The Protector platform is a combination of hardware, software and services designed to generate piece of mind by providing people with a single dashboard to protect their family, home, and vehicle. The Safe Driver Starter Kit is the first in, what will become, a full line of home and family protection products that will all be managed through a unified Protector console. This initial solution enables parents to help their children form safe driving habits, but the platform has been designed to interface with various products that address numerous different safety concerns.

Yes, it is. The mission at TASER International is to protect life. Protector supports that mission by empowering parents to protect the most precious of lives: their children.

Although Protector is very powerful, it is also very easy to use. It was designed to be 'strong enough for a kid, yet easy enough for a parent.' Most of the system configuration is done through a simple five-minute wizard that asks a few questions to discern what is appropriate for you and your child. In addition, most actions have a simple 'one-click' interface for making parenting decisions. Detailed settings are also available for more technical users.

Protector's parental dashboard can be installed on most smart phones running Blackberry, iPhone, Windows Mobile or Android operating systems. Additional platforms will be announced in the future.

The Protector dashboard operates on any Internet connected computer, either running Windows (2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7) or Macintosh OSX. To access Protector's dashboard from your TV, you need a smart TV that is connected to the Internet and capable of running Yahoo! TV Widgets.

Protector's dashboard can manage an unlimited number of devices with any of Protector's safety plans.

Yes. Self-service support options are available both through the dashboard help menu and online at protector.com. For more serious or technical problems, toll-free phone support is available from knowledgeable and friendly support staff.

Upgrades will be made available periodically as new product improvements and enhancements are developed. Most phones and Protector hardware devices will automatically upgrade their software to the latest version when it becomes available.

You can add or replace a phone by going to the new device feature on your dashboard and following the simple steps for managing your devices.

Protector's driver safety solutions save lives by preventing cell-phone distractions, fostering responsible driving behaviors for new drivers, and automatically initiating alerts for help when accidents are detected.

The Safe Driver Starter Kit is installed in the car and can detect when the vehicle is running. If the vehicle is on and the driver is in the car, certain communications, such as texting, are not allowed on her cellular phone. Because this device communicates directly with your child's phone, service availability does not matter. Regardless of whether or not there is GPS or cellular coverage, if the vehicle is determined to be on, the communications policy will be enforced. This policy is set by you as the parent and will determine which communication methods are, or are not, allowed. Regardless of the communications policy, the driver will always be allowed to call emergency services.

Your child will always have access to emergency services through 911, as well as the numbers you put on your emergency contact list. No matter what settings are placed on their phone, your child will always be able to contact those people -- anytime and anywhere.

Protector's driver safety solutions are vehicle aware rather than motion aware. This means that your child's phone will be locked only when they are driving their own car and not when they are on a bus or train or even in a friend's car. In addition, because the GPS tracking is done through the installed hardware unit, Protector's driver solutions do not cause significant battery drain on your child's phone, unlike GPS-based software applications. Finally, the hardware unit can detect when the car has been in an accident and will immediately generate an alert with details including vehicle location, date and time of the collision.

Protector's driver client can be installed on any smart phone running Blackberry, Windows Mobile or Android operating systems. Additional platforms will be announced in the future.

A single vehicle hardware unit will be able to support Protector's driver safety plans on up to eight phones.

Protector's solutions are expected to be available during the fall of 2010. If you are interested in being a part of our next beta test group prior to our full product release, then please fill out the information request form.

Pricing has not been finalized, but the vehicle hardware unit will likely be $250. You will also need to subscribe to one of Protector's driver safety plans, which are expected to be between $14.95 and $24.95 per month, depending on the features and capabilities you select.

Many of the dangers that children face today are new and have emerged through the rapid rise in technology. Protector has determined that the most effective way to combat these digital threats is through the use of advanced technologies designed specifically to fight fire with fire. Among these threats, Protector’s initial priority has been distracted driving, but there are others that the platform will address as well. Dangers such as cyber bullying, text cheating, sexting, and textual harassment are growing concerns and Protector is actively working to incorporate solutions to these and other issues in the near future.

The next solution, on which development has already begun, is Protector’s cellular safety product line. These products will allow parents to collaborate with their children to develop safe cell-phone habits. With this technology, parents will be able to decide when and where their children can use different cell-phone functions and with whom they can communicate. It will also give parents the ability to monitor their children’s communications and to receive alerts when potentially harmful content is recognized.

These solutions are expected to be available in 2011.