Rick Bolander’s Kajeet Changes Offerings To Add Smartphones

Last year, this blogger blogged about Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist and Oakland Restaurant lover Rick Bolander, and his company called Kajeet. Now, since few still have heard of the firm with that funny name, Kajeet, here’s the info from last year.

If you’re a parent who’s wondered how to virtually corral the chance that your kids will use their cell phone for something called “sexting,” you’ve probably pounded your head in frustration. Well, there’s an answer: Kajeet, a cell phone service “for kids” located in Maryland, but funded by Silicon Valley investor Rick Bolander, who serves as managing partner.

Bolander brought his experience in “working with digital content providers and service providers” to bear in his role in helping to form Kajeet.

Why do I mention Rick Bolander first and before its CEO? Because under his direction, Kajeet has raised $82 million. Bolander is not just managing director at Kajeet, he’s also “Rick Bolander co – founder of Gabriel Venture Partners.”

Bolander, together with Kajeet CEO Daniel Neal, are creating a new company that’s right for the times. A period where it seems that digital communications have advanced so rapidly, the common and at times hair-raising practices of teens seem to have gone unchecked.

Now, according to Phonenews.com, Kajeet has changed its phone offerings to add smartphones, and is promoting its GPS Phone Locator Service.

The phones – well, smartphones, are state of the art: LG Optimus S,the HTC Shift, Samsung Conquer and Replenish. The smartphones have slightly different service that is to be regularly expected because they’re designed to be safe for kids. Parents can control the content children can see, and can also control overall content that’s released to the public.

GPS Phone Locator Service

Phonenews gave the details on the GPS Phone Locator service:

Another feature which Kajeet is heavily promoting for all of its lineup is its GPS Phone Locator service which can be used on a pay per use basis at 0.99/per use or as part of a monthly add-on for $7.99 that includes access to a web portal that tracks a child’s phone in real-time as well as allowing the addition of landmarks, a monthly overview of a child’s activity and automatic triggering of emails to track a phone if its either lost or if the child is lost.

Phonenews reports that the features don’t get in the way of normal phone use. So now, Kajeet and Rick Bolander appear to be on a quiet roll with their newly revamped service. Let’s see how this catches on.

Stay tuned.