Toys 'R' Us may not be as popular as it was before (a branch just opened here in the Philippines by the way), but placing something on its 2006 holiday "Hot Toy" list will probably raise its profile.

That something happens to be Wherify Wireless' Wherifone. The Wherifone is barely a smartphone, only because of built-in GPS. It's also barely a phone, since users will only be able to call four numbers: 911 (through a one-touch SOS button), and three other pre-programmed contacts. There are five colors available, with silver and blue for boys, purple and pink for girls, and black for young gothers. And as you can see from the picture, the Wherifone is perfect for kids' little hands.

For Whom and How Much? Wherify is hoping to appeal to people wanting to know where their kids (recommended age is 6-10 years old), seniors, or employees are all the time. At $99.99, the Wherifone is a cheap solution for those who want to keep track of people. But I don't know. For some reason, gadgets with intentionally limited functionality just rubs me the wrong way. Sure, Toys 'R' Us gives good reasons for limiting who the kid can call ("your child can't make calls to strangers or rack-up large phone bills") but still...