20 October 2015

EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today unveiled the Robin_ _– the World's first 4G connected tablet designed specifically for parents and their children.

Set to launch on the 23rd October, the Robin comes with all the shows and apps kids love including access to compelling content from Hopster TV as well as smart, easy-to-use parental-controls so children can safely explore the internet wherever they are. The Robin also features an especially robust design and superfast 4G connectivity for use on the move or in the home. 

The Robin arrives at a time when mobile tablets are set to be top of many Christmas list this year, with over a third, 36 percent, of parents considering purchasing a tablet for their child according to new research by ICM*.

Pre-loaded Content:

The Robin comes with over 40 pre-loaded games, educational apps and eBooks, including hits such as Fruit Ninja and Berry Rush. New content can easily be downloaded through Google Play, with every new piece of content requiring approval by the parent before children can access.

In addition, children get free and access to Hopster, a unique interactive TV streaming app that blends over a thousand episodes of high-quality kids' shows with educational games based on the EYFS curriculum, all in an ad-free environment. On Hopster, kids can engage with the very best content and enjoy shows such as Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, Thomas & Friends™ and Postman Pat – amongst others.

Online Safety:

Online security and content management is one of the most important consideration for parents when buying internet connected devices that will be used by children. The Robin from EE is equipped with the latest parental controls, so a child's online experience can easily be managed to give parents confidence in the content being viewed. It comes with the flexible Kurio operating system; a child-friendly interface layered over the Android operating system, specifically designed to keep children safer online whilst still giving them the freedom to enjoy their tablet.

The Robin features a variety of controls for parents, allowing them to simply manage everything from web filtering to app management and time control, and provides them with the ability to set-up bespoke user profiles. The web filtering service categorises and updates over 450 million websites daily, and prevents inappropriate content by managing 'safe' and 'block' lists. The app management system empowers parents to decide which apps are appropriate for their kids, enabling them to block whichever they choose. Time control also gives parents the option to limit how much time children can spend using non-educational apps, while keeping educational apps open to use as much as they want to encourage learning.

Design:

The Robin comes with a specially designed child-proof bumper and offers the perfect introductory tablet experience for children. Providing power and versatility, Robin features the Android 5.1 operating system, a quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and 8GB internal memory – with additional storage space (up to 32GB) available via a Micro SD card slot. It boasts a 7-inch display that's perfect for enjoying crisp, clear videos, playing games, or reviewing images captured on the device's 2MP rear-facing camera.

The family-friendly Robin can also be used as a regular Android operated tablet with a simple click of a button. When in this mode, parents have full access to their data, such as emails, contacts and messages, and any content unsuitable for children.

When looking at tablet features for their children, over a quarter of parents said being able to access content from anywhere*, both at home and whilst out and about, is a vital requirement. Being the world's first 4G-enabled children's tablet, Robin users have superfast access to the web, can watch live TV without the excessive buffering times, and play online games on the go on the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network.

Christopher Traggio, Director of Connected Products, EE said: "Parents know their children are using gadgets more than ever before and the Robin from EE allows kids to not only enjoy the tablet experience but benefit with e-learning as well. What's more the Robin is designed so that parents can have peace of mind that their child is protected online wherever they are on the UK's biggest and fastest 4G network."

Pricing & Availability:

The Robin will be available for consumers in select stores from 23rd October, and available nationwide, online and through EE telesales from the 2nd November. The Robin is available on a range of Pay Monthly plans starting from £13 a month. The tablet is available with no upfront cost for existing pay monthly EE customers (one off £29.99 cost if a non-EE pay monthly customer) on a £15 per month 24 month plan, which comes with 10GB of monthly data and 24 months access to Hopster.

The Robin is also available for just £129.99 on pay as you go and comes with Hopster TV free for three months.

Damage cover is available for £4 a month and protects against cracks, smashes and spills with a next day replacement service.