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School Survival > News >
Signs of the Apocalypse: B.O.B.
The following article was in my newspapaer yesterday, and I overheard my mom telling my dad that she was going to get one:
"Picture this: Never having another argument with your children about the time they spend watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet.
"Imagine your children having the type of traditional childhood experience you had where playing hopscotch and riding a bike was more common than playing Nintendo. Tom Gallop and Brian Baker with Boulder-based Hopscotch Technology have created a device to make that a reality.
"B.O.B., which stands for Bring on Balance, is the flagship product of Hopscotch Technology, which started a year ago. The goal of the product, as well as the company, its leaders say, is to bring balance to people's lives through technology.
"The product is coming to store shelves soon.
"B.O.B. is "a really great device that gave us some peace of mind," says Judy Barg, a Wheaton, Ill., resident who tried the product with her six children.
"Gallop, the company's chief executive, and Baker, its president, say they are pleased with responses the product has received. The two are showcasing it at the Consumer Electronics Show, which starts today in Las Vegas.
"B.O.B. is a small unit that sits next to a TV, video-game console or computer. After it's plugged in and set up - a process that takes about three minutes - the machine monitors the amount of time a user spends on the media device. Each user in the house has a four-digit PIN they enter before they can turn on the media device. B.O.B. tracks the time used.
"A parent or guardian predetermines the time a user can spend on a media device. Once the user crosses that limit, B.O.B. shuts the device off and won't allow it to be turned on by that user for the remainder of the week.
"B.O.B. also allows parents to limit usage during certain times of day. In Gallop's case, his B.O.B. doesn't allow television during the morning hours his three children get ready for school.
"'It ends the negotiation. You can't argue with the box,' Gallop says.
"B.O.B. also is tamper-resistant and locks onto the media device so children can't remove it.
"Parents or guardians can override the system if they choose.
"B.O.B. regulates time, not content, something Hopscotch Technology did on purpose, although that may change in the future.
"Prototypes have been in 25 homes across the nation since September. Out of the 25 homes tested, 24 users said they would buy the product, Baker says. B.O.B. will retail for $79.95 and will be available in small stores and online by April and possibly bigger retail chains by December.
"Every family came back and said 'Oh my god, this has changed our life,'" Baker says.
"Gallop says he was surprised to see the children take to B.O.B. because it avoided conflict.
"Gallop and Baker also say children showed abilities budgeting and prioritizing time. Gallop watched his son Zach, 10, walk up to the TV and turn it off.
"He said, 'This isn't worth my time,'" Gallop says.
"Hopscotch Technology also hired a firm to do a double-blind study of 4,200 U.S. families. The results show 75 percent said they fail at enforcing rules around the amount of time their children spend watching TV, Baker says.
"B.O.B. can help bring balance, Baker and Gallop say. The two lived on separate coasts before moving to Boulder and joining forces.
"Baker owned a product development and management consulting firm in San Francisco before coming here; Gallop previously owned a dental manufacturing company in New Jersey. Baker focuses on Hopscotch's technical development, while Gallop directs its sales and marketing.
"TV's OK. We love TV," Baker says. "But we want to manage it.""
By Annie Brokaw
January 5, 2006
Posted by: lifeischeese
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Posted in: News on January 6, 2006 @ 12:00 AM
Tags: School
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I will try to hide every sign of this from my parents...
holy crap!
.. but would parents have to buy one for EACH device? what if you had, say, 2 tv's in the house, a PS2, a PC (would that work? shutting it off abruptly could damage parts), and lots of other things... could be expensive :P
and nowadays you get cellphones that can do all sorts of fancy crap, some of which can even watch TV... so erm yeah.
Oh,god no. My parents are getting this, I know they will. I already think my PC's being monitored by them..
U-oh ... I always thought the name BOB was evil ... but this?
What are they trying to do? They're the one who had kids so now they have to deal with the problems. with B.O.B. thing is probably piece of shit. Also 80$. I feel so lucky, my mom wouldn't buy one of those for that much;P