Thank you so much for your video! I work in IT as a systems administrator and have worked for a local school system in the past. I get hit up all the time for questions about locking down various technologies. Your channel is very helpful.
this was so incredibly helpful. My older sister is autistic and she's been getting all kinds of creepy messages from strangers from social media and she's so kind and trusting she wants to help them or be their friend which obviously causes problems lol. She's given her number to strangers because they say they have no friends, she's just too kind for this world. but sadly I've had to take her phone away for her own safety and she's obviously upset about it since she LOVES music and now whenever she wants any leisure time she has to go through me which is annoying for everyone. She has also lost all of her independence which simply isn't fair and I hate doing it. I've been looking for a phone like pinwheel for YEARS now and this was the single and only breakdown that has helped me. It was so through and answered all my questions and has put me in so much ease. I'm ordering her one asap! Thank you again, I cant express how much you've helped me and my family.
It's very good to see a comparison. Thank you. My son has been arguing with me about getting him a flip phone and you pointed out some good arguments against it.
We bought the Pinwheel phone for my 15 year old because we wanted a safe way to communicate when he’s away from home. We love the idea behind the phone but have had a real struggle with reliability. The phone randomly does not ring or receive texts that have been sent. Pinwheel customer service has been very kind and responsive but we continue to have random results when calling or texting. I need to be able to trust that I can reach my son or he can reach me. Are there other Pinwheel users having the same issues??
I have a question, can they download apps without you knowing on the Pinwheel phone? And if they can download an app, that means you can connect to wifi, which we are trying to prove to? Correct?
There are No screen time controls on the Gabb. The kids can stay on it All night long. Not happy with this. Also, if they change their passcode and do not tell you or do not want to tell you what it is, there is No way to get in. You have to have a factory re-set done if you want to get in! My child has also downloaded videos from the internet on her phone. A kid at school showed her how to do it. So, yeah. They also do not have to check in with you in order to add a phone number. You also do not have access to their text messages, only their call history. I feel a regular smart phone with parental controls and passwords without internet access may be safer.
We’ve had Gabb for a year now, and can set lock times for the devices on whatever schedule we want. Also, our kids can only send or receive calls and texts to the contacts that we program into their devices, so I’m confused by your review.
We have the phone and it does not have the capability to control who can call or text our child and it is really frustrating. Also, I know he deletes texts he doesn’t want me to see. I think we’re making the switch the pinwheel . Because I want bark on it. So I don’t have to read all his texts. I can just set up bark to alert me of texts that are concerning
Hi, these are both on Android platforms, which are easier for kids to hack, do hard resets, etc. Is a Pinwheel-on-Android better than iPhone-with-(max)-Parental-Controls?
I already responded on Instagram, but just in case someone 3lse has the same question. The watch is a great option because you CAN limit who can contact the watch. Not sure why they haven't moved that functionality to the phone yet...
We got the Apple watch with SIM (no iPhone) before hearing about pinwheel, gabb, troomi. Love that the watch has pretty good hands free voice control to send text or make calls, becoz typing is a pain. No RUclips for binge watching. No social platforms. There’s not much addictive usage possible on there besides phone chat. Wish there was camera. Serves very basic needs to stay in touch and get emergency help.
Hello, I’m thinking about purchasing this phone for myself to use as a minimalist phone so that I can have access to texting, gps, and music apps without social media and web access. Would that work or are there child features that would bother an adult using it as a primary phone? Thanks!
The thing about pinwheel that I don’t like is that it costs too much. $15 for the software. $5 for bark. And then $30 for the Verizon phone line. The Gabb phone is just $20. I do like that I can see what’s being said on the text messages with pinwheel
maybe you should be making sure that your kid can trust you and can talk to you about things that worry them instead of making them learn that they should hide and avoid
@@Niko-op3oz if you jump to conclusions with your children the same way you just did on my comment I guarantee your child isn’t telling you everything. Be blessed.
Thanks so much for your informative review! My son does NOT want a phone, he's 12. I know, I have a unicorn child apparently. But he does marching band and travels far sometimes so I want a way for him to get ahold of me and for me to track him through GPS so I know when the bus is almost home. So....I just purchased the Gabb 3 watch for him. He's open to a watch right now and he can text/voice clip/call me and contacts I approve and also can still reach only me if I lock it down on school mode. It has a chore list to earn coins too. And has GPS tracking. And is monitored remotely as well like the Pinwheel phone. My question to you is...I know the Pinwheel phone can "grow" with them. I'm thinking of buying one now so that when he IS ready for one, I have it ready to go. But HOW much growing can it do? Can it "grow" to a fully normally phone with social media and internet eventually? I just don't want to buy it now and have him not ask for a phone until he's like 16 and then the Pinwheel won't do enough at that point so it was a wasted purchase. Thoughts?
Helpful video, thank you. It looks like Gabb has a newer phone that does more, the GabbZ2. Will you be updating your video soon? Also, any thoughts on programs like Wondershare's FamiSafe? They promise many of the same controls that Pinwheel does.
I have a flip phone as a kid. No internet. I didn't die. It was clunky in the early days of cell phones, but it let me stay in touch with my parents if I felt unsafe.
Does the parental controls allow you as a parent to control who they call and text? Like, can I set up only certain people in the contacts that my child can contact, but no one else?
