Imaginarium readies kids' phone with camera, music

Spanish toymaker Imaginarium today revealed its new Cam1 phone for children. Hoping to break from the volume of kids' phones that strip nearly every feature, the company says its phone will have the media features of even more expensive handsets. A 2-megapixel camera is built in and gets clearly labeled navigation buttons that resemble a more traditional camera body. The same controls double for playing MP3s; a set of earbuds is packed with the phone to get a child started. Its housing is also ruggedized against the inevitable shocks and other abuse by first-time phone users. Read through for more details and a gallery.

Parents have just as strong a control over the phone's features as with the company's earlier Mo1, Imaginarium says. The pre-determined contact list can be changed through a web-based interface, and calls in both directions as well as SMS texts can be limited to a pre-approved list. Concerned elders can even locate the phone itself through GPRS triangulation that finds the Cam1's owner without relying on a GPS receiver.

Imaginarium will formally introduce the phone at Barcelona's 3GSM expo next week and plans to ship the device in early summer for under €100 ($130) through Spanish carrier Movistar. [via Xataka, thanks Wilmer]