Overview

Family-friendly filters are also known as content-control software, web-filtering software or censorware. These filters can essentially block images, texts and even videos having explicit content to appear in your home. Furthermore, they can also be used to prevent access to specific sites that you deemed very inappropriate for your kids to visit.

Advantages

A family-friendly filter offers features in which parents can customize. Parents are allowed to choose whether to block web sites using their complete web site addresses or by content which varies from pornography, instant messaging or e-mailing. The more advanced types allow parents to monitor online conversations which is very ideal in chat rooms, keystrokes and even the web site history from your children’s online searching. In addition, social network reporting and filtering, port blocking, filter lists and predator blocking are also some additional features with this software. Furthermore, the price of these filters range from free to around 40 dollars and aside from that they also offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee promotions.

Disadvantages

Internet filters do not guarantee a 100 percent protection against unwanted images or activities that have explicit content. For this reason, it is very important to have a routine monitoring regarding online activities of your children. You can even implore the help of services that monitor online activities just to review chat sessions or web site activities done by your children. Remember that Internet filters cannot replace the vigilant monitoring and review of online risks for your family.

These are the advantages and disadvantages of family-friendly filters that you may use for your family’s protection online.

Fairies Fly

This is an ideal iPhone application for kids who love Disney characters. The application has a very kid-friendly interface in which kids can have fun while selecting the options offered. In addition, the application also lets kids have fun and exciting games with the character that they want and it is user-friendly for kids as well.

Wheels on the Bus

This is an interactive version of the kid’s song in which every kid could relate. In this application, kids can do a sing along in different languages which include English, French, Spanish or any other languages available in the application. Furthermore, the application also has an added feature in which kids can record their own voice as they sing the song and play it if they want.

Subway Shuffle Lite

This iPhone application can be both challenging to adults and to kids. The game lets kids move obstacles along the railroad tracks to allow the train to reach its destination. Kids develop mental acuity as they try to solve and formulate ways on moving the obstacles and successfully attain the goals of the game. Furthermore, the game also helps kids develop their patience and problem solving skills.

Tappy Tunes

This application helps kids develop their taste in music. The game allows kids to tap the screen in order to play notes and music. In this way, kids will have a perfect opportunity to play music in their own pace which is a good start to cultivate their interest in music.

These are some kid-friendly iPhone applications that can be installed in your won models so that your family iPhones will be suited for your kids use.

Overview

This program is a desktop application that helps solve a large range of mathematical equations that are usually used in algebra classes. It’s interface is just a simple sheet of paper in which students can select math icons, functions and a tool bar which can help them in their predicament. Students can simply input any equations that they need to solve and the program shows a solution in a step by step process in order to help them learn and understand algebra. If students still do not understand, the program also has a feature which explains why that is the answer. Furthermore, the program also handles complex equations like synthetic division, quadratic equations and solving matrices.

Advantages

This program allows students to understand basic algebraic principles and it is best for those students with a good general understanding of math principles. It is an ideal program in checking answers for any mistakes. Furthermore, the program can easily be installed in any computer and has a user-friendly interface in which most students can easily maneuver through.

Disadvantages

The only downfall in this program is that it could not help those students who are really struggling with the subject matter. The program could not provide the detailed explanation of answers to certain algebraic equations which could have helped students who are learning some new material in algebra. In addition, the program’s teaching ability is limited since it uses a different method of answering equations from the methodology used inside classrooms.

The Algebrator is a helpful tool for parents to teach their children about algebra. You can try to use this program to help your children get the edge in their algebra class.

Managed Internet surfing

Users has individual accounts on the browser and every account possesses privileges that are setup by the parents. This would mean that parents will have control about the settings of the accounts of their children. Each profile privileges are setup with appropriate settings suited for age.

