Instead of going the boring and traditional route like buying her flowers and chocolates, why don’t you make her feel extremely special by buying her a high tech gift she can really use? Below are the top 5 tech gifts and gadgets to buy mom this Mother’s Day.
5. Wrap a Nap—this luxurious pillow isn’t exactly a “gadget” per say but its innovative yet highly simply design will blow any sleep-deprived mother away. This is because it acts as three items in one: a plush pillow that allows her to sleep comfortably even in the most awkward places and position— like upright in an office chair during her lunch break; earmuffs to silence unwanted noises like a spouse’s snoring; and a blindfold to block out sun’s rays to ensure she sleeps in a little longer when the kids are away. Price:$14.99
4. iWatchz Q series Watchband for iPod nano— this small “clip” attaches to any iPod nano, easily converting it to a stylish watch. Perfect for mothers who are constantly on the go, she’ll be able to make all of her appointments and know when she’s running late for the next PTA meeting while having access to her music library at all times. She can either use the built-in preferences on her iPod to choose particular backgrounds for her watch face or choose a standard white or black watch face for elegant occasions. Watch bands come in a variety of colors including black, white, red, blue and pink. Price: $24.95
3. Zumba Fitness for Nintendo Wii—Perfect for mothers who are trying to get into shape but don’t have the time to go the gym to take professional classes, Zumba Fitness from Majesco Entertainment is a sure fire way for a mother to tone up and exercise in the comforts of her very own home. The game includes 9 different dance styles: Reggaeton, Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Hip-Hop, Mambo, Rumba, Flamenco and Calypso. Price: $34.96 at Wal-Mart retail stores.
2. G2x by LG Android—If mom doesn’t have a smart phone yet then it’s about time that she’s upgrades. The G2x is the currently the hottest and most demand phone in the biz, but it’s only offered to T-Mobile costumers. This ultra sleek 4-G touch screen has a dual processor which enables it to perform at high speeds. It runs on the Android 2.2 (froyo) operating system though it is rumored to get the Gingerbread update soon. Price: $99.99 with 2 year T-mobile contract
1. iPad 2—The new and improved ultra light weight iPad2 is the ultimate gift to give this mother’s day. With it, she can do everything from writing to-do lists, catching up on some reading, video chatting with her relatives that live on the other side of the country, to even watching how-to-cooking shows on YouTube when preparing meals in the kitchen. She can even pull up educational games whenever the kids are bored. Price: Starts at $499.00
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of OgilvyInteractive for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
When the App store came out for the iPhone, developers started releasing ebook readers and apps to help you read news sites. When the iPad came out, the number and quality of apps increased and the door really began to open up to reading all your news on a device. In our fast-paced society, many people only get to spend a few minutes a day catching up on news and world events. Today, I got my hands on The Collection, a self-described monthly “appazine” for review.
What Makes The Collection Different
I really don’t know where to begin. Most news apps offer very flat content. They have more of it, but it’s often the same stuff you find on their website or elsewhere around the web. The Collection has opted for an alternate approach, nailing down a single subject and bringing the reader every detail they can think of in a very rich and organized presentation. In it’s premier issue about Prince William, The Collection provided audio and video interviews, 360 degree panoramic photographs, tons of information about Prince William, details about the Royal Wedding, and even a virtual Royal Wedding, walking you through the whole process, complete with 3D palace designs. Before downloading The Collection, I read a description claiming it to be a “uniquely compelling and entertaining user experience like you have not seen before”, and I simply can not find better words to describe it. The presentation is so rich, in fact, that it is only available for the iPad. Beyond all the useful information, there were interactive pieces like turning Prince William bald and unique tidbits like the section that focuses on his athleticism in near creepy detail. If The Collection were food, it would be like eating a meal for 100 people, but sadly only once a month, and the meal would include those fancy garnishes… everywhere. The attention to detail and sheer amount of content is what makes each issue worth the $4.99 price tag. The fact that they make it available in three languages is just over the top.
