Keeping our kids healthy is one of the top priorities as parents. It has become increasingly harder to do so with all the fast food chains, numerous snacks, and drinks of all flavors. Getting them to drink water can be a task. Especially a 5-year-old who has just discovered the wonderous joys of sodas. But water is an essential part of life. Bowhead Technology has a Kickstarter that can change all that with its new Gululu Water Bottle.
Design
The Gululu water bottle is made of a durable rubber shell that withstands multiple drops, which is needed for kids. It comes in five different colors so they are sure to have something that will please your little ones.
The bottle can be taken apart into separate pieces. The main body is where all the sensors, screen, and the water is located. There are multiple sensors located throughout the bottle. The sensors and inclinometer on the inside are used to accurately measure how much water the child has consumed, while sensors on the outside allow the child to interact with the pet.
Also removable are the lid and the spout. The spout breaks down into two pieces that are easily replaced and is also BPA-free. The bottle is leakproof and waterproof, but it is not dishwasher safe, so make sure you hand wash it.
Charging is a breeze with is easy to use charging stand. Just plug the charging station in and sit the bottle on top and you’re good to go. It also links to WiFi for data transfer.
Setup
Setup takes no more than ten minutes with simple to follow instructions after downloading the app from the Play Store. Once you have created an account, you enter some information about your child and get a recommended water intake level.
Then comes the fun part for your child. They get to pick from three different cute companions that will accompany them on their healthy adventure. Â Once that is done, it will walk you through the steps to of connecting to the WiFi.
Once you have set the bottle up, you can then adjust your settings in the app for more or less water, school mode and bed time. These two modes simply shut the companion down for a desired amount of time so there are no interruptions.
Review
Gululu is a neat water bottle that combines drinking water, virtual pets, and gamification. Think Tamagotchi pets on a water bottle. It makes drinking water fun as they help their new companion grow.
The sensors on the side allow the child to interact in fun ways. The companion will do a few different tricks depending on how you touch the sides. It also has a built-in feature that allows to kids to shake their bottles together and their pets can visit each other and become friends.
The app is a simple and useful tool for parents. You don’t have to be any kind of techie to understand how to use it. Once the bottle is in WiFi, the data is uploaded and then open it up and monitor your kid’s habits.
What is there negative to say about this device? I mean it’s got it all. There has to be a downside right? Usually, all that would be followed by a no, but in this case, it’s not. This bottle has a future retail price of $129 before shipping and taxes.
I realize there is a lot of technology in this bottle and I understand. But it is hard to pay that kind of money for an item like this. If you go to the Kickstarter you can get one before that price kicks in for $89, which may still be pricey.
Summary
With a colorful array of bottles to choose from, there is no doubt this bottle is cool. Kids love it and it’s a wonderful aid in keeping kids healthy. I’m not sure what the long term future holds in pricing terms. But I feel they will have to come down in price at some point.
The Kickstarter has less than 20 days and is fully funded and expected to deliver anywhere starting in Septemer.
