Moms and dads, it’s time to tune in, turn on and plug in. Find new ways to save time and money and get more out of your digital lifestyle with my tips to make your family-life easier and richer through modern technology, such as the Internet, wireless devices and digital television.
Bottle Cap Tripod
Carrying around a camera tripod isn’t always convenient, but this bottle cap tripod is good to go.
Made with a flexible rubber socket that slips over the top of most bottles and a standard tripod screw, the ingenious design turns your water bottle into the extra set of hands you need to take awesome pics.
The device works best with point and shoot cameras and bottles that are at least half full for obvious weight reasons.
It can also pivot about 15 degrees for extra flexibility. Cost about $10.
Cool.
Found via Rachel Ray magazine
HealthSync helps you keep track of your medical records
HealthSync, a new iPhone app, helps you keep track of your health records and those of your family.
Especially if you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease or allergies, the application helps users keep track of frequent tests and monitoring. The information is input by the user and stored locally on the device. Future version will support data sharing to enable users to manage data via Google Health’s web-based interface.
The app is $2.99 via the iTune App Store.
Office Live–Microsoft’s answer to Google Docs
If you have used Google docs you know the convenience of having your docs available wherever you have internet access and shareable with whoever you want. Now Microsoft has joined the cloud computing world with Office Live. People will enjoy its seemless interface with your existing Microsoft products. You can view the doc online or click “edit” to have it open in your computer’s Microsoft programs.
Office Live also boosts working with a team b/c it tracks comments and actions allowing multiple people to work on the same document–no more searching for the latest version.
I’ve already found it useful b/c I work back and forth b/w two computers. Rather than emailing myself stories or information, I can now just put it “in the cloud” so I can access it wherever I happen to be.
Best part–it’s free!
Found via Hands on Small Business conference ( a free small business technology workshop coming to cities across America )
And a child shall lead them
There is a disturbance in the Facebook force. An uproar over the redesigned Live Feed/News Feed pages on its uber-popular website.
Of course, like anything on Facebook, when people get upset about something they start a group. In this case, it’s the “CHANGE FACEBOOK BACK TO NORMAL” group and it boasts more than 1,500,000 members.
Who’s in charge of the group? A 14-year-old from Apex, NC near Raleigh named Jonathan Woodlief. His parents had no idea until reporters started calling the home to talk with the boy.
He actually didn’t start the group, but noticed it didn’t have an administrator so he “clicked a button” to make himself the admin.
It’s just another in a line of controversial choices by the powers-that-be at Facebook. Facebook contends that it made the changes in response to feedback from its users.
Some have posted workarounds for the new reality, but nothing makes it like it used to be exactly.
The only thing certain in the social media world is change.
For the ultra-germaphobe
Vioguard has released its new self-sanitizing keyboard just in time for flu season.
The keyboard uses UV light to destroy germs that cause H1N1, MRSA, and more.
Vioguard’s product incorporates a standard keyboard and touchpad and requires no software or special hardware to function. The Vioguard system automatically retracts the keyboard and touchpad into its clean, light tight enclosure where it is flooded with germicidal ultraviolet light to safely disinfect the keyboard and touchpad surfaces after every use.
This would be a really great idea for businesses where multiple people use the same keyboard or public areas such as libraries where lots of people are touching the keyboard througout the day.
The system is $899 and will be available via Amazon.
Guardians of Their Smiles
The NY Times article Guardians of Their Smiles looks into the debate of the pros and cons of posting photos of your children online. It begins with the story of a mom whose daughter’s picture was taken from Flickr and used on a Brazilian chat site.
It serves as a stark reminder to make sure that you are using privacy settings on social sites and blogs (just like you tell your kids too!) I go back and forth on using my kids names on sites like Facebook. I generally don’t on my personal blog. I don’t want some employer years from now looking them up and seeing their baby pics.
A grayer area is what about when someone else is posting a photograph of you or your child. What is the etiquette for this new social taboo?
Read the article. It is definitely worth thinking about.
Nook
Nook is Barnes and Noble’s new e-reader and Amazon’s big competition.
With a full-color touch screen with e-ink, millions of available titles and a $259 price tag, the Nook is looking to supplant Kindle in the electronic book market.
Nook even lets you lend books to friends for free. You can send the book to your friends phone, computer or e-reader for up to 14 days. Also, there are thousands of free e-books (like all your English teacher’s favorites).
The reader has 2GB memory and measures 7.7 x 4.9 inches. It weighs just 11.2 ounces. You can also use the reader as an mP3 player. Unlike Kindle, the memory is expandable via microSD card.
Another plus for Nook is the ability to share your e-book with your iPod touch, iPhone, Blackberry or PC. Kindle is working on this as well with PC in Beta.
nook arrives Nov. 30, but you can preorder it online now, or beginning Wednesday in any Barnes & Noble store. And come Nov. 30, you’ll be able to test-drive nook in any Barnes & Noble store as well.
Local TV coming soon to a phone near you
Just in case you needed something else to do with your wireless device–soon you can watch real-time local TV.
According to the NY Times a group called the Open Mobile Video Coalition is working on a standard that will let TV stations use some of the new frequencies given for high-definition broadcasts to be used for wireless devices. Called Mobile DTV, the service will be available for devices such as in-car screens, portable DVD players and mobile phones
Five Washington-area station participated in a demonstration and will be conducting a trial for the services over the next few months. Programming choices will also include live emergency alerts, local news and sports and other interactive services still in development.
Currently a similar technology is available in Asia, but not yet in America. Your current phone won’t work with this technology, but a whole new generation of devices is being developed.
Like no fan you’ve ever seen
The Dyson Air Multiplier is like no fan you have ever seen.
Using uniquely Dyson technology,they have created a machine that amplifies air 15 times to produce a smooth stream of air. There are no blades and no grill. So unlike a traditional fan, there is no interruption in the air flow.
The unit draws in air using technology like that in a turbocharger or jet engine. Then the air is accelerated and passes over a “airfoil shaped ramp,” which is like the cross-section of an airplane wing, It’s all very technical (involving things like inducement and entrainment) but I’m sure science-minded people will find it very clever.
The fan is safer with no spinning blades, and it has touch-tilt and 90 degree oscillation.
Like Dyson’s other products this one is not cheap. This nifty little piece of tech will set you back about $300. I think I’ll wait for the “lite”version.
Found via Geeksugar
Pimp Your Ultrasound–I am not kidding
You may have heard the hoopla about Pepsi’s new iPhone App to help guys pick up girls, but I’m guessing this one may raise a few eyebrows, too.
Pimp My Ultrasound lets you add accessories like hats, helmets or tiaras as well as items like guitars and sunglasses to your baby’s ultrasound image. You can also add text bubbles and frames to jazz it up a bit.
After you “pimp” said picture, you can, of course upload to all your favorite social media sites.
A portion of the proceeds does go to the March of Dimes, however, so go ahead and have a little fun.
Found via Goodyblog
