Bumblephone - Computer Phone for Kids (Twilio)

I have mixed feelings on this. I want to like it because it seems like a good idea, but then the more I think about it, there doesn't seem to be that much practical use for the service. The way I see this, kids who need phone dialing that simplistic would be too young to use it.

I think this would work better as an IM/voice chat program aimed at the 7-11yr old crowd-a way for them to easily chat with other kids, when they happen to be online (and maybe a "voice mail" type system), from an approved list of friends their parents have added.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't like the idea of kids and phones - not that talking to Grandma across the country is bad or anything. It's just that I don't think a young child has any business using a phone (voice chat, etc.) without first obtaining permission to do so, even if it's safe. So I would either a: make the call for her or 2: supervise while she dials. I mostly feel this way because kids tend to obsess over things and so a child with free reign over a big yellow "call" button would get annoying to others. By the time my kid is old enough to pick up the phone and call someone whenever she wants to (i.e. has a basic understanding of telephone etiquette and respect for others' time), basic phone usage just isn't a challenge at that age.

Add to this the fact that your average land-line or cell phone service includes local calling, as well as nationwide long distance at a fixed rate and it makes it hard to justify the cost of buying Bumble credits just for the ease of connectivity.