Tech Savvy Mom May 07

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Tech Savvy Mom

Mom, please read one more story.

We've all heard it before, now you can say yes and still get dinner on the table, with the Web site that reads the storybook while flipping the pages for your child. An online Mom's helper, it offers a small selection of books, which should grow larger, but for now is just right. Enjoy a good book read by someone else.

www.ModernMom.com

A mom has no time to waste. She needs info, from diapering to kitchen basics, lots of it, and she needs it fast. I like the 'MomTV' clip analyzing one mom's snack cabinet. Alas, too many ads almost spoil the effectiveness of it all.

Kidz Web Sites

Virtual Habitats for Plush Pets

Meet the plush toy that comes alive online and welcome to the world of Webkinz! The Webkinz phenomenon is still going strong, CNN reports traffic has skyrocketed since their initial release in 2005. With the average visit clocked at a little over 2 hours, this really is a "sticky" site. Webkinz by Ganz offer a virtual reality and tweens (8-12) are diving right in.

Buy a furry friend (Hallmark stores carry the Webkinz line), log in and use your "secret code" to get started at the Adoption Center. You choose a name, whether your pet is a boy or girl, then move your Webkins into a special room, with 2000 in Kinz Cash to decorate your room and feed your pet. The Happy, Health and Hunger meter helps you monitor whether your pet is thriving in the online environment. Get in the game at www.webkinz.com, but beware, it is addictive.

Gadgets & Gizmos

Safe, Secure and Ready

If you’ve got a child you know about the AMBER Alert System. And if you read the blogosphere, you know about the new tech AMBER Alert Child ID Kit, winner of 2006 Computerworld Honors Program.

The ID Kit is a portable flash drive that plugs into any USB port and instantly offers parents access to update information about their children - hair color, weight, photos or other data in the case of the unthinkable. The 512MB secure flash drive can be provided to authorities in an instant. With the data encryption and password protection, you keep predators out if the flash drive gets into the wrong hands. One drawback; It is not yet Mac friendly. But it is PC compatible (MS, XP and Vista) and available online for $29.95. A bargain for your peace of mind.

Tech Savvy Mom Archive

April 2007

Kid friendly search engine Quintura, a video monitor for home and high-security holder that prevents virtual identity theft of the new e-passports.

March 2007

Sites for busy moms, high-tech tripods for a shot of the kids at any angle and a rubiks' cube for the 21st century.

February 2007

Sites that rate summer camps, hi-tech camps, iPod gadgets and software to keep your kids safe.