Techmamas

Took A Study Break, But Now I am Back....

Whenever I stop posting for awhile it is usually either because I am away at a conference (and busy covering it live via Twitter) or taking a study break. The holidays came about at the same time a fabulous opportunity to join the Traveling Geeks trip to Paris. So I went to Paris. I mean come on, Paris and hanging with a top notch group of Geeks all in one trip?

I still gathered information for a holiday tech guide but decided to hold off posting for some very good reasons. While reviewing the vast amount of technology options open to families I realized there was lots of terminology and features that I needed to better understand before I shared my favorites with anyone. I wondered what is the difference between an ultra-portable and thin & light PC. What are the advantages of a SSD (solid state drive) versus a regular hard drive? How do I choose a processor when choosing a computer? What do I need to know about video graphics cards? What other features are most relevant when choosing a computer? What other technology is not only new but relevant/useful for families versus a luxury item?

I realize many don't spend time pondering those questions, but I did. To my families dismay I spent every free moment when I was not playing with my kids during winter break scouring the web for buying guides, information, buying relevant tech magazines, reading about the new technology coming out and understanding better the technology that is already here.

With over 40 pages of data gathered, I decided to put it all together in one big cheat sheet. I realized after CES that my research only covered the best of 2009 - so some of it is already out of date. But I also realized that while many of the technology discussed at CES is available now - there is also an equal amount that has not launched yet.

To make things even more complicated, some of the technologies coming out will take some time to be adopted in the mainstream by families. An example of that is 3D Televisions. While I think anyone buying a new TV should think about buying one that has the "option" to run programs/movies that are 3D compatible (many new 3D TV's have controls that turn the 3D on or off) - I don't think consumers that were not shopping for a new TV will do so because of 3D. Not yet of course...

I decided to not look for any sponsors for this CES so I could just set my own schedule to take it all in (my trip was paid for all by TechMama herself). Starting next week I will post with what I learned about technology features from my obsessive study break and the exciting, bizarre, cool, relevant and downright "so thankful they finally invented that" technology from CES.

Shopping Tech? Here Are Some Black Friday & Cyber Monday Tips

I shared many times over Twitter that although I am a "TechMama" my laptop needs replacing. I am a heavy computer user and my computer is over 2 years old. So this weekend I will be looking online for Black Friday Sales 2009 and Black Friday ads like many others. One of mom friend's computer died but she is waiting for this weekend to buy a new one. Other moms I know are looking for technology as holiday gifts for their families. Holiday time is the best time to buy technology as the new "gift" (my slogan). So for those getting their sneakers on to shop for Black Friday Sales ads, here is where to go for online Black Friday Sales 2009 and some things to think about before you go. Some sites even offer printable coupons to bring along to the store. I will be posting throughout the weekend with hot technology and toy gift ideas.

NOTE: Gizmodo posted with a good point - there are some items that can be found online at the same or better prices then BlackFriday prices, so best to do some comparison shopping online. At the same time, many manufacturers are having big sales this time of year, so finding deals will not be a problem. PC World posted that Black Friday doorbusters are for suckers.

Where to go: This Wall Street Journal article confirmed my list of what sites list Black Friday Sales 2009: "Where to Find Black Friday Deals". I have already been following Black Friday Ads, BlackFriday.info and the BlackFriday Twitter account. Mashable posted about how social media is used to find Black Friday deals (including Facebook). The New York Times byte blog posted with more online Black Friday 2009 sites to follow such as CheapTweets on Twitter. I did go into an Apple store to ask about around Thanksgiving and they said there will be a sale. By going on the Apple website I saw that the Apple sale day is November 26.  I also follow many computer manufacturers on Twitter and have seen lots of deals through Twitter: SonyElectronics, HP News, HP_IPG , Dell, Dell Outlet, Toshiba Laptops. The big retailers like Staples, Radio Shack, Best Buy and online retailers like Amazon Twitter Deals and NewEgg also share deals.  I also go to their websites and signup for newsletter updates which sends deals to my email inbox.

