GeekSugar

Bostonians Would Give Up Sex Over Cell Phones

TresSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

What does it say about the future of the human race when people would rather give up sex for a year than go without a cell phone for the same amount of time? I guess it means that technological communication is truly becoming more important than old-fashioned face-to-face interaction, even the type of face-to-face interaction that involves having sex. Come on, people! What good is a booty call without the booty? Is sexting really better than sex?

In a survey sponsored by none other than Samsung Mobile, 31 percent of adults in Boston said they would rather give up sex for a year than go without cell phones for a year. Apparently, relying on email, hard-to-find pay phones, and immobile landlines is much more burdensome than forgoing sex.

Considering that I know people who literally sleep with their BlackBerrys, I suppose I'm not really that shocked by these results.

5 Must-Have Gadgets For Moms

babysugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:00:50 -0700

From cell phones to cameras, mommies can hardly get by without their electronics these days. They can save her from getting lost, keeping up with her schedule and maintaining her savvy aura. While they may put a dent in the wallet, there are five wired gadgets that every woman should treat herself to when she welcomes a baby into her world.

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Do You Text Your Doctor?

LilSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:30:16 -0700

Got a burning question for your doctor during non-office hours? Skip the overnight answering service and just text her! Expectant mamas who find themselves wondering why their breasts are leaking in the weeks before delivery or if it is safe to take medication for a headache don't always have to wait for the phones to open at 9 a.m. to get an answer. Many doctors are opening themselves, and their mobile phone lines, up to patients with non-emergency questions. The practice allays patients' fears and reduces the doctors' call volume first thing in the morning. Best of all, worried mamas can find answers without venturing to the often scary Internet and learning worst-case scenarios.

Do you text your doctor non-emergency questions?

List Calls Out Cells That Emit Most and Least Radiation

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:25:06 -0700

We've heard talking on a cell phone before bed can result in health complications. We've heard that germs on cell phones can cause rashes. And about half of GeekSugar readers worry about their phone causing cancer or other health issues. We use our phones daily - sometimes for hours on end - but how bad is the radiation really?

The Environmental Working Group has crafted a list ranking more than 1,000 cell phones according to the radiation levels they emit. The list is based on technical data provided by the manufacturers.To see the top 10 best and worst rated phones (and more importantly, check where your cell stands), read more.

Lowest Radiation Phones	Highest Radiation Phones
1. Samsung Impression (SGH-a877) [AT&T]	1. Motorola MOTO VU204 [Verizon Wireless]
2. Motorola RAZR V8 [CellularONE]	2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G [T-Mobile]
3. Samsung SGH-t229 [T-Mobile]	3. Kyocera Jax S1300 [Virgin Mobile]
4. Samsung Rugby (SGH-a837) [AT&T]	4. Blackberry Curve 8330 [Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS]
5. Samsung Propel Pro (SGH-i627) [AT&T]	5. Motorola W385 [U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
6. Samsung Gravity (SGH-t459) [CellularONE, T-Mobile]	6. T-Mobile Shadow [T-Mobile]
7. T-Mobile Sidekick [T-Mobile]	7. Motorola C290 [Sprint, Kajeet]
8. LG Xenon (GR500) [AT&T]	8. Motorola i335 [Sprint]
9. Motorola Karma QA1 [AT&T]	9. Motorola MOTO VE240 [Cricket, MetroPCS]
10. Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]	10. Blackberry Bold 9000 [AT&T]

Cell Phones That Keep Parents and Children in Touch

LilSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:00:10 -0700

Staying connected with your kids now involves technology. While back-to-school shopping means papers, pencils and knapsacks for most lil ones, some parents are also adding mobile phones to the supply list.

Thirty-eight percent of LilSugar readers said their children carry a cell phone with them, while 48 percent said they were against a school ban on the wireless devices. The biggest concerns parents have with the gadgets is that their youngsters will overuse them, talk to inappropriate people and not pay attention to class lessons. Cell phone providers are aware of these issues and have taken several measures to make parents more comfortable with them. Among their latest offerings are:

GPS services on popular wireless provider's plans that allow parents to pinpoint kids' locations at any time. Verizon's Chaperone and Sprint's Family Locator allow parents to track their children from their computers on a password-protected account.
Parental control services, also offered by traditional wireless provider's plans, that give parents the ability to set limits on when and where the phones are used.
Specific wireless networks created expressly for young kids, such as Kajeet and FireFly. Designed for elementary school users, the services offer parental controls on all of their phones, allowing parents to limit who can call the phone and who their kids can call. The systems also offer timers that limit when calls can be made to certain numbers and weekly "allowance" minutes that can be added to (or subtracted from) based on the child's behavior.

Check out some of the devices that house these GPS and parental controls below.

