If you’ve tried to buy a regular home phone lately, you probably know that compared to smartphones, they’re a mess of buttons and ’90s-era holdovers. A product called the ILY family phone from startup Insensi may do the trick.
Ily is a device that aims not just to replace the clunky home phone, but to integrate with the cellphones and tablets we all use to communicate with these days.
Want to encourage your kids to stay in touch with family, but don’t trust them with a smartphone?
It’s designed to help young ‘uns place video phone calls to anyone else who also has either an ILY or the iOS or Android app. Calling couldn’t be simpler — they just tap the recipient’s picture on the main page of the color touchscreen. Video and voice calls can be made over the internet via your WiFi network, or you can place regular phone calls by plugging it into your landline.
It has an 8-inch touchscreen, a camera, a microphone, a speaker, proximity sensors as well as temperature and quality of air sensors. There is also a separate handset for voice calls. By default, Ily displays a grid of your family members.
You tap on someone’s picture, and you can then start a call, a video call, send a video message, text message or drawing. This works particularly well with other family members who also have an Ily.
