Even if your child isn’t old enough to have his own smartphone, chances are he’s using yours for games, music, videos, and more. Would you like to have your smartphone back, while still giving your child a chance to engage in the dynamic world of digital education and entertainment? Enter the brand new, exciting MG.
MG is a handheld Android gaming device with nearly all the features your child is already familiar with from your smartphone, minus any voice service or data plan.
The MG features:
- built-in WiFi
- 4-inch touchscreen
- front facing camera for pictures and video
- headphone jack
- 4G internal memory, expandable with built-in Micro SD slot
- slim pocket design
As an Android device it connects to Google Play, home to thousands upon thousands of apps, many of them free. The MG features a Family Collaboration System, in which you can set up a secure digital wallet to allow your child to purchase paid apps. The Family Collaboration System also includes a weekly email with information on your child’s app purchases, which apps they have been playing, and details on the MG’s average daily use. Makers of the MG call this “Remote Trust” and encourage families to discuss how the MG will be used, offering the Family Collaboration System as a way for parents to “trust but verify.”
My 5 year old son knows the ins and outs of my smartphone probably better than I do. He plays on it all the time, and I can’t tell you how many calls and texts I’ve missed because he’s been cozy in a corner, in the middle of a game or video on my phone. He was the perfect candidate to test out the MG for our family. I have to say: he.loves.it.
We immediately downloaded all of his favorite apps from Google Play – Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, NinJump, and more (all free!) – and the system is so intuitive that we were able to get him set up and playing in no time. The MG is shipped with several apps already pre-loaded on the device, including games from EA, and sites like YouTube, Gmail, and more. I found most of these too “old” for my son and not necessarily age appropriate, but I quickly discovered the setting to disable those apps, including YouTube, and they were immediately removed from the main menu. *Note: these can be added back later to the main screens, so it’s easy to have an older child use the MG, or just let the device grow with your child. I love that flexibility!
Though I appreciate the inclusion of a camera and headphone jack on the MG, the camera’s photo quality is very basic; gaming is definitely the main feature of this device. The display quality is fantastic and the 4-inch screen is a great size. I am most enthusiastic about the ability to expand the device’s memory with the Micro SD slot, and love that the MG ships with a complimentary 8G storage card. You will, however, need to purchase your own headphones and charging cable (standard micro USB charger – we had an extra from another Android device we own), as neither are provided in the shipment of the MG.
To learn more about the MG, please visit:
Special Pricing and a Facebook Contest:
Right now, you can order the MG from Amazon.com and PlayMG.com at a $20 Savings ($149, discounted from the regular price of $169), with $40 in games, credit and SD Card included – a total of $60 in “Holiday Wish List Pricing Value.”
_OR_
On the MG Facebook Page, upload a picture of your family playing together at the beach, on the slopes, in the backyard, or wherever you get together to have fun. Submit as many photos as you like by November 20, 2012. Get your friends and family to vote for your photos. MG will pick two winners on November 21, 2012. Each winner gets a brand-new MG, the first dedicated portable gaming system exclusively for Android games (retail value: $169).
Win One Now from 5 Minutes for Mom:
Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win your own MG Android gaming device. This giveaway is a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom Christmas Giveaway 2012. Please follow the link for more information, as well as for a complete list of all giveaways as they post throughout the month of November. Entries for all giveaways will close Sunday, December 2nd at 7pm CST. Winners will be drawn randomly and we will announce the winners Tuesday, December 4th. We will email winners at the address accompanying the winning comments.
*Disclosure: I received an MG Android gaming device in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.
