Tech Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Serendipity Mommy

Portable GPS trackers explained

November 1, 2018 by Mandy

GPS systems are a fantastic device that you can use to solve a myriad of issues that you may have. You can use a portable GPS tracker to pinpoint your exact location in real time while you’re out on your bike, driving, hiking, fishing, running, or even sailing or perhaps flying! The GPS system has two main functions, one is to help you find your way and the other is so that someone can locate you if and when they need to whilst you are travelling.

There are two different kinds of GPS trackers: one which is hardwired, and the other is called a portable battery-powered tracking device. Here were discussing portable trackers so that you can find out more about that type of GPS system.

Portable trackers are wireless, one distinct advantage of them is that they can be moved from vehicle to vehicle or person to person with very little effort or trouble. When you are working out where you can track from on your device you should find that the signal is able to penetrate fibreglass, glass, foam or plastic but not anything metallic. Therefore, you can put the device under the seats or by the glove box but you can not put it under your hood or in the trunk of your vehicle as it will not work. It can be placed in a back pack to track your child if you have any concerns or even if they are being bullied you could use it as a signal if they change routes or are travelling faster than normal. This is great as you can receive all of this information in real time.

The charge on a portable tracking device usually lasts up to eight hours, you can also purchase extended life battery kits which can increase this by up to fifteen times to one hundred and twenty hours from one single charge.

Most systems will need you to log onto the tracking and reporting function and activate an account, pretty similar to any other technological piece of equipment. On this part of the website you will generally find the live tracking features that will help you such as speed and even latitude and longitude coordinates which will clarify the location of the device. You will also find most of the reporting and alert system options online, these will clarify what are “danger zones” such as speeding spots and so on.

The live GPS features on your device should include many functions such as routing, directions and maps as well as the ability to locate the nearest restaurant, rest room or gas station. All of this is very useful when you are out on the road, especially in new places. Before you choose a GPS for yourself, you should check out all of the available features and decide which ones are the most appropriate to your needs. This way you will purchase the most cost effective item for the money you wish to spend and you will have a really useful and fun piece of equipment at your disposal.

The Coolest Gadgets From The 1980’s

September 25, 2018 by Mandy

From spandex, leg warmers and bright neon colours to Pac-Man and the first Apple Macintosh computer, the 1980’s brought us many iconic trends and innovations. Since old, vintage styles and designs are popping up in the current trends, whether it be in fashion, accessories, technology or even interior design and home decor, we thought we’d go through some of the coolest gadgets from the 1980’s.

The Walkman

While the Sony Walkman was technically announced in 1979, it was a massive trend in the 80’s and just about everyone had one tucked away in their backpacks. The Walkman was a portable cassette player, that revolutionized the way music was listened to. It allowed people the chance to listen to their cassette tapes where-ever they wanted and at whatever volume they wanted, which was a great technological advance at the time.

One of the most memorable models was the TPS-L2, which had a dual headphone jack so that two people could enjoy the same music together. The model also featured the iconic “hotline” button that turned down the volume of the music so that you could have conversations with your friend through the internal microphone without having to take your headphones off.

The Sony Discman, which was a portable CD player, was invented in 1984 and was also very popular in the 80’s.

Handheld Television

In 1982, Sony brought out the Watchman, which featured greyscale video at the time. The Watchman was a portable television device that could fit into your pocket so that you could watch TV on the go. While the original model only had a 5cm screen, later models featured larger LCD screens with colour displays.

The Pocketvision 3 was another very popular portable television gadget, which was released in 1985. This device had a unique and interesting design, which utilized a white plastic panel and a mirror to project the images.

The Nintendo Game Boy

In 1989, Nintendo released the Game Boy – an 8-bit handheld gaming device, which was a massive hit. While it only narrowly made being a product of the 80’s and might be better known as a 90’s product, the Game Boy is still an iconic gadget that sold millions of units worldwide. Game Boys were a great pastime to have to make train journeys or car drives more fun.

The Polaroid 660 Camera

The Polaroid 660 Camera was released in 1982 and was a quick and simple way for people to snap and share photos with one another. The Polaroid 660 featured a built in flash and “sonar” autofocus to help people take good photos. Instant cameras have made quite a big come back, because with everything being so digital nowadays, it’s nice to be able to produce an instant physical photograph and induces a feeling of nostalgia for anyone who lived through the 80s.

