Microsoft Unveils New Parental Timer for Xbox 360

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Microsoft Unveils New Parental Timer for Xbox 360


Xbox 360 [http://www.microsoft.com]console, called the Xbox 360 Family Timer.

The timer can be set to restrict console time on a per-day or per-week basis. Gamers will be given warnings as the predetermined time limit approaches, at which point the system will automatically be shut down. Microsoft had previously developed a similar timer for its most recent operating system, Windows Vista [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx].

"As a leader in interactive entertainment, it's Microsoft's responsibility to provide parents with tools they can use to manage their children's videogaming and online experiences, and we have made that a priority from the very start," said Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach. "We've seen a tremendous response to the robust parental controls offered on Xbox 360 and Windows Vista, and the Xbox 360 Family Timer will continue to deliver on our promise to provide safer, balanced and fun entertainment for everyone."

"Professionally, I am proud of my division's work in this area, and personally, as a parent of three school-age children, I know how important it is to be engaged in an ongoing dialog with my family in order to uphold our household screen time rules," he added.

The timer, which will be available for download via Xbox Live in early December, is expected to be a boon to parents who can't be bothered to monitor their kids' gaming habits themselves.


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Kesash

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Specifically designed for those lazy ignorant parents who can't tell time or program the time on a VCR... Oh wait! VCR's are dead now. Really now, are parents these days so disconnected from their kids that they have to have the Game Console tell the kids when it's time to quit playing and go to bed??? PLEASE!!! /roll eyes If you have to resort to this, you should have used BIRTH CONTROL to begin with! You shouldn't have had kids! Next time, just buy a dog! Cheaper, probably cleaner and when you get bored with them, you can dump them at the pound. /palmsmack You shoulda had a V-8! (Yes, that is sarcasm!)

Heard in the distance - "We are Microsoft! You will be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"
 

xbeaker

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I think this is a great idea, and could be a major selling point to a lot of parents. I don't even have kids but it solves the '5 more minutes' argument. And sorry Kesash, not all parents can be watching their kids 24/7. There comes a time when you want to take a nap, go out to a movie and leave them with a babysitter, or just get home from work after the kids are home from school. Also a lot of people let their kids keep game systems in their rooms. If little Johnny is in his room and supposed to be doing homework he could always sneak in a little gaming time.

Do they also have lockout timers for time of day set to it? Something that would prevent playing it after bedtime, of right after school so as to keep the temptation to game instead of doing homework and such at a minimum?

This makes me particularly happy as gamer without kids as it may help cut down on the foul mouth 14 year olds on XBL.
 

Kesash

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If you're going to make kids, you need to be prepared to take responsibility for them, not expect the rest of the world to babysit for you. Either belly up to the bar or wrap that rascal!

And you expect the same parents who can't even spell "XBox" to be able to figure out how to set this up? /LAFF

As a parent of a 12 year old, I know what my child is doing and when. To paraphrase Bill Cosby: "I put him in to this world, I can take him back out." My son is smart enough to know not to play that "5 more minutes" or "after hours" game because he knows his Dad will walk out of his room dragging an XBox, Gamecube, Computer, or PS2 behind him.

What's next from Microsoft? Really putting an "Any" key on a keyboard? The marketing doofus who came up with this idea needs to be made to ride "It's a Small World" at Disney until his ears bleed.
 

ccesarano

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Kesash said:
Specifically designed for those lazy ignorant parents who can't tell time or program the time on a VCR... Oh wait! VCR's are dead now. Really now, are parents these days so disconnected from their kids that they have to have the Game Console tell the kids when it's time to quit playing and go to bed??? PLEASE!!! /roll eyes If you have to resort to this, you should have used BIRTH CONTROL to begin with! You shouldn't have had kids! Next time, just buy a dog! Cheaper, probably cleaner and when you get bored with them, you can dump them at the pound. /palmsmack You shoulda had a V-8! (Yes, that is sarcasm!)