Safe surfing

The browser prevents children from visiting sites that show scenes not appropriate for children and it allows children to change themes and appearances of the browser which they like the most. This will help ensure parents that their children are only visiting wholesome sites that they can learn and enjoy. The browser also possess a feature in which it can provide filters for any web sites pertaining to their content. It can filter up to 64 sites.

ZipZap links

ZipZap has a feature in which it can provide easy-to-access links which are based on the age and the targeted activity. It shows a list of these links where users can just plainly click on them. A very convenient way in searching items on the net and lessen the amount of time spent for just searching.

Parental control

ZipZap allows parents to be the administrators in deciding the privileges allowed for their children. In this way, parents can effectively manage the activities of their children online and provide maximum protection. Furthermore, they also have the power to approve friends for their children.

ZipZap is one Internet browser that parents should consider in providing their children’s safety as they explore the Internet.

Yahoo Mail

This email is best for parents who want to have total access to any family member’s email accounts. In addition, this email program allows any parents to monitor email accounts including those from their kids. This can be done by simply signing on with the account you created for your kids and selecting mail options to block addresses. Furthermore, the program has a new feature to drag and drop e-mails into folders to help get organized. Another plus for this email program is its option to let any user locate any past e-mails just by clicking on the header of any recent email from the same person.

Gmail

This email program is ideal for busy families who wants to coordinate such program with the family calendar regarding activities. The benefits of using this program are the features that allow any family members to use the integrated calendar, IM feature and photo-sharing services when logged in. Furthermore, an additional add-on known as the Gmail Manager can be used to further provide time-saving features. This will allow checking of multiple Gmail accounts at once which can definitely save time. In addition, the e-mail program also allows keyboard shortcuts in composing emails.

Mozilla Thunderbird

This e-mail program helps families manage multiple e-mail accounts from one computer. This e-mail program helps families customize their e-mail accounts from own preferences to filters. This also includes how your account would look. this program is easy to install and it has strict spam filters to prevent accepting spam mails. It also allows users to tag messages with phrases that you want and allows disabling images from remote locations.

These are some of the right e-mail programs suited for your family. Try to consider them if you are looking for new e-mail programs for your family.

Type of software
The first step is to know what type of software you are looking for. In this way, you will be narrowing down the wide selection available on the Internet. You may select programs like games and entertainment, educational activities or family use programs. This will help you focus on one main area in looking for a specific software for your family. It will help you lessen confusion and manage your time wisely.

Right search terms in search engines
Search engines are a good place to locate items that you need. For this reason, it is very important that you need to know the right search phrase to use in order to generate the items you are looking for. You may try putting in the search box phrases like “Family-Friendly programs” or “Family-Friendly software”. This will have a search item result having the following phrase that you entered.
Visit family-friendly creator sites
Good places to inquire for family-friendly programs or software include official sites of family-friendly program creators. There are times in which their sites would showcase new programs that you might like. Try to locate some of these sites and explore for new programs that are available. In this way, you will be spending lesser time in locating the right program or software for your family.
These are some ways that can help find family-friendly programs in the Internet. You can apply these tips when you look for family-friendly software in the future.

Overview

This software was developed by Koduvayur Subbalakshmi, Rajarathnam Chandramouli, and Na Cheng. It possesses a special type of technology that can analyze and make an intelligent guess about the writer’s gender in e-mails. This new software was created due to one case where a teen age girl committed suicide because she was cyber-bullied by her friend’s mother disguised as a boy. The researchers wanted to test if its possible to analyze texts in order to determine the gender of the writer. They compiled 157 gender-specific psycholinguistic cues which include punctuation use and sentence length and it is about 85 percent accurate.

Benefits

This gender-spotting software is a first step in fighting Internet fraud and that includes gender deception. With the software, kids can now determine whether their supposed friends are lying to them of their gender. It can be available as a plug-in in any instant messaging sites and that includes social networking sites like Facebook. Kids can now check if the ones they are chatting are not deceiving them. This new software can be running while your kids are chatting and it would automatically alert them if the program detects a different gender from what they are actually telling and that would make kids no longer trust them and leave them alone.

