The Republic Wireless Relay is an LTE walkie-talkie with GPS for your kid

I have a five-year-old daughter and severe case of wanting to helicopter parent. It’s not that I’m always hovering over my daughter, but if she’s out of my sight, I’m worried, and I want to know what she’s doing. My wife and I have explored many options for getting in touch with her like giving her a phone when she goes out or a watch with cellular connectivity. All of these have their drawbacks, but the recently announced Republic Wireless Relay might be the perfect solution.

See also: The best kids apps for Android

The Relay is a walkie-talkie that connects to both 4G LTE and Wi-Fi networks. It’s a little speaker and does not have a display. What it does have is a button in the middle that kids can press to send their parents a voice message. Parents will receive the message in the form of an SMS and can reply in kind. The speaker will then read out the message.

One of the most important features of the Relay is GPS tracking. Parents can check in on their kid’s location at any time to give them some peace of mind. The device also comes with Google Assistant built in so kids can query it with questions or play Mickey Mouse Adventure anytime they want. Republic Wireless says that parents can turn off both location data and Google Assistant. Additionally, all data transmitted back and forth will be encrypted.

Republic Wireless says the Relay will launch in early 2018. A single unit will cost $99, with two-packs and three-packs coming in at $149 and $199, respectively. Cellular service for the devices is only $6.99 per month, and you do not have to be a Republic Wireless smartphone subscriber.

What do you think of the Republic Wireless Relay? Would it make you feel more comfortable letting your kid go places with their friends? Let us know down in the comments.