Perfecting Your Selfie


I have never been able to take a decent Selfie. A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, usually taken with a camera phone. You don’t see many selfies from me on DigiDame, Facebook, and Instagram. I am somewhat envious of family and friends who document everything with a selfie. I would love to do that but my arms are too short.

I found that out the hard way. The more I tried to stretch out my arm to take a selfie, the harder it was for me to reach the shutter button. With a new phone device called selfy™, I can now slide the remote shutter out of the case and hold it one hand while my other hand holds the phone. That’s cool.

ILuv, the accessories company that makes the selfy explains, “The remote shutter wirelessly pairs to your phone via Bluetooth® and slides out from the back of the case. Using the remote, you can take pictures and videos without being limited to how you hold your phone.”

Retailing at $49.95, the selfy can be found at Amazon, Best Buy, others.

If you want a better understanding of what you can do with the new selfy, watch the video above.

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Getting Better Zzzzzzzz

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Here is a solution for many people who have trouble sleeping. SleepPhones!! Make your own environment by turning off ambient noise and adding soothing music. SleepPhone is a safe and comfortable headband for bedtime. The soft headband includes the earphones for music. It simply drowns out all the noise that keeps you from sleeping,

I always get a lot of questions about product specifications so I decided to include them all.

-Soft fleece headband hugs speakers to your ears
-Fits most humans – 21 1/2″ – 23 3/8″ around (around head, just above the ears)
-Speaker position adjustable
-Impedance: 32 Ohms
-Frequency: 20 – 20 kHz
-Power: 300/500 mW
-1/8″ (3.5mm) stereo plug
-Materials: Polartec 88% recycled plastic polyester, 12% spandex
-Removable speakers and machine-washable headband
-Battery life: 5-7 hours Charging time: 2 hours
-Wired: 48″ cord
-Bluetooth wireless range: 15-30 ft.
-Bluetooth features built-in volume control, play/pause
-Function as a private alarm clock if you can set your device to play music at a specific time
-Sewn and assembled in the USA

An invention like this can make all of the difference in the world. Check it out on Amazon. Price $44.95.

Here is my take on a product like this. If it relaxes you, and makes you cozy, then it will probably work. Just like comfort food, make your sleeping environment feel good for you.

Good night!

Forget Me Not

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The smallest booth at CE Week received the most attention. A tiny accessory called the ChargerLeash will prevent you from forgetting to take your charging cable out of the wall socket after your device is unplugged.

Many folks leave charging cables in hotel rooms, public areas, and in the homes of friends after they have powered up their mobile devices.

ChargerLeash features a small branded box in the center of the cable that will sound an alarm within five seconds if you forget to unplug your charger. First you connect the ChargerLeash to your mobile device and then plug it into your charging cord.

It is that simple.

The ChargerLeash is great for travelers who recharge their mobile devices in public outlets. No more thieves walking away with your phone without you being alerted. You will also never leave your power source behind in a hotel room. Buzz buzz.

The ChargerLeash is $34.99. If you think it’s expensive, remember it could save you plenty of money buying replacement charging cables in the future.
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ChargerLeash is now available on Amazon.

A Stand That Keeps Me Lying Down

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20140627-021649-8209604.jpgPhoto by DigiDame.

I’ll bet you think I'm sitting up while typing this post. Wrong. I'm lying down in my usual position. Ever since we gave up our physical office, I tend to hang out in bed more. I am totally comfortable diving right into my work early each morning without going through the daily rituals required when you leave the house.

I'm actually on my back right now as I type away. I'm holding my iPhone with my right hand and my left hand is clicking the keys. All this may change now that I saw the Tablift at CE Week.The Tablift by nbryte was designed to hold a smartphone or tablet for the person who likes to hang out on the couch or in bed.

The Tablift folks said most smartphones and tablets get 80% of their use in bed. The newly designed stand allows you to use your tablet in these places completely hands-free.

Learn more about The Tablift by clicking here.

The Tablift will be available on Amazon in a few weeks at $59.95.

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Lifelogging


I am going to take the money that I was going to use to buy a new mini iPad and purchase The Narrative Clip. The Narrative Clip was one of the most talked about products at CE Week this week. It’s a tiny, automatic camera that records your life.

I want to record my conversations without being conspicuous. I have been getting into disputes lately with close ones about who said what to whom, and how accurately I remember it. The Narrative Clip snaps two pictures a minute. Retailing at $279, the clip-on camera is part of a new wave of wearables that seniors could find very useful.

The video, above, gives you a great test review.

Getting Ready For Your Closeup

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Photo by: Business News Daily

If you are considering getting a new job after 50, I suggest you read this. Interviewing for a job has dramatically changed in the last few years and you need to learn body language skills in order to compete against the younger set. What’s more, employers are not necessarily interviewing you across a desk anymore. More and more companies are are relying on webcams. Companies that are virtual or have many satellite offices don’t necessarily feel the need to meet you face-to-face. Mashable, the lifestyle website, claims six out of 10 employers are conducting live or pre-recorded video interviews. (Some employers will give you a list of questions and you will be required to make your own recording).

I know you aren’t ready for this, but suddenly your body movement is as important as what you have to say. Here are some of the new rules that you need to learn. I am going to give you my interpretation and then you can read what Mashable has to say.

1. Maintain proper eye contact

Lock eye balls with the interviewer. This is the fastest way to let the person who is interviewing you know that you are totally focused on him or her.

2. Don’t forget to smile

This is a good exercise to implement all the time. If you smile, the other person will smile back. Then there is an instant connection. Try it. You will love it.