Hi there, May I ask of the Pinwheel phone is usable in the UK? Coz I've tried so hard to only found out the Gabb phone is not usable in the UK 😭😭..A desperate parent here in need of this kind of phone...Can you please help me out here @Familytech ?? Thank you for your video!
I have a pinwheel phone and yes this is all true BUT there is a 50 50 chance a text will send it randomly disconnects to WiFi 5 seconds after connecting, on Spotify my music un0downloads for no reason, calls do go through, and I don’t receive calls.
Can you update or comment on what is being added with Pinwheel's newer 329$. I am new to you and all your info has been so helpful as my children are getting older!
i dont think my parents looking at my messages or turning it off at night is a bad thing. very sleek look over gabb higher price but way better. pinwheel does look like alot of set up but thats ok but does it have phone numbers on pinwheel?
I really like the pinwheel Phone. We have us cellular so im not sure if it would work for that. Also I see it says tracphone on the bottom of the site. If we used that would we need to buy the phone cards every month?
I really love the Gizmo watch, but it's a Verizon exclusive. I will say though, I haven't had a chance to check out the Gabb watch. If it's more limited in it's abilities I may not be against it. I'll have to check it out to be sure.
We used a Gabb watch for over a year. The main problem we ran into is that you cannot text message freely on the Gabb watch. Parents have to pre-load a handful of text messages for your child to send, from the app on your own phone - including emojis (beyond the few that come on the watch.) Very limited. This may work perfectly for an early elementary aged child, but it was too limiting for our needs w/ a 10 yr old. They can record voice texts and text them, but there are obviously many situations where a child may need privacy, and talking out loud to record voice texts isn't going to work.
Would you mind sharing how he reverted without compromising your privacy, please? It helps us understand the challenges we will face :) And how Pinwheel is working out?
We have Verizon, so we are able to get the phone with case options. Here are the current cases that are available pinwheel.com/collections/slim-cases Also, I have had my Pinwheel for quite a while, so they may have had different stock at the time.
Wow, I am so happy that I found your video because I was just about to buy a gab phones. My daughter is very smart and I think that she would probably end up trying to delete messages, it's just because I probably didn't mind it. Just that way. I don't want to have anything that she's able to delete stuff. Also thank goodness you made this video I wish I'd been pretty bummed had I hopped that phone and realized that
Hi! I'm seeing alot of people saying they add their pinwheel phone to their Verizon phone but when I go to buy the pinwheel phone it says it's not compatible with Verizon?
I’m not happy with the Gabb for the reason that there is no screen time controls. You can’t even get into the phone if they change their password. It’s pretty horrible. The customer service is good however. I’m going to look into the pinwheel
My children are older, so we use Android with Boomerang and Bark. I recommend Pinwheel or Troomi as a first phone, then they graduate to an Android when they are ready for social media. I do have a Pinwheel and Troomi device here with service though, so I can test it out.
Yes. You just add the phone to your regular plan, so there's not even a need to transfer the number you just contact your carrier and switch out the phone.
See the iPhone does the same thing as far as being able to monitor through their screen time feature. For the price of the pinwheel you can get a iPhone. I’m so stuck here.
Is the 15$ dollar month subscription for the services to use the phone or just the controls? Do you have to get a separate monthly plan to have this work ?
Paid advertising. How can you actually offer an honest review when you're endorsing Pinwheel with your promo code. To be clear, the Z2 Gabb phone does have parental controls, you just need to use the app remotely in your own phone. They also have the best spam blocker on the market. And people don't need promo codes, cause the phones are priced so much better (cause kids lose 'em!).
I've seen the app. What can you control? Cause it doesn't seem like you can CONTROL anything. You can see where the phone is, call it, and message it. You can't set time limits or view messages or control who can contact the phone. I only don't have a Gabb code because I have never reached out to get one, because I could never feel confident enough to promote them. This is definitely not a paid advertisement. I do an honest review of the limitations and if someone decides to use my code to buy a phone, then great. But if they don't want to buy it on the merits of what I've explained, I don't get any monetary gain from the review.
Thank you so much for this ! I was sold on Gabb but since watching this video you were able to break down the pros and cons so I’m definitely getting my 16 yr old daughter a Pinwheel. She has a friend that has a gabb and recently a boy send her nude pics of himself and her parents don’t know bc she deletes them. So yea I think Pinwheel is the way to go :) thank you !!
I was wondering if Pinwheel can block the gif database that comes with most keyboard apps? (Switching to Typewise would be the perfect solution except it only takes seconds to switch back and I don't know of a way to prevent that or how to fully remove default keyboards like Gboard; especially when the phone in question is a Pixel). Also are the gif databases absent from Gabb since there is no internet connection? This is such a chink in the armor. When it comes to texting and messaging apps even if you lock everything else down on a phone, inappropriate images can still be found to view via gif databases. And unless you block the messaging apps completely (making texting/messaging impossible) the gif loophole remains where compromising images can be found. Google Family link is something I'm also unfamiliar with, I wonder if it has settings which can somehow can do the trick. Any thoughts or suggestions, from anyone, would be great! Thanks!
Yes and no. It does not have an actual web browser, but there are some apps that do have a back door to the internet. Those apps are clearly labeled in the parent portal that kids can get to the internet through that app, so you can choose not to enable any of those apps that have the workaround.