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Parenting Via Cell Phone Keeps Moms in Contact

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:00:30 -0700

How did parents manage before cell phones? That was the question posed to me the other night by a friend who called to cancel our mom and tot dinner plans after finding herself in the midst of a work crisis du jour. She relayed a story to which some moms may relate.

After dropping her children off at camp, she phoned the pediatrician to make check-up appointments while en route to the airport. While waiting for her flight to a business meeting, she sat a catalog on her lap and proceeded to place school uniform orders over the phone. After landing at her destination, she fielded several calls from her child care provider and then her own children, regarding a disagreement about whose turn it was to pick out the dinner entree. While waiting on a delayed flight, she recited her daughters' favorite bedtime story over the phone so she could "put them to sleep." Her situation is not ideal, but technology allows this mama to pursue career goals while maintaining constant contact via cell or iChat with her family.

Ask a Geek Girl: Wanting a Basic, Dependable Phone For Dad

GeekSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:00:48 -0700

Need help making a major gadget purchase or got a burning techie question? Join our Ask a Geek Girl Group and spill it! hyzenthlay20 recently asked the crew:

I'm trying to help my dad choose a new cell phone. He's a total gadget-head, but admits that he doesn't need/wouldn't use a smartphone. He'd love a reason to have an iPhone, but all he really does is talk on the phone. He needs a phone with a speakerphone, bluetooth, voice dialing, and great call quality. He doesn't need internet, or data, or email . . . And he's loved his RAZR for the past two years. We're looking at the Motorola MOTO, but it gets mixed reviews, although people on their reviews seem to agree that it is similar to the RAZR. He was saddened when we realized that there are no RAZRs available anymore (except for the pay-as-you-go option). He'd like to go with either AT&T or Verizon. Does anyone have any ideas?

To see my suggestions, read more.

Dear hyzenthlay20, first off, it sounds like your dad is lucky to have a savvy consumer (and geek) for a daughter! I recently told another reader with similar needs to check out Verizon's LG VX8360. It offers the bells and whistles of text, picture, video and voice messaging, but also offers exceptional battery life and has a good reputation. Usage time is up to 316 minutes and standby time is up to 641 hours (I am sure that will impress dad!). You might also check out Verizon's Motorola Adventure V750, a basic push-to-talk phone with Bluetooth, camera and some fancy music options. It's the same shape as your dad's beloved RAZR, and has pretty good reviews. I encourage you to take dad to your local AT&T or Verizon store, scope out the most knowledgeable salesperson and express he wants a replacement for his RAZR. It's an incredibly common quest and they will likely have two or three different models that may suit dad's needs. Of course, if he really wants an iPhone, he should treat himself!
Happy shopping,
geeksugar

Do you have a basic cell suggestion for hyzenthlay20? Share it here!

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Is Cell-Phone Snooping Ever OK?

TresSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Is going through someone's text messages OK if you suspect he's up to no good? That was the question on The Hills this week: Heidi goes through Spencer's text messages, finds a text from a bartender he'd been flirting with, and promptly deletes it. In therapy, all Spencer can talk about is how Heidi shouldn't have gone through his phone. I hate to agree with Spencer, but I'd be annoyed too.

Would you ever snoop in your significant other's cell phone if you suspected he or she was cheating? Or do you think snooping is a bad idea under any circumstance?

Babysugar Diaries: Back Light

babysugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Feeding an infant in the middle of the night is a stealth operation. When my tot screams for milk at 3 a.m., I sneak into his nursery, pick him up gently, tiptoe over to the glider, and nurse him before laying back down to sleep. In an effort not to wake him completely, I never turn on the lights in his room for fear he will think it's time for the rooster to crow. Unfortunately, that means I can't see what I'm doing either. My solution? A cell phone.

Though I feel like a tracked beast on Animal Planet, I use my cell phone's back light to help guide my son to the breast in the dark. I can practically hear the voice-over, "Like a lioness, the mother directs her cub to the source of milk even in the darkness of night." But hey, it beats the overhead lights inciting a 4 a.m. play period, and also helps me keep track of feeding times.

Has Big Brother Gone Too Far? US Wants Cell Phones & Soda

CitizenSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:30:23 -0800

When it comes to letting the government watch out for public safety, some things are off-limits for Americans. A new survey shows that while 62 percent of US adults think there should be a national ban on smoking in public locations, only 38 percent support a ban on cell-phone use while driving, and 70 percent oppose a tax on nondiet soda.

Despite the fact that smoking, driving distractions, and soda all pose health risks, Americans seem to single out smoking as a vice not protected from government control. And while drinking soda has a personal impact, driving on a cell phone and smoking both pose risks to innocent neighbors. Perhaps the distinction has something to do with the fact that the majority of Americans do not smoke, while many people do drive and drink soda.

Many things could be (and are) regulated in the name of public and personal safety. So what do you think makes Americans all right with banning smoking in public, but not other dangerous activities?

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