"DISCONNECT AND PROTECT" GIVES PARENTS ULTIMATE POWER
So what are your kids doing on the computer
right now? Are they staying up half the night playing online games
and chatting with strangers? Are they driving you nuts because they
just won't get off the Internet even though you've told them a
thousand times to do so? Wouldn't it be great if you could just
somehow press a magic button from anywhere in the house and their
Internet connections would be instantly severed? What a cool idea
and a great feeling you'll get! Just press a little button and feel
secure in knowing that their computers are no longer connected to
the Internet. It¹s the ultimate in parental power and control. And
yes, it's a reality called Best NetGuard.
Best NetGuard is a brand new product that takes the most direct
approach to Internet management. Oh sure there's all kinds of
monitoring software that will show you where your kids are surfing,
when they're going there and what they're doing once they've landed.
But sometimes I wonder about all the time it takes to monitor their
activities. I'm not saying that monitoring products aren't a
valuable tool in the fight against Internet addiction. In fact,
Internet monitoring and control products can be an effective way to
help regulate the amount of time as well as restrict the places to
which your kids can go. But you have to first install them and then
set them up, all of which takes quite a bit of effort. Now of course
your kids are certainly worth all of that effort but sometimes it's
the really simple solution that can be a better answer.
The type of control you need to implement usually depends on your
situation. It's been my experience that no single solution
will always be the best choice, especially with something as complex
as Internet security, monitoring and control. Best NetGuard really
is an elegantly simple, direct approach. It's easy to install, gives
you complete control, is inexpensive and when used judiciously, it
can be very effective in helping to curtail too much Internet use.
Basically, the mantra of Best NetGuard is "Disconnect and Protect"
and that's exactly what it does. Best NetGuard lets you instantly
sever the Internet connection of one or all of your computers from
anywhere in the house. Consisting of a tiny remote control that
easily fits on any keychain, Best NetGuard looks a lot like one of
those remotes you use to lock and unlock your car.
The other part of the Best NetGuard system is the tamper-proof
locking clip that's affixed to a short Ethernet cable assembly. This
works by first cutting off the little plastic locking tab you would
normally depress to remove the Ethernet plug from a socket into
which it plugs. Then you slide in the provided MOD-LOC clip into the
jack on top of the modular plug until it snaps in place. Once that's
done, the only way to remove the Ethernet plug would be to cut the
MOD-LOC tab and of course, any parent would be able to see that
immediately with only a cursory inspection.
Once installed, operation couldn't be more simple. There are just
two buttons on the little remote control. Press the red ON button to
activate the device and the OFF button to stop it. The Best NetGuard
has a range of around 75 feet which should be more than ample for
most households.
So there it is. When you want your kids offline, just reach into
your pocket and press the little red button. The wails of anguish
emanating from their rooms will most certainly confirm that your
Best NetGuard is fully operational. Just think about how good you'll
feel knowing that they're not up all night playing on the Internet
or chatting with would-be predators.
And when they come home from school, just press the little OFF
button so they can get their homework done and go online at a decent
hour of the day. But when the lights go dim and the late night
approaches, just stay there in your recliner and press that little
red button once more. Is that whining sound coming from your kid's
room? Guess your Best NetGuard is working perfectly once again.
Best NetGuard sells for $49.95 and is available at:
www.bestnetguard.com/calp.html
| Craig Crossman is
a McClatchy-Tribune newspaper columnist writing about computers and
technology. He also hosts the nation's longest running nationally syndicated radio talk show on
computers and technology, Computer America, heard on both the Business TalkRadio
Network® and the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network®, weeknights at 10PM Eastern
time. Visit his website at http://www.computeramerica.com |
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