I like the idea of the Pinwheel a lot, but there's too much control. One negative thing it's going to teach a kid, depending on the control the parental figures enforce, is that their parents don't trust them, therefore pushing them to hide more things. As a parent, you have to learn to trust your kid to a certain level, especially if they have a gabb/pinwheel phone that doesn't put them at risk with social medias and internet. Yes, a kid can delete messages but you have to learn to accept that. The most sneaky teens/young adults are the ones who were controlled on their every move and had to find ways to go around their parental figures for relatively basic things
Ok. Should kids be allowed to go to bars? Should kids be allowed to drive cars? Should kids be allowed to buy guns? Should kids get prescription opioids? Should kids be allowed to go to strip clubs? Etc….. are those rules “to controlling” or is it common sense??? Would you give a developing brain alcohol and drugs? Its the same principle. These devices are highly addictive and no knows long term effects on developing brains.
@@cmike5572 First of all, in North America, kids are driving cars. I do agree they should not be, though. Second, I see you come from a place of privilege, not knowing what having a very sick kid is like - I hope you never do. Yes, I do want kids to have access to those medications if they actually need them. Third, I don't think civilians should have access to guns so easily. Therefore I obviously don't think kids should. Yes, those rules are too controlling. Should kids have none? No. That doesn't mean teaching kids they cannot trust their parents or make small decisions, ... Common sense is not treating your kids with stricter rules than a felon. Having important conversations with said kids, explaining that trust is earned, that it can be lost, being a role model and putting effort in raising your kids is common sense. My problem is not with the fact that kids shouldn't be on their phone 24/7, because they shouldn't. It's about kids being too controlled. Do you only trust your kids once they turn 18? Their brain are still not fully developed at that point. When do you start trusting them? Do you go from 0 to a 100 or, like I wrote, do you learn to trust them? Some control over kids is good, especially when they are not old enough to make sound decisions on a whim; too much is dangerous Do not forget that phones are not the biggest problem this generation is facing/going to face.
This is actually a good tool for building trust! More privileges can be given as the kid matures. It’s the same tv shoes. You wouldn’t just give the kid the remote and walk away unless you know your kid is mature enough to make the right choice(more often than not) when you’re not looking.
This comparison was interesting for me. When I was growing up I just had a prepaid android smartphone and later an iPhone with no limits or tracking features. My parents had to ask for the phone to check it, which would be extremely distressing. So for example if I was being bullied by someone on social media or by a toxic “friend,” they would have to take the phone away so I wouldn’t see or receive those messages. Again, this was in the early 2000s when a lot of these kid friendly features weren’t available on smartphones. Imagine if I’d had something like the pinwheel in high school and middle school. I feel it would have lessened the depression I experienced and help me stay more motivated on my goals. I also likely wouldn’t have gotten addicted to texting or have recklessly talked to strangers on social media. If only the pinwheel had existed when I was a kid!
I bought 4 gabb phones. We bought them years ago and they were okay at best. I decided to upgrade with 4 more. Phones. They are terrible. The music (which you pay monthly for) rarely works. Can’t call out half the time, it notifies “no SIM card inserted” yet during this time nothing works, until you reset phone. This happens numerous times a day, on all 4 phones. Worst purchase of my life!!! When you call for support, you have to wait forever (probably because of all the problems). Once you get ahold of someone, get ready to stay on the phone for hours. They leave you on hold over and over and it’s just the biggest pain! When the phones arrived, it took hours on the phone with support. I would not recommend this phone. I have 4 teens that have hated them for years, and this momma is the one put out most by all the grueling phone call with support. Just no, NO!!!
While I love this for kids who are over 13, there are just too many loopholes and ways kids can get around those protections. With Pinwheel, they don't have the capability to get around it because the operating system is extremely locked down. So, if your child is not allowed any social media apps, I would choose Pinwheel every time. Once they graduate to being able to use social media apps, then I would use a Kid Plan with Google Family Link (among other things - see video about parental control apps)
Parents: It is NEVER too late to switch your child over to a basic phone for their protection. It doesn't matter if you gave them iphones and ipads years ago and you're afraid of their backlash if you take them away. You can say: "You know what dear heart, we made a mistake handing you an adult phone, that does not protect kids, and we owe you an apology. Today we are getting on the right path. It might take a couple of weeks to adjust to some new changes, but we're going to do it." You will literally change the trajectory of your child's life by doing this. One of the most freeing things in the world when raising kids (besides home educating) is taking 3 week (or longer) media fasts, or even creating a screen free household. Watch a family movie together one night a week. You'll be amazed at the peace and beauty that enters everyone's lives when the stupid screens are off!! Parents, your #1 job is to protect your child; it is not to be their friend and "yes" person. You WILL be friends with your child if you keep healthy boundaries and give loving guidance and discipline. Discipline is not the same as punishment. It builds security in children when parents maintain boundaries/rules/ protection, because otherwise the burden of control is put onto the child, and it's too much for them to handle. It creates insecurity. Our youth are becoming so terribly DAMAGED by phones, internet, social media, porn exposure by age 11 in America, insane peer pressure, peer sex messaging, etc. Their brains are NOT developed yet to handle a smart phone and internet! Please protect them. We will answer to God for it one day.
Before buying how can I find out which phone companies are compatible. We have Sprint ( that is now T-MOBILE) and At&T which it seems may not work. Does anyone know if Metro PCS works?
Does the pinwheel ONLY use wifi? If so, why do you need a cell phone plan? If it is wifi only, that means any area without wifi or where you have to have permission to access another's wifi, would leave the phone without service. Does it run on 4 or 5 g from the cell service provider? If it does not, this phone is almost useless for any teen...or any parent wanting to make sure their child can reach them in an emergency. My cell always has service, but wifi is limited in a lot of areas.
