Road Test: OwnFone

THIS small, simple phone has extremely limited capabilities — perfect for parents who want to stay in touch with their kids.

WHAT is it?

A phone for kids.

I’m not getting them a phone. They’ll be watching smut and texting banalities to their friends at 2am. Ahh, but here’s the thing: this phone has very basic capabilities. It only receives calls, and makes calls to a limited number of people. There’s no internet, no camera, no apps, no texts.

No fun, by the sounds of it. That’s true. But for parents who want to stay in touch with their kids 24/7, it’s a great idea.

How does it work? It has simple name buttons (you can choose from two to 12); press a button to call that person.

What if the kids are embarrassed to be seen with it? It is, after all, a bit uncool. The handset is tiny — the size of a credit card, and 5mm thick — so it’s easily concealed.

Phone from $69, plans from $20/month, ownfone.com.au