Hey everyone. Hi Tech Mommy here. Now that November is upon us, it's time to talk about Turkey Day. I have found a great App that solves all of my Thanksgiving problems, as well as is a life saver everyday.
Springpad- Free
Springpad is an amazing way to save, share and act on what's important to you. With Springpad you can recieve, share, and enjoy information with your family and friends through the ease of your own phone. I love this app because of the notebooks. You can create a notebook for an event, person, or idea and share them with your family and friends.
You have to get this. Has saved my life when Jack's after school schedule gets hard and I need to share it with my Mom and the babysitter!
Springpad is going to come to your rescue this Thanksgiving. It helps you pick recipes, SHARE THEM, and save them all in one place so that they're is no question when it comes to put that Turkey in the oven. Also, you can share decor and ideas that you have had with other Springpad users, and the inspiration continues.
Hey guys! This week is a busy week for me. I was on Marie talking gadgets with Marie and Betty White then tomorrow I'm flying to Chicago to educate Steve Harvey on how we Modern Moms navaigate through life with teh latest tech! The show will air shortly after we shoot it. Wish me luck!
Hey everyone. HiTechMommy here. So school is really getting underway for our little ones, so I thought it was time to show you some great gadgets to get Back-To-School savvy!
The Tablet Tail is a cute and very efficient way to use your iPad as a standing computer. This product has been great for the times when I go to watch Jack at Karate class and I want to take pictures of him kickin' butt. I love this gadget because it has a one-handed grip that is easy to hold, as well as it is vaccuum sealed so it won't just fall off your device, which would be the worst. Another great thing about this particular holder is that tha handle (whale tail) bends fully both ways, so you can adjust the tail for any situation! It works great for books and mirrors as well, to name a few things.
Of all of the bluetooth wireless keyboards I have seen, this one by FAR takes the cake. It is perfect for those times when I need to reserch a dinner recipe, or I am sending a quick email to one of Jack's teachers about an after school program. This keyboard syncs with all Apple and Andriod systmes, has costumized functions, and can kit inside on any iPad case. I don't think any mother should be without this keyboard, it is a lifesaver, and it NEVER runs out of juice. Also, this is perfect if you have older child, and they are starting to use their own iPad and cell phone for assignments. It's just perfect.
LOVE THIS APP. It is like a mega Mom app. The Cozi app has capabilities such as monthly calendar views for you and your whole family, a shopping cart, To-Do list, and my favorite...the family journal. In the "journal" setting, you can create a newsletter for your own family and email it to other family members so everyone is in the loop about all of the awesome activities going on every day. This is perfect for those times when my Mom can't come see Jack at after school activites. I can upload a video into the journal section, and send it to my mother with a description of what's going on.
This is so cool, I had to spread the word. When I was a little girl, I loved my Barbies so much. They have been a treasured and loved doll for the last several generations, and now, Barbie is getting a High Tech makeover! Made by Mattel, this Barbie doll has all of the same features as the original, except for one HUGE difference, her shirt is an LCD screen for taking pictures! Her pink "heart" belt acts as a "on/off" button for the camera, which is located on the front of her belt!
You can take the photos to change the Barbie's graphic tees, or you can stick with the pictures that come with the doll. And you can customize your photos with 15 frames and effects. If you want to get the photos off of your Barbie and onto your computer, there's a Mini USB embedded in the middle of her back. So you and your children can upload the pics and continue to take more!
It is currently set to hit stores in August 2012...and it is priced at only $49.99!
Alright parents...say cheese and go get this doll ASAP!
Yay Yay Yay it's Mother's day!! The time of the year I feel most valued and loved. Here are a few gift ideas for the HiTechMommy in your house!
With Sony Electronic’s new wireless digital photo frame, S-Frame, plays new and old memories without using a computer. The frame’s library of images can constantly be refreshed without the hassle of plugging into a computer and they have a new service called PlayMemories that makes sharing pics from your computer really easy. You can also asign your frame an email address and have frined send you hot shots. It also has great features such as Pandora radio and can play video. You can find the Sony’s S- Frame in Sony stores/or online nationwide.