This new gender-spotting software can really protect kids online. If you have kids at home, try to consider this software to give them added protection as they go online.

Overview

• Children who use this software listen to texts that are read by the computer aloud. It follows the words as they are highlighted progressively on screen. It tells the words to the children as if they are listening to a karaoke. The computer reads the texts several times and after which the children will then speak to the computer through a microphone and repeat what the computer has said. The computer will then follow what they are saying and highlights the words on screen.

Advantages

• This software will definitely help children learn how to read to better prepare them in their future. It can be used in the comfort of their homes as well as in schools. In addition, it helps children develop speech recognition. It can greatly improve literacy rates on places where children could not go and attend school and their literacy rates are below 50%. Furthermore, this software can also be used to teach other languages like Spanish or French.

As of now, this software is being developed for a prototype to see its effectiveness in schools. Trials are conducted to numerous schools in order to see its expected results among children. Hopefully the trials come out good in order for the software to be available world wide. Once this software is already for good use, it can really help children learn how to read as early as they can. Do consider this software for your kids in the future if you want them to learn reading in an early age.

Customizable blocking
Cybersitter has a customize blocking feature that parents feel not appropriate for children to view or to visit. It ensures children do avoid visiting pornography sites and can block social networking sites on a specific schedule parents can choose. It can even record sent and received e-mails and Facebook chat and posts. It also blocks phising, malicious and dangerous web sites that children may visit accidentally.

Provides a good environment for learning
The software only allows access for web sites that are fun and enjoyable like social networking sites, games and entertainment on the days and times that parents approve. This feature is very beneficial and helpful for parents to keep their children hooked in doing their homework and preventing them from doing other things.

Family and User friendly
This software allows every user to customize its features, therefore, parents can somehow make their own rules for their children to follow while browsing the Internet. The product is also easy to install and its instructions are simple and not too complicated for an average user. In addition, it is fully contained and does not need any additional set-up like an online account. Once installed, the product is good to go.It only costs about $40.00.
These are the features that Cybersitter offer for every parent that looks for protection for their children in the Internet. Go and try this software out.

Itzabitza uses a drawing recognition technology “Living Link” that anticipates what your child draws and use it as part of the game. Your child will read, solve puzzles, and create drawings in order to complete explorations and challenges.

Pixie.2 is a paint program wherein your child can make his/her own videos, podcasts, animation by using their text options, clip art, voice recording, and photos. Pixie.2 can be set to Spanish too.

Think Like A Genius version 2.0 lets you create art, visual journals, invent games, construct models, build inventions, develop science projects, and make class presentations.

Close Jump Start Learning System. These fun learning games will teach your child from ages 3 – 14 fundamental skills in math, science, reading, art, and more.

Reader Rabbit Toddler consist of games about characters, shapes, colors and songs for 3 year olds. While, Reader Rabbit 1st Grade- is a game about raining umbrellas, raincoats and galoshes as you explore Raingear forest and more using your skills in math, reading, science, problem solving and more.

The ClueFinders Math Adventures: Mystery in the Himalayas is a computer game where you use your math skills to recover stolen treasures in a small Himalayan village.

The Nancy Drew series. The game is filled with puzzles to solve in order to progress in every level. Your child will need every fundamental skill available like reading and math in order to crack each mystery. It’s very educational and entertaining software for kids.

Kidspeak is a fun and educational way for kids to learn a new language, for children of all ages in pre-K, elementary and middle school. Available for Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish.

Zoo Tycoon. In this game, your child will learn about the animals by adopting and taking care of them in a zoo. Math, Reading and creative skills are needed to complete the entertaining campaigns already setup in the game.

Kid’s Start is an interface for children with features like pre installed popular Websites, a CD and DVD player, easy background color changing, friendly ‘mouse over’ voice prompts, and a print feature.