What to consider: My recommendation is to sleep in and shop online. The New York Times reported that retailers will extend Black Friday. Other articles said that the high end items are not the main items on sale. So my suggestion is to decide on your needs and what alternatives fit with those needs.

How to choose the right technology gifts: I have been looking at all sorts of technology and I can honestly say that in many situations there are more then one "perfect" fit. The first step is to identify what your needs are then start to look for overall technology solutions. Then review online buying guides to understand what features you should be looking for. My favorite online buying guides are on CNET, Laptop Magazine buying guides, DPreview and reviews on gadget blogs like Ubergizmo, Engadget, Gizmodo, TechieDiva, Gear Diary, Boy Genius Report, Gear Live and of course TechMamas. My favorite shopping site is Cool Mom Picks. Bing.com also has links to guides such as "Laptop buying guides".

NEED A NEW HOME COMPUTER? Do you need another computer for your kids to do their homework? Then consider desktops if the computer does not need to be mobile or laptops for mobile use. I was just quoted recently in an article by Laptop Magazine on Netbooks for Kids. Netbooks are a great alternative for mobile use - but I suggest having a docking station with a bigger screen for home use. Older kids may be responsible enough to have their own laptop, especially if their homework requires computer use. Tablet PC's may also be the right fit because of their flexible screens. Desktops are the most budget friendly and will have bigger screens that not only are easy on the eyes for homework, but if the Deskop has the right features can be used to watch videos, movies or even TV shows. There are also lots of accessories that compliment home computer users such as backup drives, media smart servers, home wireless servers, wireless keyboards & mouses, webcams and more. There are many printer options these days including the HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web.

Free Online Safety Service From Norton Makes It Easier To Keep Kids Safe Online

**Guest post by Marian Merritt - Symantec's Internet Safety Advocate

I have three kids who love the Internet in all its forms. The oldest is just 15 and the youngest is 7. Like a bunch of bumper cars, their online activities occasionally dent the family rules for being safe online. Sometimes they forget what we’ve discussed or they are into things I never dreamed would capture their interest. It feels like I’m always a step behind knowing what they are going to download or visit and then protecting them from the mistakes they might make.

The youngest one doesn’t understand why I’m concerned about her using search engines when she was taught how to use Google and Yahoo at school. (How do I know the “safe search” settings haven’t been tweaked?) The middle child, 13 years old, wants to game online and has no problem downloading cheat codes or visiting sites with gaming tips. He rolls his eyes when I lecture about visiting these “who knows who runs them” sites and downloading files. And of course, my oldest is into all the normal teen stuff: social networks, chatting, Skyping with her friends,and YouTube. So I admit it, I need some help here.

Norton has just launched a great and easy to use service that should make my life a lot easier. It’s called OnlineFamily.Norton and is a simple way to give me the insight I need into my children’s online activities but without the usual associated headaches of traditional web filtering or parental control software. And, during the introductory period (through next January 1^st) the service (a $60 value) is entirely free!!

Mother's Day 09: Jawbone PRIME™ Bluetooth® Headset with EARCANDY™ Colors

Because I don't have time for an official Mother's Day Gift Guide, over the next week I will be posting about products I feel are relevant for Moms. Here is a press release about the new Jawbone PRIME™ Bluetooth® Headset with EARCANDY™ Colors that I received in my email box this morning.

Sure is pwetty. I may be a forty something mom, but I still like purple. I was sent a black Jawbone for review last year, but my sons walked off with it so I never really got a chance to try it out.

I did notice the few times I wore it out that people did not see the black headset next to my brown hair - so they thought I was TALKING TO MYSELF. I may be tired, but I don't talk to myself (yet). These colors really stand out as a fashion statement, functional Bluetooth earpiece that can be used with cellphones or smartphones and the colors are bright enough that hopefully people won't think you are talking to yourself. But if they do, at least you will look good.

Press release is below:

Dell Computer Goes Artsy and does a giveaway (WINNER)!

I just used Random.org and put each comment in as one entry. For those that twittered or posted got another entry.. AND THE WINNER OF THE $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE IS:

Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama

True Random Number Service

List Randomizer

Here they are in random order:

1. Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama
2. Janel
3. zmama
4. Bill
5. Thien-Kim

(I just showed the top five listed..)