Sony S-Frame, $159
The Nikon1 J1 is for Mom looking for a versatile camera that captures stunning pictures and video while striking the balance between performance and portability. It fits in between the classes of a compact camera and a D-SLR which is a great if you're looking to step up from a compact camera performance but don't want to carry a larger D-SLR. I love that face that the kit comes with a 10-30 MM lense and mom can feel like she's got a real piece of equipment she's working with. It also offers innovative in-camera features like Smart Photo Selector, Full 1080p HD video and quick continuous shooting speed plus autofocus which ensures accuracy and precise focus!
Chances are, Mom probably has a lot of black or white at her desk, but her personal style is full of a color. These Logitech Global Grafiti Collection accessories feature modern colors and patterns, so you can choose a combination that helps mom express her personality. There's a great looking mouse and keyboard combo that takes mom's style up a notch.
We also have a great gift to keep mom feeling like she's got the coolest phone on the block!The Droid Razr by Motorola is super thin and fits easily in a pocket or purse yet has a scratch –resistant display that’s crystal clear and big enough for reading everything. It comes in three stylish colors- your classic black, white and purple so you can match this smartphone with mom’s personality. Because it's an Android based phone, if she’s into video chatting, taking pics, organizing the family or reading her messages it's got her covered.
Not sure if I've posted about my 9-5 job so I thought I'd quickly let you in. I'm now the Director of Talent for the celebrity only social media platform called WhoSay. I've been working here for a year and a half and although it was painful to become a full-time working single mom, I did it and I LOVE coming to work each day. Yes, it's hard to miss out on certain mommy duties, but lucky I have my mom/wife @PamelaDSchwartz to thank for helping me raise Jack. Although Jack misses me he loves my mom because she's always there for him and is willing to do cool stuff like this and this with him.
As far as my gig - Here's what my office looks like:
I work with about 150 high profile celebrities and I teach them about the power behind social media and how to use the WhoSay platform to retain the rights to the media they send out to their fans. Having a background in presenting tech a-la TechTV certainly has helped me have the chops to do this job. And although there's a lot of computing involved there's also a nice sprinkle of glamor to this gig.
The thing I'd say I'm most excited about working on at WhoSay is charity. The network now has over 1000 clients and the amount of good that can come from that kind of reach is mind blowing. @KevinBacon is our charitable ambassador and we'll be using his @SixDegreesofKB concept of helping multiple charities as somewhat of a guide to make sure any client that has a charity will feel the love.
Today’s geek = A cool geek dad who is the definition of cool. He's a confident, tech-savvy, engaged father who shares his passion for tech with his kids, creating new family traditions in his own way. Personally it's one the most attractive aspects to my man. He's into making sure we have all the right tech, that it works properly and that we ENJOY using it!
I found this really interesting - The Confessions of a Geek Dad survey conducted by Cisco Linksys sought to shed light on the emerging generation of guys fed on technology as children, and is now passing on this passion to their kids. The survey conducted in December found that a lot of dads are straight up Proud to be geeks! Nearly 70% of geek dads consider themselves to be cooler than other dads, with 75% of them attributing it to creating a home their kids’ friends enjoy hanging out at. I just LOVE this! Also, 70% of geek dads say their kids think they’re cool because they’re tech-savvy, and that makes 87% of geek dads proud or humored.
The Survey also pointed out that being savvy still comes with some trade-offs. They found that 35% of geek dads say their partners get annoyed when they spend time alone playing with technology, yet 92% say their partners expect them to be the ones to maintain the home tech. One in five geek dads admit to using technology in secret to avoid being discovered by their wives. This cracks me up because I know this happens in my house but I don't care.
The last stat I found interesting shows an interesting redefinition in what's considered "quality time" with the kids. The numbers show that 71% of geek dads spend more time doing activities with their kids than their fathers did with them. 72% are more excited about teaching kids how to use tech tools than traditional tools, like a hammer or power drill.
