Child Proofing Your Android Device - Series 2

Series 2: Study Time

Tablet OS: Android 4.0 and higher

Area: Time Management

There are parental control apps in Android which restricts the ability to use certain apps and also restrict the time when they can be used. The drawback however is either these apps really shouts out that they are there to restrict, or worst, they are skinned too much that they look like totally different from what Mom and Pops are normally using.

Another approach could be using task automation apps to 'silently' monitor the time and trigger an event on the device with the right combination of alert message and the opportunity for the child to voluntarily respond.

Llama at Google Play Store

One such trick is by using Llama, originally an application for location profiling, it can also be used to silently do the job of time management. Where Llama is good at is at being invisible in the background while also being simple to customize. No fancy UI, just the bare bones options to add an event, the right conditions and trigger an action or a series of actions.

The key steps are:

• Define the time period:
• e.g. Time between 6:00 PM until 6:00 AM
• Define the right conditions:
• When the Home application is at the background, which means an app is running in the foreground. (e.g. the child is playing a game or watching a YouTube video.
• Define the right action:
• Send a toast message: "It's time to study! Save the game and continue again tomorrow."
• Launch the Home application.
• Re-trigger the event every 1 minute, in case the child decides to play some more or wants to save the game.

Here is an example screen grab from Llama.

Step 1: Creating the Event trigger. The setting below will launch Nova Home launcher when the trigger is activated, which brings the tablet to the home screen. The child can still go to the recent apps button to go back and save the game or bookmark whatever he or she has been watching.

Step 2: Going into the Advanced setting to set the retriggering. Set the event to repeat every 1 minutes to allow the child to voluntarily respond. The repetitive messages will finally get the message across without being abrupt.

Step 3: And finally seeing it all come together.

Tips and Tricks:

1. This is best done with a Launcher application since Android by default does not show the system Home application in the selection of apps to trigger.
2. Adding the Llama app as an exception in the rule allows you to go to the Llama app and disable the trigger, else the tablet cannot be used unless you are out of the time period covered in the trigger.
3. You may use Llama for more event automation, one example is to automate volume profiles and so on.