Mickey's New Phone

Mickey's ears and Pooh Bear will be on Disney phones soon, tempting 'tweens and younger kids to want cell phones of their own.

The FCC approved Disney's D100, a quad-band GSM cell phone. It's a 12-button phone that can be programmed to operate with a simpler, four-button keypad. (Thanks Gizmodo and phoneArena) The parental controls Disney is known for will all be there, along with some extra features allowing parents to limit call times, telephone numbers to call, and "school hours" when the phone cannot ring.

There's no word on when the phones will be available or what they will cost. Right now, Disney Mobile offers the DM-P100 from Pantech for $60 with a rebate, and the DM-L200 flip phone by LG with a camera and camcorder for $110 with a rebate. Monthly service plans start at $60 a month for 450 minutes to $250 for 4,500 minutes.

Disney Mobile launched in June, and so did Verizon's Chaperone service on its LG Migo phone; for another $10 a month, Chaperone allows parents to check on their child's location through GPS technology.

With most adults signed up for cell phone service, wireless providers are aiming for the kid market in a big way. So look for deals and features that fit your family's needs when deciding which plans to pursue.

Not every young child needs a cell phone, of course. But some parents will want the peace of mind of knowing they can reach their child and their child can reach them if they are separated much of every weekday. Disney's D100 will no doubt be a popular phone with the kiddies, but I'll check it out for parents when it hits the market.