The survey showed that slow Internet (25 percent) and Wi-Fi connectivity issues (19 percent) are the top frustrations geek dads face when it comes to home technologies. Cisco says its new Linksys E4200V2 Maximum Performance Wireless-N Dual Band Router, might be the answer to that, geek dad or not, users get maximum streaming speed for HD/3D quality video streaming, superior wireless coverage, and faster USB hard drive disk performance for streaming media.
Also Geek Dads, check this out. Cisco is giving away $10,000 in cool geeky tools to a lucky winner on their Facebook page! Go to their Facebook page and tell them "What kind of new family tradition you or the Geek Dad
in your life is creating that demonstrates geek cool and helps develop your kids love and fascination of technology."
I've here at CES 2012 and am very impressed with, well, everything! It's exciting to see tech getting smaller, cooler looking and able to do even more. I'm working with the following companies to keep you informed on which tech coming out of the show is mom approved.
Samsung DV300F Digital Camera
Portability, ease of use and smart design come to mind with this digital camera. I've loved digital cameras since they first came on the market and have fallen for this new one - The Samsung DV300F DualView 16 Megapixel camera. There are 3 bad-ass features about this one that I really love 1- It solves that problem of not being able to bend my wrist in just the right position to get myself to look hot in an image. This camera actually has a second viewing area on the FRONT! 2- It's wi-fi capabilities allow me to instantly post pics to Facebook, email them out and post video on YouTube. 3- It has "Child" mode where the screen on the front plays funny animations that will get your kids to smile in your shots!
The Slimport by Analogix
2012 is the year of bringing sharing back to the family TV screen and thanks to some very cool tech, The Slimport by Analogix , it's easier than ever to share the images and video you take or store on your devices with people via TV or monitor. Literally it connects your smart phone and tablets with uncompressed theater quality video to your television! It’s so simple- you just plug and play and enjoy all the great content from your phone or tablet at home!
Parents have hundreds of great photos and memories - how do we ensure they’re still going to be around in 100 years? The moments we've captured are so valuable and irreplaceable that we need to take care of them, and doing it on the right device is crucial so they will last until your children are old enough to appreciate them. The new SanDisk Memory Vault is the way to go. It's a tiny device which holds thousands of photos and truly is the photo album for the digital age. It's designed with proprietary technology that is designed with long-term preservation and convenience and will keep your digital photos for 100 years. Definitely something every mom will want.
Many of us have made the “get healthier resolution” and the new MOTOACTV truly takes your workout routine to the next level. This thing is rad! It's a wearable GPS fitness tracker AND smart music player all packed into one gadget making this your ultimate fitness device. Along with tracking your exercise progress ( time, distance, speed) it's actually smart enough to play the music that gets you working harder by detecting what tunes make you move faster! How cool is that?
One of the most crucial devices to families is a wi-fi router. Think about it. This is the gadget that assures that no matter how many pieces of tech you have trying to connect to the Internet at once, no one is getting buffering issues or interruption while trying to access the web. Take a sec and think about how many gadgets try to connect at once... phones, computers, TVs, gaming devices, tablets...all trying to get online. To assure my home's wi-fi signal is always rocking I use the the Cisco Linksys E4200v2 Wireless Router. It's one of the fastest on the market and was super easy to set up. And check this out, Linksys is holding a $10,000 tech makeover giveaway on their Facebook page at Facebook.com/CiscoLinksys and you can also win a E4200v2 router!
OK boys and girls - we're getting down to the wire here. Here's what I'm thinking about as we approach the end of the year.
Everybody Dance is the ultimate PlayStation Move party game for PlayStation 3. This game gets everyone in the family up and moving, using the PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Eye camera to dance alongside 40 hit tracks from top-selling artists including Rihanna, LMFAO, Duck Sauce and more. There is even a Party Play mode that lets up to 20 players create profiles and go head to head in an epic dance off. With the PlayStation Eye camera, players can record and playback their performances and then share them with their friends on Facebook and Twitter.
This next gift is great for anyone on your list and is REALLY cool.
