Fitbit Ace LTE

Hands on: Though I like the idea of the Ace LTE and was definitely entertained by some of the games, I still have some reservations. I was concerned that the device I tried on felt warm, although Sabharwal explained it was likely because the demo units had been charging on and off all day. I also didn’t care for the thick bezels around the screen, though that didn’t really adversely impact my experience.

The Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch offers engaging games and friendly digital mascots that encourage kids to get active, along with useful parental controls and GPS tracking to help justify its price.

Hands on: The solutions are imperfect, but at least they're there. Giving my children smartwatches may sometimes be a distraction, but it also lets my kid move more freely around her neighborhood, get exercise, and socialize in person with her friends. If a device can help further those goals, I'm all for it. And maybe walking around more will help improve her sense of direction, just a little bit.

Hands on: The Ace tracks fitness like other Fitbits, including having always-on heart rate monitoring, but the algorithms are specifically tuned for children, along with new fitness goals. A little animated, jiggling "noodle" wraps around the watch's time display, showing fitness progress. When the daily goal is met, the noodle has a victory animation: it could show a rocket or an arcade snake.

Hands on: We’ll have to test the Ace LTE to see how well it works — both as a means of encouraging kids to move more and as a tool for parents. That said, this is a significant update to the Ace lineup and one of the more fun approaches to a smartwatch for kids that we’ve seen in a while.

Hands on: Google’s usual strategy is to launch with a set of core features and then add more with updates down the line. By comparison, Ace LTE feels like a complete story. It has to be since the bar for something you give your kids to make sure they’re safe and healthy is so high. Frankly, it’s refreshing as a Google user.

The Fitbit Ace LTE is a new wearable for kids from the company now owned by Google. It tracks activity, has built-in calling and messaging, and is water-resistant. To ensure privacy, location data is deleted after 24 hours and activity data is deleted after 35 days. The device costs $230 and requires a separate monthly or annual data plan for full functionality.

Hands on: Not only are they there to be right beside your kids, providing encouragement, but playing games and earning "arcade tickets" will unlock different customizations. Speaking of games, Google and Fitbit worked with different game studios to create interactive 3D games that can be played right from the watch.