LG KizON: Tethers Aren’t Just For Criminals Beth Snyder July 21, 2014 Don’t you hate it when you lose your kids? That sounds like the opening line to a joke, but it really isn’t. As I said when I took a look at Findster a couple of weeks ago, it can happen in the blink of an eye. Locally we just had a case last week where a toddler got out of his house while everyone was sleeping, and was found two blocks from home at a little after 2:00 in the morning. Now, I’m certainly not saying every time a child is lost the parents aren’t to blame, but kids are sneaky. And fast. The LG KizON wants to give parents some peace of mind, and at the same time, they apparently don’t care if they creep out people like me. What they’ve done is combine aspects of a child’s cell phone with those of an electronic tracking ankle bracelet worn by criminals on house arrest. This gives parents the option of letting their kids have the impression they are being left alone while remaining unaware their every move is being tracked by their parents. It works pretty much like every other GPS tracker, pinpointing the bracelet’s location through its Android app, letting you know where your child is even when you’re not right there to watch. But the KizON also has cell phone function, which means you can call it from your phone and talk to your child. I can actually see myself having a great deal of fun with that one, since they wouldn’t know when to expect my voice emanating from their wrist, telling them to stay the heck out of the cookie jar. The child has a mere 10 seconds to pick up the call before it automatically connects, allowing you to listen in on whatever they’re doing whether you choose to talk to them or not. In addition, KizON will also allow you to pre-program a single number, which your child can call with the touch of a button in case of trouble. I’m unclear as to how much KizON will cost; it’s been released in South Korea already and is slated to hit North America and Europe some time this fall. The thing is, I get wanting the peace of mind of knowing where your child is at all times. My concern is this thing is glaringly obvious, which means it’s only good for keeping track of your child if they’re somewhere of their own free will. Odds are really good if a kidnapper grabs your child, this bulky bracelet is one of the first things they’re going to get rid of. That, and the creepy listening in no matter where they are or what they’re doing thing. I can see that being handy for young kids, but once they reach school age, it just seems a little wrong to be listening to everything they or anyone around them says or does. A little trust goes a long way in relationships. Source: Consumerist Share This With The World!