Technology – The Culture Mom

Review: iDropped, Fixes iPhones and Child’s Hearts

The Culture Mom — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 22:56:06 +0000

When my son’s brand new IPhone 6s appeared with a cracked screen, it not only broke (sorry for the pun) his heart but also presented us with the problem of getting it repaired. After all, it’s the most modern, advanced version of the iPhone and also his favorite belonging in the world, so we needed to remedy the situation at our soonest..without a delay or wait. He wasn’t sure exactly how the phone had broken, after owning it for a mere six hours, but we carefully stressed the need to be patient and understand that these things happen to everyone.

We did get him insurance, but we didn’t want to pay Apple a couple hundred dollars for a replacement iPhone. Thankfully, there are other options, and we investigated what was available to us in the NYC area.

Step in iDropped, a mobile device repair service, which just opened in Brooklyn at the end of 2015. Unlike many wireless retailers that require customers to go days without their phones while being repaired, iDropped strives to mend phones in an hour and other electronic devices within24 hours. Each device goes through a rigorous pre-repair and post-repair checkpoint to ensure complete functionality before it is returned to the customer. They use the highest-quality parts and supplies and supports each repair with a one-year warranty, repairing androids, iPads, mini iPhones, and, of course, iPhones.

We dropped in early on a Sunday morning around 11am. Raheem, the store manager, happily took my son’s phone off his hands and immediately got to work. From start to finish, the screen change probably took no longer than 30 minutes. I was surprised at not only how complicated and intricate the process was, but also how incredibly patient Raheem was whilst changing out all the screws that keep the phone together and working. My son, who happens to be a future technical engineer, was very intrigued by the process and delighted to be given an opportunity to share his love of technology and everything Apple with Raheem and Roberto, his colleague.

iDropped is an interesting business model, repairing iPhones in a flash, with an ultra-pleasant staff, and at reasonable prices to boot. It’s a service I’d definitely recommend.

The location we visited is located at 611 Flatbush Ave. in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. To learn more about iDropped in Brooklyn and/or find out about their locations, please visit their site or call 866-611-1456.

Disclosure: I partnered with iDropped on this review, however all opinions are my own.

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Minted: Design Your Own Stationary with Art from Around the World

The Culture Mom — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:33:26 +0000

A few weeks ago came across a new line of stationary that caught my eye instantly. You have to understand that I am not typically into design – I tend to buy a lot of Hallmark cards. I have never really discovered a line that excited me. But this card made me linger and want to explore the line futher:

A totally new concept for me has come into my life: Indie stationary. Made by a company called Minted, a design-your-own stationery site, these pieces of stationary are made by designers all over the world, in 43 countries. Minted believes that great design lives and thrives in the hands of indie designers that people may not have access to through traditional retailers. Their goal is to use technology to allow our community to discover the work of great designers from all over the world. And at the same time, create a place where designers can get exposure and build their careers. But they just don’t sell any design, they are selective and leave it up to the consumer to choose what they feature online. And they’re not in the slightest stuffy. Go figure.

Here’s how it works: Minted holds monthly design challenges for stationery, invitations, calendars, and other categories and all graphic designers are invited to enter. The Minted community selects the best designs in a highly competitive process, which gives us a top selection of the freshest, finest cards in the world. Winning designers earn cash prizes, a place in the Minted collection, and commissions on all sales of their designs.

They even turn some of the designs into prints you can hang on your wall. Check some of them out:

Another very cool thing about Minted is that it was founded by a fellow mompreneur, Mariam Naficy. She started the business when her daughter was a few months old. She wanted a place where designers could express their vision and have the chance to sell their designs. She wanted to give voice to consumers and use the Internet as pure a meritocracy as possible. So, she came up with a business plan, found a partner, raised funding and voila! launched her site.

Minted’s first design challenge was held in April 2008 and was a ‘save-the-date’ card competition with 66 entries. Tens of thousands of design entries later, they have expanded their crowd-sourced assortment to birth announcements, wedding stationery, photo calendars, personal stationery, and much more.

When I received my box of cards, I was very impressed by the quality of the paper. Minted only carries brands that use fine paper stock, rich inks, and crisp printing methods.

Minted also sells business cards, journals, gifts, party invitations, and, as mentioned above, prints. When you explore their web site, you’ll see from the feng shui look and feel that design comes first.

Head over to Minted.com to see what it’s all about. Get involved in their voting process and watch some great design come to life.

Instead of heading to the drug store next time to pick up my cards, I’m heading to Minted.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I have partnered with Minted to promote their product this month on The Culture Mom.

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Feel Guilty About Giving Kids Your iPad? Consider This New Reader and NYC event!

The Culture Mom — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:15:33 +0000

A friend of mine told me recently that they felt guilty about letting her daughter use her ipad. Why? She didn’t feel like it was being used in an “educational” way. So, it’s pretty cool that there is a new interactive reader where your kid is doing something educational and you are actually getting educated at the same time too!