I'm sorry. I wonder if that was a while ago and the issues may have been resolved. That was definitely not my experience, but Im sure it was frustrating for you.
@@FamilyTech yea it was about 7 months ago but since watching your video I took a look at some recent reviews on a website and it seems to have slightly more bad reviews based on technical issues than good reviews.These reviews are very recent like less than a month ago.
Every kid is different. Just like one can’t broadly say 10 is a good age to walk a mile home from school. Every kid has different level of maturity in things like dealing with traffic safety or strangers etc.
A child is going to do something regardless of what you say making these apps does not do anything except make them want to me more sneaky and do more stuff your back
Thanks 🙂 I myself have No Social Media other than You Tube, so contacting you anywhere else wouldn't work. I would consider the 'Pinwheel' device, Only if it offered You Tube. I'd be interested in it for my Granddaughter who will be 5 Years old next month. I would want something with You Tube as I would like to send Her Music I think She would like. So, I guess my question is, Does it, or Does it Not offer YT ? If Not, is there a Child's device that Does offer YT ? JaneLee - in Suburban Philadelphia 9/12/21
Is there an updated version of this video?
Thank you so much for your video! I work in IT as a systems administrator and have worked for a local school system in the past. I get hit up all the time for questions about locking down various technologies. Your channel is very helpful.
Thank you!! I totally know what you mean about all the questions! Happy to have a place for you to point people to!
this was so incredibly helpful. My older sister is autistic and she's been getting all kinds of creepy messages from strangers from social media and she's so kind and trusting she wants to help them or be their friend which obviously causes problems lol. She's given her number to strangers because they say they have no friends, she's just too kind for this world. but sadly I've had to take her phone away for her own safety and she's obviously upset about it since she LOVES music and now whenever she wants any leisure time she has to go through me which is annoying for everyone. She has also lost all of her independence which simply isn't fair and I hate doing it. I've been looking for a phone like pinwheel for YEARS now and this was the single and only breakdown that has helped me. It was so through and answered all my questions and has put me in so much ease. I'm ordering her one asap! Thank you again, I cant express how much you've helped me and my family.
That’s hard. You’re loving your sis well!
It's very good to see a comparison. Thank you. My son has been arguing with me about getting him a flip phone and you pointed out some good arguments against it.
We bought the Pinwheel phone for my 15 year old because we wanted a safe way to communicate when he’s away from home. We love the idea behind the phone but have had a real struggle with reliability. The phone randomly does not ring or receive texts that have been sent. Pinwheel customer service has been very kind and responsive but we continue to have random results when calling or texting. I need to be able to trust that I can reach my son or he can reach me. Are there other Pinwheel users having the same issues??
yep same issue also my son can access the browser and bypass screen limits 😡
Has the reliability gotten any better? Would you recommend Pinwheel or do you regret buying?
@albertsonadventures What phone model did you have w/ your reliability issues?
@@O1UP What phone model? Are the screen limits by pinwheel or bark? It's a little confusing why you'd need both.
I'm a kid who choses not to have a phone. I have the power of my imagination. It feels great! I use a computer when I need to for school.
Good for u
Wow I wish I could do that
But yet your replying to this RUclips post
@@richardhale5281LOL FRRRR bc i know this ain’t school
I have a question, can they download apps without you knowing on the Pinwheel phone? And if they can download an app, that means you can connect to wifi, which we are trying to prove to? Correct?
Can contact groups have different restrictions? Like mom and dad always on, but friends get cut off during school and night
There are No screen time controls on the Gabb. The kids can stay on it All night long. Not happy with this. Also, if they change their passcode and do not tell you or do not want to tell you what it is, there is No way to get in. You have to have a factory re-set done if you want to get in! My child has also downloaded videos from the internet on her phone. A kid at school showed her how to do it. So, yeah. They also do not have to check in with you in order to add a phone number. You also do not have access to their text messages, only their call history. I feel a regular smart phone with parental controls and passwords without internet access may be safer.
I know this a while ago, but are you saying that your child downloaded a video onto a Gabb phone? If so, which type of phone?
Thanks for Posting this video I want to convince my parents to get me a pinwheel!
Good luck!! It's a GREAT device for kids!!
We’ve had Gabb for a year now, and can set lock times for the devices on whatever schedule we want. Also, our kids can only send or receive calls and texts to the contacts that we program into their devices, so I’m confused by your review.
I just checked again and I do not see this capability for the phone, only for the watch. Can you explain how you are able to do this for the phone?
Do you have the phone or watch?
We have the phone and it does not have the capability to control who can call or text our child and it is really frustrating. Also, I know he deletes texts he doesn’t want me to see. I think we’re making the switch the pinwheel . Because I want bark on it. So I don’t have to read all his texts. I can just set up bark to alert me of texts that are concerning
@@glomommy7656 Gabb allows kids to delete? Are you even able to see their messages?
One more question, does the camera have restrictions? Can i view all pics taken?
Hi, these are both on Android platforms, which are easier for kids to hack, do hard resets, etc. Is a Pinwheel-on-Android better than iPhone-with-(max)-Parental-Controls?
Thank you for this video. Does either phone have video calling?
Gabb does not. Pinwheel has some 3rd party apps that can do it like Google Duo
What are your thoughts on the Gabb Watch? I don't even love the idea of them having a phone but I want them to be able to contact me if needed.
