So those Usage Controls we'd mentioned Verizon was getting ready to launch have finally gone live, and though it's happening a few weeks later than we thought it would, something tells us the target audience wasn't complaining during the brief delay. The idea, of course, is to help parents lock down the phones of their little ones with support for voice minute and messaging limits, voice and data schedules, whitelists and blacklists, and content filters -- none of which Junior is going to enjoy, we suspect. The service can be had for $4.99 per month on top of a postpaid plan. Separately, Chaperone 2.0 has launched for a more princely sum of $9.99 per month, enhancing the original Chaperone tracking service with the ability to track multiple devices simultaneously and -- get this -- a feature that lets parents plug their offspring's location right into their VZ Navigator-equipped device for turn-by-turn directions straight to the kid. Both features are available now.

Read - Chaperone
Read - Usage Controls

Though it already offers content filtering, Verizon's about to get a whole lot more comprehensive with its tools for helping parents keep their kids' cells on lockdown. Positioned to compete head-to-head with AT&T's Smart Limits, Verizon's Usage Controls with run $4.99 when it goes live on July 23 and will offer billable minute thresholds (which provide text alerts to you and your tyke, but not a hard stop on usage), messaging limits, time restrictions, blocked number lists, and trusted number lists. Launching simultaneously will be Chaperone 2.0, a refresh of Verizon's tracking service. BlackBerrys and push-to-talk devices won't be eligible for the new controls, but let's be honest: if your 8 year old's sporting a Curve, there might be more important issues to deal with there.

[Thanks, HTCKid]