Category Archives: digital

Smarty Pins

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Photo by Mashable Composite Google.

Google has just introduced a new game that is perfect for our age group. Called Smarty Pins, the game is all about your knowledge of geography. Most of our contemporaries are pretty well versed, even if they haven’t travelled a lot.

I’m not playing this game, because on a speedy quiz like this, I go blank. Even though I have done extensive traveling over the last 12 years, I am sometimes hard pressed to pinpoint exactly where a certain city is located.

That is why we love the gift that my friends Ruth and Howard gave us a few years ago, a framed map of the world. The NY Times/National Geographic map which allows us to mark cities and countries visited with color coded pins. I can stare at the map for hours.

Smarty Pins uses Google Maps for its layout, locations, and zooming in and out features.

So many of you are beating me silly with Words With Friends, that I dare not take on any more challenges. I do, however, expect you to let us know how you like Smarty Pins.

Learn more about Smarty Pins here.

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The Happiness Blanket

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I wish American Airlines cared about me the same way British Airways cares about their passengers. British Airways is so anxious to please their clientele that they actually created a Happiness Blanket to measure what they are doing right, and what they are doing wrong.

Re/Code, the tech site, said the airlines uses a EEG headset with a fiber-optic cloth to create a monitor that senses the mental state of each passenger. The blanket changes color depending on the mood of each person — showing red for annoyance and blue for contentment.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the results. Blue was predominant when passengers were eating, drinking, and watching a movie. Red popped up when the ride got a little bumpy or the airline ran out of chocolate chip cookies.

If you think I’m fibbing, watch the above video.

Click and Collect Lockers

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Photo: Engadget

I feel like the retail industry keeps reinventing itself. At some point retailers may end up exactly where they started, a storefront. Friends of mine who are business writers tell me that the next big trend in retail will be to have Internet purchases delivered to a pick-up station rather than a home address. It seems that a lot of e-commerce retailers are looking for new ways to accommodate customers.

Engadget reported that Amazon has already started this in London. I heard that it will be instituted in the United States as well. As of last week, Amazon has opened what they call click-and-collect lockers in Finchley Central and Newbury Park Tube stations in London. It seems odd, but purchases are being delivered to pick-up stations in subways in order to be more convenient for workers who commute.

Amazon is not the only retailer seeking out sites for pick-up locations. I hear that traditional department stores, mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, and dedicated online retailers are considering this option too.

This may be a win-win for all. Customers get to pick where they want their purchases delivered and retailers get to make fewer delivery stops.

Perfecting Your Selfie

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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

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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.

A Spoon That Controls Tremors

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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.