Tag Archives: iphone

5 Fabulous To-Do and Goal Tracking Applications

Blogger Resources, Business, Organization, , , ,

remember the milk applicationDuring a fast-paced day, it is easy to forget the countless items on a growing mental to do list much less looming life goals that still cause sleepless nights. Therefore, task manager websites with mobile applications serve as both personal assistants and motivational life coaches. Think of the following sites as anxious applicants vying for the chance to become your favorite organization guru!

 

42goals.com
42Goals sets itself apart via the icons that you can utilize to plot your accomplishments. The icons serve as a visual record of your progress through smaller goals that lead to a bigger objective. Switch between goal tracking on the site via your Mac or PC, over to their mobile web version at your convenience.
Cost: Free, with upgrades from $5-$30 monthly.

Toodledo.com
There is a reason Toodledo landed on Apple’s list of Top Paid Apps last year. Users love the sleek interface that seamlessly syncs from Windows and OS X to any smartphone or iOS device without hassles. This to-do app is a lifesaver for parents with active kids as it serves to remind them of their family’s daily agenda.
Cost: Free, with Pro and Pro Plus annual memberships ranging from $14.95 and $29.95 respectively.

43things.com
Ideal for sharing the overarching goals in your life, 43Things connects your goals to a network of other people’s goals. Do you want to lose weight? Have you had a life-long desire to conquer Mt. Everest? This site’s uncluttered format links you to other like-minded folks. It is available on RSS feed and the iPhone.
Cost: Free.

Rememberthemilk.com
This straightforward daily reminder site provides cross browser capabilities. Sync from web to iPhone, smartphone, or Android supported device. Bloggers can manage blog posts or meetings and will benefit from the myriad of options for sharing lists and appointments across platforms. Parents can also send reminder lists about groceries, upcoming PTA meetings, etc., via email or text.
Cost: Free, with Pro membership for $25 annually.

Producteev.com
A little competition goes a long way with Producteev. Perfect for business teams, Producteev provides incentives for completing tasks. You can prioritize tasks in order of importance and award badges for different levels of completion. It is ideal for business owners trying to get and keep their teams motivated. Use Producteev on PC, Mac or mobile devices.
Cost: Free for a two-member team, $20 per month for larger teams.

 

Do you have a favorite to-do or goal tracking app?  Share in the comments below!

How #Skype Can Make Your Life Easier – and – A Moms and Technology Infographic

Brand Ambassador, Gadgets, New posts, Technology, , ,

[simple_series title=”All posts in the Skype Series”]

Skype Brand Ambassador - Mother's Day

Technology has changed the world we live in. Especially when it comes to being able to communicate and maintain relationships where geographical proximity is an issue. One of the leading tools in the evolution of technology is Skype.   I live hundreds of miles away from my Dad and sister but they see my kids regularly on the computer or iPhone.
In case you don’t already know what Skype is, it is a program that you download onto your computer, laptop, or mobile device, which gives you the ability to talk to, video chat with, and text chat with others who have  Skype.

A painful separation that often occurs for various life circumstances is the distance between grandparents and grandkids.  Often grandparent, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends don’t live as close to their loved ones as they would like, thus missing out on milestones such as a baby’s first step or a first homerun. But with technology the way it is today a connection is just one click away, and grandparents can be right there with their family at the ball park or in their grandchild’s home via a Skype video chat. Grandparents don’t have to miss their grandchild’s ball game because of proximity.  Skype video chat allow grandparents to cheer on a loved one.
I’ve been using Skype quite a bit the last couple of weeks and have learned how Skype can make life easier and help me reconnect with people in my life like never before.

Here are some unique ways Skype can make life easier (and more fun!):

Have a virtual tutor for your child via Skype during summer break

Earphones with Skype
Use earphones for a more private Skype conversation
Among the unique ways to use Skype also includes the ability to have a tutoring session or study time with someone who would otherwise not be around.
If your child needs to study math or has homework you just can’t help with, Skype with someone who can, for one on one attention. These tutoring sessions can be done from the comfort of your own home and you can save time and money while getting your child homework help or summer tutoring.

Use Skype while shopping – get advice on that fabulous dress or shoes while you’re at the mall

Take a best friend with you as you go shopping.  I have been known to send my sister a photo or two while I’m in the dressing room at the mall. She lives hundreds of miles away but I almost always get her advice on the dress I’m trying on or a pair of shoes I adore, before buying.

Here’s a tip: Have your child use earphones during the tutoring session so she can better concentrate on the conversation.  Earphones are also great to use while you’re at the mall trying on clothes for your sister via Skype and you don’t want the lady in the next dressing room to hear everything your sister is saying about your choice of clothes. 🙂

Skype is available to on many devices

Another wonderful feature of Skype is it’s accessibility.  Skype is able to run on PCs, mobile phones, android devices, iOS devices, iPhones and Mac computers. This means that wherever you are and whatever you want to share with a loved one, you can do it on your mobile phone.

