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GrooveToons: Surprisingly Normal Alarm Clock For Nano

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:00:19 -0700

It always seems like wacky alarm clocks are a dime a dozen, but I like the GrooveToons alarm clock for nano because it offers a playful package and alarmingly normal function. It doesn't roll off the nightstand like the Clocky or emit a glowing light, it just connects to your iPod nano and wakes you up to your favorite tunes or playlists.

The device, $50, features the usual snooze button and adjustable volume, and offers the bonus of overnight iPod charging. I still can't quite figure out what the little "eyeballs" at the top are, but I suppose they just add to the fun factor?

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Daily Tech: The Pure Sensia Touchscreen Radio With WiFi

GeekSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:10:15 -0700

The Pure Sensia radio offers a touchscreen, social networking apps, WiFi, an on-screen keyboard, and it will cost around $406 - Slashgear
Griffin's new kid-friendly headphones include volume-limiting settings to protect them from hearing loss - Popgadget
President Barack Obama is worried about people getting their information from blogs and not newspapers - The Silicon Alley Insider
Check out this solar-powered Bluetooth headset that is juiced up from the sun's rays - Gizmodo
Tweet Scenes designs customized Twitter backgrounds for $129 - TechCrunch
It's giveaway and game time on GeekSugar! Be sure to log in and play our Best Video Game ever bracket! - GeekSugar

Daily Tech: The Pogoplug Shares Content Via Four USB Drives

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:40:33 -0800

The Pogoplug is a neat gizmo that allows you to share movies, music, or photos using four USB drives - Gizmodo
The BlackBerry Curve 8530 is now available from Verizon - RIMarkable
American Airlines has just launched a widget that will let you know if your plane has WiFi - Engadget
Check out the ultimate holiday smartphone buying guide - CrunchGear
Vive la France! Twitter is now available in French - TechCrunch
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom for the Wii is a great game for kids ages 3 to 6 - USA Today

How to Make TiVo Kid-Safe

GeekSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:00:33 -0700

For my geek mommies out there, it's gotta be hard to reconcile your love for tech without inviting unwanted information into your kids' eyes and ears. Everything scandalous is a click away on the Internet, and your TV has always posed a big too-much-information-for-little-eyes threat. Thankfully, the blessed TiVo, amazing as always has a solution: KidZone.

To see how to use KidZone, just read more

Go to the TiVo home screen and click "Messages and Settings."
Click on "Get TiVo KidZone." Select "Yes, Turn On TiVo KidZone."
Choose your child's/children's age range and a password.
In "KidZone Settings" under "Messages and Settings," you can control the channels your kids have access to, and update the age range of the shows for your kids and your passwords.
To get to your set up KidZone, just select your "Now Playing List" - it'll be in there as "Enter TiVo KidZone." Once in, you'll see the special KidZone "Now Playing List."

Apparently you can only choose Parental Controls or KidZone, and if you have Parental Controls set, setting up KidZone will wipe them out, so decide which one works better for you.

Also of note: when you have KidZone turned on, and go to live TV, the only channels that will show up are the KidZone-set channels for the set age range, and only the channel up and down buttons will work to get to each. In KidZone, TiVo has suggested programs that are in your kids' age range and suitable for them.

Happy safekeeping!

A Peek Inside the New Twitter Office

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:05:07 -0800

The coolest kid on the Internet has some new digs! The Twitter crew moved into their new offices in San Francisco's SOMA district yesterday, and a friend gave me a sneak peek at their new office. My favorite part: the "@" symbol light I spotted a couple months ago decorating their lounge area.

The new offices are packed with more geeky details, too. The entire office is wifi-enabled, and each of the concrete conference tables is wired for meetings. There's an arcade game in the corner, and a DJ booth (yes, DJ booth) featuring turntables, an iMac, and several Sonos music systems. And as a cute, low-tech touch, adorable "Home Tweet Home" pillows welcoming employees to the new office. Check out the evidence below.

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Source: Flickr User the ryan king

Should There Be an Age Minimum For Social Networks?

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:44:06 -0800

Social networking sites have long been popular with teens, and now researchers are saying they're becoming increasingly popular with younger kids, too. I don't think anyone's surprised by the findings; though both Facebook and MySpace require users to be at least 13 years old when signing up for accounts.

A researcher quoted in the CNN article says:

"Of course they are [using social networking sites]. They're using them because that's where their social world is. Because there's no effective way to age-verify . . . children very quickly realize, 'I just say I'm 14 years old, and they'll let me use this.' "

Researchers are split on the long-term effects of allowing younger children onto the sites. Some say that early exposure to the sites can lead to Internet addiction in adults; others say that most younger children use the sites in moderation, and in positive ways. The article also quotes parents who have allowed their kids to lie about their age to create profiles, though they also require their kids to surrender their passwords, and monitor the kids' activities and friends. What do you think about age restrictions on these sites?

Fun and Functional Techie Finds For Kids

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:04:24 -0700

As much as I go ga ga for techie products targeted for adults, there are certainly some accessories for kids that make me drool just as much. It's a given that kids today are going to be exposed to all sorts of technology, so it's only fitting that they be included in all the gadget frenzy fun. Here are some of my favorite child friendly tech toys.

