Welcome to our newest column, Tech Me Tuesday! A dedicated column to all things tech for busy Parents.
Written by April Welch, {and sometimes subsidized by #FireDude and/or #Pipsqueak, a.k.a. :: her merry band of fan-boys}.
Have a tech question?
Ask April!
She doesn't claim to know everything, but she does claim to know how to find the answer to anything you can throw at her!
You might recognize April's name from her years here writing the Tidy Thursday Column.
She's "retired" from organizing since then and now spends her days training entrepreneurs on social media best practices, so when she asked if she could write about tech "stuff" we were excited to see what she had up that sleeve of hers!
Because, really ... could she ever just retire from being and organizing expert? I guess we'll find out!
Consumer Electronics Show {CES}:
Hey all, it's so exciting to be back here on VolunteerSpot! I'm really looking forward to answering questions regarding all things tech so don't hesitate to leave comments below!
Now, let's get to it:
Back in January I attended the Consumer Electronics Show - CES. I thought to get us started on this column I would try to give you a bit of a recap.
Known for being the biggest electronics show, it takes place in Vegas every year and attracks a worldwide audience. The insanity of this convention cannot even be articulated into words y'all - here are just a few pics I tried to take to show my merry band of fan boys ...
And the highlights of the trip were amazing! Partly due to the show itself, but also because this was my first trip to Vegas.
Ever.
I thought this exchange was a bit comical:
I had a lady look at me when I told her it was my first time in Vegas & she exclaimed
how can you be 40 and never have been to Vegas?
I wasn't sure how to answer that question other than
I was busy having babies at a young age?? So now it's time to start this part of my life ...
I mean, what do you say? {grin}
As a first timer in Vegas I found the following observations quite entertaining ...
Smart ideas?
They get your money coming in & make sure your devices can juice up on the way out!
Now, onto the subject at hand ... what's coming in the tech world that will help a busy Parent's life be easier - more efficient - or just plain cool?
#MommyTech at CES
"Wearables" & the "Smart Home" were a big deal this year.
Wearables:
What exactly does that mean?
Well, it's the technology you'll wear to sync up your busy life. Anything from smart watches to a camera that takes pictures for you all day long.
I spent my first official night in Vegas with a group who won a $25k check to fund their concept for keeping groups of kids safe.
The idea ::
there would be a gadget per child {think lanyard} when on group activities such as field trips or girl/boy scout outings.
Each child's gadget is tracked on an iPad the chaperone is monitoring, if a child goes outside the pre-designated "geo-fence" on the map an alert is immediately sounded and the adults can begin following the signal on the child.
Yes, this stirs up many questions. Thus the "concept" element here. I'm sure they'll get it all figured out as they move forward though.
Smart Home:
Just as the description sounds, this tech will connect with the electronics in your home to make it smarter.
The best concept I saw of this was the ability to use your phone to turn off the iron, the lights and outlets you know have things plugged into them.
Who doesn't need that????
Have you seen the AT&T commercial where the Dad is able to shut everything down from the vacation cabin? Yup, that reality is getting closer & closer to a home near you regardless of your cell phone carrier.
Speakers & The Products:
When I went to search for videos of the sessions I sat in on, I was {way too} excited to come across a Facebook Page for MommyTech that has an entire library of YouTube videos from the day! I thought all the panels were interesting and worth the 15 to 30 minutes to hear what they had to say, if you're so inclined & can squeeze it in.
Curious who had a booth at the show? You can head on over to the Exhibitors list on the CES site to check them out too.
In the coming weeks {remember I'll be here every Tuesday} I'll be sharing more about the things that stood out for me & the products who were interested in sharing more with you about what they can bring to streamlining your busy day. Here's a laundry list of the line-up so far:
- Element Case {these guys made my day!}
- StandzOut {oh man! Prepare to have your iPad experience revolutionized!}
- Kid's Email {email for the tween set, when would it be appropriate?}
- Western Digital {how they are revolutionizing your "cloud" experience}
- Turtle Beach {video game player in your home? Then you'll want to tune in for this one}
Did you follow the news feed(s) for CES? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Or do you have a topic idea for Tech Me Tuesday? Just let me know!
