Dream Tab Children's Tablet

DreamWorks Animation is known for its TV animations “Madagascar” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” The company has partnered with Fuhu, to expand its audience outreach to children via a tablet computer for children. The device will be able to program in similar process like a cable channel. “We could push out a new character moment every day of the year,” said Jim Mainard, head of digital strategy and new business development for DreamWorks.

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The company and partnership with Fuhu will be introducing the children’s tablet product as DreamTab. The product is also planned to be announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week. DreamWorks-branded accessories will also be sold alongside the new tablets. There will be an eight-inch version of the DreamTab available in Spring. Pricing for the tablet is estimated to be around $300, a Fuhu spokesman said.

Android children’s tablets are still expected to saturate the vendor market. "Despite PC vendors and phone manufacturers wanting a piece of the pie and launching themselves into the media tablet market, so far, we have seen very limited success outside of Apple with its iPad," said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. "As vendors struggled to compete on price and differentiate enough on either the hardware or ecosystem, inventories were built and only 60 million units actually reached the hands of consumers across the world.”

Android tablets are forecast to account for 31.9 percent of media tablet sales in 2012. Gartner analysts said the main issue with Android tablets has been the lack of applications that are dedicated to tablets and therefore take advantage of their capabilities. Gartner's consumer survey data shows that consumers are running many of their apps on their mobile phones and their tablets.

Tablets among children have grown to be very popular. Tablet navigation is simple, in fact simple enough for children that are young can learn how to use its features without having the ability to read or type. Children as young as tots or toddlers can access movies, look through family photos, scroll through apps and play games. The convenience of tablets and simple usage allows parents to pacify children while they are driving them in the car or going out on family outings. Its clear children are using tablets.

Fuhu is aiming to accomplish differentation with the partnership in place with DreamWorks. “By teaming with DreamWorks to create a device that will have original content — original content that is automatically and frequently updated — we are not following consumers, we are getting ahead of them,” said Jim Mitchell, Fuhu’s chief executive. Branded tablets are common among children’s entertainment companies. “We want to transform the way kids play, learn and grow through technology,” said Mr. Mitchell of Fuhu.