Tackling Technology

Kids and Mobile Apps — Think Before You Gift

As parents throughout the region wrap up iPod Touches, smartphones and tablets for their children, let's look at the issues in general and the FTC's latest report on privacy in apps designed for children.

There are going to be a lot of Internet-enabled devices under Christmas trees and wrapped up for Hanukkah. According to Nielsen Research, the iPad is the number one item on the most-desired electronics list for kids this year. Following behind is the iPod touch, iPhone, tablet and other computers. Add in any smartphone and a lot of kids want devices that can play apps available from Apple's App store and the Google play store. While the question of whether most-wanted will be the most received is a separate discussion, we all know that many kids will soon be dowloading their favorite games as Apps on their new devices. Questions of content, payment and ground rules for both screen time and appropriate use all need to be considered. …

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Jean Westcott

3:49 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012

And thank you Beth!   more ›

The iPhone5 Sets Sales Records

When the iPhone5 was announced earlier this month, people responded with over 2 million orders in the first 24 hours.

Are you getting the new iPhone? If so, you'll have lots of company. Apple announced that the pre-orders for the iPhone5, the newest version of the most popular smartphone, were double the number of the previous record-holder, the iPhone4S. Pre-orders from Apple.com now have a wait time of 2-3 weeks. So what's new? It's thinner (.3 inches), taller (4.87 inches) and lighter (3.95 oz) than the 4S and increases the display size from 3.5 inches diagonally to 4 inches. This allows for an extra row of App icons and of course, larger viewing surface for photos and videos. It has an extra microphone, improved noise-cancelling and wide-audio sound. The camera is upgraded and includes panorama capability. The glass back has been replaced with metal …

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Google Gains Patents and More with Motorola Mobility Purchase

Flip Phone to RAZR to Google

Growing up, I knew Motorola for its television sets. From those dark ages, Motorola pursued mobile phones as well as cable modems and video boxes. It developed two iconic mobile phones. First the flip phone in the mid-1990s; then the RAZR. It also treated the public to several memorable commercials on both products. Who could resist the sleek, thin RAZR? Google cleared the final hurdle in its pursuit of a merger with Motorola Mobility. Trading commissions nationally and internationally were required to approve the merger, which began almost a year ago. The last country, the People’s Republic of China, approved it on May 19. By May 22, the $12.5 billion merger’s worldwide regulatory review was complete. The stated plan is for Motorola to …

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Tech Trends

Play On: Musical Chairs of Internet Radio and Apps

Technology for your music favorites

How many times have you purchased a favorite song? I can hardly count the number of purchases I’ve made of “My Generation” by the Who. The first was the vinyl album Who’s Next in the 1970s. Then there was the CD version in the 1980s, the iTunes music download in the 00s and most recently we’ve become reacquainted via Pandora, Spotify and NPR Music. Pandora “At Pandora, we have a single mission: To play only music you'll love,” reports their website. Personalized, mobile and free are their watchwords. Listen to your favorites and enlist the Music Genome Project to discover new music. Pandora scans its database and offers you songs with similarities to those you’ve liked. How does Pandora personalize its recommendations? It “learns” what you…

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Tech Trends

Technology For Monitoring Heart Health

Wireless innovations to monitor heart health are advancing rapidly.

February 14 is not the only day to think of hearts and flowers and the one you love. American Heart Month lasts all 28 days or in this Leap Year all 29 days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America.  Every year, nearly 800,000 have a first heart attack and almost 500,000 experience a second or additional heart attack. While telling the ones you love how much they mean to you, consider how much you mean to them.  Here are some lifestyle areas to consider to help your heart. Number 1 is check with your doctor! Exercise regularly. Walking, rowing, dancing and many more options exist. Mix them up to keep your exercise routine interesting and you …

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Sally Spangler

11:12 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

OK - that is nice. BUT - what percentage of the population across the US follows these plans so that we do not have heart problems? At what age is it too late to embrace these plans? The biggest question - why bother? To live longer? To really take part in today's world - who is willing to hire someone,particularly a woman over 60 in work she has been doing for 30 years? Get real!   more ›

Tech Trends

Are You Ready for Smart Television?

Consumer Electronics Show predicts yes

I admit it.  Despite my fondness for Renaissance sculpture, Johann Sebastian Bach’s music, and Gothic architecture, there’s an entirely different set of interests lurking. Televised football games, contests for ballroom dancing, and of course some reality shows too weird to mention snag my time and attention. I suspect I’m not alone. While the content of television shows arguably isn’t improving, the devices we use to watch them are changing.  Last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas highlighted new television technologies, which have become viable options for use in our homes.  Television manufacturers are on the lookout for ways to increase sales. New features could boost the number of units sold and prices. 3D technology…

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