I already responded on Instagram, but just in case someone 3lse has the same question. The watch is a great option because you CAN limit who can contact the watch. Not sure why they haven't moved that functionality to the phone yet...
We got the Apple watch with SIM (no iPhone) before hearing about pinwheel, gabb, troomi. Love that the watch has pretty good hands free voice control to send text or make calls, becoz typing is a pain. No RUclips for binge watching. No social platforms. There’s not much addictive usage possible on there besides phone chat. Wish there was camera. Serves very basic needs to stay in touch and get emergency help.
Could I use this in Canada?
Does Pinwheel have the Crew app?
What is your pinwheel discount code? The link isn’t doing anything?
Hello, I’m thinking about purchasing this phone for myself to use as a minimalist phone so that I can have access to texting, gps, and music apps without social media and web access. Would that work or are there child features that would bother an adult using it as a primary phone? Thanks!
Too many child features
The thing about pinwheel that I don’t like is that it costs too much. $15 for the software. $5 for bark. And then $30 for the Verizon phone line. The Gabb phone is just $20. I do like that I can see what’s being said on the text messages with pinwheel
maybe you should be making sure that your kid can trust you and can talk to you about things that worry them instead of making them learn that they should hide and avoid
@@Niko-op3oz if you jump to conclusions with your children the same way you just did on my comment I guarantee your child isn’t telling you everything. Be blessed.
@@ktj8074 I am the child. What you are hearing is my experience, along with many other people I have talked to.
@@Niko-op3oz oh that makes sense. Ur not a parent. You must have forgotten that every parent was once also a child.
@@ktj8074 but today's age is much much different than maybe 20 years ago, even 10. many things have changed
Thanks so much for your informative review! My son does NOT want a phone, he's 12. I know, I have a unicorn child apparently. But he does marching band and travels far sometimes so I want a way for him to get ahold of me and for me to track him through GPS so I know when the bus is almost home. So....I just purchased the Gabb 3 watch for him. He's open to a watch right now and he can text/voice clip/call me and contacts I approve and also can still reach only me if I lock it down on school mode. It has a chore list to earn coins too. And has GPS tracking. And is monitored remotely as well like the Pinwheel phone.
My question to you is...I know the Pinwheel phone can "grow" with them. I'm thinking of buying one now so that when he IS ready for one, I have it ready to go. But HOW much growing can it do? Can it "grow" to a fully normally phone with social media and internet eventually? I just don't want to buy it now and have him not ask for a phone until he's like 16 and then the Pinwheel won't do enough at that point so it was a wasted purchase. Thoughts?
Too much stalking, highly recommended and iBong and a Galaxy S23 Ultra
Helpful video, thank you. It looks like Gabb has a newer phone that does more, the GabbZ2. Will you be updating your video soon? Also, any thoughts on programs like Wondershare's FamiSafe? They promise many of the same controls that Pinwheel does.
It still doesn't do the things I talked about in the video
Can Kids Messenger be added to this?
Thanks. Having a terrible experience with gabb. Customer service has been a nightmare. Wish I saw this earlier.
I have a flip phone as a kid. No internet. I didn't die. It was clunky in the early days of cell phones, but it let me stay in touch with my parents if I felt unsafe.
Does the parental controls allow you as a parent to control who they call and text? Like, can I set up only certain people in the contacts that my child can contact, but no one else?
On Pinwheel, yes. Gabb does not have this feature.
Hi there, May I ask of the Pinwheel phone is usable in the UK? Coz I've tried so hard to only found out the Gabb phone is not usable in the UK 😭😭..A desperate parent here in need of this kind of phone...Can you please help me out here @Familytech ?? Thank you for your video!
I have a pinwheel phone and yes this is all true BUT there is a 50 50 chance a text will send it randomly disconnects to WiFi 5 seconds after connecting, on Spotify my music un0downloads for no reason, calls do go through, and I don’t receive calls.
Can you update or comment on what is being added with Pinwheel's newer 329$. I am new to you and all your info has been so helpful as my children are getting older!
Does bark work in apple
i dont think my parents looking at my messages or turning it off at night is a bad thing. very sleek look over gabb higher price but way better. pinwheel does look like alot of set up but thats ok but does it have phone numbers on pinwheel?
I really like the pinwheel Phone. We have us cellular so im not sure if it would work for that. Also I see it says tracphone on the bottom of the site. If we used that would we need to buy the phone cards every month?
This is an excellent breakdown. Thank you so much for making this easy!
Is there anyway they can access TikTok or social media on the Pinwheel phone?
Can images be sent through text messaging?
Sarah, my family uses Google Fi. Is that one of the carriers that is comparable?
I’m assuming that since the watch it a gab product your also not a fan. Are there any other watches you can suggest
I really love the Gizmo watch, but it's a Verizon exclusive. I will say though, I haven't had a chance to check out the Gabb watch. If it's more limited in it's abilities I may not be against it. I'll have to check it out to be sure.
@@FamilyTech oh I didn’t realize there was a gizmo. I’ll check it out that you!
We used a Gabb watch for over a year. The main problem we ran into is that you cannot text message freely on the Gabb watch. Parents have to pre-load a handful of text messages for your child to send, from the app on your own phone - including emojis (beyond the few that come on the watch.) Very limited. This may work perfectly for an early elementary aged child, but it was too limiting for our needs w/ a 10 yr old. They can record voice texts and text them, but there are obviously many situations where a child may need privacy, and talking out loud to record voice texts isn't going to work.
