Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Bindel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Iffy quotes, frequent ads ruin what could've been a fun app.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Type Racer - a game about typing fast
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
TYPE RACER - A GAME ABOUT TYPING FAST gives kids short, witty (but often inappropriate) quotes to practice touchscreen typing to build speed. Errors aren't accepted, so kids will have to use the delete key to fix mistakes before finishing a quote. They'll then see their WPM (words per minute) average and best WPM. To see the leaderboard, kids have to link to their Facebook accounts.
Is It Any Good?
The more kids practice typing, the faster they'll get, and Type Racer - a game about typing fast can help with that. Kids need to know the QWERTY layout of a touchscreen keyboard already as there is no instruction offered in-app. Kids won't get to practice with the shift key, as it's not included. The quotes are sometimes funny and make practicing fun, but the content is not appropriate for young kids. Frequent ads interrupt the game, and there doesn't appear to be a way to remove them (via in-app purchase, for example). For tips to improve touchscreen typing as well as practicing it, TapTyping - typing trainer may be a better choice.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the quotes teens encounter in the app. Some of them present women in a negative light. Is that OK to do in the name of humor, or does the app go too far?
Touchscreen typing is different from what most parents grew up doing. Understand that keyboarding skills are still important, but encourage kids to practice the increasingly important touchscreen typing, too.
Encourage kids to learn the QWERTY layout using other apps or typing websites.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Subjects : Language & Reading : reading
- Skills : Communication : multiple forms of expression , Tech Skills : using and applying technology , Health & Fitness : fine motor skills
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : July 27, 2013
- Genre : Word Games
- Publisher : Bonfire Media
- Version : 1.04
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 5.1 or later; Android 2.2 and up
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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