Happy Holidays to ALL...

*******************************************************************************

Real Simple Blogathon: Top Five Multi-Functional Technologies For Busy Moms

I was thrilled to be included in the Real Simple Holiday Blogathon. In honor of the holidays I thought I would cover multi-functional technologies for moms. These items make great gifts (gift of time) and help simply your day by enabling one gadget  to be used for multiple tasks. I will be posting more about the items I discussed, but for now take a look and add your own tips. Click on the link below to read my Real Simple - Simply Stated blog post:

Top Five Multi-Functional Technologies For Busy Moms.

Top 17 Technology Gifts for Techie Teens - Guest Post by Vanessa Van Petten

As a TechMama, it is important that I also get the "teen perspective" when it comes to technology. My youngest is only 9, so I reached out to some "teen bloggers". A standout is teen author Vanessa Van Petten's blog. I asked if she wanted to guest post about her top technology gift for teens - and she said yes. Here it is, Top 17 Technology Gifts for Techie Teens (written by a techie teen!).

__________________________________________________________________________________

Vanessa Van Petten is the teen author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!” She writes a parenting blog along with 12 other teen writers from the kid's perspective to help parents.  Her work as a young family peacemaker have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue, Fox 5, CBS 4 and much more! http://www.OnTeensToday.com

Top 17 Technology Gifts for Techie Teens by Vanessa Van Petten

1) Orb Watches It's not so cool to wear a watch anymore, but these are very cool designs.

2) Solar Computer Backpack Does your teen have a ton of electronics? This might help keep everything charged (I kinda want one).

3) iTrain This is a great way to encourage your kids to be active and a new way to workout.  These are workout programs for your kid's MP3 or iPod.

4) Earringbuds Your kid always wearing earbuds? At least they can look like jewelry now.

Also check out Earbud Charms.

Radio Shack Top Bluetooth/BlackBerry Hack: TURN Off Echo Control!!!

To prepare for my Bluetooth Mother's Day gift guide I thought it was only fair that I actually started to use a Bluetooth headset for my BlackBerry Curve. I have had a few, but could not seem to keep it charged or in the right place at the right time. This week, I have not gone anywhere without a BlueTooth headset. One of my Mother's Day gifts to myself was to purchase the Motorola H12  headset with dual microphones to cancel background noise (which I have lots of - the pleasant kind of course...).

I purchased this headset while at Radio Shack getting supplies for my son's science project. Little did I know I would meet lots of geeky salespeople that left me spending much more time at the store then originally intended. I was so proud to start using my headset, until I started getting the same complaints: "you sound echo-ey".

As if echo-ey is even a word...

At first I was offended by their responses, how could there be anything wrong with an earset that has bleeding edge technology? So I marched back to Radio Shack to talk to one of the geeky salespeople. We tested the sound performance, and they all agreed there was an echo. After some thought, the Radio Shack salesperson came up with the most amazing Bluetooth BlackBerry hack:

TURN OFF THE DEFAULT ECHO CONTROL on the BlackBerry!

I guess if I would have visited Crackberry.com I would have realized that questions was already out there... And the answer is OFF when using Bluetooth. Thanks Radio Shack!

For those using Bluetooth headsets with their BlackBerrys who want to make that configuration change, here is the path from the BlackBerry main menu:

Settings>Options>Echo Control (set to) OFF.

 

TechMama's MomDay 2008: Charging On The Go With iGo

If mom has many gadgets but can't keep track of adapters, the iGo system is great for reducing the amount of chargers needed. Each adapter can be used for multiple devices. I just recently bought this car charger and plugins so that I could use the same car adapter to charge my Bluetooth headset, speakerphone and BlackBerry. Radio Shack has a display up with a wide selection of iGo parts.

TechMama's MomDay 2008: Stylish Recharging Stations

Moms who like gadgets also need a place to put and recharge the gadgets. I saw these Pottery Barn recharging stations and thought they were a stylish and functional solution to the recharging dilemma. On the left is the Daily System and on the right is the Bedford Smart Recharging Station.