Wired@Home.blog

Parental Control Timer For Internet Access

Are your kids spending too much time on the Web? Wish you could set a time limit? With Multi-Link's Webguard Internet Timer it's possible!

The Webguard is a programmable internet timer that was designed to give parents control of their family's internet access via dial up/DSL modem. The compact, unobtrusive Webguard is simple to use and installs easily between the computer modem and wall jack. Internet access schedules can be programmed differently for weekdays and weekends. The programming mode is accessible by password only and invalid attempts will result in a "lock-restriction" display. Even the jacks are tamper proof to prevent bypassing the device. Also, the perfect firewall for business applications.

Features:

• Schedule the control hours and length of internet access
• Stops unsupervised internet access
• User friendly...no software required
• Tamper-proof installation
• Perfect for businesses

[via eHomeUpgrade]

Technorati Tags: internet, multi-link, webguard, web

Back from vacation - So much news!

Wow, a week without the Internet (and blogs), I never thought I could do it! While I did take my laptop and Treo650 along on our family vacation to Oregon, they didn't get much use at all. I just needed a break and I got one.

The downside is coming back and opening Bloglines only to find about 5000 blog posts that I've missed! Well it took me almost all of the day but I got through them! No, I admit I didn't read all 5000+ posts but I did skim them and marked the ones I want to read later including several news bits about HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disk so I'll be posting about them soon. There's also several product reviews and new product announcements so look out, this may be a marathon blogging week for me!

The Pope got an iPod!

I read this and thought it was really a sign of the times, the digital age!

Pope Benedict XVI got an iPod on Friday, thanks to a group of workers at Vatican Radio.

According to a Catholic News Service story, the pontiff got a 2GB white Nano, loaded with, among other things, the radio station's programming in English, Italian and German, as well as classical tunes from Mozart, Chopin and Stravinsky.

The Nano was given to the Pope following a visit to Vatican Radio, CNS reported.

[via CNET News]

The Rich Get Free Stuff: Peek inside the Oscar gift bag

Why is it that the rich usually get richer and they always get free stuff? I often wonder why this is. Think about it, the more celebrity status you have, the more free stuff you get. Why, when they can already afford it but they don't have to because so much is given to them. My guess is it's because our society has such a fascination with the lifestyles of the rich and famous that what they are seen wearing, eating, the cell phone they're talking on or the car they're driving, we all want what they have and will go to extreme measures to get it. We all want our 15 minutes (or seconds) of fame. The T-Mobile Sidekick and Chrysler 300 come to mind...

Lucky for us, Reuters has posted a video, Peek inside the Oscar gift bag.
 

If you love, live or are fascinated by the high end lifestyle, check out Luxist, a daily dose of the products for the rich and famous.

Related: Special Edition Motorola PEBL for Oscar Nominees

Videogaming Keeps the Brain From Aging

I came across a post on Slasddot today that states what I've believed for years...or at least I started thinking once I hit 30 (9 years ago)...that playing video games keeps the mind young. My gaming days date back to the Pong days, then Odyssey video game console, Atari and...My Grandparents bought a Collecovision game console. This is when I experienced sports video games for the firs t time. I was hooked and have been ever since. I've owned all the various game consoles over the years and our game system of choice is the Xbox, until PlayStation 3 arrives and we can truly review it against the Xbox 360 and decide which console is for us. EA Sports is my friend!

Anyway, here's a piece of the article written for globeandmail.com:

When he snags downtime from his schoolwork, Ryerson University student Brad Evans gabs with friends, grooves to Kanye West on his MP3 player and races virtual hotrods on his Sony PlayStation. All at the same time.

Before you assume gadgets and video games fry the minds of the future, consider this: Canadian researchers are finding evidence that the high-speed, multitasking of the young and wireless can help protect their brains from aging.

A body of research suggests that playing video games provides benefits similar to bilingualism in exercising the mind. Just as people fluent in two languages learn to suppress one language while speaking the other, so too are gamers adept at shutting out distractions to swiftly switch attention between different tasks.

Full Story - Better living through video games?

[Via Slashdot & globandmail.com]