It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the Nabi 2 tablet for kids. As a father, I was extremely impressed with its vast suite of educational software, ease of use, and overall solid build quality when I reviewed it. The one major drawback of the Nabi 2 is that it's not really meant for pre-school-age children. Sure, it could help give your little little one a headstart, but $200 is a bit much to shell out when they may not even start using the device until the ripe-old age of five. Enter the answer to your quandary: the Nabi Jr.

The Nabi Jr. is meant to be a very entry-level device, and for all intents and purposes, "baby's first tablet." It's 5" 800x480 display is easy for little hands to hold on to, while its dual-core Tegra 2 processor keeps things snappy (because kids are impatient). Pair that with the rotating front/rear camera and a $99 starting price tag for the 4GB version ($129 for 16GB), and you have a nice little gadget to get your little one started with. Best of all, it's powered by ICS, so it's a real tablet - not some toy or pretend garbage.

Like its older sibling, the Nabi Jr. is filled to the brim with educational software. It's designed for young children, but the suite of software is actually designed for kids up to sixth grade.

Not only that, but it will also have a selection of "toyccessories" that will be available shortly after the launches in mid-December, including a baby monitor so parents can use the Nabi Jr. to keep an eye on their new addition, a karaoke machine (because kids love to sing), a cash register, game controller, and interactive "pet" just for the Nabi Jr.

I should get to spend some hands-on time with the Nabi Jr. in the coming weeks, so if you're interested in this little gizmo, stay on the lookout for the full review.

Fuhu, Inc. Announces nabi™ Jr., A Leap Forward in the Toy Tablet Category with a $99 Full-Featured Learning Tablet Built Just For Kids

nabi™ Jr. is the first full-featured, NVIDIA®-powered, $99 Android tablet with 5-inch capacitive touch screen, Android ICS and pre-loaded with educational apps, games, and videos

EL SEGUNDO, CA., Dec. 4, 2012 – Fuhu, Inc., the leading innovator in tablets made just for kids, introduced today the new nabi™ Jr., featuring an NVIDIA® Tegra® dual-core processor, Android 4.0 ICS, 5-inch high-resolution (800x480) capacitive touch screen and rotating front and back camera for only $99. nabi Jr. is a breakthrough in a category filled with low-quality toys.

“nabi 2 is one of the hottest products for kids in 2012, we took everything kids and parents loved from nabi 2 and adapted it to a younger market at a $99 offering for nabi Jr. We are confident that we will redefine the toy tablet category and that kids and parents will be blown away with the incredible experience this product delivers,” said Jim Mitchell CEO of Fuhu, Inc. “The amazing educational system combined with the content partnerships we have lined up with the performance of this tablet will redefine expectations unlike ever before.”

nabi Jr. redefines education with the first tablet-based adaptive learning system that takes a holistic approach to courseware vs. individualized text books and stand-alone apps

Pre-loaded with Wings™ Education System (Pre-K and K), nabi Jr. is a revolution in learning, digital reading and creativity. Covering Pre-K through 6th grade in reading, writing, math and arts, Wings was built with common core, state-standardized requirements in mind and, from the ground up, innovative and fun user interfaces and amazing graphics. Wings is the most advanced tablet education system to help give your child a head start and develop a love of learning, strong study skills and confidence.

Wings™ Adaptive Learning System

Wings is the first tablet-based adaptive learning system that creates individualized lesson plans based on your child’s proficiency across over 2,500 fundamentals in reading, writing and math. Wings helps your child achieve success through skill set mastery in reading, writing and math with over 40,000 challenging lessons with amazing graphics and characters.

Wings™ Challenges

Wings Challenges puts the challenge of games into learning; it’s a learning system we coined “game-u-cation” a system that motivates your child to progress through a series of challenges, unlocks, hidden maps, character discoveries, achievements and bonuses as they master fundamentals in reading, writing and math.

Wings™ University

Wings University is a comprehensive bookstore filled with additional lessons (1st – 6th grade), read-a-long books and innovative creativity apps and activities.

Wings™ Learn & Earn

Wings™ Learn & Earn is an incentive-based learning program that rewards your child with nabi™ Coins for educational achievement that can be utilized to redeem apps, games and real accessories.

