Working at a parenting magazine, we get pitches for everything from books to kid’s clothing to technology. And every once in a while, one of those pitches really catches my eye – and it’s not always for the best reasons.
Case in point: Smartbe, a new stroller that’s being crowd funded on Indiegogo and has left me a bit confused.
Why, you ask?
This tech-stroller has electronic engines to push it, so if you’re going up a hill or jogging, you no longer have to push the stroller on your own. And, thanks to the sensors, the stroller will always be in reach of mom or dad. Hands-free parenting?
In the press release for the stroller, Guillermo Morro, maker of the Smartbe, says, “I am the father of twins and I know how uncomfortable it is to push an ordinary stroller through snow in Manhattan, up hills in San Francisco or jog along the path through the heat and humidity of Miami,” so he wanted to design a better stroller that combines technology.
It has a lot of other features too.
“A built in rocker, bottle warmer and music create a mobile nursery,” the press release on the item notes.
There are cameras on this stroller, and parents can use an app to monitor the baby. Or, if you’ve got safety concerns, there’s a feature that allows only parents and/or nannies to unlock the wheels of the stroller.
But here’s what confuses me: Are we so lazy that we can’t push a stroller up a hill? I understand not being able to do it if you have some sort of health problem but come on, people.
What if this thing, which is going to sell for $900 to $2,900, malfunctions and runs faster than you? What do you do then? Technology isn’t 100 percent reliable.
And what I’m really wondering is why is everything so tech-driven? I know there are a lot of good points to technology, but I also think we take things too far. Plus, there’s something very sweet about pushing your children in their stroller during a walk, so I don’t see the reason for taking that away and letting an engine in a stroller do it for you.
What do you think? Would you buy this stroller? Tell us in the comments section below.
Photo courtesy of SmartBe
