Symons Says

1:00 AM -- Jeanette Symons wants to make your kids smarter.

From The Philter's Where-Are-They-Now file, a new venture from one of the founders of Ascend Communications and Zhone Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ZHNE):

Industrious Kid Inc., a unique new child-focused Internet company led by technology visionary and entrepreneur Jeanette Symons, today announced its official launch with an overview of the company’s mission and the introduction of its executive team.

Industrious Kid’s charter is to develop premium online products and destinations that are purpose-built for the rapidly growing population of children and tweens now accessing and using the Internet. The company’s goal is to enable children to learn and grow as they use the Internet, while simultaneously ensuring a greater level of creativity, excitement and personal security for each child’s online user experience. Industrious Kid’s age-appropriate products, services and destinations strike a unique balance between the fun and stimulation that children desire and the safety and guidance that parents demand…

“We are looking to raise the bar with our Industrious Kid products, which are designed from the ground up with a child’s security and overall user experience in mind,” said Symons. “As an example, many of the so-called security features that the industry has released or announced thus far rely on voluntary behavior modification by kids. Instead of trying to resolve issues surrounding children and Internet usage this way, our approach is to develop better alternative destinations that provide not only a higher value user experience but also a greater level of parental insight and control. That way both children and parents’ needs are met in a way that’s realistic and results oriented…

Joining Ms. Symons on Industrious Kid’s executive team are technology veterans Lori Brown, who will serve as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, and Tim Donovan, who will serve as the company’s Vice President of Marketing. Ms. Brown was most recently Vice President of Engineering Operations at Zhone Technologies, and previously served as Vice President of the High Speed Routing Division of Ascend Communications. Mr. Donovan brings more than 19 years of consumer technology marketing and public relations experience to Industrious Kid, having held senior management positions with leading technology companies including Ascend Communications, Kineto Wireless, UTStarcom (NASDAQ: UTSI) and Zhone.

Alright, Junior. Go to your room, get on the Internet, and play with some of those results-oriented online products your Auntie Jeanette was raving about. Daddy'll be down in the living room tossing back black-and-tans and watching Batman cartoons.

— Phil Harvey, Childish Editor, Light Reading