Kidzui

KidZui is a web browser designed for children developed by KidZui, Inc. The KidZui browser uses a Zooming User Interface paradigm to make browsing easier for children. ["KidZui offers safe surfing for kids," [http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.18343 British Computer Society] .] Search results appear as scaled down images of websites, videos, and pictures that children click on to zoom in and see content. Children can also browse by category without typing search terms. The KidZui browser does not access the open Internet. KidZui uses teachers and parents to screen content and maintains a database of approved URLs. [Taylor, Paul (March 27, 2008). "Safer surfing for the kids," [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a193f5ae-fc23-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html Financial Times] .] The KidZui browser can only access URLs in the approved database. KidZui claims to have over 800,000 approved websites, pictures, and videos available. Children build avatars called Zuis to represent themselves online. [Parker, Dolores (July 7, 2008). "Glubble and Kidzui - good kid browsers, silly names," [http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/07/glubble-vs-kidzui-kid-browser-wars/ downloadsquad] .
Reeks, Anne (April 14, 2008). "KidZui finds good stuff for youngsters," [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/tech/athome/5700620.html Houston Chronicle Online] .] They earn points for web browsing and use points to gain levels and buy clothes and accessories for their Zuis. [Tiemann, Amy (March 20, 2008). "Kidzui creates a new online environment for kids," [http://news.cnet.com/8301-13507_3-9900282-18.html CNET] .] Children can share KidZui content with friends online. [CSM Reviews KidZui (March 20, 2008). [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/KidZui.html Common Sense Media] .] To add a friend online, children need to know the friends Zui name. There is no online directory of Zui names, so children need to get their friends Zui names offline in order to add them. Friends also need to be approved by parents before they become available in the browser. KidZui also tracks children’s Internet usage and sends reports to their parents on what their children looked at online. [Rubenking, Neil (June 25, 2008). "KidZui," [http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2321735,00.asp PC Magazine] .]

KidZui began development on the product in the summer of 2006. [Olsen, Stefanie (March 18, 2008). "KidZui vets Web for kids," [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9897743-7.html CNET] .] After beta testing, KidZui was offered to the general public on March 19, 2008. [Mossberg, Walter (March 20, 200). "KidZui's Parent Plan Lets Children Explore In Safe Corner of Web," [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120597536349250547-POucxCucr7ig8GymQTo_mCYEPHM_20080418.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top The Wall Street Journal] .
Hendrickson, Mark (March 18, 2008). "KidZui: The Kid Safe Browser," [http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/18/kidzui-the-kid-safe-browser/ TechCrunch] .
Olsen, Stefanie (March 18, 2008). "KidZui vets Web for kids," [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9897743-7.html CNET] .] The KidZui browser and basic reports for parents are free. KidZui makes revenue through a paid membership program. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .] Membership gives kids additional features like more available clothing and accessories for Zuis, more background and themes, and the ability to get to higher levels with points. Membership gives parents more reporting capabilities to track their children’s online activity, and more ways to customize the KidZui browser for their children.

KidZui is designed from children between the ages of 3 and 12 years old. KidZui has a focus on children’s online safety, but they also try to expand the content available to children online. Rather than using filters, KidZui trains and enlists parent and teachers to search out content that is appropriate for children even if it was not designed expressly for children. [Olsen, Stefanie (March 18, 2008). "KidZui vets Web for kids," [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9897743-7.html CNET] .
Telaroli, Gina (June 4, 2008). "KidZui: Internet for Kids (and Those Young at Heart)," [http://blogs.takepart.com/2008/06/04/kidzui-internet-for-kids-and-those-young-at-heart/ takepart] .] Websites that have been reviewed and approved by KidZui can carry a KidZui seal of approval that indicate the site’s content is appropriate for children. [Press Release from KidZui, [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS172005+31-Jul-2008+MW20080731 Reuters. ] Websites that carry the seal agree to abide by KidZui’s content guidelines.

History and development

KidZui was started in 2006 when Vidar Vignisson was frustrated because he couldn’t find a safe and easy way for his own children to use the Internet. [Bell, Diane (March 20, 2008). "Quest for kid-safe surfing yields new Web browser," [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20080320-9999-1m20bell.html San Diego Union-Tribune] .] Vignisson joined with Cliff Boro and Thomas Broadhead to found KidZui. [Thomas, Dave (August 8, 2008). "A Safe and Fun Solution," [http://www.bizsandiego.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=828 bizSanDiego] .] Vignisson was frustrated by the approach of existing technologies that were available at the time; online filters helped keep out dangerous content, but could only be used in conjunction with adult browsers, which are hard for children to use. Existing children’s browsers were easier to use, but had access to very small amounts of content. Vignisson, Boro, and Broadhead set out to build an easy-to-use children’s browser with access to a large and diverse set of online content and activities. [Bell, Diane (March 20, 2008). "Quest for kid-safe surfing yields new Web browser," [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20080320-9999-1m20bell.html San Diego Union-Tribune] .
Thomas, Dave (August 8, 2008). "A Safe and Fun Solution," [http://www.bizsandiego.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=828 bizSanDiego] .]

