Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New Parental Controls Limit Xbox Time

Posted by samzenpus on from the saying-no-is-hard dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As part of a new marketing blitz to promote the Xbox 360 as a "family friendly" video game console, Microsoft on Wednesday rolled out a new feature called Family Timer, which will show up in the Family Settings Screen. The Timer will let parents limit the number of hours their kids can play the Xbox on a daily or weekly basis. When the time limit is reached, the console will automatically shut off, ostensibly after saving the game."

17 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. Time's up by gringer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sorry, I was going to do a verbose post about all the reasons why I should stay on the computer, but my timer is about to kick...

    --
    Ask me about repetitive DNA
    1. Re:Time's up by slater86 · · Score: 5, Funny

      so overheating and shutting off *is* a feature

      --
      When people ask if I'm an optimist, I say "I hope so". --Bill Bailey
  2. Cunning Plan by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Funny

    In a very clever move by Microsoft, the indicator showing the console is on standby will be a lit red ring on the front of the unit...

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    1. Re:Cunning Plan by ozmanjusri · · Score: 3, Funny
      The red lights were clearly meant to signify any problem, minor to major, and now people just associate it with a dead xbox.

      Only 'cause that's more common than an unplugged A/V lead...

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  3. Re:Why is the box smarter than me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ask your parents for an unlimited, second Xbox to be used exclusively by your friends. Problem solved.

  4. How about for PCs? by aero2600-5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    My mother would love to have something like this on my father's computer. She calls Diablo II 'the divorce game'.

    Aero

    --
    Please stop hurting America -- Jon Stewart
  5. Re:not the root of the problem... by feepness · · Score: 4, Funny

    In my experience, the parents who would be responsible enough to use such a feature don't need it anyways. The problem is the parents who want their kids lifeless in front of the Xbox (or the TV) so they'll be "out of their hair". As a new parent, may I ask, dies this work for five-week olds?
  6. TV That does this by Joebert · · Score: 4, Funny

    Must have been 5 years ago now my buddys' stepdad had a TV that did this.
    It would just show a message on the screen that said you watch too much TV & no matter what you did you couldn't get it to go away untill the off timer was over.

    I just so happened to discover this on the day his stepdad wanted to watch a big football game, & somehow I managed to set it for the time the game was on while playing with it.

    Needless to say I didn't go over my buddys house for a few days after that.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  7. Re:Why is the box smarter than me? by slyn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Posts like this getting modded insightful scare the shit out of me.

  8. Re:not the root of the problem... by darthflo · · Score: 4, Funny

    wine WoW.exe -opengl & sleep 3600 && killall WoW.exe -9
    :)
  9. Re:Why is the box smarter than me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Also, I used to watch cartoons and play the Super-Nintendo (I know, this dates me)


    Shit dude, you must be at least 21. You're over the hill buddy.
  10. Re:Why is the box smarter than me? by Gabest · · Score: 2, Funny

    exactly, the kids will use this to lock out their own parents! what a great tool

  11. Re:Why is the box smarter than me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If only you'd read /. *before* buying the ring... ;P

  12. Thanks God I'm an adult now! by Cumanes-alpha · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wouldn't make it if my old NES told me "Your Time is UP! go to bed, Scumbag!!"...Now I'm married and can play ANYTIME and ALL THE TIME I want...except when I go to work, and when I'm with my wife, and on sundays and saturdays.

  13. Re:not the root of the problem... by Stuart+Gibson · · Score: 2, Funny

    All the teens and early 20-somethings that joined /. in it's first few years are now ten years older and have developed sproglets. They've asked for advice on everything else here, so why not on the kids

    --
    It's all fun and games until a 200' robot dinosaur shows up and trashes Neo-Tokyo... Again
  14. Re:not the root of the problem... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    And who needs to get a girlfriend more than somebody who's long married?

  15. Please... by PixelScuba · · Score: 3, Funny

    What a stupid question. Sex with computer games is the obvious answer. Oh, hello cake, I think I'll eat you AND have you, too!