Captain Gadget

Gadgets - A Welcome Firefly!

Occasionally gadget nerds need to take responsibility for more than themselves – those of us who are parents are sometimes called upon for technological advice to help our offspring.

The most pressing parental concern is meeting the demand from kids for mobile phones, perhaps the biggest cause of peer pressure among preteens currently. I am happy to report, however, that there is a solution that should allay any fears we adults may have about unsolicited calls and texts to our children.

The Firefly phone is a simple idea well executed. The basic principle is that the phone can store 20 contact numbers and calls can only be made to and received from those 20 numbers and the handset cannot handle texting.

Sold in Ireland sim-free, the parent is able to choose any of the usual pay-as-you-go sim options and load some credit and then the phone is ready to use. The contact numbers can be loaded directly onto the phone, but an easier option is to log onto the Firefly website to register your phone and to manage the contacts on the net.

A clever function is the 'Mam and Dad' keys, two prominent buttons at the bottom of the phone that are pre-programmed with parental phone numbers, one press of a button and your child is calling your mobile phone. Coupled with this there is a 999 key on the side of the handset, which is a further reassurance for nervous parents.

If you decide you want to be able to communicate with your child but want to limit their access, the Firefly is one of the best options available to date. Certainly this is a welcome addition to the tools of modern parenthood.