With six children and eight grandchildren who live 3000 miles apart, Colorado toy inventors Charlie and Maria Girsch dreamed up a better way to communicate with their family.
Their app for iPads brings families together for more than just talking. With FamZoom, you are reading, doodling, shopping, chatting and doing homework together in real time. Whatever you draw or move on the iPad in your lap shows up on their screen, too.
“It’s completely simultaneous,” Maria told Mashable. “When grandma moves a puzzle piece on her iPad, it moves on Johnny’s iPad.”
The Minnesota couple spent 35 years inventing toys and games for huge companies like Mattel and Playskool, but they consider FamZoom their most important contribution.
They want to help families in crisis stay in touch too. Their fundraising campaign for the Ronald McDonald House on Indiegogo raised $14,195 in August to buy iPads for family members to use while in the hospital. When parents can’t be at their child’s bedside, they can stay connected remotely via FamZoom.
The app is going through the approval process at Apple, but the couple is certain it complies with all requirements and will be available soon. (Android will be offered later.)
WATCH the video below to see how the app works: