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Use Your Phone in the Cold 0

20131114-094440.jpgThe mobile industry is booming, and it’s not just the sale of phones. Thousands of products have been created as accessories to smartphones like phone cases, mobile payment processors, camera lenses, even power bags that help keep your device charged so you can utilize all those great features.

One item we LOVE is the Photojojo Ten-Digit Touchscreen Gloves. These gloves let you use your smartphone in the cold!

Touchscreen gloves have been around for awhile now, but in addition to fingertips that let you type, these Photojojo gloves have grips on the palms that let you hang on to your precious phone. Plus, they’re thick and warm-great for the winter.

Buy the Photojojo Ten-digit Touchscreen gloves for $30 here.

For nine other options for touchscreen gloves, check out this Mashable article.

Consolidate Your Memberships With This App 0

Smart shoppers know that you can save more and earn value rewards by using store loyalty cards, but no one wants to carry a wallet full of them.  CardStar, the free app for Android & iOS, allows you quickly and easily store cards for hundreds of retailers, libraries, gyms, and more.

Smartphones Killed the Point-and-Shoot Star 0

There are very few industries that have been more affected by the advancement in mobile technology as much as the camera and photography industry. Gone are the days when we waited for film to be developed and then shared the results in a photo album at the next family get-together.

Today is a world of instant photographic satisfaction.

What is it that’s made this smartphone shooting and sharing so popular?  It’s just that, the sharing.

Look at the success of the photo sharing social network Instagram. Facebook recently bought the company for a billion dollars. They were willing to spend so much money to buy Instagram because Facebook understands the importance of photo sharing.

There are thousands of photo apps out there that help you take great pictures. What’s your favorite app to use?

Should Parents Use Mobile Devices To Entertain Kids? 0

If you’re a parent to young children, you can likely relate to how difficult it can be to keep the little tots entertained when you’re out and about. Think screaming temper-tantrums in the grocery store-yikes.

The introduction of smartphones and tablets into society has significantly changed the way many parents keep their children occupied. And it’s not just teenagers watching a movie on a tablet, but children as young as infants are the target of many products and mobile applications.

A great example is the Apptivity Monkey from Fisher-Price toys. This is a plush monkey that plays different songs and speech patterns when the child squeezes the hands or feet.

The Apptivity Monkey can house a smartphone safely in its belly which the child can interact with, and there are Fisher-Price apps designed and built specifically for this toy that are fully interactive and react to the squeezing of the toy’s hands and feet.

Another way parents can use mobile technology to keep kids occupied is  streaming services for movies and videos like Netflix Just For Kids and Toys R Us Movies, which can be used on mobile tablet devices. These services have content which is directly marketed for children.

Using mobile technology to play with your children can be a great way for them to learn, have fun and be entertained.

How do you use mobile technology with your kids?

What Extent Will You Go To Charge Your Device? 0

If you’re a regular mobile device user then you’re familiar with that sinking feeling when you look down at your phone and see it’s at 20 percent and dwindling. As our use of mobile devices continues to rise, this problem will only get worse.

So, here are some tips to stay charged and connected:

1. Buy an extended battery case.

The Mophie Pack is a great case for the iPhone. It’s a little heavy, but it’ll get you through a full day of using your phone.

2. Find a charging station.

There are a lot of charging stations in public places, like Bright Box and the Charge All universal mobile phone charging stations. These options, when available, can be a great way for panicky smartphone users to top off their battery while having a coffee or a drink at the same time.

3. Use the USB connectivity in your car.

Many new cars have this built right into the dashboard, and you can usually play your music through the car too. Just remember to plug your phone in when you go for a drive to avoid getting to your location with a drained battery.

 

4. Buy a complete mobile battery charging station.

One product we like for the mobile user who needs a lot of power while on the go is the Power Bag. This is a charging station in a backpack that can charge multiple devices at once through the use of an onboard battery. You can even charge different device brands, such as an Android phone, your iPad and your iPhone all at once. Just make sure the backpack battery is charged!

 

5. Go green.

There are a number of solar powered charging gadgets for mobile phones like the EnerPlex from Ascent Solar Technologies. The EnerPlex has a solar panel built into a protective case for the phone which, according to the company’s claims, will greatly increase the phone’s battery life.

Mobile Changed Banking 0

mobilebankingLong gone are the days when you would have to drive over to the bank, park, go inside and wait in line for the teller just to make a deposit. Today, the majority of your banking can be done through your smartphone or tablet.

Banking has never been easier- or more convenient.

Major banks recognized the importance of mobile banking and the high demand from their customers, and so they entered the app business. Now, most banks have apps that customers can use to transfer money, check their balance and even take a picture of a check to make a deposit.

Although you can’t withdrawal cash and have it spit out the bottom of your iPad (unfortunately!), mobile banking has had a huge impact on our lifestyle. It’s less likely you’ll be late on a payment-even if you forget to mail a check, chances are you can make a payment right from your phone.

Mobile banking also has a huge impact on the life of those with mobility or health issues. With mobile technology such as banking apps, people can maintain their autonomy.

How do you use mobile technology for banking?

Avoid Touching The Germ-Filled Remote With This App 0

Did you know the most bacteria-laden item in a hotel room is the remote control? Gross.

StayConnectIf you want to avoid the germs, see if your TV works with the app STAYConnect.

I discovered this app during a recent hotel stay. The remote looked pretty gross, so I was even more inclined to scan the QR code advertised on the LG TV to download the app and control my TV with my phone. Once I downloaded the app, I used the code displayed on the TV and it loaded all the channels in the app.

For the rest of the night I was able to use my phone to change the channel, adjust the volume and turn the TV on and off.

There’s an in-app purchase option for $0.99 to get the TV Guide-I wasn’t interested in buying it, but I definitely wished the information was available because the app only lists the channels, not the programs. But it was good to see the app anticipated this and offered it as an option. For someone who travels a lot, it’s probably worth it.

Get the StayConnect app here: http://bit.ly/19YwykY

Charging Stations: A Massive Data Threat? 0

blurred charging stationCharging stations are popping up all over the place, and there’s no doubt that they’re convenient. But are they safe?

We’re all connected to our phones and use them as an integral part of our everyday lives. But have we been so eager to keep our devices charged that we overlooked some basic safety concerns?

Every time we plug our phone into a USB at a charging station, we may be exposing our data to being stolen and downloaded. Think about all the important, sensitive data stored in your phone.

If we weren’t so hungry for a quick charge, and blinded by the fear of our devices dying, would this have raised red flags to us?

This article raises some really great points about potential security threats we may be exposing ourselves to by plugging our phones into these charging stations.

3 Key Apps to Keep You Organized 0

 

Evernote

Evernote is a free app that is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry,  as well as on your desktop PC or Mac. It syncs between your devices so whatever you file on your phone will show up on your tablet.

Evernote is all about note taking and filing things away. You can use the phone’s camera to take a picture of a paper receipt and then file that in a “receipt” notebook. If you make an online purchase, you can forward the electronic receipt from your email directly into Evernote and then file accordingly.

omnifocus-logo

Omnifocus

Omnifocus is an app designed for iPhones, iPads and Mac’s. The iPad and iPhone apps are priced heavily at $40 and $20 respectively, but this app is the powerhouse of organization and if you take the time to learn all the ins-and-outs of Omnifocus, it really will become a part of your everyday life and is worth the investment.

Omnifocus helps you organize projects and files, task management, day-to-day reminders, etc. It has great location-based services, so it can send you a notification when you’re passing the grocery store to pick up some dog food. It pulls data from your mobile devices internal calendar and syncs between the iPhone, iPad and Mac desktop apps.

The learning curve is a big one with this app, but once you understand what it can do and how it can keep you organized, you won’t regret the money spent.

1Password

1Password

Does this scenario sound familiar: Your friend is over visiting for the weekend and he or she wants to access your home wifi signal. What’s the password to gain access?  Or how about this: You’re trying to log into an account for some online social network you haven’t accessed in seven months. What’s password for that?

This is where 1Password comes into play. This app is a place for you to store all these passwords, login keys and account numbers in a safe, secure and user friendly place. The app even has its own internal web browser and will automatically populate the login and password fields of the website you’re accessing- a huge time saver.

You can really store any data you want in this application. It’s universal, so it will sync nicely between your devices, plus it’s packed with security features itself to give you some piece of mind.