Do you have important timely information that is best communicated face to face? Don’t regret not living close to your family, it’s a fact of life, just make sure you bring your iPhone and your family can be right their with you when you need them most.

There is no comparison to actually seeing the person you are talking to be it your grand parent or your parent. Skype brings someone who may be a world away into your living room via your Mac, PC, iPhone or Android device.

Skype allows users to catch up with mom who  you might not haven’t seen since the holidays. Skype makes all these things possible where they never were before, and it can help you connect with the world in a brand new way.

Here are some very interesting research findings around Moms and technology

Skype Moms and Technology
Skype Moms and Technology Infographic


[simple_series title=”All posts in the Skype Series”]

More about Skype:

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

App to the Rescue! ‘Good Looks’ iPhone App Creates a Personal Style Catalog of your Outfits

Fashion & Style, iphone, New posts, , ,

Good Looks style app for iPhoneiPhone app to the rescue!

Choosing an outfit is a struggle for me every day. It’s pretty sad. I just got notice of a new app called Good Looks which allows the user to capture, sort, and plan outfits using her iPhone’s camera and based on what she already owns.

Here’s more about the iPhone app..

Good Looks app for iPhone Merges Fashion and Technology, Enables Users to Find Inspiration in their Own Closet!

Height & Hands, a Boston-based design and development firm, launched the Good Looks app for iPhone®, a personal style catalog that allows you to capture, sort and plan your outfits using your iPhone’s built-in camera function.  With Good Looks you can create new versions of your favorite outfits using what you already own or see what you’re missing to make your shopping trips more efficient. The app is built around the premise that it’s easier to see what works in your closet by keeping track of what you’ve worn and when you wore it.

“We designed Good Looks to be a fun and simple closet companion to use while you’re getting dressed in the morning,” said Good Looks Creator, Amy Parker, Owner of Height & Hands. “I was keeping track of what I wore every day using my phone’s photo gallery when I realized that I had no way to sort through them quickly.”

The app is easy to use: snap a picture of your outfit, then categorize it by season, rate it’s formality and add your own tags and notes. The outfit is then added to your gallery andcan be easily sorted using the info you’ve assigned. Can’t recall if you wore that outfit to your last meeting? Good Looks can help you remember.

The app also features a calendar with integrated weather forecasting, allowing you to plan your future outfits or view past outfits chronologically. Did you wear that last Wednesday? The calendar acts as your personal style journal to help you add variety to your looks.

Other planning tools within Good Looks include a “wear again” feature that allows you to schedule favorite outfits for a specific date in the future. The app draws from Height & Hands’ web design background to provide an intuitive and seamless user experience set against a simple and visually appealing design.

“With Good Looks, we want to inspire people to shop their own closets and evolve their own sense of style, simply by keeping track of what they wear every day,” said Parker.

Good Looks is available for download on the iPhone App Store for $1.99

Good Looks daily style catalog iPhone app

About Good Looks

Good Looks is a personal style catalog that allows you to capture, sort and plan your outfits, get inspired to shop your closet, evolve your style or get out the door faster. It’s easy to see what works by keeping track of what you’ve worn and when you wore it. Create new versions of your favorites with what you already have in your closet or see what you’re missing and make your shopping trips more efficient. For more information visit http://goodlooksapp.com/.

For style tips and fashion news, follow along at Good Looks Daily.

iPhone Photography for Parents: Apps That Will Make Your Life More Colorful Instantly

Gadgets, iPad, iphone, New posts, Photographs, Technology, , , , , , , , ,

The rapidly increasing photographic capabilities of the iPhone are beginning to rival those of standalone cameras. Apple’s flagship smartphone manages to pull off amazing iPhonography without the use of additional lenses and filters. That’s especially convenient for busy parents without a lot of time to fiddle with their camera equipment when trying to capture a moment in time. Here are four amazing iOS apps that will allow you to take stellar photos on the fly with your phone.

Instagram

While Instagram is more closely associated with nostalgic hipsters and the technorati, it’s really perfect for anybody who wants to take distinctive photos. It’s the kind of app that’s tailor-made for taking photos of the kids at the beach. Vacation photos just look better for some reason when they have a washed out, analog color palette created by a custom filter and some post-production effects.  A newer feature of Instagram is that you can import photo from your iphone’s photo album and edit them in Instagram.  I love this! Sometimes I just can’t get to Instagram quick enough to snap a shot using the Instagram app, but now I can snap the shot with the native camera app then import it into Instragram to edit and publish online.

Pros: It is very easy to view your photo with many different filters in just seconds.
Cons: As of now, there isn’t a way to access your Instagram photos via an online interface.  With the number of iPhone users using Instagram, this would be a great feature.

