Pocket Rockets: The Past, Present, and Future of Children's Portable Computing

This chapter takes a broad look at the category of small digital devices used by children up to age 15. It presents an overview of history of children's portable computing devices and portable electronics. The past five years have resulted in significant improvements in capability of portable devices at a lower cost. Children now have a digital delivery system in their pockets in the form of cell phones, and each device has created a niche market for related software. Cheaper, more powerful rechargeable batteries, LCD touch screens, and memory have given toy designers abilities of which they could have only dreamed a few years ago. Available children's mobile devices can be categorized as cell phones, TV toys or “plug-and-play” toys, tablet PCs, laptop computers, educational gaming platforms, electronic learning aids, portable gaming consoles, smart toys, digital cameras, portable media players, and electronic book readers. The main devices that are that are currently shaping the future of children's interactivity include, the Nintendo DS, the iPhone 3G (Apple) and the Google gPhone, eeePC, the Pulse smartpen, and Mark-My-Time Digital Bookmark. Based on the trajectory of the types of devices available today and considering the constant backdrop of human development, it is possible to make some assumptions about the future of mobile technologies.