The new Ruckus Reader aims to stand apart by helping to evaluate how a child is doing while reading and then emails parents a progress report. It’s kind of like a report card: once a week it highlights highlights where the child is doing well and where they need some help. The titles range from things like My Little Pony to SeaWorld. Ruckus Reader is a free app for iOS devices. Individual books range in price from free to $5.99 or you can get a six month subscription for $24.99 for full access to the library, with 15-20 new titles being added every month.

I like that I don’t need a separate device for my kids to read (like LeapPad): I can just use my ipad.

Reviews so far have been solid:

“Watch Out LeapPad.” — Daily Candy
“A wealth of content for every learner…” — Parents.com
“Awesome reading App…” — Five Minutes for Mom

If you are interested in finding out more about it works, head over to J&R at 1 Ann Street, Jr. in NYC on May 19th anytime between 1-5pm. They’ll have demos, giveaways, snacks and more. Everyone is welcome and stop in anytime.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post as no compensation or product was received. It was originally posted on AChildGrows.com.

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Feeling the Need to Unplug in Order to Plug

The Culture Mom — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:56:30 +0000

I never used to be like this.

I used to read a lot – newspapers, books, magazines. I’d carry literature around with me. And I had more human interaction than I have now. I called my friends. I knocked on people’s doors at work and in my neighborhood. I never let a certain amount of time go by before I got in touch with the people I care most about. I had a cell phone, but to be honest, before I got an iPhone, I hardly used it.

Then I had kids and went back to work, and I relied more on my cell phone to keep in touch with the babysitter, doctors, teachers, camps, activities, friends who helped me get the kids from place to place. Between working part-time and having two babies, who had time to go online?

But then I started this blog. And that evolved into freelance writing. Then my career transformed itself and I now work in the digital space almost completely. I got an iPhone (from my husband for Valentine’s Day about two years ago, perhaps he is regretting that decision now?) And now my life revolves around email, iPhones, my laptop and every social media tool you can possibly imagine. I check my email, Twitter, Facebook, etc. everywhere – on the beach, at the movies, at traffic lights, at the grocery store, and stupidly and admittedly, during spin class. I look at it as soon as I wake up in the morning and even keep it under my pillow at night (am I a freak?) I am addicted to my iPhone and checking everything over and over. The question is WHY? Am I so important that email can no longer wait to be answered later after I’ve spent time away from all tech gadgets? It all seems to important, and exciting, and it’s almost like I have to feel the sensation of pushing those buttons on my iPhone to see if I have more email coming in.

Do I have a problem? I’m not sure, I don’t think so. I certainly get a lot of pleasure out of tech, but I do recognize a need to unplug in order to recharge myself as an individual and as a parent. Plus, my kids spend a heck of a lot of time on digital gadgets and who am I to tell them to unplug when I rarely unplug myself?

I need inspiration to unplug and it’s come along in the form of a National Day! And the other cool thing is that it happens to fall on Shabbat, the Jewish Day of rest. I happen to be going to synagogue twice this weekend and I need to spend quality time with my daughter. So hard can this be?

The National Day of Unplugging is a respite from the relentless deluge of technology and information. With roots in Jewish tradition, this modern day of rest was developed by Reboot as a way to bring some balance to our increasingly fast-paced way of life and reclaim time to connect with family, friends, the community and ourselves. Shut down your computer. Turn off your cell phone. Stop the constant emailing, texting, Tweeting and Facebooking to take time to notice the world around you. Connect with loved ones. Nurture your health. Get outside. Find silence. Avoid commerce. Give back. Eat Together.

The National Day of Unplugging runs from sundown Friday, March 23, to sundown, Saturday, March 24.

To connect with National Day of Unplugging on Facebook, go here:http://www.facebook.com/SabbathManifesto.

To learn more about the Sabbath Manifesto, the on-going unplugging project that was the genesis of the National Day of Unplugging, go here:http://www.NationalDayOfUnplugging.com

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Capturing Ski Memories with the Help of Epic Mix

The Culture Mom — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:27:12 +0000

I was really excited when I was skiing in Vail recently and learned about Epic Mix. Epic Mix is a whole new way of skiing and capturing yourself on camera. You no longer have to worry about carrying your camera on the slopes and having to stop in your tracks on the mountain. Photographers are scattered around the mountain taking photographs and the photos are captured on your EpixMix card, which also serves as your lift ticket. It’s inside your pocket, not even out, and manages to capture all the day’s memories.

It doesn’t only take pictures, it tracks your vertical feet and mountains and what lifts you ride daily. You can earn pins for special accomplishments and milestones.

So, how cool was it to be in the middle of my ski lesson and be told by my instructor that a photographer was snapping a shot of each of us so we could critique our skills during lunch? Very cool as a a professional photographer skied down the hill and set up her camera to shoot our moves and we sat down half an hour later looking at the photos she took!

What’s key to remember about buying your EpicMix lift tickets is that it really, really, really pays to buy them in advance for the lowest price. If you wait until after you arrive, you will pay full price at the ticket window. Online purchases must be 7 days in advance to be eligible for the discount. This also ensures enough time to ship your tickets in the mail if needed – allowing you to go straight to the lift when you arrive (14 days in advance is required for international shipping). You can also save on lift tickets as part of a Lift & Lodging Vacation Deal (package).