KidZui is venture backed startup. Investors include Maveron, Emergence Capital, and First Round Capital. [Chris (March 19th, 2008). "Online kids’ application Kidzui launches safe search service," [http://venturebeat.com/2008/03/19/online-kids-application-kidzui-launches-safe-search-service/ VentureBeat] .
"Kid Browser KidZui Wins Funding," (February 22, 208) [http://www.thealarmclock.com/mt/archives/2008/02/kid_browser_kid.html alarm:clock] .]

Prior to founding KidZui, Vignisson, Boro, and Broadhead had been partners on other Internet startups including Infogate, which they sold to AOL Time Warner in March 2003. [Himelstein, Linda (July 14, 2003). "Dusting Cobwebs off a Web Staple," [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_28/c3841028_mz003.htm BusinessWeek Online] .
"Infogate (formerly Pointcast) Sold to AOL," [http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.html?ident=28899 MarketingSherpa] ]

KidZui began beta testing with children in 2006. [Bell, Diane (March 20, 2008). "Quest for kid-safe surfing yields new Web browser," [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20080320-9999-1m20bell.html San Diego Union-Tribune] .] KidZui was released to the general public on March 19, 2008 [Mossberg, Walter (March 20, 200). "KidZui's Parent Plan Lets Children Explore In Safe Corner of Web," [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120597536349250547-POucxCucr7ig8GymQTo_mCYEPHM_20080418.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top The Wall Street Journal] .
Hendrickson, Mark (March 18, 2008). "KidZui: The Kid Safe Browser," [http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/18/kidzui-the-kid-safe-browser/ TechCrunch] .
Olsen, Stefanie (March 18, 2008). "KidZui vets Web for kids," [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9897743-7.html CNET] .] to generally favorable reviews. [CSM Reviews KidZui (March 20, 2008). [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/KidZui.html Common Sense Media] .
Hopkins, Mark (March 20,2008). ""KidZui Browser: A Youngster's Perspective," [http://mashable.com/2008/03/20/kidzui-review/ Mashable] .] The original release of KidZui required a paid subscription. [Mossberg, Walter (March 20, 200). "KidZui's Parent Plan Lets Children Explore In Safe Corner of Web," [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120597536349250547-POucxCucr7ig8GymQTo_mCYEPHM_20080418.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top The Wall Street Journal] .] KidZui experienced some early criticism for not offering a free version of the product. ["See comments in response to" Hendrickson, Mark (March 18, 2008). "KidZui: The Kid Safe Browser," [http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/18/kidzui-the-kid-safe-browser/ TechCrunch] .] The company released a free version on June 4, 2008. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .] The free version of the product offers the same features as the original subscription-based product. KidZui introduced a membership program that same month. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .] The membership program unlocks additional features in the kids’ browser and comes with more advanced reporting features for parents.

Business model

The basic version of KidZui with access to all content is free. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .] Revenue comes exclusively from paid memberships. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .] It is not clear what percentage of families use the free version versus paying for membership. KidZui does not carry advertising. [Hendrickson, Mark (June 4, 2008), "KidZui Persuaded by the Power of Free," [http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/kidzui/ TechCrunch] .]

Content guidelines

KidZui uses filters to pre-screen content. After screening by filters, content is reviewed by paid teachers and parents using a set of content guidelines. [Taylor, Paul (March 27, 2008). "Safer surfing for the kids," [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a193f5ae-fc23-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html Financial Times] .]

In 2007, KidZui hired Deanne Kells, a former Vice President and Editor in Chief from Leapfrog, to establish the content guidelines and a process for reviewing and approving content. [Taylor, Paul (March 27, 2008). "Safer surfing for the kids," [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a193f5ae-fc23-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html Financial Times] .
Fudge, Tom (March 3, 2008). "San Diego Entrepreneur Creates Kid-Friendly Site for Safe Web Exploration," [http://www.kpbs.org/radio/these_days;id=11045 KPBS Radio, Interview with Cliff Boro and Deanne Kells] .] Kells used childhood developmental principles to form a content screening protocol where content is first determined to be appropriate for children, and then classified by age for developmental level and reading ability.

Browser features

KidZui uses a Zooming User Interface paradigm where search results are displayed visually at smaller scale. ["KidZui offers safe surfing for kids," [http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.18343 British Computer Society] .] Children click on images to enlarge them. The visual interface makes it easier for children to browse without advanced reading skills. KidZui also has category browsing that allows children to explore the Internet using categories based on popularity or similarity. KidZui has an auto search complete feature that returns results after only typing one or two letters. KidZui offers to complete search terms using the most popular searches by other children and it shows search results as children type.

ee also

[http://www.cvtventures.com/ CVT Ventures]
[http://www.videoegg.com/ Video Egg]
[http://www.maveron.com/ Maveron]
[http://www.emergencecap.com/ Emergence Capital]
[http://www.firstround.com/ First Round Capital]

References

External links

[http://www.kidzui.com/ KidZui Official Site]