N-Site™ Reports

The first in real-time metrics, Wings™ N-Site gives you an immediate understanding of your child’s proficiency, trouble spots, time spent and areas of improvement. It’s the most powerful tool for parents to have true insight into their child’s educational progression!

No cartridges; no AA batteries and includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Redefining the toy tablet category, nabi Jr. includes a full-featured app store made specifically for children as well as the ability to side-load Amazon app store. You’ll never be short of activities, apps, games or movies and music for your child on the nabi Jr. With over 1,000 apps and games available there is really no necessity for costly cartridges. Whether your child wants fast-action gaming or to explore their inner Picasso, nabi Jr. has an app for that. Simply connect to Wi-Fi and access the nabi Jr. store made just for kids.

Made durable and kid-safe

Like its older sibling nabi™ 2, nabi Jr. was made to withstand drops, bumps and the occasional spills that are inevitable in a child’s hands. With its food-grade, drop-safe bumper nabi Jr. is sure to last whatever your child puts it through. Of course, nabi Jr. comes with its industry defining standards of parental controls that help you easily manage usage and access of web, apps and games.

Integrated Plug and Play Toyccessories™

Your child’s first tablet, that grows with them! From their first days in the cradle, the nabi Jr. transforms into the world’s most powerful baby monitor. Leveraging nabi Jr.’s 800x480 high-resolution 5-inch screen for a clear view, and optional infrared night vision camera and remote zoom and turn functions, and microphone this baby monitor is simply incredible. Utilize nabi™ Cloud and any Android phone to stream and see what baby is doing anytime, anywhere. And when you’re with your baby, utilize nabi Jr. to keep their attention with nabi Jr. apps, games and videos! Best of all, once your child has outgrown the necessity of a baby monitor you still have the power of nabi Jr.

Baby Monitor

Enjoy the peace of mind with the nabi Jr. wireless video baby monitor. The video monitor comes with a camera to let you keep watch over your baby. The parent unit is your nabi Jr. 5-inch, high-resolution tablet, and the zoom function offers convenient use. Infrared night vision lets you keep an eye on your little one, even in low-light conditions, and the high-sensitivity microphone allows for two-way communication. The monitor features an out-of-range alert, a room temperature display, a sound level indicator and a low-battery alert.

Karaoke Machine

The nabi Jr. Karaoke Player comes with an amazing portable hi-fi speaker and microphone. Be the life of any party with the nabi Jr. Portable Karaoke Player! When the mega-bass sound kicks in you’ve got the ultimate karaoke experience! Plug into your TV to watch scrolling lyrics from your television (when used with HDMI plug). Featuring Auto Voice Control, speaker balance and echo control you’ll always sound your best.

Cash Register

nabi Jr.’s cash register brings fun and learning together in one talking register. Each transaction is tracked on the tablet screen in large, easy-to-read numbers. Play money is included, allowing kids to learn about saving and spending money the easy way. Each transaction is replayed back with the amazing talking feature, so your cash register can teach while you play.

Kids have fun counting bills and coins, making change, running the credit card, scanning items, weighing things on the built-in scale. Life skills increase exponentially in the context of meaningful play! Transactions are also rewarded with lights, sounds and positive voice messages. Addition, subtraction, place value, and coin recognition games are included!

Game Controller

Take full control of the gaming experience with nabi Jr. Game Controller. No need to compromise with awkward and frustrating touch screen control for the games that demand a real console gamepad. It combines the best new hardware and software available with great innovative design to make the perfect game controller. Ultimate responsiveness equals ultimate game play.

Introducing nabi Pet

nabi Pet is an interactive toy that kids can name and raise by feeding it, walking it, playing with it and even cleaning it! Each pet develops its own personality based on how children interacts with it and takes care of it. Kids will have fun seeing how their pets respond to their actions. Remember that as kids tilt it, shake it, hold it and squeeze it, nabi Pet may surprise you by how it responds! nabi Pet not only becomes a fun companion for your children, but it also teaches them to be responsible for raising their pet.

Pricing and Availability

The nabi Jr. will be available mid-December for a suggested retail price of $99 for the 4GB model and $129 for the 16GB model. nabi Jr. will be available at nationwide retailers in stores and online. nabi Jr. will be available in North America, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea and China. Accessories will be available in February 2013.