Check out The Echo smartpen from Livescribe. Starting at $99, this pen records everything you hear and write, so you never miss a word. You simply tap on your handwritten notes with the smartpen to playback what was said at the exact moment in time. What makes this gift even cooler is that you can transfer your notes and audio to your computer and review an interactive digital version of your notes and
audio in what’s called a Pencast! The pencast is easy to share with friends, colleagues and peers via email, Facebook, Evernote, Google Docs and more. Perfect for students and business professionals who need to access their important information quickly.
How about giving the gift of language!
Living Language Platinum is a comprehensive language learning course that makes learning a language fun, interactive and flexible. It’s fully integrated among multiple digital platforms (any browsers, tablet, smartphone) making it easy for users to access the online course, e- tutoring and social community on the go. At $179 this is the best combo of features and value on the market and is just as effective as ones you have seen in the past. Perfect for the students, travelers, international business people or anyone looking to learn a language in 2012!
If you are looking to give a Windows 7 PC for the student on your list this season, but not sure which PC is the right one. Check out PC Scout.com There you will find high -end entertainment machines to small portable notebooks in so many styles, colors and features and prices. Like this one. The HP Pavilion DM1 is an affordable yet highly functional Windows 7 PC and it weighs less than 3 lbs making it a great gift for your student or anyone who needs a super portable PC on your list. Go check out PCScout.com
We all know toys are often the Center piece of holiday gift giving and The Duracell Holiday Program helps parents prepare with what they need to create a magical Christmas morning for their kids and kids in need. If your toy doesn’t work due to a Duracell battery defect,
Duracell will repair or replace it. For those who are less fortunate, they will donate up to 30,000 batteries to the Toy Industry Foundation. Also to celebrate the holiday season with its fans, Duracell is hosting a special concert on Facebook with Chris Daughtry and holding hourly toy giveaways with the season’s most wanted toys.
For pretty much anyone on your list that has floors that need to be cleaned this will make them jump for joy! I'm talking moms, grandparents, pet owners... Mint and the Mint Plus are for you to give. These automatic floor cleaners have gone way hi-tech with the use of something called North Star Navigation Technology. The cleaner comes with a cube that you place in the center of the room and it draws an invisible map of the room that directs the gadget meticulously clean every exposed inch of floor without touching your furniture! Amazing. It actually mops and sweeps the floors! Although the Mint is incredible they actually made improvements and now the Mint Plus includes the ProClean System with self-dispensing fluid reservoir, faster recharge and a battery life of up to 4 hours. SO COOL!
Ohhhh how the family will love this one! It's the HP TouchSmart 320 with AMD technology all-in-one computer. I have one in my kitchen and it has become a fantastic learning tool as well as an entertainment system that we all use. You can watch movies on the large 20" display and they look great thanks to optional AMD steady video, which smooths out shaky home movies. All Jack wants to do though is create holiday themed photos and videos or connect with his grandparents and friends on the web cam. It's really cute and I'm loving this HP especially with a less than $600 price tag!
OK guys, Black Friday is coming and that means it's time to get online and find the right gifts- but before you buy anything do as the mommy blogger do and get yourself some online coupons and promo codes! They save you time and money and it's truly amazing what you find if you know where to look. CheapSally.com is THE best place to score these codes because she scours the web collecting and posting the best of the best. Even exclusive offers appear on CheapSally like this one for $15 off $100 at Mattel! To stay up to date on all her great finds make sure to check her blog regularly and sign up for her newsletter!
Listen up video game fans, the new Ben 10 Galactic Racing game is out and it's a fantastic gift choice for the young gamer in your life. Based on the popular self titled Cartoon Network cartoon, this first of its kind kart racing game is filled with the same fun and intensity as the show. You can play with up to 3 friends, choose from 25 exciting tracks to race on and play as one of 13 different alien characters and heroes! We play ours on the Wii but it's available on all of the consoles.
Last but not least giving the gift of communication has never been easier thanks to Virgin Mobile and their amazingly easy-to-give, no contract Android phones! It's great, you can actually give someone a phone that rocks and they can choose a plan that requires no contract which start at just $35 a month! With that you get the reliability of the Sprint Network and unlimited messaging, data and web usage.