Using the link is not giving me 10% off. Do you happen to have another one?
Can you face time on both phones? And does the pinwheel phone act a bit more slowly then the gabb phone?
Not sure what you mean by slowly? Facetime is exclusive to Apple, so no.
@@FamilyTech is the pinwheel more slow or laggy then the gabb phone? Btw Thank you 😊 i have a flip phone too 😂
@@lynnpeters1212 no, I haven't seen any performance problems on either device.
I'm glad you discussed bark. I use it for my son's smartphone. He has done too much so I want to revert to a pinwheel.
It's definitely a great option!
Reverting is a huge challenge. No one wants their freedom taken away even an ounce. Can you share any experience?
Would you mind sharing how he reverted without compromising your privacy, please? It helps us understand the challenges we will face :) And how Pinwheel is working out?
I didn't end up getting Pinwheel. I just take his phone as needed. He doesn't really care much about his phone.
@@msjai728 so lucky he doesn’t care as much, thanks for the reply
Thanks for your helpful review! Wondering where you got the cute case for the Pinwheel phone? I’m only seeing the phone coming with a black case…
We have Verizon, so we are able to get the phone with case options. Here are the current cases that are available pinwheel.com/collections/slim-cases
Also, I have had my Pinwheel for quite a while, so they may have had different stock at the time.
@@FamilyTech this link doesn't seem to be working.
@@mommabear9113 sorry. It's fairly old, they may have changed it.
Wow, I am so happy that I found your video because I was just about to buy a gab phones. My daughter is very smart and I think that she would probably end up trying to delete messages, it's just because I probably didn't mind it. Just that way. I don't want to have anything that she's able to delete stuff. Also thank goodness you made this video I wish I'd been pretty bummed had I hopped that phone and realized that
Hi! I'm seeing alot of people saying they add their pinwheel phone to their Verizon phone but when I go to buy the pinwheel phone it says it's not compatible with Verizon?
I believe the Verizon model is just currently out of stock
Thank you so much for this video I have been trying to get my parents to buy me this phone and with your help I might actually get one
Very helpful!! Thank you
I’m not happy with the Gabb for the reason that there is no screen time controls. You can’t even get into the phone if they change their password. It’s pretty horrible. The customer service is good however. I’m going to look into the pinwheel
Do you use Pinwheel in your home or the Android with the Bark and Boomerang?
My children are older, so we use Android with Boomerang and Bark. I recommend Pinwheel or Troomi as a first phone, then they graduate to an Android when they are ready for social media. I do have a Pinwheel and Troomi device here with service though, so I can test it out.
You mentioned adding a line to Verizon is only like $5/month. Verizon is telling me it’s $30/month. Does that sound right?
It depends on the plan you have. But I would say you can probably get it for less than 30. I wouldn't spend more than 15/month
Hi can u just do a full pinwheel review nobody has done that
Why so much emphasis of printer control??
Can my kid keep his phone number that he currently has when I purchase a pinwheel.
Yes. You just add the phone to your regular plan, so there's not even a need to transfer the number you just contact your carrier and switch out the phone.
Can you add Pinwheel to a Cricket plan?
Awesome video! Does pinwheel have gps tracking? And the caregiver app has a lot of bad reviews in the Google play store
Yes
Anyone have a referral code for Gabb? Thanks in advance! Thank you for review!
See the iPhone does the same thing as far as being able to monitor through their screen time feature. For the price of the pinwheel you can get a iPhone. I’m so stuck here.
That's not true. You can't monitor content on the iPhone, and there are many work arounds that circumvent the parental controls.
Is the 15$ dollar month subscription for the services to use the phone or just the controls? Do you have to get a separate monthly plan to have this work ?
Yes, you'll need to pay for phone service separately.
Paid advertising. How can you actually offer an honest review when you're endorsing Pinwheel with your promo code. To be clear, the Z2 Gabb phone does have parental controls, you just need to use the app remotely in your own phone. They also have the best spam blocker on the market. And people don't need promo codes, cause the phones are priced so much better (cause kids lose 'em!).
I've seen the app. What can you control? Cause it doesn't seem like you can CONTROL anything. You can see where the phone is, call it, and message it. You can't set time limits or view messages or control who can contact the phone.
I only don't have a Gabb code because I have never reached out to get one, because I could never feel confident enough to promote them. This is definitely not a paid advertisement. I do an honest review of the limitations and if someone decides to use my code to buy a phone, then great. But if they don't want to buy it on the merits of what I've explained, I don't get any monetary gain from the review.
Thank you so much for this ! I was sold on Gabb but since watching this video you were able to break down the pros and cons so I’m definitely getting my 16 yr old daughter a Pinwheel. She has a friend that has a gabb and recently a boy send her nude pics of himself and her parents don’t know bc she deletes them. So yea I think Pinwheel is the way to go :) thank you !!
What if she has to scan a qr code for school? idiot.
Can I get the 360 app in pinwheel ?
Yes you can.
