Introducing the Fuhu Nabi Jr.

Just last year, Fuhu was an unrecognized name in the Android market, something that people would easily dismiss. Its rise to fame came only in June with the tablet for children called the Nabi 2, which was an amazing creation packed with the Tegra 3 processor that costs only $200. This year, Fuhu released the Nabi Jr., which is another tablet for children – mostly for the three to six-year-olds. And since a lot of schools are now moving towards digital learning, a tablet like this would surely come in handy.

Build Quality and Display of the fuhu

• The Nabi Jr. has dimensions of 7 inches x 4.53 inches x 1.36 inches and weighs only 0.8 pounds
• It has a 5-inch 800×480 display, which is the perfect size for the little ones. The device is a bit bulky, but it has a protective cover that adds to its grip ability. This is made from food grade silicone, so you don’t have to worry about your child munching on it.
• It has a great build quality – it is durable enough to be used by a child, and the bulk makes it easier for the children to hold it.
• The 800×480 display is poor for our liking, but since the children are the main users of this device, it’s unlikely that they will notice the poor screen, anyway.
• The device also has oversized buttons which are just right for a child’s use and are easy to press. It’s good practice to improve your child’s motor skills.

• The volume rocker and stylus bay are found on the right side of the device. On the left are the headphone jack, proprietary charging port, and the microSD card slot. The camera is found at the top, and the speakers are at the front, above the display. This speaker location is an absolute double thumb up!

Battery Life

• The Nabi Jr. has a 2350mAh battery. It drains pretty quickly, which is a sad downside. This is a similar problem encountered with the Nabi 2. Fuhu should start trying to address this issue to avoid angry, impatient toddlers.

Camera

 

• It has a rotatable 2mp camera, which is a clever innovation. It has only one camera, but it can be used for both the rear and front. Brilliant, isn’t it? Your child can easily use it on the rear and play with the camera, and later on, it can be rotated if they would be using it for a selfie or a video chat with family.
• The quality of the photos are poor, but then again, since a child would be using it, it’s doubtful that they’ll complain about the crappy photos. Regardless, they will find the rotating cam very enjoyable.

Performance

• The Nabi Jr. has a 512mb RAM and a NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor. It also uses the Android 4.0.4 operating system.
• Performance-wise, the Nabi Jr. is surprisingly snappy despite the small RAM and the Tegra 2. There are no problems encountered with launching applications and switching between apps.

User interface
– The interface is perfect for children and is very user-friendly. It is even simpler than the UI of the Nabi 2.

• On the downside, the layout of the Nabi Jr. is confusing. The UI shows in landscape mode even though you’re holding it in portrait. Some apps run in portrait, but the lock screen and UI doesn’t.

Apps and feaurest
– Stylus. The device has a stylus bay, but the actual stylus is not included in the package. What you have when you buy the Nabi Jr. is a plastic pen-ish thing placed in the stylus bay (aka a filler). The stylus can be bought separately.

• Google. The Nabi Jr. has no Google certification, so it does not have Google apps or even the Google Play Store. A possible alternative is to download the Amazon app store. Otherwise, you’d already be satisfied with the software provided for by Fuhu.
• Proprietary port. The device has a proprietary charging port that is a bit inconvenient. It would have been more preferable if Fuhu used the good old’ microUSB port. On the other hand, this proprietary port could be used for several accessories such as a baby monitor and a karaoke machine.
• Storage. The Nabi Jr. has a 4gb storage and a microSD card slot.

Parent mode

. The Nabi Jr. also has the Parent Mode, a feature present also in the Nabi 2. This is where t6he administration of the tablet is monitored and operated – the parents have the power to install apps, and add or remove some things in the Treasure Box and Chore List among others.
– Apps. The device has 38 apps, some of which have the same name. These are: ABC, ABC Coloring, Alphabet (3 apps with this name), Angie’s Juke, Animal, AniMatching, Animated Puzzle, Car, Ship, & Rocket, Classical Juke, Color & Draw, Differences (2 apps with this name), Dinosaurs, Drawing, Find Me, First Spanish, First Words, Fun Counting, Hangman, Magic Coloring, Magic Garden, Monster Matching, Music, Numbers, Puzzles (2 apps with this name), Slider, Slider: Invaders, Snakes, Spanish Juke, Tangrams, Tell time, Weighing, Wings Challenges, Write the Alphabet, and Zoo.

• Other software. The Nabi Jr. also has other software aside from the apps mentioned, such as the Treasure Box and the Chore List. But despite these things, the software suite of the Nabi Jr. is still a lot less than what is being offered by the Nabi 2. For example, there is no customized browser, Websites, Videos, Crafts, and Books, and Spinlets+ Music. But the absence of these apps is understandable because the little ones have little use for it.
• Stock Android? The overall UI/layout of the device is similar to stock android. The navigation bar of the Nabi Jr. is a tablet-style layout using a phone theme.

The verdict

The device is undeniably a great learning tool for the little ones. While its brother, the Nabi 2, is focused more on skills development of children in different subjects, the Nabi Jr. is more on the improvement of a toddler’s motor skills and learning basic things such as the alphabet and the animals. And while the device is rated for usage of three to 6 six-year-olds, it can still be used by the younger ones. The apps provide a wide variety that can be used by different age groups. For instance, one app teaches the alphabet, while another lets your child play the classic spot the difference.

The Nabi Jr. is an ideal device to buy for your toddler, and when he or she gets a bit older, then you can buy the Nabi 2. At a price of $99, it’s an affordable device to assist in your child’s educational development. It’s something that can be used by your child for many years, and when he or she gets tired of the installed apps, then you can browse through the Amazon app store for more options.

Would you buy the Fuhu Nabi Jr. for your child?

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