What’s Missing
It’s hard to say that anything is missing when it has so much, but I always want something more. In the case of The Collection, we have a magazine that covers only one topic per issue. With print magazines, you get a variety of topics centered around a theme like Computers or Science. Here, if you don’t care about Prince William and the Royal Wedding buzz, you just have to not buy this issue and wait until next month. The only other thing I found lacking was the app’s stability and attention to programming. When it worked, it was incredibly smooth to use, but it did crash a couple times and that was not something that I would expect from an app of this caliber. Also in the programming corner was the issue of the Facebook sharing option. When I opted to share it on Facebook, all it filled in was The Collection and the link to the app in the App Store. I felt like it should have filled in “Reading about Prince William in The Collection rich media iPad magazine” or something.
Conclusions
Despite a couple small crashes, I give The Collection five stars. It has truly brought digital publishing to a whole new level and other apps will now have to struggle to keep up. The $5 cost per issue is reasonable, and if they ever branch out into computing, I wouldn’t miss an issue. The writing style, photography, detail, balance and delivery all work together smoothly to bring an amazing new “appazine” into the spotlight. I can’t wait to see what’s next. Download the app and check out the issue preview and let me know what you think in the comments below.
As I filled up my gas tank the other day, I was saddened that the reliably cheapest gas station near my office had gone up ten cents since my last refill and people were still lined up waiting for an open pump. This was not a good sign. Sure enough, prices had gone up all over town. Some people are calling it a fuel crisis, but whatever it is, it’s getting expensive. With prices expected to go up considerably more through the beginning of summer, there are ways to save a lot of money on your fuel spending that you might not be aware of.
While some people drive around looking for the cheapest gas, even going as far as using their passenger as a price spotter, I’ve found a better way. It’s more efficient, less frustrating, and the bottom line is that it will save more money. I check my GasBuddy iPhone app before I even start the car. The GasBuddy app is available for the Android and Windows smartphones, too. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can look up the best prices near you on GasBuddy.com. Depending on the size of your tank, you could save $2 to $5 right at the pump. Personally, I like the app over the site. It’s very compact and simple. In no time, I have the closest prices and don’t even need to be near a computer.
GasBuddy.com has a ton of fuel-related tools and information on the website, too. One frightening example is the US Gas Prices Heat Map, which shows the gas prices as colors on a US map. Clearly California’s higher gas tax has a visible impact on the prices in that state.
Shop Online First
I’ve found myself wanting to buy things in stores (especially electronic gadgety goodness) because I could have those things right away even if it was cheaper to buy online. More than ever, buying online can save you a few bucks compared to driving to the mall and back. Sometimes it’s just cheaper and these days, what you buy online often arrives pretty quickly in your mailbox. Have it shipped to your work and you won’t have to drive to UPS, FedEX, or your post office to pick up a missed delivery.
Sure, some stuff is cheaper in the store, so the gas savings realized by shopping online aren’t really a savings, but is it in stock? I don’t know how many times I’ve driven to the store with a specific need, only to find it was out of stock. Shop online for the best price and call the store to verify stock of those needed items before heading out. The fastest, thus my favorite, online shopping is Amazon.com, eBay, and a simple Google search. I’ll have another post up soon on ways to save money shopping online at various sites, so watch for that.
Plan Your Driving
Above, I pointed out the benefit of knowing if something is in stock before driving to buy it. This helps because it reduces unnecessary driving. Another way to cut down on wasted miles is to plan out your trips. Obviously, if you have to visit two different places in North Phoenix this weekend and one in South Phoenix, you’re probably already planning to make both North Phoenix stops while on that side of town, but are you thinking this way for smaller trips? Maybe you can get shopping done near the place you get your hair cut. Is a your bank in the same store? Plan your activities and get things done more efficiently. Not only will this save you gas, but it will save you time and put less wear on your car.
Know Your Fuel Efficiency
When you bought your car, I’m sure it indicated the Miles Per Gallon as a range, rather than just a solid number. This is because there are ways to get the most mileage out of your car. You may have heard a few tales of fuel efficiency already. They range from making only right-hand turns (which Myth Busters even tested) to the speed at which you drive. One of the more widely known factors in fuel consumption is highway versus city street driving. Try different things and figure out what works for you. If you want to make it easy, try a tool like EconoDriver, which monitors your driving and fuel consumption and tells you how you’re doing.
More Ways To Save Money On Gas
I’m sure there’s even more ways to save money on your gas that I haven’t covered here. The best way to find them is to think about things you do that involve driving and any other factors that contribute to your use of or spending on gas. I’d love to hear any tips you have on saving your gas money. If you have one, share it in the comments.