I was wondering if Pinwheel can block the gif database that comes with most keyboard apps? (Switching to Typewise would be the perfect solution except it only takes seconds to switch back and I don't know of a way to prevent that or how to fully remove default keyboards like Gboard; especially when the phone in question is a Pixel). Also are the gif databases absent from Gabb since there is no internet connection? This is such a chink in the armor. When it comes to texting and messaging apps even if you lock everything else down on a phone, inappropriate images can still be found to view via gif databases. And unless you block the messaging apps completely (making texting/messaging impossible) the gif loophole remains where compromising images can be found. Google Family link is something I'm also unfamiliar with, I wonder if it has settings which can somehow can do the trick. Any thoughts or suggestions, from anyone, would be great! Thanks!
I just purchased 2 plus phones and cases using your link and did not get 10% off
Does pinwheel have internet access? (Web browser)
Yes and no. It does not have an actual web browser, but there are some apps that do have a back door to the internet. Those apps are clearly labeled in the parent portal that kids can get to the internet through that app, so you can choose not to enable any of those apps that have the workaround.
@@FamilyTech thank you! 😊
Awesome review 👏👏👏
You can block stuff on gabb
Anyone know if this is compatible with Spectrum mobile service?
I'm not sure on that one, you might want to try their customer service and ask?
Spectrum Mobile uses Verizon towers and carries for their cell service. So maybe?
Great video. Super helpful and very informational. Saved me so much time from researching this myself.
Glad it was helpful!
Have you had reliability issues with Pinwheel that others in comments have reported?
If you have more than one phone with pinwheel, do you have to pay the $15 for each phone?
No you don't! The first phone on the plan is $15 per month and each additional phone is $5 per month.
Thank u for this video, I think pinwheel is good for my kids..
Very useful. Thank you very much.
What happens if my child is older
I like the idea of the Pinwheel a lot, but there's too much control. One negative thing it's going to teach a kid, depending on the control the parental figures enforce, is that their parents don't trust them, therefore pushing them to hide more things. As a parent, you have to learn to trust your kid to a certain level, especially if they have a gabb/pinwheel phone that doesn't put them at risk with social medias and internet. Yes, a kid can delete messages but you have to learn to accept that. The most sneaky teens/young adults are the ones who were controlled on their every move and had to find ways to go around their parental figures for relatively basic things
Ok. Should kids be allowed to go to bars?
Should kids be allowed to drive cars?
Should kids be allowed to buy guns?
Should kids get prescription opioids?
Should kids be allowed to go to strip clubs? Etc….. are those rules “to controlling” or is it common sense??? Would you give a developing brain alcohol and drugs? Its the same principle. These devices are highly addictive and no knows long term effects on developing brains.
@@cmike5572 First of all, in North America, kids are driving cars. I do agree they should not be, though.
Second, I see you come from a place of privilege, not knowing what having a very sick kid is like - I hope you never do. Yes, I do want kids to have access to those medications if they actually need them.
Third, I don't think civilians should have access to guns so easily. Therefore I obviously don't think kids should.
Yes, those rules are too controlling. Should kids have none? No. That doesn't mean teaching kids they cannot trust their parents or make small decisions, ...
Common sense is not treating your kids with stricter rules than a felon. Having important conversations with said kids, explaining that trust is earned, that it can be lost, being a role model and putting effort in raising your kids is common sense.
My problem is not with the fact that kids shouldn't be on their phone 24/7, because they shouldn't. It's about kids being too controlled. Do you only trust your kids once they turn 18? Their brain are still not fully developed at that point. When do you start trusting them? Do you go from 0 to a 100 or, like I wrote, do you learn to trust them? Some control over kids is good, especially when they are not old enough to make sound decisions on a whim; too much is dangerous
Do not forget that phones are not the biggest problem this generation is facing/going to face.
I need to tell my parents this 👍
This is actually a good tool for building trust! More privileges can be given as the kid matures. It’s the same tv shoes. You wouldn’t just give the kid the remote and walk away unless you know your kid is mature enough to make the right choice(more often than not) when you’re not looking.
This comparison was interesting for me. When I was growing up I just had a prepaid android smartphone and later an iPhone with no limits or tracking features. My parents had to ask for the phone to check it, which would be extremely distressing. So for example if I was being bullied by someone on social media or by a toxic “friend,” they would have to take the phone away so I wouldn’t see or receive those messages. Again, this was in the early 2000s when a lot of these kid friendly features weren’t available on smartphones. Imagine if I’d had something like the pinwheel in high school and middle school. I feel it would have lessened the depression I experienced and help me stay more motivated on my goals. I also likely wouldn’t have gotten addicted to texting or have recklessly talked to strangers on social media. If only the pinwheel had existed when I was a kid!
Pinwheel for the victory!!!
I bought 4 gabb phones. We bought them years ago and they were okay at best. I decided to upgrade with 4 more. Phones. They are terrible. The music (which you pay monthly for) rarely works. Can’t call out half the time, it notifies “no SIM card inserted” yet during this time nothing works, until you reset phone. This happens numerous times a day, on all 4 phones. Worst purchase of my life!!! When you call for support, you have to wait forever (probably because of all the problems). Once you get ahold of someone, get ready to stay on the phone for hours. They leave you on hold over and over and it’s just the biggest pain! When the phones arrived, it took hours on the phone with support. I would not recommend this phone. I have 4 teens that have hated them for years, and this momma is the one put out most by all the grueling phone call with support. Just no, NO!!!
How to make your kid hate you:
thanks!
Why not just use Verizon's Kid Plan with Google's Family Link?
