Famigo Launches Sandbox App; Turns Android Phones Into Kid Friendly Devices

Austin-based Famigo, a company focused on making mobile technology work for families, launched its newest product today: the Famigo Sandbox app, free for Android platforms.  Famigo Sandbox resolves concerns parents might have about passing their mobile device to their children. The app turns Android Phones into kid friendly devices. The with the press of a button the phone is partitioned, creating a “sandbox” that automatically separates meaningful and relevant children’s content from the rest of the smartphone’s capabilities, leaving the child free to select from their favorite content and activities.  Video walk-through on YouTube.  Full press release after the jump.

Free Android App Creates a Safe Sandbox For Kids To Access Child-Friendly Mobile Content

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Famigo, the only company focused on making mobile technology work for families, launches its newest product today: the Famigo Sandbox app, free for Android platforms.  Famigo Sandbox resolves concerns parents might have about passing their mobile device to their children.

The abundance of smart phones and tablets has ushered in a phenomenon known as the “pass back.” Whether in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, on a plane, or in line at the DMV, parents pass their smartphones to children to entertain, educate and keep kids engaged during down time.  This common occurrence is not without risk as smart phones now function as “Command Central” for busy parents.  Simply by hitting the wrong button, a child can accidentally call a contact, send a text or email to the boss, or access content via the web or app store.

With Famigo Sandbox, mobile devices are suddenly family-friendly.  Simply download and install Famigo Sandbox and with the press of a button the phone is partitioned, creating a “sandbox” that automatically separates meaningful and relevant children’s content from the rest of the smartphone’s capabilities, leaving the child free to select from their favorite content and activities.

“Let’s face it:  Kids love mobile media.  That’s not a bad thing; mobile devices empower parents to facilitate anywhere, anytime learning. With Famigo Sandbox, parents can unlock the benefits of mobile media without risk,” said Q Beck of Famigo.  ”Famigo Sandbox is a free application that goes beyond providing parental controls.  It solves the common issue of app discovery:  How do I find the best content for my children to ensure that they are getting the most out of their mobile experience?”

How does Famigo Sandbox work?

Famigo Sandbox is integrated with Famigo‘s family-focused navigation and discovery tool, Famigo Family App Review, which sorts, categorizes and reviews family-friendly Android apps, updating content daily and providing a mobile content discovery tool for parents.  When Sandbox is first loaded, it automatically searches the phone and compares loaded apps against a database of more than 30,000 kid-friendly apps, identifying relevant children’s content for inclusion.  Parents have the option to further tailor that list, designating which apps their children can access, and effectively limiting their children’s exposure to those pre-selected apps.  Parents can track their children’s use through weekly reports that detail how much time kids logged and which apps were used.  A lockdown feature ensures that the phone is secure:  Once Famigo Sandbox is opened, children can’t make calls, access the internet, navigate app stores, click on ads, make purchases or send texts and emails.  And, children are unable to exit the Famigo Sandbox App without the assistance of a parent.

For a video walk-through, click here http://youtu.be/OlAHV_igovc

For animated description, click here http://youtu.be/eOutJT2-DaY

About Famigo:

Famigo has one goal:  Making mobile work for families.  The joint mission of a former Nickelodeon exec, a neuroscientist and a software maestro, Famigo was founded in 2009 and incubated within Capital Factory, an Austin startup accelerator. Famigo can be found on the web at www.famigo.com, and on Twitter @Famigo.