The Sansa Shaker by Sandisk is a fun mp3 player that kids can shake to change the songs. They can also go wild customizing their players with the included colorful stickers. Each shaker comes with its own lanyard and a SD memory card slot so they can rock out to their fave tunes. And if they're not comfortable the earphones, there's a built-in speaker so they can blast their music for everyone to enjoy! Only $40 at Amazon.

Ok if your child is spoiled and has a 30, 40, or 80GB video iPod, or if you just want to protect yours, the iFrogz tadpole will provide you with comfortable grip handles to help make viewing easy and fun! The only exposed parts of the iPod are the click wheel, the screen and hold button. There are also headphones to go with the cases and are compatible with all iPod's. Cases are available in cool colors like mandrin orange, purple parade, pink panther, royal blue, lymon green and bright red. Price is $20 for the wrap or $25 with the headphones.

Techie Diva posted this adorable HANNspree bright red apple 10 inch LCD television- a perfect accessory for a playroom or kids bedroom. Just open the doors to reveal the TV as the speakers are right inside. Check out the site for more super cute styles. Price is around $400.

Tech Dating 101: He CC'd Me on an Email to His Mom

GeekSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:33:45 -0800

A friend of mine needs some advice: last week, her brand-new boyfriend (we're taking days here, not even weeks) wrote an email list of gifts he wanted for Christmas, sent it to his mom, and CC'd my friend. To be fair, my friend did ask him to send her his Christmas wish list, but she never expected him to send the same list to his mother at the same time.

She's a little freaked out because she thinks this is a sign of him moving too quickly. On the flip side, he is very close to his mother, and maybe he just thought he'd kill two birds with one stone by sending one email instead of two. Then again, now his mom has my friend's email address. . .even though the two are weeks away from actually meeting face-to-face. So of course my friend asks me, "What do I do? Do I reply to both of them? Do I write him back at all?"

I must admit, giving her advice on this problem kind of stumped me. I'm torn between a couple of responses; to see what they are (and help me out!), read more

Potential advice A: Reply all with a short and sweet "Thanks for the heads up!" and let it go. This requires giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, which I'm not quite sure is the right move here, but I think it could be the way to go. See if his mom responds. Chances are, she knows her son well enough to know his intentions. Maybe he's even done it before. The only caveat: if she responds to you, you're stuck. You can't ignore an email from mom, which means being prepared for any kind of wacky proposal, from her asking what gift you're planning on buying him to suggesting going halfsies on something together.

Potential advice B: Don't respond to the email. Address it with him in person as soon as possible. Tell him it made you uncomfortable, and tell him why it made you uncomfortable. You'll have to tread delicately since I'm guessing he doesn't realize what a big deal this is to you. Explain that even though it might have been a to-the-point email, it makes you uncomfortable to be included on the same thread as his mother.

Potential advice C: Run. Fast. In the other direction.

Just kidding on the last one - but help a girl out! What's the best solution to the problem?

Do you have a Love 2.0 question you want answered? Join the Tech Dating 101 because we understand that love and dating are stressful and the Internet and social networking sites can just make things worse. You never know, your question could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Ideal Earphones For Kids and Those With Smaller Ears

GeekSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:33:38 -0700

I can't wait to tell lilsugar about my latest tech discovery - earphones designed with kids' ears in mind. The Loud Enough Earphones ($40) are targeted for kids aged eight and older and feature built-in sound pressure protection that decrease noise up to 40 percent (or 20 decibels). And with their isolation design, kids won't have to crank up the volume so loud when they're playing video games, watching movies, or listening to tunes. They also come with a variety of sizes of (PVC free) soft silicone ear tips, making them perfect for adults with smaller ear canals.

I took a pair for a test drive and expected that the volume would be extremely quiet, the sound quality wouldn't be the same, and therefore, not exactly adult-friendly earphones. If you're one of those people who cranks up your music on full blast, then these are not for you. Personally, I like my music fairly loud, but on my iPhone or iPod, that's really only half of the volume level.

To find out if I would wear a pair of these earphones, just read more.

With Loud Enough earphones, the full volume level is what I normally listen to, so you get a decent amount of sound and the quality isn't compromised whatsoever. So overall, it makes sense why they are for kids eight and older - because they don't output as much sound as other earphones, but they would be way too loud for a four or five year old. Would I wear them myself? Absolutely. They are also available in green and purple.

Great Gadget Gear For Kids

GeekSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:00:17 -0700

I love technology geared toward kids. It's always so colorful, easy to use, affordable and most importantly, makes me feel like I'm ten again.

Case in point: This cell phone by Firefly, which was featured in this week's issue of Life & Style's "hottest new gadgets" section. With parental management of incoming and outgoing calls, easy activation and customized ring tones, animations and colors, this phone is a hit with both parents and kids - no wonder Reese loves it for Ava! Prices range from $50-$60. For kids ages 5 to 8.

From mp3 players to cameras and televisions, check out more tech toys for kids below!