Casio C-80 Calculator Watch

The Casio Calculator watch came out in 1980 and was very popular. It featured a number of buttons for calculating and was a very useful and practical gadget. It become somewhat of a fashion trend as well as its popularity rose. People preferred it to the stylus based watch designs that were being produced at the time, because the buttons were easier to use.

The Clapper

The Clapper is another classic 80’s gadget, which allowed people to turn the lights in their home on or off by simply clapping their hands twice. The Clapper was sound-activated and was triggered by the sound of two consecutive claps. It was a common gadget found in homes in the 80’s as it was unique technology at the time and allowed people to control their lights without even having to get up and flip a switch.

Fanny Packs

While it’s not technically a gadget, we thought we’d include the Fanny Pack as an extra on this list because it was an iconic 80’s style accessory which is making a bit of a comeback in today’s trends. Fanny packs were usually made from synthetic materials, like nylon, in bright colours with bold patterns. They were stylish, practical accessories worn in everyday life and they’ve always been a popular choice for tourists and travellers as they are practical and easily accessible.

Fanny Packs are coming back into fashion as teens and hipsters start to take on the accessory in different materials and styles. They are very versatile and can range from a simple, black leather design to an eye-catching holographic statement piece for an outfit. So if you have an old leather Fanny Pack that you haven’t worn in years, now’s the time to break it out. You could even add on some tassels, as leather can also be sewn with machines, to add some extra retro flare.

Five essential apps for working moms

September 10, 2018 by Mandy

Photo by Giftpundits

In today’s economic climate, juggling motherhood and work is the norm rather than the exception. Data published last year by the US Department of Labor showed that 70 percent of women with kids under 18 are working – and three quarters of them are in full-time employment.

Most of us have dreamed of someone inventing a cloning machine so that we can be in two places at the same time. It is probably for the best if that remains in the realms of fantasy, but technology has come up with some less dramatic, but still extremely useful, ways to help working moms face the challenges of being both a caregiver and a breadwinner in today’s society. Here are five of the best.

SuperSaaS puts everything in one place

Having different apps for mail, social media, shopping, banking, scheduling and messaging is great. But it can sometimes create as many problems as it solves. SuperSaaS is an integration-compatible appointment calendar that needs to be at the top of the downloads lists in order to keep everything else under control. This appointment and booking scheduler is an easy way for others to book and appointments and meetings with you throughout the year on a flexible calendar. By communicating with your various other apps and platforms, it acts like your own personal assistant.

Google Family Link helps you watch the kids

Whether you are in the office on the other side of town or simply at your desk while the kids are in another room, it is a fact of life in the online age that you need to keep a handle on what they are doing. Google Family Link provides an interface by which you can review and approve what the kids are downloading and using on their personal devices. It even provides useful metrics on how long they are spending online, and you can use it to automatically power things off when it is lights-out time.

Fayr – the app for the new family dynamic

There are plenty of working moms out there who are not just the main breadwinner and caregiver, they are the only one. Families come in different shapes and sizes, and for those who are divorced and separated, co-parenting brings its own challenges. The Fayr app is ideal for coordinating shared financing and childcare responsibilities such as contributions for school trips, pick up times and so on. It is currently available on iOS, and will soon be released on Android.

Bambino, for childcare emergencies

Neither parenthood nor career life are always predictable, and there will always be times when they clash. Bambino is an app that can be an absolute life-saver when you need safe and reliable childcare at short notice. It lets you search for registered babysitters by location, and the social aspect provides honest feedback and recommendations from other parents.

Chorsa helps to share the load

Of course, an app can only do so much, and sometimes the biggest help in getting through the day can be those little extra pairs of hands. Chorsa is great for sharing out the work, whether it’s putting out the trash, making the beds or walking the dog. It even allows family members to compete for points in a league table. Who needs a cloning machine when you’ve got a mini-me or two to help get everything done?

The New Age of the Internet

May 25, 2018 by Mandy

The Internet has evolved significantly throughout the past decade. The entire world of knowledge is accessible at anyone’s fingertips. There is so much to know and learn! Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with how the Internet is because things are always changing. So what is there to know and learn? There is certainly a lot to know. The person reading this may be one of those that is reading to learn more about how the Internet has evolved. Here is a list of things involved in the new age of the internet.

