SkydogTM Home Networking Solution will Feature Common Sense Media’s Content Ratings and Resources
PALO ALTO and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – December 19, 2013 – PowerCloud Systems, a pioneer in cloud networking for the connected home, and Common Sense Media, the largest non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world filled with media and technology, today announced a partnership dedicated to facilitating easy access to age-appropriate Internet content in the home. PowerCloud Systems is the creator of SkydogTM, the revolutionary home networking solution used by thousands of families to manage their connected lives by providing unprecedented visibility into, and management over, their home networks. This partnership will give Skydog users easy access to Common Sense Media’s independent, age-based ratings and reviews of online media, based on developmental criteria from some of the nation’s leading authorities, and provide a technical solution for the family to manage access to this media.
“Kids today are connected 24/7, and all this media and technology at their fingertips presents fantastic opportunities for life and learning, but with it comes risks. We provide trustworthy information, tools and guidance to keep kids safe online and help families find the good stuff,” said Amy Guggenheim Shenkan, president and COO of Common Sense Media. “We are thrilled to partner with PowerCloud Systems to help make these resources more readily available to a broader audience through their Skydog home networking solution.”
“Skydog is the only home networking solution that gives parents the tools they need to help their kids make smart choices about their connected lives,” said Jeff Abramowitz, founder and CEO of PowerCloud Systems. “Our partnership with Common Sense Media will augment current content filtering capabilities by directing users to specific media on the Internet that is suited to their children’s needs.”
Skydog delivers an entirely new way of managing the home network that is powerful, simple, and affordable. Skydog is a combination smart Wi-Fi router and Web application that helps families manage access to Internet media and cope with an overload of devices and Internet applications. By grouping devices by user and then setting each child’s watchlist, Internet access policies and schedule, Skydog lets parents easily monitor and manage their family’s Internet use and help their kids make smart choices online. Skydog also prioritizes bandwidth for movies and games, protects home and guest Wi-Fi networks and is easily managed from any internet connected device.
A key feature of Skydog is the ability to create a watchlist of websites, which can be monitored to observe access, blacklisted to block, or whitelisted to enable unfettered access. Whitelisted web sites, such as those deemed appropriate by Common Sense Media, can help kids learn to make smart choices about their time online.
Common Sense Media provides families with trustworthy information and tools, original research, and an independent forum, so they can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume. With this announcement PowerCloud Systems and Common Sense Media are working together to enable Skydog to serve as a vehicle for the information and resources that Common Sense Media delivers. For example, the Skydog Content Access Control Dashboard will soon provide direct links to Common Sense Media Internet content ratings, and the Skydog forum will include contributions from Common Sense Media experts. These integrations with Common Sense Media will be rolled out over the next few months, with a series of notifications for each new integration being delivered via emails to users and on each organizations’ respective website.
Since its launch, Skydog has received accolades from tech reviewers and consumers. PC Magazine gave Skydog a rating of, “Excellent,” and designated it an “Editors’ Choice,” calling it “the ultimate family-friendly router” – http://bit.ly/HXJETz. Skydog users have made Skydog the highest-rated dual-band router on Amazon – http://amzn.to/HhYpkj.
Pricing and Availability
Individual Skydog purchases can be made through www.skydog.com and at Amazon.com for $149.00. This price includes one year of subscription cloud service. For a limited time, Skydog is offering two additional years of Skydog subscription service free with every purchase. Information on community group sales can be found at http://skydog.com/groups.php.
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About PowerCloud Systems
PowerCloud® Systems is a leader and industry pioneer in cloud-powered wireless networking. The technology underpinning Skydog and the company’s award-winning CloudCommand® platform was invented at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and makes deploying and monitoring Wi-Fi networks and services easy for consumers and businesses. PowerCloud Systems products are deployed worldwide in homes, hotels, schools, retail chains and other businesses seeking truly affordable, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi. Investors include PARC, Qualcomm Ventures, Javelin Venture Partners and Walden Venture Capital. More information can be found at www.powercloudsystems.com.
About Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology. We exist because our kids are growing up in a culture that profoundly impacts their physical, social, and emotional well-being. We provide families with the advice and media reviews they need to make the best choices for their children. Through our education programs and policy efforts, Common Sense Media empowers parents, educators, and young people to become knowledgeable and responsible digital citizens. For more information, go to: www.commonsense.org.
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Media Contacts
Andrew Karl
TriplePoint PR for PowerCloud Systems
akarl@triplepointpr.com
415-955-8500
Amber Whiteside
Common Sense Media
awhiteside@commonsense.org
415-269-8127