New Atlas

Computers Audio available

Kano partners with Microsoft for build-it-yourself laptop for kids

Paul Ridden June 21, 2019

Making and coding are important skills for future engineers and technicians to master. With this in mind, Kano has partnered with Microsoft to release the Kano PC – a DIY Windows 10 computer for kids that gets them making , coding and creating.

The Kano PC tasks students with building a tablet from a kit, and then learning to ...

Children

Novus combines kids’ smartphone, watch and smart speaker in one modular system

Matt Kennedy May 16, 2019

Smartphones and smartwatches for kids aren't exactly new, but China-based Abardeen has done things a little differently. The company has taken a modular approach with its latest offering – launched this week on Kickstarter – bringing considerable flexibility to the kids phone/watch space.

The Novus is billed as the "world's first modular smartphone for kids"

Around The Home

BiT takes modular furniture to the next level

Bridget Borgobello April 1, 2019

Finnish designers Sanna and Mika Myllylä from Living Spaces, have created a modular furniture concept that can transform in a matter of seconds. Dubbed BiT, the series of upholstered shapes easily join together using magnets, giving the user the freedom to modify the furniture for various uses.

Children Audio available

Innokind puts kids on the right track to learn coding

Paul Ridden January 14, 2019

Learning coding language basics can be as hard as learning a foreign language. There are many toys aimed at giving future coders a kickstart, and the latest is a trainset from consumer robotics startup Innokind.

The intelino smart train can help youngsters to learn the basics of programming

Children

Robots, drones and AR: The best tech toys of 2018

Michael Irving December 13, 2018

Toys today include robots, drones and AR, and if you’re lucky you can trick the kids into learning some useful skills along the way. New Atlas rounds up the best tech toys of 2018, which could make for some great last-minute gift ideas for the young’un in your life.

New Atlas rounds up the best tech toys of 2018

Architecture

MAD tops traditional Chinese courtyard with rooftop kindergarten

Adam Williams November 19, 2018

MAD Architects blends old and new with its aptly-named Courtyard Kindergarten. The project transforms an 18th Century Chinese courtyard into a kindergarten topped by a play area on the roof.

The Courtyard Kindergarten is currently under construction. MAD expects it to be completed and in use ...

Robotics

Bolt is Sphero's smartest, most capable robo-ball yet

David Nield September 10, 2018

Having entertained Star Wars fans with a series of movie tie-ins, Sphero's newest mini robot swaps the movie theater for the classroom. The Sphero Bolt is a programmable rolling droid with a bright LED matrix display, accessible coding apps, and new ways to automate the bot's actions.

The Bolt adds an LED display, infrared sensors, and an ambient light sensor on top of ...

Children

Plugo tablet toys make screen-time more educational and hands-on

Michael Irving August 12, 2018

Toy start-up PlayShifu has unveiled Plugo, a gaming platform that hooks up to a tablet and uses a range of tactile toys to play games that will “trick” the kids into studying math or vocabulary.

PlayShifu has unveiled Plugo, a gaming platform that uses tactile toys to control educational games on ...

Around The Home Feature

Alexa controversy: What are voice assistants teaching our children?

Rich Haridy May 13, 2018

As Amazon targets children with the release of its Echo Dot Kids Edition, concerns are being raised over the effects voice assistants could be having on children. Is teaching kids how to politely command Alexa enough, or are there long-term developmental consequences to children using such devices?

The Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition is the first voice-controlled device to directly target children – ...

Games

Blockchain-based PlayTable digitizes board game night

Michael Irving March 14, 2018

To keep 21st century kids interested, classic toys have been getting high-tech makeovers lately. Now, a new company known as Blok.Party is targeting tabletop gaming with PlayTable, a tablet-like gaming console that uses physical pieces and runs an operating system based on a blockchain.

PlayTable is a gaming console that can be played using physical game pieces, or users' mobile ...