Circle Connection’s Launch Builds Up Smart Family Concept Even More

[Julio Urquidi]

Taking its Circle with Disney concept one step further, Circle Media announced Circle Connections, an updated smart platform for Circle with Disney that includes several integrated partner services and features targeting families and home life. Ultimately, these services give parents the ability to better manage screen time and filter content for their kids, including:

“Chores” - Lets kids earn screen time and later bed times by completing chores.

“Assistant” - Lets parents and kids use Amazon Alexa to monitor screen time.

“Activity” – Activity trackers let parents set goals for their older kids, rewarding them with more screen time.

“Driving” – Filters out social media messaging while teens are driving.

“Social” – Monitors online for media activity generated on social *

“Automation” – This last service connects Circle with Disney to other smart devices using IFTTT. An example given mentions parents using orchestrated lighting to mark bedtime hours.

Circle Connection is available now and is part of Circle Media’s Circle with Disney platform. Retail for Circle with Disney is $99.

 

[L&LD]

This is sad for me. Screen time for kids is not a goal to reach for. And letting Disney raise your kids (even partially) isn't either.

Did the price ($99) come down on this stuff?

 

[sfx2000]

This is sad for me. Screen time for kids is not a goal to reach for. And letting Disney raise your kids (even partially) isn't either.

Did the price ($99) come down on this stuff?

Circle partners with disney for the branding, but it's not limited to things....

I'm not a big fan of technology taking over parental duty, but it's a tool that does do what some of the SOHO routers don't.

“Driving” – Filters out social media messaging while teens are driving.

I'd like to see how that one works - just asking...

 

[Dave in NM]

This sounds like big brother to me.

 

[sfx2000]

This sounds like big brother to me.

It kinda does - but this is what some parents are asking for, and this seems to be a good market for some vendors.

 

[L&LD]

This sounds like big brother to me.

Yes. Go ahead; have babies. We'll raise them for you... with the least interference to your life. Sigh.

 

[evil_mike]

Gang, not everyone is technologically savvy, so using something like this theoretically helps them monitor and enable/disable screen time for their kids. I tried Circle, but it seemed REALLY wonky in the early offing, so I sold mine to someone who'd be able to make better use of it.

Some of these integrations sound interesting - I particularly like the chores one. Makes it easy to track screen time.

 

[System Error Message]

unfortunately nowadays sometimes technology can be a better parent. Not all parents are great or attend to their kids.

However the feature to not allow social media while driving, this is a very good feature as it really does save lives. I've heard horror stories of accidents caused by drivers paying more attention to their phone than to the road and even for walking or for pedestrians this is a helpful feature too to avoid getting flattened.

 

[hmurchison]

Circle is good stuff but this is a pretty weak offering.

Chores will not be tied to gaining screen time. You don't get paid for chores in my home that's what jobs are for.

Alexa - pfft tack on feature of little value.

Activity tracker with a reward of sedentary screen time?
LOL

Ifttt - most lighting systems offer schedules. Generally ifttt is a solution in search of a problem and allows vendors to be lazy.

What would be a better announcement would be more affordable Circle to Go their mobile tool that enforces policy outside of your home network.