Thursday, May 31, 2012

iPhone 5


Are you ready for another new iPhone? 

The rumor has it that the new iPhone 5 is expected to be available in fall of 2012.  It will have support for LTE for both Verizon and AT&T’s networks. 

In simple terms, the purpose of LTE is increased capacity and speed of wireless data networks, allowing consumers to get more information quicker on their smartphones. 

Consumers are saying the main reason they will buy the iPhone 5 is because of the LTE wireless technology, according to PC World. Most industry analysts believe that the new iPhone device will show up in late summer or fall, with a thinner form factor and a Qualcomm chip in the phone enabling it to connect with several versions of 3G, GSM and 4G LTE service.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Summertime Without Electronic Gadgets


You can feel and smell it in the air, summer is around the corner. Do you hear yourself saying, “Oh no, what am I going to do with my kids?” Here are some ideas to jump start your summer activities that don’t involve online gadgets:

  1. Go to your local library, most libraries have a summer reading program for kids. The reading programs can last up to 6 to 8 weeks and some have small rewards for kids on weekly bases
  2. Get outside. Whether it is playing tag or running through the sprinklers, go outside for at least a few hours a day
  3. Reduce electronics. Have a daily time limit of how long and when kids can have screen time. How much time do kids really need to spend online gaming or texting?  Go outside and play like kids are meant to
  4. Get an activity buddy. Have your kid partner up with a friend and make a plan of what time to hang out and activities they want to do together. It could be building a tree house, having a lemonade stand or playing kickball. Having kids make a commitment to one another will encourage them to stick to their plan
  5. Plan a weekly outing. Whether it is walking in the local park, going to the beach, hiking a trail, plan at least one day out of the week to go and explore a local area
  6. Do a day camp. Don’t have the time or finances for a week or two week long camp. Check out your local “Y” and see what types of 1 or 2 day camps are around this summer
Whatever your children may like to do, get involved and help them plan out their summer so you don’t’ hear as often, “I’m bored” or “I just want to play video games all day.”

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Smartphone for Graduation


With many elementary school promotions right around the corner, I am sure many parents have been hearing from their tween, “Can I have a cell phone or a new smartphone for graduation.”  Before making the commitment to a smartphone, here are a few tips to consider:
  1. Time Limits  - Set up times when your tween can and cannot use their smartphone. You can talk to your tween about not using it during school hours and family time and to turn off their smartphone at night when going to bed
  2. Contacts - Set up a contact list with your tween of who your tween can call and text. Make sure to talk to your tween about not answering phones calls or text messages from numbers they don’t recognize, but to tell you
  3. Websites - A smartphone has all the capabilities of a computer. If there are websites your tween is not allowed to visit, go over these rules again when they get a smartphone so they know not to visit the sites on their smartphone
  4. Applications -Since a smartphone is a microcomputer, tweens can download applications to their smartphone. Have a conversation with your tween about the rules of downloading apps. If it works for your family, you could talk about always getting your permission before any app. is downloaded.
  5. Phone Etiquette -Tweens need to remember how they talk or text on their smartphone should be with respectful and suitable words.

If parents feel overwhelmed with trying to keep your tween safe with a smartphone, parents can also look into a parental control monitoring applications such as My Mobile Watchdog.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Online Predators Arrested


If parents think their children are safe online and there are no online predators, then parents better think again when you hear about this online predator sting. In Sarasota County, Florida, thirty-one men were arrested for Internet solicitation with a minor and traveling to meet a minor for sex.  These men came from all different professions and ranged in ages from 22 years old to 62 years old.

These online predators met their victims in chat rooms, message boards or Craigslist. The conversations with the victims then moved to emails and progressed to cell phone conversations. The online predators thought they were talking with children but were really talking with special law enforcement agencies. 

The message for parents here is to stay on top of what your children are doing online. The Internet is a very fast and intriguing world but is filled with many dangers. Children are just not mature enough to always make the right decisions when online. There are many parental monitoring programs to help parents keep children safe. The best approach is an open line of communication with children combined with a parental control monitoring application which can help keep track of all your children’s contacts. For example, My Mobile Watchdog, will send an alert to parents when someone who is not on your child’s contact list tries to call or text them on their cell phone. To learn more go to  My Mobile Watchdog.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Discussing Online Predators


This Fall a new movie, Finding Faith, will open nationwide in theaters. The movie is based on actual events of how a girl fell prey to an online predator and how the family survived through faith.  The film is being filmed right now and has not been rated. The film is supposed to warn parents and children about the dangers lurking online. This may be a good film to help open the lines of communications between parents and children. It is difficult for some parents to start a conversation about the dangers of the world because how do you begin such a conversation. Though, it is critical to discuss the online dangers with children because children are being raised in the digital age. Here are some quick statistics about children using technology:
  • eMarketer reported about 15 percent of children under the age of 11 have their own cell phone
  • The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project reported last summer that 16 percent of teens, ages 12 to 17 years old, who are online used Twitter, doubling the number from two years earlier