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Epicurus.com - BOB - Screen Time Manager - Manage Your TV Time
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List Price: $99.99
Our Price: $63.88
Your Save: $ 36.11 ( 36% )
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Hopscotch Technologies
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Batteries Included: 0
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Hopscotch
Color: Silver
EAN: 0094922592552
Feature: Simple 3-minute set up
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Hopscotch Technologies
Manufacturer: Hopscotch Technologies
Model: BOB1
Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Hopscotch Technologies
Release Date: 2006-08-08
Studio: Hopscotch Technologies
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Features
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Simple 3-minute set up
6 unique user accounts
Safe for all electronics
Kid-safe and tamperproof
Reduces screentime=better health & better grades
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Editorial Reviews:
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Efficient management of time is perhaps the largest human folly. Teach you children how to use their time wisely. BOB from Hopscotch Technology is a great way to help you do so. Television or computer use is an important part of our lives, but it should not be the only part. BOB is a simple hardware solution to the "too much TV" issue, bringing balance to electronic media use in our homes. BOB helps parents monitor and manage the time their children spend using in-home media. BOB is an easy to use, small device that sits next to a TV, video-game system or computer. The power cord from one of these devices plugs into the back of BOB and is locked in place. Then, BOB plugs into an electrical outlet. After set up, a process that takes about three minutes, the machine monitors the amount of time a child spends using that media device. Parents decide an acceptable amount of viewing time for each child per day or week. Specific time periods can be blocked entirely for studying, chores, family time, or sleeping. Each child in the house for up to 6 users has a four-digit PIN that they enter before they can turn on the attached device. BOB tracks the time used. A master pin allows a parent to turn on the connected device at any time. When a child's preset viewing time expires, BOB shuts off the attached TV, video-game system or computer and won't allow it to be turned on by that user for the remainder of the day or week. Time reporting for every user Time-period blocking (to prevent media use at certain times of the day) BOB works with all TVs (including large screens), gaming stations, and computers Big, easy to use, illuminated keypad for the entire family - even in the dark! Tamper proof - Durable Hopscotch Technology 1-year warranty
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Bob is a welcome addition to our family!
Comment: Our children are "TV-aholics" and will watch TV all day if we let them! Here's how Bob helps: Each child gets their own pin number (you can program up to 6). With the master pin number, my husband and I can program how much TV time each person gets per day. So when my children wants to watch TV, they have to punch in a PIN number and Bob displays how much time they has remaining for that day. When the time is up, Bob shuts off power to the TV and it cannot be turned back on. Bob also allows us to block out certain times for each user, such as Sunday morning or the hour after school (for homework time).
The kids can earn extra time (for doing chores, homework, etc) or they can have time taken away for misbehaving. So far, it's working really well. My son asks me if he can watch a show and I respond, "It's up to you- If you use all your time now, you won't have any TV time later today and you might be sad." He also did all of his chores this morning without any complaining- It was fabulous!
Bob can also help control video game time because the kids can't turn on the TV without using their PIN. So, while they can turn the video game console on, they can't see anything on the TV without logging in and using their time. You can also connect Bob to a computer.
The thing I love most about Bob is that it's no longer me telling the kids to turn the TV off- That's Bob's job. He's a welcome addition to our home!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Damn near perfect (for my use)
Comment: I purchased the Hopscotch Bob for my video arcade as a way to allow customers to pre-pay for extended periods of time. This device is 100x's better than other timers I've purchased. I kick myself everyday for not having bought this first.
VERY solid design. Works 100% of the time and is a very well built machine. I would've given this a perfect 5 stars but I cannot because of the ultra-annoying "warning buzzer". With 1 minute remaining the Bob will start to beep. The beep is much louder than needed and there is no volume adjustment. This wouldn't be an issue if it only did it once or twice. It beeps CONSTANTLY for that minute and with the last 5 seconds beeps rapidly. Volume control should be included but do not overlook this product because of this one omission.
I have since bought 8 more units and they are all perfect for me in my line of work. This could be used in the office break room as a bonus for employees. Simply set up a tv or video game and it'll regulate the time spent. You can also set up a block to keep people off it except during specific hours.
I would have NO problems buying this product but do not spend over $90shipped for it. There are numerous retailers selling this for $85shipped.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Product
Comment: The rare perfect product -- designed for a specific purpose and does it very well. It used to be a pain to try to keep track of how much tv the kids were watching. BOB does it for us. We set time limits, they enter their individual codes and they get to watch until their daily time limit. My wife and I don't have to worry about it at all anymore. Smart design -- the tv's power plug gets locked into BOB so you can't even get around it that way. It starts chiming 1 minute before shutoff, which is good b/c then you can shut off the tv yourself if you're worried about the effects of external power cutoffs (I have no idea if that's really an issue). One improvement would be to allow different time limits by day of the week, specifically we allow the kids to watch longer on weekends. We get around that by having separate weekend accounts for them. Since we have 2 kids and there are 6 available accounts that works.
Customer Rating:
Summary: BOB is a great tool for parents
Comment: This is a wonderful product. It's easy to install and to use. It's an effective tool for limiting children's TV time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Works great!
Comment: I had purchased a competing product a couple months ago (the Time Machine) and the kids had found some easy ways around it in no time. This device was easy to set up and works great. I had a user problem at one point and wrote customer service and they replied immediately and went beyond normal expectations to help me solve it. A great product from a great company. Highly recommended.
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