Heard in the distance - "We are Microsoft! You will be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"
I used to have a similar mentality, and I still believe that parents should be more involved than most are, but I can see this tool being useful. When you have a full time job and have to come home to errands, it's easy to lose track of the kid. I've learned this with my two year old niece. Sometimes, you NEED to resort to putting their favorite movie on to keep them busy for two hours just so you can get other things taken care of. The problem becomes when they get hooked to the TV.

Fortunately for my family, my niece is very active, so while the movie is playing she'll often go off and adventure in safe parts of other rooms for a while, cut back to the tv, and cut away again to be entertained by other things. So it's not like she does nothing but sit there. Nonetheless, this still means you must keep vigilant, because there's always something bad she can get into.

Of course, as kids grow older it "should" become easier, but we all know that kids are mad sneaky and always do things their parents don't want them to do. Hell, they'll pretend to fall asleep only to wait until maybe 12:30 to come out while you are sleeping and start playing M-rated title for two hours. This sort of thing helps keep more control over that.
 

Kesash

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Cheeze you ignorant slut... LOL

I'm an old fart who grew up in an age without computers or TV in my room and my parents had 3 more kids after me. Gee... How did humanity ever get to this point of being able to procreate without having junior or juniorette being babysat by Mr. Bill and his wonderful Box?

The deal is keeping the kids away from all the nastier aspects of life out there: Drugs, Alcohol, Electronic Arts, Hillary Clinton, Jack Thompson... In other words, keeping the kids safe, smart, drug free, non-ignorant, and out of jail. I know my son will see enough of that when he goes to High School and will hopefully be smart enough not to pull that crap (cause his Dad ain't gonna post bail!)

My son is respectful and mature enough to know when he's supposed to be doing what (in the non-puberty raging hormones sense! /smacks Cheez Now stop thinking that!) and I hope he stays that way. He has his own "Tier 1" setup in his room (PS2, XBox, NGC, Computer) and I have my "Tier 2" setup in the living room (PS3, 360, Wii, all Internet connected).

What my son does, within reason, after the games are turned off and the lights are out, is his business. I pay for his games, food, utilities, clothes, and internet. Until he can pay for that on his own, he should have enough respect and courtesy to abide by my (and my wife's) rules and he does that admirably. He's quite normal (except for his weirdo parents who play WoW...), gets good grades, and he does very well in sports. Yes, amazingly he games and plays sports too! (And I don't mean Wii Sports)

To sum it up, my wife and I are trying our best to be a good and responsible parent and I see this as another way for those lazy irresponsible ignorant parents out there to weasel out of their parental duties.

Now go shave your palm, Cheez. You're starting to look like you have an Ewok growing from your wrist.
 

xbeaker

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Right on Cheeze! Again, I have no kids (3 nieces though) and I agree some parents need to let up a bit. Let kids make a few mistakes and now worry about the Jack Thompsons of the world telling them that video games/TV/Movies/that-rock-and-roll-music is going to turn them in to Satan worshiping puppy murders.

Kesash, sorry, I don't believe you for a second. You are either lying or very naive. Unless you work ant home and have a loose enough job that don't have to worry about being at a desk there is no way you know what your kid is doing at all times. If you work at an office (which most of us do) I ask you, it is 4:00 pm, school has let out: what is your kid doing at this exact moment? And do you really expect the Escapist community to believe that you have managed to somehow train your kid to never ask for a few more minutes of something they enjoy when in the history of mankind there has not been a child alive who has not tried it? If your kid is really that terrified of your retribution and you "Taking him out" (yes, I know the Cosby skit it refers to) then you are in for some real fun when you kid goes to collage and gets a taste of freedom.

I still contend that this is a good idea. Parents who are so tech ignorant that they can't set it, well it won't matter for them anyway. But most modern parents have grown up with some tech. They know enough to set little things like this. If my mother can learn to play with a Wii, then anyone can learn to set parental controls. Parents should know what their kids are up to. They should be responsible for their children, and their children's upbringing. That does not mean then need to hover over them like hawks. If modern tech can ease some of the complications then let it. It doesn't make a parent irresponsible or lazy.

