GeekSugar

Santa's Techie Friends: 10 Christmas Apps For Techie Tots

Nicole Abbott — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:17:08 PST

With less than a month to go before Christmas day, we know tots are all about the holidays! From interactive storybooks to educational holiday games and puzzles, check out these 10 Christmas apps for your iPhone and iPad - and let your kiddos get jolly with technology!

Do You Let Kids Play With Your Gadgets?

GeekSugar — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:30:05 PDT

Apparently, smartphones and iPads are becoming the new babysitters! Used to be that you'd plop your kid down in front of the TV to get some chores done around the house, but now, moms and dads are using today's tech to keep their kiddies occupied at home and on the go. There's plenty of kid-friendly apps available to entertain and teach your kids while you're otherwise unavailable, and maybe it's because I'm not a mom that I get a knee-jerk reaction to this idea. Really? You're letting your 3-year-old play with your $500 iPad? To me, that's crazy talk.

On the other hand, it's a good idea to get the little ones acquainted with tech as early as possible, since it's a sound prediction that kids will be working even closer with computers than we are today. Maybe it's the cheapskate in me that wants to keep little hands far, far away from my expensive tech toys. What about you - do you let kids play with your gadgets?

Source: Flickr user aperturismo

GrooveToons: Surprisingly Normal Alarm Clock For Nano

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:00:19 PDT

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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5 Great Tech Finds For Moms and Kids at CES 2012

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:47:38 PST

If you thought the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week was about products for geeks, you were right - geeky moms, that is! The integration of technology and parenting is more exciting than ever before as programmers and engineers are setting their sights on moms who can't put down their smartphones. From wireless video baby monitors that you can view on your phone to plush animals that turn your iPhone into a toy, here are some of the newest tech products for moms and kids!

Security Tips For Data Privacy Day!

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:30:34 PST

It's Data Privacy Day, so we're here to give you 10 tips to keeping your computer safe, secure, and totally private. Nothing is worse than having your computer hacked into, your personal information stolen, or becoming a victim of fraud. We've rounded up all of our best tech advice to help keep your computer protected and free from hacker malice. If you haven't implemented these 10 tidbits yet, today is the perfect day to begin to take charge of your computer's safety.

Avoid fraud: Be wary of emails, calls, and log-in screens that ask you to verify all of your information. Always air on the side of precaution when sharing more sensitive information like banking passwords. If a company reaches out to you (rather than you personally reaching out to them), don't give your personal information out. Redial the number or email the company using the information posted on their website.
Set up a hack-proof password: When logging in to websites, come up with difficult and different passwords for each site, using a variety of letters, numbers, and symbols. Change it every couple of months for additional safety.
Double-check your firewall: Most computers have a built-in firewall that protects your computer by stopping hackers and malicious software from accessing your computer via the Internet. Make sure to keep your firewall setting on, and you could even customize what websites, domains, and IP addresses you want to access from your computer.
Forget about free public WiFi: Hackers often create fake networks, titling them "Free Public WiFi" in hopes of stealing your personal data. Even if the WiFi is legit, it's still dangerous to access private information in an unsecured network. Always opt to pay the small fee for a service that requires you to log-in to an official network.
Safely search for celebrities: Googling your favorite celebrities can be a dangerous business if you don't recognize the sites you are clicking on. Many Google results of famous celebrity names lead to infecting your PC with malware and viruses.

See more tips to better privacy.

Ga Ga or Gag: iPhone Cases For Toddlers

Nicole Abbott — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:43:27 PST

This is a tech world! Our kiddos are growing up in the digital age, where everything in our lives is digitized - and the truth is that many toddlers are able to manage technology with much more ease than their grandparents. And what is a toddler's coveted tech toy of choice? Mama's iPhone.

Since tots love iPhones so much, many companies have jumped at the lucrative opportunity to manufacture tech products that cater to both moms and tots - case in point, iPhone cases for toddlers. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case ($20), Infantino's HappiTaps Beary Happi Character Cover ($20), and Woogie 2 ($20) also have toddler iPhone apps to go along with the smartphone cases. While the lovable Stitch iPhone case ($20) makes a cute hard cover that protects your phone from the trenches of toddlerhood.

We want to know what you think about this new tech trend. Will you be rushing out to get one, or do you think iPhone cases for toddlers are a waste of money?

CNET's Women in Technology Panel: Where My Ladies At?

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:06:03 PST

We just arrived back in San Francisco after a whirlwind four days at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and while we're still processing the stats, data, information, and products we've seen, there is one thing we noticed: there's an obvious disconnect in the ratio of men to women at the show.

CNET brought together some of the most influential and powerful women in the tech field - including Padmasree Warrior of Cisco, Marissa Mayer of Google, Caterina Fake of Hunch, and Lindsey Turrentine of CNET - at this year's CES to talk about the state of the tech industry, pink gadgets, and how to strike a balance between work and home. You can see the entire panel (it's about an hour long) in the embedded video after the break, but first, a few highlights:

The general consensus is that women have come a long way in terms of the technology field, but there's a lot more work to be done.
Marissa Mayer says that more students (men and women) should be exposed to computer science at the high school level, so that they have more of a chance to get into the technology industry after college. When speaking about women in technology, it becomes a numbers game, but it's not about the size of the slice of pie, it's the size of the pie as a whole; we need to make the pie bigger, and expose women to computer science earlier.
Caterina Fake lets her daughter in on her work life in order to make her feel included. She conducts family meetings every morning around the breakfast table to talk about what worked yesterday, what they could do better today, and the goals they have for the week ahead.
Lindsey Turrentine says that one of the most important things you can do for your children is to show a strong partnership at home. When raising kids - girls and boys alike - it's important to show that you can do both: have a strong family and lean on each other to pick up the slack when work needs to be done. No one's career is more important than the other.

See what all of the amazing women had to say about the state of the tech industry for women in the full video after the jump.

7 Gifts For Your Budding Geeks

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:04:20 PST

It's only natural that you'd want your kids (or nieces and nephews) to be as geeky as you are. Besides, geek is totally chic. Prep them for the future with these geeky gifts they'll love and learn from.

Best of 2011: The 20 Best Apps For Kids

Kate Stahl — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:46:18 PST

Parents with curious young ones quickly realize that what's yours - including your iPhone and iPad - is also theirs. But, hey, sharing is good (right?), especially when you stock your technology with kid-friendly apps guaranteed to keep your tot entertained for hours, or at least wait for the doctor, fold the laundry, or chat with your bestie. Check out our 20 must-have kid apps for 2011, some free, and start downloading now!

Lil Gift Guide: 10 Fun Gifts For Lil Gamers

Natasha Dantzig — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:55:33 PST

Game on! Not the sole territory of antisocial teenagers and reclusive 40-year-olds living in their parents' basement, video games have totally gone kiddie, with fun - even educational - options for tots. Whatever your family's gaming console of choice, read on for a fun selection of age-appropriate video games for even the littlest gamers.