UK MNer with a child aged 7-11? Testers needed to try out new smartphone for kids - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[EllieMumsnet]

We have been asked by Monqi, to find 20 MNers with a child aged 7-11 who hasn’t owned a mobile phone before, to test out their new smart phone, specifically developed for children. All parents also need to have their own smartphone, - to manage what their child does on their phone.

Monqi is a brand new mobile phone for kids which will launch on October 1st.

Here’s what Monqi had to say: “When should I buy my child a mobile phone? How do I keep them safe online? What about the costs? And what games are appropriate? Monqi is the revolutionary new mobile for kids which addresses parental concerns while giving children a phone they want. Monqi, Stay Close.”

If selected to take part, your child will get an Android smartphone with games, messaging, internet and Apps.

You will be sent the smartphone along with an active SIM card that includes the following - valid for one month from activation: 150 mins calls, 5000 texts and 1GB data. (note: if there is any “suspect” use eg international Calls, Premium Rate Calls etc, the SIM may get barred).

If selected, you and your child will need to test out the smartphone for 2 weeks making use of all of its features. Testers will have help and support from the mobile network during this time if needed.

Once the trial is over the SIM will be cancelled, but you will be able to keep the smartphone.

Selected testers will be required to leave feedback on a thread as well as completing a short survey. All who give the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list). This test will take place in September so please only apply if you’re around during this month and are able to give feedback then.

If you’d like to take part, please add your details here
We will be in touch with those selected.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

The instructions aren't brilliant but they do reply to emails quickly! Yes the parent app you set up with your details. Once phone is fully charged you connect it to wifi and it updates the software, then you set up the child and the QR code appears at that point to bond the two phones.

Came today. Seems to be stuck on the software update.

Finally set up. Are we missing something obvious with regards to contacts?
He's adding them, I'm okaying them. But they are not in alphabetical order. There's no way to search either. He's got to scroll down a long list of numbers.
Apps are also disappearing from the screen.
Hopefully these are just initial teething issues.

Thanks Outnumbered we were looking in the box for ages lol.

Ours has arrive too! We've been out all day and ds is desperate to set it up...but we've got to nip out again first .

We had a quick look and a bit closer fused about how to open the phone to put the battery in. Also is the SIM card already inside?

Thank you!

Argh!!
We're a bit confused not closer fused!

On the bottom of the back there's a hole type thing. Get your nail under tht and pull. Don't pull too hard I don't know about the others but it felt like the back would snap. You have to add the sim in the correct slot and then the battery - both are in the box

Yes, the back felt flimsy to me too.

Here is my first frustration - great that it came with a case and a screen protector already on it. However, the first thing I do to any new device me or the older boys get, is buy a really protective case like Otterbox, Griffin Survivor, etc. I have checked - there is nothing available for this phone. Given that it is aimed at young children, I do really feel like it needs a rugged case - I am terrified of my 9 year old dropping it.

We got ours all set up and working perfectly then the app has logged me out and now won't let me log back in! I'm hoping it's a temporary problem or it'll be the shortest test period in history!

So my 16 year old has been working with it to get it set up etc. One thing he and I can't understand is why we are not able to have access to all the apps available on other android phones. The Monqi system has a built in safety device that the parent has to approve any app downloaded so they would not be able to access anything we did not approve anyway. My 16 year old can see apps preinstalled that have been hidden such as play music. And some odd ones that you would expect to be available through the jungle app store that are not - such as duolinguo which is an educational app!

My 9 year old is really disappointed that he can't get Chess With Friends so he can play chess with his grandad. Why is this stuff blocked?

So first impressions, I really love the fact that anything he tries to downloaded is alerted to me first for approval, but hate how much is blocked from us using at all.

Has anyone managed to find the settings for ring tones etc?

Or how to change the picture on any of the contacts? So far he's having to delete and re-add with a picture. Which then I have to authorize.

To change the photo, you have to do it through the parent app.

Go to the home screen and swipe from the left and one option there is for ring tone.

This is all from my 16 year old by the way - I haven't got a clue!

Actually it says "audio" rather than ringtone

He says all the settings that are accessible are on swipe left from the lock screen. If it is not there or on the parent's app, it may not be an option.

The more we test it tonight, the more limited we are finding it! I think if I didn't have two teens with smart phones already, I would think it was great. But there is so much not available on it.

Yea found the picture on the parent app. Tales away something from the child though. They can be silly and spontaneous at times as we know, think this set up takes something away.

I don't always complain 😂. I just seem to be complaining a lot about this phone.

Will have to try the swipe left later, I remember seeing it but not what's there. He's gone out and we are checking the location stuff.

So, another glitch. POKEMON Go is one of the free apps you can download from the jungle store. Yay! My 9 year old is thrilled. But....you need to log in with a google account or a pokemon go account.

When we try to log in with my son's google account, it asks us to update the app and takes us to the google play store - which you are not supposed to have access to from the Monqi system. Therefore, when you try to update from there, it glitches and won't let you.

When we try to sign in with the Pokemon account, it gives an error saying "unable to authenticate". This was an error message common with an older version of Pokemon Go which meant people couldn't get into it. So, they appear to have allowed only an older version on this phone. Which basically means there is no way for us to access it.

Major glitch considering the age this phone is marketed at.

I don't consider this complaining - I thought the whole point was to test the phone. We are, and finding lots of problems with it. The concept is really great but not so sure about the execution. We will see as the month goes on.

Would be great, Mumsnet, if the Monqi people could come on here and answer some of these issues?

That's really bad about Pokémon. We downloaded it, but haven't tried to sign in yet. Downloaded and using WhatsApp without a problem - well until he closes the app and it disappears off the screen.

Really hope these are just earlier glitches and they are going to do a system update.

That's really interesting - I had assumed it was a standard OS with their parental bit on top - ie that in theory it could have the full functionality of android phone, but that it could be fully be customised by the parent.

It sounds like it has very limited functionality which is disappointing.

Ours arrived too. DS1 is thrilled :) but like others, it's a little frustrating that there are lots of apps not available or usable.

I can't find the option for a lock screen code either, has anyone found it?

I've got a glitch with the app and their online help desk chat person is being very helpful.

Also DS1 wants to know where the emojis are!