(Newser)
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Toys 'R' Us is struggling, and in a bid to remain competitive, the toy giant is introducing its own proprietary tablet for kids this fall. The $149.99 Tabeo runs on Android and includes 50 pre-loaded apps such as Angry Birds, the Wall Street Journal reports. The tablet, which competes with similar children's products like the Kurio, Lexibook, and Meep, also includes parental controls so moms and dads can dictate how much time their kids spend on the tablet and what they do on it.
"Showrooming"—when customers check out a product in-store, then buy it for cheaper on, say, Amazon—is a problem for Toys 'R' Us, one they are hoping to combat by only selling the Tabeo in Toys 'R' Us stores or on the company website. But the move is a big gamble, especially considering the three competing tablets for kids have already seen their prices lowered to match the Tabeo's. And, as the Journal points out, the Tabeo will even have to compete with adult tablets, now that Amazon's Kindle Fire is just $159.