While I love this for kids who are over 13, there are just too many loopholes and ways kids can get around those protections. With Pinwheel, they don't have the capability to get around it because the operating system is extremely locked down. So, if your child is not allowed any social media apps, I would choose Pinwheel every time. Once they graduate to being able to use social media apps, then I would use a Kid Plan with Google Family Link (among other things - see video about parental control apps)
Verizon kids plan only allows 20 #s and my daughter removed parental controls two years ago (at 11) and I didn't realize until months later
Those are huge though :(
Wish they would make one for tiny hands.
So helpful!
Gabb is super easy to bypass all the parental controls.
i’m a teen and really scared to get a pinwheel. is netflix and youtube accessible on the phone? how bad is the camera quality?
Does the Gabb and Pinwheel phones have music?
Pinwheel has access to music services like Spotify and Amazon Music, on the Gabb you can load mp3's on the device. If you have the files.
Gabb has a radio app now, 2022.
Is it $15/phone or just a flat $15/month for the portal? (Multiple kids)
Parents: It is NEVER too late to switch your child over to a basic phone for their protection. It doesn't matter if you gave them iphones and ipads years ago and you're afraid of their backlash if you take them away. You can say: "You know what dear heart, we made a mistake handing you an adult phone, that does not protect kids, and we owe you an apology. Today we are getting on the right path. It might take a couple of weeks to adjust to some new changes, but we're going to do it."
You will literally change the trajectory of your child's life by doing this.
One of the most freeing things in the world when raising kids (besides home educating) is taking 3 week (or longer) media fasts, or even creating a screen free household. Watch a family movie together one night a week. You'll be amazed at the peace and beauty that enters everyone's lives when the stupid screens are off!!
Parents, your #1 job is to protect your child; it is not to be their friend and "yes" person.
You WILL be friends with your child if you keep healthy boundaries and give loving guidance and discipline. Discipline is not the same as punishment. It builds security in children when parents maintain boundaries/rules/ protection, because otherwise the burden of control is put onto the child, and it's too much for them to handle. It creates insecurity.
Our youth are becoming so terribly DAMAGED by phones, internet, social media, porn exposure by age 11 in America, insane peer pressure, peer sex messaging, etc. Their brains are NOT developed yet to handle a smart phone and internet! Please protect them. We will answer to God for it one day.
Bro don't make me cringe 😬
Before buying how can I find out which phone companies are compatible. We have Sprint ( that is now T-MOBILE) and At&T which it seems may not work. Does anyone know if Metro PCS works?
Here's a list from their website
support.pinwheel.com/articles/list-of-cellular-providers
Great videos!! I love what you’re doing. I hate trying to listen to these tech people babble and not make any sense to me.
I think kids all over the world need These phones not iPhones
Americans and their control
Does the pinwheel ONLY use wifi? If so, why do you need a cell phone plan? If it is wifi only, that means any area without wifi or where you have to have permission to access another's wifi, would leave the phone without service. Does it run on 4 or 5 g from the cell service provider? If it does not, this phone is almost useless for any teen...or any parent wanting to make sure their child can reach them in an emergency. My cell always has service, but wifi is limited in a lot of areas.
No, the Pinwheel can be added to any cell service plan. It just doesn't come with service.
Thank you so much! The ums are very distracting lol sorry to criticize just saying
u where spocered by pinweel
Thanks! I got my daughter a Gab but thanks for telling me That she might be getting spam ill warn her thanks!
Of course! I'm not saying it's a bad choice, I just want people to be aware of it's limitations. Definitely warn her about the spam. :D
NO BARK 🚫
I had pinwheel it was horrible ,very confusing,very very slow
I'm sorry. I wonder if that was a while ago and the issues may have been resolved. That was definitely not my experience, but Im sure it was frustrating for you.
@@FamilyTech yea it was about 7 months ago but since watching your video I took a look at some recent reviews on a website and it seems to have slightly more bad reviews based on technical issues than good reviews.These reviews are very recent like less than a month ago.
@@TallShawnNetwork Is You're Pinwheel still bad? Or has it gotten better?
@@HelloKitty-iq8tt hey,I’m going to see if I can turn it back on in the morning.Hopefully things will get better,thanks for asking.
I am a child but my parents gave me his old Samsung A10
I personally think that 13 is a good age for a kid to have an iPhone that’s connected to internet
I completely disagree
@@dawnmcfarland7011 Me as well. Not to come off rude.
Every kid is different. Just like one can’t broadly say 10 is a good age to walk a mile home from school. Every kid has different level of maturity in things like dealing with traffic safety or strangers etc.
A child is going to do something regardless of what you say making these apps does not do anything except make them want to me more sneaky and do more stuff your back
i am kid and i have nokia and yes internet
Thanks 🙂
I myself have No Social Media other than You Tube, so contacting you anywhere else wouldn't work.
I would consider the 'Pinwheel' device, Only if it offered You Tube.
I'd be interested in it for my Granddaughter who will be 5 Years old next month.
I would want something with You Tube as I would like to send Her Music I think She would like.
So, I guess my question is,
Does it, or Does it Not offer YT ?
If Not, is there a Child's device that Does offer YT ?
JaneLee - in Suburban Philadelphia
9/12/21
No. It does not include RUclips, and I'm pretty sure it never will.
@@FamilyTech
Okey Dokie 🙂
Thanks.
Do parents actually buy these phones and not give their kids like a cheap Samsung or iPhone SE🤣
Literally buy an actual decent smartphone and then just add parental controls like seriously they cost less and are far better
nah iphone for life lmao