Social media is prevalent.

Social media is perhaps one of the most important parts of the current internet age. So here is a quick rundown. Facebook is still in–nearly everyone has one. Twitter is popular for a lot of authors. Tumblr is what everyone uses now. It’s full of both teens and adults, and it’s full of everything from cute cat pictures to quotes to science facts. Then there’s Snapchat, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Snapchat and Instagram are two of the most common ones for teens and young people, while LinkedIn is used in the business world.

Cloud storage is new.

Anyone who uses computers has had that moment where they type out something long just to have it be lost. Cloud storage is a new revolutionary online storage that automatically backs up one’s work to help prevent losing it. No more working for hours just to have their work deleted! Now that it automatically backs up and can be backed up from any computer, there is so much more peace of mind, and isn’t that valuable in itself?

It is accessible almost anywhere.

There is free Wi-Fi nearly anywhere that one will go whether it be the grocery store, a doctor’s office, or a hotel room. So one can work or play from anywhere which is a huge plus. Just connect to the Wi-Fi and surf away!

There are often classes one can take to learn.

Unsure of how to use the Internet? Often do libraries or local colleges conduct classes for people who need to learn how exactly to use the internet. They can cause a boost in confidence and help one be able to open a new world of possibilities from the comfort of their recliners.

Everyday things can now be done online from home.

Tired of going grocery shopping and running into people? Now one can shop entirely from their home. They can do everything from grocery shopping to clothes shopping, and it can save a lot of time and even some money. No more awkward running into people one doesn’t want to see.

Virtual private networks exist!

A virtual private network or VPN allows one to use a private browser in a public space so that one cannot find out what one is searching on from a public server. VPNs such as Memset are revolutionary in this new Internet age as they allow people to do what they could not do a decade ago.

Top 5 Gadgets to Keep Your Kids Amused

May 11, 2018 by Mandy

Parents love their children, however; there are those few moments that you want some peace and quiet especially while on the road. Long flights and drives are always a test of the parent’s patience level especially when their child gets bored. Thanks to modern technology, there are gadgets that can help keep your child entertained during travels. The gadgets come with several apps they can play with and they do not have to get bored when travelling. The top five gadgets include;

1. Tablets

Nearly every child in this century knows how to operate a tablet thanks to the integration of modern technology in the classroom. A tablet is a key gadget when it comes helping keep your kids entertained while on the plane, automobile, or a train. The tablet has various applications you can download that will help keep your child busy when travelling. You can also store their favourite songs and movies on the tablet that they can watch or listen to without having you constantly change the radio if you are using an automobile to travel.

2. MP3 Players

The other gadget that is guaranteed to keep your children busy is an MP3 player. The MP3 player is small and easy for a child to hold without getting tired. An MP3 player like an iPod touch is an excellent way to keep your child or teenager entertained while travelling. Your daughter or son can listen to their favourite music or podcasts, watch movies, and play their favourite games. Some MP3 players have features that make it easy to document the whole travel experience.

3. Educational Gadgets

The educational gadget you acquire for your kid will depend on their age. The best Educational gadgets available in the market are LeapFrog. A child between the ages 4-9 can use the educational gadget known as LeapFrog. The LeapPad has four different apps with a diverse library for your child to read when travelling.
For children at the age of 10 and above, they can use the LeapFrog Tag device. The device allows them to enrich their minds as they enjoy the travel.

4. Game Systems

For kids who love their play stations, you can purchase a portable gaming system for them. A gaming system is perfect for long flights, road trips, or train rides. Your child will not get bored travelling since they have their game system to keep them busy.

5. Video Streaming gadgets

The video streaming gadgets are perfect when your children are indoors due to the bad weather. To keep them interested in the trip, you can save some of their favourite streaming videos and watch them while inside a motel.

However, since all the above gadgets are easy targets for thieves; it is essential that you keep insure them using sites like switched on insurance who offer family packages.

Keeping these gadgets safe will not only spare you the risk of purchasing new ones all the tip but it will also help your children remain entertained throughout the journey.