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Xbox 360 Parental Timer Rumors Solidifying
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 4:30 PM on November 6, 2007
Rumors of the long-expected parental timer embedded in the Xbox 360's impending fall update have been picking up steam in the last week or so, with the latest sort-of confirmation supposedly coming from a Guitar Hero III keychain. The included pamphlet reportedly describes the timer thusly:
A simple tool that lets you manage how much time your kids spend on their Xbox 360. Manage in daily or weekly increments. Easy for parents to suspend and add time. Available in December 2007 only through Xbox Live.
The requisite photo of the pamphlet is obligatorily blurry, but with all of the other chatter floating around, even if this is faked, we feel pretty safe betting on the new feature's upcoming launch, particularly given the Xbox 360's new family-focused marketing, like with the Arcade. [Xbox Today via Kotaku, Flickr]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
omg-ponies
Posted 6:27 AM 6/11/07
Brilliant in theory. Put parental responsibility where it belongs: with parents. After all, if video games are so bad for kids, why not use the handy-dandy timer Microsoft provided?
Of course, the V-Chip was brilliant in theory too. No one knows its efficacy because no one uses the damn thing.
omg-ponies
elduro13
Posted 3:56 AM 6/11/07
damn, thats wack.
elduro13
sonofmagicfact
Posted 3:53 AM 6/11/07
This photo leads me to believe that we will soon have a game where we get to lead around baby duckies. I for one am rapt with excitement.
sonofmagicfact
Paradise
Posted 2:48 AM 6/11/07
perhaps we will see a rise in the number of kids hiring hitmen to kill their parents.
Paradise
DJJS
Posted 2:45 AM 6/11/07
Man this will piss of some kids..
DJJS
bermack7679
Posted 9:20 AM 6/11/07
Most kids are a lot more tech savvy than their parents-they'll find a way before long to change the settings. I remember years ago my own kids using parental controls to lock me out of the computer at home.As far as the 360 being family friendly-how many times do you think a family gets together and plays video games?
bermack7679
Mystakill
Posted 8:51 AM 6/11/07
If Microsoft really wanted to portray the 360 as family friendly, they'd fix their DRM system so that it didn't lock families out after a 360 is replaced by the service center.
There are currently two half-assed solutions to this problem, but Microsoft drags the process out for weeks & months. Aggravating your customers isn't very family-friendly either...
Mystakill
aaj111
Posted 8:47 AM 6/11/07
I like this new feature. But I doubt anyone will use it. If you think this is whack, then MOVE OUT OF YOUR MOTHERS HOUSE.
Some parents need to take responsibility with their children and gaming. This will help out loads if you give them 3-5 hours a day.
aaj111
Vizi
Posted 8:32 AM 6/11/07
Coming January 2008: millions of little kids get a start in computer programing when they learn how to hack the 360's parental timer. Ten years from now, America's programming industry will boom.
Man i feel old, i remember driving when gas was $1/gallon and kids could waste a whole summer on video games.
Also, if ur friends like to play practical jokes, don't let them alone with ur 360 for long.
Vizi
dirk1965
Posted 9:38 AM 6/11/07
I dont have kids, but I think this is actually pretty cool. I remember sneaky around in the middle of the night to play my Atari and being dead the next morning in school. Boy... that ages me!
dirk1965
txturbo930
Posted 10:50 AM 6/11/07
How about a creating some games that offer alternative dialog... so kids can play them without being subjected to unessesary cursing for hours on end...Then give parents the ability to toggle this off and on.
txturbo930