3. Avoid fidgeting

Don’t keep adjusting your body. Find a comfortable spot and stay there. If you move around too much, you look nervous.

4. Practice open body language and mirror your interviewer.

This is so simple to do. Model yourself after the person interviewing you. You will look like a team player.

Congratulations, you just got the job.

Click here for Mashable’s in-depth explanation.

A Spoon That Controls Tremors


I have trained myself to look for the little details in people. I am very into body language and facial expressions. I can tell immediately if someone is not feeling well or has had a change his or her personality. I can’t tell you why I know the difference in people, but I can immediately pick up changes.

I can instantaneously spot a slight tremor, even if it is totally subtle. A few months ago, I had breakfast with a group of friends. I was a little shocked when I saw one of the youngest guys at the table shaking. At first I thought I was seeing things, but then I noticed that he kept his hands under the table.

I didn’t ask what was wrong, but I got very nervous when he started to eat. Everything was going all over the place. I had to pretend all was normal.

CNET recently did a story about the Liftware Spoon by Lift Labs in San Francisco. Its patented spoon technology actually helps stabilize tremors and related disorders. A press release said the spoon uses an “active cancellation of tremor” technology that works to counteract the tremors people can experience in their hands and help prevent spills.

The folks at Lift Labs say the spoon will cost $295 when it becomes available in September. Watch the video to see if it is worth it. We may need to tell others. The older we get, the more shaking is going on. Look for it.

I’m A Devoted Water Flosser

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I hate flossing so much that I have just avoided it all together for years. It’s not that I’m too lazy to take the time to floss. It’s that I don’t like placing the string between my teeth. I always feel like I am going to yank a tooth right out of my mouth. It just doesn’t seem like the smart thing to do even though my dentist insists nothing will happen.

As luck would have it, a former client of mine joined Water Pik, in Fort Collins, Colorado, a few months ago. Suzanne Carranza called to tell me about her new marketing job and how she was promoting the company’s latest product, a water flosser. I immediately became intrigued because I realized this could turn out to be a great alternative to the scary string.

I got my hands on The Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser (WP-100) a few weeks ago and I have been a dedicated flosser ever since. I really wanted to tell you about this device but I had to test it out for a period of time before writing my review.

Quite honestly, I feel like I am doing something very good for myself. The force of water feels great on my gums and the entire cleaning process makes me feel refreshed and reinvigorated. I get the same feeling when I take a shower. It’s like providing myself with a clean slate. I’m washing away all the unwanted remnants from yesterday and giving myself a fresh, new start.

By the way, Suzanne assured me that the Waterpik Water Flosser is ideal
for anyone’s with braces, implants, crowns, bridges, or periodontal pockets.

I have to admit that the first time I used the Waterpik Water Flosser, I made a mess. I sprayed water everywhere. My bathroom mirror, the counter, the sink, and my clothes were soaked. I got the hang of it and now, there’s not a drop of water anywhere.

I am proud to say my gums are getting a workout and I feel better about trying to achieve better oral health.

Good Vibrations


I always wanted to play the piano but never took the time to learn. One of my big regrets. It would have been so cool to sit down and have everyone gather around singing show tunes. I recently thought about taking lessons, but who am I kidding? I never had the patience to learn when I was younger, so it’s not happening now.

All is not lost. I just read on Tech Crunch that Thad Starner, a Georgia Tech professor, created a new fingerless glove called the Mobile Music Touch that can teach anyone to play a guitar, piano, and other musical instruments. Watch the video above for a milestone presentation.

All you have to do is slip on the new glove and feel the vibrations. The glove is “equipped with a robotic box of wires fixed at the back containing a Bluetooth radio and micro-controller.”

Starner said, “The repetitive buzz from the device infuses a kind of muscle memory that, in theory, can really cut your time for learning things like playing the piano.”

There is no official launch date for the Mobile Music Touch. I will keep you informed.

Instagram For Doctors

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Image: Figure 1.

I am sure there were many times over the years, when you visited a doctor, you wanted a second opinion, right then and there. Just a few weeks ago, I visited my dermatologist and thought for sure I had another basal cell carcinoma on my leg. When he told me my skin was clear, I wished that I had another doctor confirming his diagnosis. The news was too good to be true.

The day of doctors conferring with each other, right on the spot, is finally here. Say hello to Instagram For Doctors. Created by Dr.Josh Landy, a Canadian Internist, the new app is called Figure 1. It lets doctors upload medical photos, explore others, and discuss them with the network of medical professionals. The app was designed to safeguard all personal information.

LinkedIn identified Dr. Landy as a Canadian Internist and Critical Care Medicine Specialist, having completed his M.D. at the University of Western Ontario, his internal medicine residency at the University of Alberta, and his critical care fellowship at the University of Toronto. In 2012, Joshua was invited to become a visiting scholar at Stanford University, where he researched online and multimedia-oriented approaches to health education. In 2013, Joshua co-founded a mobile health startup called Figure 1, a free-access repository of medical images available to the medical community.

Figure 1 helps doctors communicate with other medical professionals who have certain specialties. Doctors create their own Figure 1 profile, detail personal information such as specialties, areas of interest, the institution they’re associated with, and their location.

Landy claims, “There are around 100,000 medical professionals and almost 15% of U.S. medical students, currently using Figure 1. The app gets around 500,000-700,000 image views a day and has about 80 million image views total.”

I’m happy doctors can now easily exchange images. I just hope more and more take advantage of it.

Business Insider, a news site, recently posted a more in-depth story about Figure 1. Enjoy it.