Disney and Circle Media have teamed up on the Circle, a Wi-Fi compatible gadget that syncs with every smart device in your home—phones, tablets, computers, game consoles—and lets you control access to them via a companion iOS app—filter content, set a bedtime for devices, or cut off Internet access completely.
"Our mission with Circle is to redefine how families connect with the Internet, and ultimately with each other," Circle Media founder Jelani Memory said.
When you get the Circle, just sync it to your home's Wi-Fi network and install the app. From there, you can control access to Wi-Fi-connected devices—limit your kid to one hour of Facebook or Minecraft per day, or shut down Internet access after 8 p.m. If you need to get everyone's attention at once, you can "pause" the Internet, which temporarily cuts off Web access.
Circle can manage a variety of devices, be they iOS, Android, Microsoft, or a smart home device. At the moment, however, setup and management of Circle's settings requires an iOS device running iOS 8 or later.
You can apply a family's home settings to any visiting device that joins the wireless network, so you can be sure the neighborhood kids are doing their homework instead of marathoning Netflix shows. Circle with Disney also blocks ads for any user's device.
Plus, Disney's collaboration delivers familiar entertainment, from videos, blogs, GIFs, and emojis to music, games, characters, and more. Users can find the family-friendly content in MyCircle .
"As the leading producer of kids content, Disney is committed to helping parents find the digital lifestyle that works for their home, and Circle with Disney makes that possible," Kyle Laughlin, senior vice president of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media Labs, said in a statement.
Circle with Disney is available now for $99 via meetcircle.com, and is coming soon to DisneyStore.com/circle . The free companion app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store.
Similarly, Circle Go covers all iOS devices when they are outside of the home, even on a 4G LTE connection. The subscription service is coming will launch in early 2016.
Special thanks to the source and article's author: Circle With Disney Gadget Regulates Your Kids' Web Access | News & Opinion | PCMag.com
"Our mission with Circle is to redefine how families connect with the Internet, and ultimately with each other," Circle Media founder Jelani Memory said.
When you get the Circle, just sync it to your home's Wi-Fi network and install the app. From there, you can control access to Wi-Fi-connected devices—limit your kid to one hour of Facebook or Minecraft per day, or shut down Internet access after 8 p.m. If you need to get everyone's attention at once, you can "pause" the Internet, which temporarily cuts off Web access.
Circle can manage a variety of devices, be they iOS, Android, Microsoft, or a smart home device. At the moment, however, setup and management of Circle's settings requires an iOS device running iOS 8 or later.
You can apply a family's home settings to any visiting device that joins the wireless network, so you can be sure the neighborhood kids are doing their homework instead of marathoning Netflix shows. Circle with Disney also blocks ads for any user's device.
Plus, Disney's collaboration delivers familiar entertainment, from videos, blogs, GIFs, and emojis to music, games, characters, and more. Users can find the family-friendly content in MyCircle .
"As the leading producer of kids content, Disney is committed to helping parents find the digital lifestyle that works for their home, and Circle with Disney makes that possible," Kyle Laughlin, senior vice president of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media Labs, said in a statement.
Circle with Disney is available now for $99 via meetcircle.com, and is coming soon to DisneyStore.com/circle . The free companion app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store.
Similarly, Circle Go covers all iOS devices when they are outside of the home, even on a 4G LTE connection. The subscription service is coming will launch in early 2016.
Special thanks to the source and article's author: Circle With Disney Gadget Regulates Your Kids' Web Access | News & Opinion | PCMag.com
