level by quickly double tapping the device to hear a spoken battery level.

Ours arrived today, just in time before we headed for an afternoon out! I downloaded the app yesterday and got it all connected up without any problems.

I'm making note of feedback for the appropriate thread, but I have two more pressing queries in the meantime. First is same as everyone else - how do we know how much credit is on there and how much remains? I ask because DD1 has been a bit overexcited today and called me loads of times, which has involved lots of her chattering to my voicemail.

Secondly, I haven't yet set up the secondary contact. DD1 is due to be staying with her Grandparents for the second week of the trial - since the dates were pushed back. Her Grandad has an android phone and it would be useful to set him up with tracking ability.

However, if I register DH as the secondary contact I'm not sure how to deactivate him in order to set Grandad up the following week. Is that even possible?

My DD called me (from her bedroom!) this afternoon and I think I heard the KizOn say 'free call' so I'm wondering what that's all about as well....

Hopefully further information will be forthcoming soon

Anyone discovered any info on the credit on these or what they cost to use?

We have £20 credit on the SIM card.
Calls cost 25p yet when you make one the KizOn says 'free call' so my daughter insistent that she can keep using it. Not helpful!
Every text costs 12p.
I can't work out how to switch off the texts and the helpline couldn't help either.
Tried tracking my child today and it said she was 300 yards in the opposite direction.

That's a good start, thanks Happy . We could still do with more info though. Like, can it be possible to turn off all the texts that would be draining the credit? Every time it's turned off for example both dh and I get a text, it's not worth 24p. How do we find out the current balance? Could we swap for a sim from the same network as ours to make the costs cheaper? How would you top it up once the credit has gone? The sim doesn't fit in our phones so we couldn't do anything that way.

Despite all the credit issues, the device itself has been great. We have taken it with us on our easter holiday and dd has loved that she is allowed to play out on the site. Normally she would only be allowed within sight of us but now she has a whole section of the camp to explore. She's really appriciating that tiny bit of extra freedom.

Obviously I meant more info from the manufacturer Happy I'm not asking you to mount an info grabbing exercise on my behalf. I've just read that back and I sound like I'm pumping you for answers there!

Trying this out more formally tomorrow. Thanks Happy for the info re credit and costs. I am not sure how to turn the texts off either, what a waste of credit.

My DD does like it though (age 5). Far too big in terms of wrist size for my DD (age 3 1/2) though. It's supposed to be 3-9 years but it would for DD3.

Me too

Thanks HappySunflower I think this product is a fab idea but it definitely needs tweaking.

We got ours yesterday & have been trying it out with 6-year old DS1. I echo other people's thoughts about the numerous texts it sends you for switching on/off etc perhaps not being the best use of credit. Also found it disconcerting that the location is not entirely accurate - it had Ds about 5 houses down the street from where he was- but at least if gives you a rough idea, I guess.

We haven't yet been able to work out how to allow DS to call DH from it (guardian 2). Does anybody know how to do that?

Other thoughts I had were that the blue design is good for ds at his age, but may be a little babyish for a 9-year old? Also, I'd like it to show the time, so we could say to DS that he needs to be back at a certain time & he could know what time it is.

All in all, though, a fab product & a great idea & we are very pleased & excited to have been chosen - thanks LG & Mumsnet

I don't think that the child can call guardian two can they?

I agree re the location being about 3/4 houses out. I figure it's a rough estimate but it is not 100% accurate at a close distance.

It is liked so far though and I really like the fact that DD can call me if a little lost in a large playground etc.

The device seems to only call Parent 1, but if they don't answer will call Parent 2 but only if Parent 1's voicemail doesn't kick in. I think!

We've had mixed experiemces with tracking. First time my daughter was in our garden and it said that she was a significant distance away in a shop a five minute walk away! The second time it pinpointed her exact location in the park we were in. Signal strength was fine in both areas both times.

I collected ours from the post office on Tuesday. Took it to a soft-play meet-up with several of DS's classmates, the other parents there thought it was a great idea, but the place itself was too echoey and noisy to use it as DS couldn't hear it ring or hear my voice. The next place we went to suffered because my phone reception was patchy. We'll persevere, but I'm not hugely taken with it so far.

First thoughts, just on its appearance: very big - wider than DS (6)'s slender wrist so cumbersome to wear and likely to get knocked.
The pink-or-blue pastel colour scheme is unimaginative and unappealing, and I agree with a PP that the little trucks pattern is babyish for a school-age child.
I also agree with another PP that having a digital time display would be a welcome addition.
As far as function, DS likes the idea of it but is still getting to grips with how to make calls and how to talk to me when I call him. I need to spend some time with the app to see if I can change e.g. the ringtone (which he doesn't always seem to hear) and explore the location thing.

A further thought on design - DS calls it a "communicator" and likes the idea of talking into his wrist like a spy or a superhero or like the characters in Project X books (popular OUP reading scheme). If LG want to take our feedback about the age range / design mismatch further, that would seem like an obvious area to explore?

To check balance, the only way at present is to transfer your SIM to your mobile and text "BALANCE" to 20202 if you have O2 sim card.

Also, the device allows up to 4 contacts apart from the caretakers which we can add or remove through the KizON App settings. The first priority is given to the primary caretaker and only when he/she does not accept the call, the call gets forwarded to the second caretaker. One interesting feature is that any caretakers/ contacts who is registered with the Kid's KizON can make a call to the kid.

Hope this helps:)

Well, so far the easter holidays has provided a good few opportunities to test this out - it works pretty well, but as others have suggested there could be a few tweaks.
DS (6) loves it and has shown it off quite a bit. We were at a busy zoo park and I walked away and called him which drew puzzled and envious looks from the kids around him. He also took the opportunity to give me a call when I took some time out to go to the shops
The tracking doesn't seem accurate enough to be of much use, but it gives an idea I guess.
There needs to be an easy way to check the credit, and adding a clock would be a great idea. The cars and trucks design is way too toddler-y for any kid past 3 years old, just a plain colour would be better.
But I like it and so have the other parents I've shown it to.

It doesn't seem you can switch off the text notifications, which is very annoying and drains credit - or has anyone worked out how?

I'm working - just got a nice call from DS in the back of his grandmother's car, updating me on what he had for lunch and where they're off to now

I have been trying this out a little more today too. I agree re the tracking, it is not totally accurate. We also had a problem today as Longleat has appalling mobile service. Obviously it did not enable us to call or DD to call us as it went straight to ansaphone. That's just unfortunate.

I do like it as does DD. The text service is bugging me too in terms of not being able to switch off the alerts. If it is costing 25p a shot that is crazy! There does also need to be a way of checking the amount on the sim. I know it should alert when low but how low? I would prefer to be able to put into a phone or something. Would that work? I am not O2 personally though.

The idea is fab and my nephew felt like Ben 10 when he tried it in our garden.