GeekSugar

A New Way to Deal With Your "Picky Eaters"

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:57:03 PDT

Picky, picky, picky! Any parent that's ever dealt with a picky eater knows how frustrating it can be. It's a constant battle to force the kids to finish the broccoli on the plate or even eat a few bites of the meal mama preciously prepared. Marta De Wulf, a nutritionist, mother, and cofounder of a nutrition iPad app for parents and kids called Smash Your Food ($3), offers up these tried-and-true tips to help parents learn more about their children's food preferences so the food wars can end once and for all.

Stop the name-calling: Avoid labeling or calling your child as a "picky eater." It only gives your child permission to push food away. Instead teach them discernment or discuss why they choose a particular food over another, which is a healthy behavior.
Start a conversation: Children are very sensorial and they often judge what they see first. Introduce new foods (or foods your child has previously rejected) and have a conversation about it. Start by saying to your child, "I don't mind if you like this or not, what I want to know is what do you see? Describe it to me? Do you like or dislike the color? Smell? Texture?"

Keep reading to see more about Marta's tasting method.

5 Websites to View Instagram on Your Desktop

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:42:13 PDT

The latest buzzed-about technology mash-up? Pingram, a cross between Pinterest and Instagram. With Pingram, users can share their Instagram photos on a site that looks very similar to Pinterest. This isn't the first of its kind, though - there are several sites dedicated to Instagram feeds. Curious? Take a closer look at Pingram, plus four other sites that allow you to view Instagram photos without using the app.

Pingram - The Instagram-Pinterest mash-up allows you to like, comment, and repin photos from different users, plus add your own pictures with the hashtag #pingramMe.
Visual Grub - It's your Instagram friend feed, right on your Mac. Open this scrolling window alongside your chat application to read and interact with your photo feed all day.

See more ways to view Instagram after the break.

5 Supportive Apps for Breastfeeding Mamas

Natasha Dantzig — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:41:26 PST

Go with the flow! While breastfeeding may be the most natural of acts, it's not without challenges! Given that nursing tends to commence in the exhausting post-delivery new mom bleariness phase of parenting, new mamas can use all the help they can get. Check out the following five apps that support new moms and their hardworking breasts.

Watch the Lunar Eclipse Tomorrow Morning With the Help of Tech

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:10:05 PST

Set your alarms, party people: there's a total eclipse happening tomorrow morning. The eclipse will start at 4:45 a.m. PST Saturday morning, Dec. 10, with the full shadow of the Earth being cast on the moon by 6:05 a.m. The Western US will have the best view of the last total lunar eclipse we'll see until 2014. The moon will turn red "with a hint of turquoise," which is perfect for the holiday season. This being Winter and all, there's a good chance your city could be covered in clouds, which puts a damper on your eclipse excitement. But don't worry, these two apps and sites can help you watch, no matter if you're in the middle of a storm or out of viewing range.

SkySafari 3
An app for your iPhone, SkySafari 3 is free through this weekend in honor of the eclipse. This app lets you see the lunar eclipse as it's happening, right on your phone. But after the eclipse is over, you'll be able to explore the night sky and see accurate star maps wherever you are.

Slooh and Google Earth
Astronomy site Slooh has partnered up with Google Earth to bring you live views of space, including the moon. To access the feed, click on the "planets" icon in the Google Earth toolbar to switch to Sky mode. Then, in the layers panel, open the Current Sky Events folder and click on the Slooh Space Camera layer. You can also embed a live feed widget on your blog or website so your visitors can enjoy the view from wherever they are in the world.

Thanksgiving Apps For Plugged-In Tots

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:02:36 PST

Plenty of parents will be giving thanks for the iPad this year. Amidst busy holiday preparations culminating in that delightfully long - but not necessarily kid-friendly - feast, the following selection of entertaining apps will get tots into the Thanksgiving spirit, and maybe even occupy them long enough for mom and dad to have seconds.

Update Your Smartphone Camera Apps: 7 Fun Additions

Kristy Korcz — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:45:50 PDT

The good up side to having better cameras stocked inside your smartphone is the ability to take great pics, edit them, add cool filters, then upload right to your favorite sites, or share amongst friends on the fly. Don't just take ordinary photos - these seven apps will help you create a unique look for your cameraphone images.

5 Fun Star Trek iPhone Apps

GeekSugar — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:33:18 PDT

Some may say that you're either team Star Wars or team Star Trek, but I happen to be both. And while there may be plenty of ways to let out your inner Jedi, the iPhone makes a great tool to help Trekkies indulge their fantasies. Check out these five apps that will make you think you're actually on the USS Enterprise . . . or just living in the future.

Pack a Tech Suitcase: Cape Canaveral

GeekSugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 03:17:59 PDT

NASA's final space shuttle launch is scheduled for this Friday. Weather permitting in Cape Canaveral, FL, the space shuttle Atlantis's launch will mark the end of NASA's 30-year space shuttle program. For those lucky Summer travelers to witness the final takeoff in person (or those who always dreamed of becoming an astronaut), we've compiled a list of Kennedy Space Center must sees and apps to bring along to this historic goodbye.

Pack a Tech Suitcase: London

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:35:29 PDT

Hopping across the pond this Summer to take in the sights and sounds of lovely London? We know of the usual royal landmarks to visit like Buckingham Palace, but to experience the full range of museums, culture and urban adventures make sure to pack the apps and destinations in our London tech suitcase. Have any other London tips? Share with your fellow travelers in the comments!

Celebrate the Fourth Anywhere With a Fireworks iPhone App

GeekSugar — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:07:24 PDT

Sometimes you can't be in a place where you get to see fireworks on the Fourth of July - or like me, you're in a place so foggy all you'll see is some colored clouds.

So no matter where you are this Independence Day, get your dose of exploding pyrotechnics with the free Handmarks Fireworks App.

Pick one of your own photos as a background (or use one of four preprogrammed images), grab some music, and then let 'er rip.

Swipe the fireworks with your fingers to manipulate them and be mesmerized as you get your own private show, courtesy your iPhone.