Review of the Disney Netpal Netbook

DISNEY PARENTAL CONTROL SOFTWARE

Parents can set up accounts for each child in the house, determine which programs they can access and the time of day in which they can access. Parents also control the email address book with their password so kids can only send emails to and receive emails from contacts approved by mom and dad. Websites are surfed through the favourites list which mom and dad also control. There is no editable URL address bar so kids cannot access content not approved by their parents.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is actually a really great combination of a netbook, Disney software and fantastic parental control software.

After you have created a profile for your child, when the netbook boots up you have the choice between your “parent” profile – which will need a password to log into a standard Windows XP desktop, or the “child” profile, which doesn’t need a password and will log into the Disney desktop which only has available whatever you want your child to see.

Setting up the profile was easily and only took a few minutes, and adding new sites that could be accessed, and when, was simple too. If your child is logged into the Disney desktop, you can easily click a button, type in your password, and make whatever changes you want to save you from having to out and then back again.

The battery life is very good on this as well – not exactly the best for a netbook, but certainly good enough to keep your child happy on those journeys!

The Disney Netpal Netbook retails in the UK for around £300 (you can get it cheaper by looking around) and for around $400 in the US (again, cheaper if you look around).

If you are on the lookout for a laptop, or netbook for your child, and you want the assurance of the parental controls, and the coolness of a Disney product, then look no further.

I for one know of a certain little Princess who wants this one – and not just because it’s pink!