Instagram iPhone photograph example
Instsagram photograph - Click to enlarge

Hipstamatic

Much like Instagram, Hipstamatic allows parents to tweak the look of their family photos to achieve a timeless feel. The stock installation of Hipstamatic costs a mere $1.99, though the base functionality can be extended with “HipstaPaks” comprised of custom filters that run $0.99 a piece. I spent about $5 on “HipstaPaks” for purposes of this story.  Users can preview the add-on HipstaPaks and download the right digital lenses before a photo shoot or family trip, ensuring that you get the perfect look to match any given occasion.  The one thing that I wish Hipstamatic did like Instagram, is allow us to import photographs into the app.  That’s not in Hipstamatic’s plans for now though.
The photographs in the image to the right were all taken with Hipstamatic.  I just changed the film for each photograph. Unlike with Instagram, I couldn’t see the filter being applied to the photo as I lined it up so I didn’t know how the photograph was going to turn out.

Pros: Hipstamatic allows users to share a photo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,Tumblr, Flickr, and a Hipstaccount.
Cons: Not easy to switch between films (essentially filters).  You can’t import photographs from your iPhone photo album in order to apply Hipstamatic ‘effects’ to them.

Hipstamatic iPhone photo examples
Hipstamatic photographs - Click to enlarge

moreBeaute2

If you’re a busy, sleep deprived mom who still cares about looking good, moreBeaute2 should be right up your alley. Like a lightweight, mobile version of Photoshop that works automatically, moreBeaute2 snaps amazing pictures while removing wrinkles and dark under-eye circles immediately. In order to get rid of dark under-eye circles and wrinkles, just take a picture and tap the auto-correct button to look flawless in your photos. Like a mild form of airbrushing, it makes everyone look their best. This is one of my favorite iPhonography apps.. for obvious reasons!

Pros: moreBeaute2 can make the most tired mom look awake and fresh, instantly.
Cons: You can’t adjust color or contrast within the app.

moreBeaute2 iPhone photo app
Before | After - Click to enlarge
Software has an impressive ability to make up for the limitations of the underlying hardware that it’s running on, which is especially true when it comes to mobile photography. That’s not to imply that iOS devices are weak when it comes to the quality of their lenses. However, you can take far better pictures of the family with these programs by your side. For weary parents who rely on their trusty iPhone to act as their primary camera, these worthy applications are all you’ll ever need.
Do you have a favorite iPhone photography app?
Share with us in the comments below.  We love to learn about new and interesting apps!
Alicia Hagan, Editor
I was not compensated from any of these app companies, for this story. I purchased all of the apps mentioned above and all opinions are 100% my own.

Mother’s Day Gift: BungeeAir™ Power Wireless Security Tether™ for iPhone

Gadgets, iphone, New posts, ,
BungeeAir™ Power Wireless Security Tether™ for iPhone
BungeeAir™ Power Wireless Security Tether™ for iPhone

Do you lose your iPhone or keys at least once a day like I do?

I carry my iPhone with me to every room of the house and everywhere I go, except when I lose it.  I have, on more than one occasion, lost my iPhone. It’s hard to believe, I know.

I received a product from Kensignton called BungeeAir™ a few days ago and haven’t lost my iPhone since!  In fact, I haven’t lost my keys either.  The BungeeAir™ reminds you if you walk too far away from your iPhone and helps you find your iPhone via the included keyfob that can be conveniently slipped onto any keyring.  Now I just push a button on the keyfob and I am audibly alerted to where my iPhone is.

On the flip side, if I lose my keys I can use the BungeeAir app to locate my keys.  All I have to do is open the BungeeAir iPhone app and click Find my Fob.  The keyfob beeps instantly, helping me find my keys quickly.

I often run out the door without shoes, I forget my keys or phone, and I forget where I’m going.  The BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether for my iPhone 4 is a life changer.  That sounds dramatic I know.  But if you are a busy mom and/or a blogger, you know how crucial it is to have your iPhone with you and charged 24/7.

Battery Case

Has this happened to you?  You’re at the soccer field watching your son or daughter’s game and you decide to take a few shots of your child scoring a goal.  Then you realize that your iPhone doesn’t have enough battery.  The integrated battery case adds 4 hours of power for talk time to your iPhone.

Your iPhone 4 slides into the BungeeAir™ and you can charge your iphone with the USB cord that comes with the BungeeAir.  All of your iPhone’s buttons are fully accesible with the BungeeAir™ case on.

BungeeAir™ Benefits:

  • Integrated battery case adds 4 hours of power for talk time to your iPhone
  • Case has a built-in 2-position stand to hold your iPhone in landscape or portrait mode
  • Remind: Lets you know that you lost your iphone / iphone 4
  • Secure: Locks your iphone / iphone 4 and an alert is automatically sent
  • Find: Helps you find your lost iphone or BungeeAir key fob

Kensignton’s BungeeAir™ Power Wireless Security Tether™ for iPhone makes a great gift for your Mom or yourself for Mother’s Day!

Treat yourself to a gift that will make life a little easier for you.

You can learn more about and buy the Kensington BungeeAir™ Power Wireless Security Tether™ on Kensington’s website here.