I downloaded the EpicMix app, free on iTunes, and was able to track my own vertical feet. It really takes skiing to a new dimension.

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FREE NYC: The Sony Wonder Technology Lab’s Newest Exhibit, Music Mixer

The Culture Mom — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:03:12 +0000

Have you been to the Sony Wonder Technology Lab in New York City with your kids? If not, you should. It’s one of the city’s best activities for kids and it’s FREE. I’ve been taking my kids there since they were wee small, and it’s an experience that we’ll never get tired of. It’s a four-story interactive technology and entertainment experience in the Sony Building on 56th and Madison that is truly out of this world.

So, when I was invited there today for the opening of Music Mixer, its latest interactive exhibit featuring 14-time Grammy® Award-winning recording artist Alicia Keys, I was truly honored. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend but the opening is something I feel that you, as my reader, should know about. My son was SO disappointed as he’s a big fan of technology and music, and I can guarantee you that my kids and I will be visiting the Wonderlab’s Music Mixer soon.

This highly interactive experience allows visitors to put their own spin on the Alicia Keys hit, “Empire State of Mind (Part II),” using a variety of instrument tracks in genres ranging from Hip-Hop to World. By manipulating a set of three-dimensional “audio blocks” on an interactive table, visitors work together to create a whole new mix, while learning about the characteristics of different instruments, effects and musical styles.

Music Mixer was developed by the Sony Wonder Technology Lab in partnership with Big Show Construction Management. The Sony Wonder Technology Lab inspires creativity in a high-quality, engaging, and family-friendly learning environment. By inviting visitors to experience the latest technologies in a hands-on setting, SWTL nurtures curiosity while awakening visitors to their own talent and potential. Through its permanent exhibits and innovative programs, including Sci-Tech workshops, ongoing screenings and associations with well-respected local non-profit and educational institutions, SWTL aims to educate and cultivate the next generation of leaders in media, science, technology and the arts.

Disclosure: I was invited to the event by Sony but I could not attend. As soon as I visit this exhibit, I will write about my experience.

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Toshiba and Best Buy Collaborate to Introduce Children’s Laptop

The Culture Mom — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 06:06:28 +0000

Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Satellite^® L635 Kids’ PC, Toshiba’s first kid-centric laptop design, available exclusively at Best Buy. Designed in collaboration with Best Buy, the Satellite L635 Kids’ PC is a full-size laptop made for children aged five to 10 that provides a suite of entertainment and education software and allows parents to help ensure their children are staying safe on the Web.

Technology products are rising on the wish lists of families and are particularly popular as holiday gifts. About one in four parents reported plans to buy a laptop for their school aged children, according to a Toshiba survey that was conducted with Opinion Solutions, Inc., with nearly 74 percent reporting their kids ask for gadgets for the holidays. Parents want a reliable computer that also provides a safe environment for browsing the Internet, but their current options are limited to PCs made for adults or kid-friendly netbooks and toy-like computing devices.

The Satellite L635 Kids’ PC features a 13.3-inch diagonal HD display¹, a built-in DVD drive and Webcam with software designed specially with a younger user in mind.

Toshiba, Best Buy Collaboration

The Satellite L635 Kids’ PC is the latest consumer-driven innovation to come out of the You Spoke, We Listened program, a collaboration between Toshiba and Best Buy that has yielded products such as the Toshiba Satellite E205. With the Satellite L635 Kids’ PC, the two companies combined their consumer feedback and technical expertise to produce a laptop from the ground up for children that is like no other.

“People today expect well thought out laptop offerings customized to meet their expectations, and partnering with Toshiba makes it possible,” said Jason Bonfig, vice president of computing at Best Buy. “We set out to design a laptop that better serves the function and content needs of families, and the result was the Satellite L635 Kids’ PC.”

Since their arrival in fall 2008, products resulting from the Best Buy You Spoke, We Listened program have changed the dynamics of how computers and other technology are developed. Each generation originates with insight gleaned from sources such as Best Buy’s own customers and employees into desired features, styling and performance. The company then works closely with Toshiba to translate those customer expectations into a unique laptop design that solves for customer needs with the right hardware and functionality.

Designed with kids in mind, the laptop boasts a unique wipeable keyboard, allowing for easy cleaning of smudges left by messy hands and a no-gloss Dura-cross textured finish that helps resist fingerprints.

The accompanying software gives parents the opportunity to help protect their kids from dangers online while providing a fun and safe universe for children to explore the Internet. The laptop comes pre-loaded with KidZui, an Internet browser made for children, as well as Net Nanny, which allows parents to set boundaries on how the laptop is used. The combination of these two programs allows the security of the laptop to adapt as children mature.

For all its kid-ready features, the laptop stands out for still having the power of a standard PC, making it a product to be used and enjoyed by the entire family. Pre-installed entertainment includes two Disney movies and the family-friendly LEGO Batman game.

The Satellite L635 Kids’ PC is available exclusively at Best Buy beginning Sept. 26, 2010.

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