After six months of an invite-only sale, Amazon Glow is now available to all in the US – TechCrunch

Back in September of last year, Amazon announced a curious looking device called the Amazon glow.

Part video calling device and part projector, meant to connect kids with distant family members in a unique, dual-screen way: one integrated for the face of the caller from far and another, projecting onto the table below through a non-projector screen that acts as a large touchscreen for games and books. Everything the child sees on the touch screen placed on their desk is, in general, mirrored on the remote caller’s iOS/Android tablet; When Dad / Mom / Grandma / Grandpa turns the page of a book a thousand miles, the page also turns.

But there’s one hitch with Glow, at first: if you want to buy it, you need to be…invited first? As part of Amazon’s “Release Day 1” product testing program, shipments are limited to a select number of users while the company works out product problems.

Starting today, Amazon has announced that invitations will no longer be required. It’s worth noting that the price is going up from $249 to $299 as it exits the “Day 1” program, but the company has always said that’s the plan. That price includes a 1-year subscription to the required (and separate from Amazon Prime) Amazon Kids+ service, which provides books/games for the device, plus 2 years of “no worries” replacement coverage. if the whole incident is off the table and rest.

It’s also important to note that Amazon says Glow is currently available to all “in the US”; Availability in other countries has yet to be detailed.

I test a unit soon with the help of my 3-year-old a few months ago – and, despite some errors and sometimes difficult problems, we (plus grandparents) had a good time. wonderful. Enough for us to buy quite a few of our own immediately after sending back the review lender. It’s still a bit buggy, but it’s gotten better (it runs faster and they’ve added more games in recent weeks) and my kid still asks us to switch to Glow whenever he sees me FaceTiming its grandparents.

Image credits: Amazon