Edit because I wrote this before Kesash's post, and posted he after his. Just want you to know that I am not questioning your parenting. But keep in mind we grew up in an era when 1 parent could usually stay home with the kids. These days latch-key is the norm, not the exception. A way to have a little control over the kids even when you aren't there to control them is not a bad thing. It is also jot aimed at people like you and me. It is aimed at the parent who didn't grow up playing games and is concerned about their own kids playing too much.
 

Kesash

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Beaker, You make it sound like I'm some kind of omnipotent tyrant (STOP THE KLINGON SALUTES! LOL!), but I hope you can see that I'm trying to prevent my son from getting into trouble (stuff that I did and got away with by the skin of my teeth).

If those parents are so concerned about their kids playing games so much, they need to put forth a little personal effort and take care of it themselves, instead of an electronic baby sitter. Ah, yes! Let's raise our kids by a timer now! DING! Fries are done!

I liken this program to Rosie from the Jetsons.
 

xbeaker

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Sorry, I didn't mean it to come off as you being a tyrant. And really it is more you who is portraying yourself that way. Talk of knocking you kid out and draging his game systems out the door if he disobeys you ;) But you are sort of taking it to the extreme the other way. This isn't an all or nothing proposition. It is a level of security thing. A good parent will know what their kid is doing. And if you are strictly relying on parental controls, lockouts, and other automatic parenting things then you are failing as a parent to be sure. But it is kind of like saying "Anyone who wears a seatbelt is a bad driver. Good drivers don't need them because they aware of what they are doing."

And again, you are looking at this from the perspective of a ration person who has not seen too many Dateline exposes on the dangers of the Playstation Pornable. If that little extra control is what a parent needs to feel save about their kid having a "Nintendo 360" then good for them.

And again, if it keeps some brat 14 year old from punching his mom and the cops that come to arrest him even better.
 

Joe

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OK, folks. It's fine to talk about parenting in general, but let's not get into a situation where we're talking about one specific parent or one specific child.

On topic: As a single 20-something with no kids, I like this idea, to a degree. Then again, when the Xbox turns itself off, Junior's gonna go do something else. What that something else is depends a lot on parenting skills.
 

Kesash

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Back to the point of this thread before it gets way off center:

I see this program from Microsoft as another way of impersonalizing parenting: Raising your child by remote control. Parenting, in general these days, has become a question of "Who will raise my child for me?" Starting with shoving our kids into Pre-Pre-School at age 2 or 3 for example. How about society starts putting the Parent back into Parenting.

(Bows to my honorable worthy opponent in crime, Cheez!)
 

DayDark

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wow, this parent thingy is actually quite interesting to read :) I'm 20 years old, and is of course planning on some kids some day. I can imagine this type of security can be useful. oh and Cheeze_Pavilion, if your kids could read (and understand) what I have read in here, I think they would be very fond of having you as a parent (they probably already are).
 

xbeaker

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Lets also not forget that this is an optional tool. If a parent does not feel they need it, or it has value in their family, there is no need to turn it on. I think everyone can well agree that over reliance on thing like this in general constitute bad parenting. But use of it should not automatically brand someone a lazy parent.

Lets also not forget that everyone's child is different too. Where one kid may be quick to listen to what their mother or father says, another may fight back just out of spiteful rebellion. This is not insincerely something can be parented away either. Some kids simply are more difficult, or respond to different things. Cheeze gave a perfect example of how something like this could help curtail a problem before it begins. Especially with young children who assume their parents are all powerful, when it is the game system itself telling you it is time to finish playing it can mean the difference between a that's-not-fair argument, and simple annoyance that playtime is over.

Also, I must admit there are times where I could use this myself. As long as it is easy to set up and turn off. When I know I have to be somewhere at 8 or something, it would be nice to have the game give me a little reminder that maybe I shouldn't play "just 1 more level"