Parents' Guide to Time Immersive

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free Education
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Common Sense Media Review

Christy Matte By Christy Matte , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Hit-or-miss AR experiences on an equally shaky platform.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

Any Positive Content?

  • TIME Immersive App: Screenshot #1
  • TIME Immersive App: Screenshot #2
  • TIME Immersive App: Screenshot #3
  • TIME Immersive App: Screenshot #4
  • TIME Immersive App: Screenshot #5

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Privacy Rating Warning

  • Personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.
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What's It About?

TIME IMMERSIVE is an AR and VR app designed to deliver Time Magazine stories via engaging experiences. The app comes with two augmented reality starter pieces of content. The first is "Inside the Amazon: The Dying Forest," narrated by Jane Goodall. In it, she explains the threats to the Amazon, including illegal logging. Kids can click on several hot spots in three different content areas to see pictures from deep within the rainforest. The second experience is a re-creation of Apollo's landing on the moon based on historical records and scientific data. Kids can ride in the capsule with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they land on the moon. Once there, kids can view the lunar module and even watch as Neil Armstrong plants the flag. Both content pieces require kids to point a device camera at a flat area to set up the viewing experience.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

There's something pretty amazing about hitching a virtual ride in the lunar capsule, but the uneven content and glitches make this app an uneven experience. Time Immersive definitely gets one thing right: It confirms that history, science, and other educational topics are far more interesting and engaging when you can immerse yourself in them. This concept is highlighted in the "Landing on the Moon" AR experience, although it would be even more incredible in VR. The Amazon experience is less engaging. The content is primarily static, making it a poor use for AR to begin with. And Jane Goodall's narration, while educational, isn't exactly going to capture kids' imaginations and interest. It was also disappointing to have the app refer to a VR headset, but then not offer any experiences in that area. Beyond the content, there are some technical challenges in the platform itself. The app refused to acknowledge a number of flat surfaces, even in well-lit settings. When it finally launched, it left the images at an awkward angle for viewing. Some kids will likely have trouble figuring out how to fully enjoy the app, as it isn't always intuitive. Time Immersive is a good start, but it needs some work to be the best experience it could be.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Amazon rainforest after using Time Immersive. Why is deforestation a concern? How does it impact other parts of the world? Is there anything we can do about it?

  • Talk about the lunar landing. What would it be like to walk on the moon? Would you want to go into space? Where would you want to go?

  • Families can talk about learning with apps. Do you think this is a good app for learning? Why or why not? What can you learn?

App Details

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