App review: News-O-Matic

News junkies in training will enjoy the new app News-O-Matic, a daily interactive digest of stories for children 7 to 10.

My son, Harrison, who enjoys watching local and national television news, liked the app. But he got through his test quickly.

Press4Kids, the developer, publishes only five stories a day. This is manageable for the little ones. Also easy to absorb is the handling of the news. The app’s recent take on the U.S. Supreme Court’s handling of same-sex marriage was the lead story. It was easy to understand, brief and contained factoids that became available to read by simply tapping the screen.

Of course, a “grown-up” news source would provide more food for thought, which is why it is positive that one call-out in the same-sex marriage package tells young readers: “Have a discussion with family or friends about things that are important to you as a family.”

I like how the site is supposed to be vetted by a child psychologist.

The app is for iPads and iPod Minis. A three-edition trial is free; weekly, monthly and yearly subscriptions available for $1.99, $6.99, and $49.99 respectively.