Category Archives: senior lifestyle

Just In Case   

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Image: Indiegogo Just In Case

Somebody up there must like me. I’m finally going to get the one feature I always felt was missing from the iPhone. A company in Tel Aviv, called Just in Case, is introducing a case for the iPhone that can record any call as well as any in-person conversation. I  have been complaining for years that Apple never allowed me to record any of my calls on the iPhone. 

Maybe Steve Jobs wanted it that way for legal reasons, but that didn’t help me record detailed information that was being dictated to me. Most states allow a call to be recorded if both sides are in agreement. 

Just In Case is presently raising money on the crowd sourcing site, Indiegogo. The case is designed for IPhone 5 and above and features an internal recording device that will allow me to record a phone call or in-person conversation without connecting to an app or an external recording source. Yippee.

All audio files are stored on a 2GB microSD card. The storage files can be expanded. A built-in battery provides up to eight hours of recording time. The best news is that the case does not draw power from the iPhone. It has its own charging port.

The cases, slated for May,  will be available in red, blue, yellow, black, and white. Retail should be around $29.00.

Bring it on!!!!   

If You’re Not Living On The Edge, You’re Taking Up Too Much Space 

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I love thinking about the proverb “If you’re not living on the edge,  you’re taking up too much space.” Those words probably mean different things to different people.

To me, it means, I better keep taking risks and keep going on adventures otherwise my brain will disintegrate into a dustball. It also means that life should be lived to the fullest. The above video, circulating the Internet, shows what it is really like living on the edge in Pacifica, CA.  I don’t have the guts for that.

Robots Delivering To Robots

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You have to watch this video to witness what the world will be like in the not too distant future. Drones will be able to land on moving cars. Some of those cars may even be self-driving ones.

Imagine that you have been driving for an hour to a friend’s home. You suddenly  realize that you forgot your wallet on the kitchen table. That happened to me once. I was carrying so many bags, I didn’t realize that I left my wallet home. I made Eliot turn around so I could retrieve my most important cards and papers, because we were going to be away for the weekend. Eliot was not too happy, but he did it anyway. 

This kind of a situation may never happen again in a few years. There will be a time when you can commission a drone to get what you left behind. Hopefully, someone is at home to help with this task.

Watch the video provided by CNET so you can see how a drone lands on a car. You can also read about it here.

Postings On Facebook 

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  Sophia at 80, Happy Birthday 

Sophia At 80.

  

 

Tech Jewelry 

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This is the year that “wearable devices” truly become increasingly popular. How do I know? I read a lot of tech sites and more companies that manufacture fashion technology pieces are showing up at CES. 

One such company is Wisewear of San Antonio, TX. The brand is Socialite, a luxury smart jewelry line that conceals advanced technology inside interesting bracelets. Socialite’s jewelry features mobile notifications, distress messaging, and detailed activity tracking. Socialite’s app provides many more options.  

Each bracelet was designed by a fashion professional. My favorite one is 94-year old Iris Apfel, an American businesswoman, interior designer, and fashion icon.

The bracelets are about $395.00 each and they are still in early production (beta) so if you want to be any early adopter, proceed with caution.

Visit the Wisewear website to see the catalog.
 

Iris , you are amazing.

  

I love her style.

 

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Lyft And Uber Share Drivers 

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 I was clueless until a Lift driver in Miami confessed to me last week that a growing number of drivers work for both Uber and Lyft. I don’t know why I ever thought each transportation company had their own exclusive group of drivers, but that’s not the case. 

“Everyone I know, works for both,” said a driver who drove me from my hairdresser last Thurdsay back home along Alton Drive. “I keep both apps open and answer the one that calls first. This way, I get the maximum number of requests a day and do not ride around for too long without a customer.”

The other surprising fact I learned last week is that most drivers refer to themselves as “Uber” because most doormen and valet parking staff never heard of Lyft. “It’s just easier to announce ourselves as an Uber car when we arrive to pick up a passenger. The folks we are picking up know who to look for and the hotel or condo staff recognize the Uber name more, so they tell us almost immediately if someone is waiting for a car. If we said we were from Lyft, hotel and housing staff give us a puzzled look.

Lift is trying to work on its branding by  dropping prices in 33 cities. Some of the cities with reduced rates include Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington DC. New York and Chicago are still at full prices. Lyft is still determined to be the most affordable option for passengers.

Let the price wars begin! 

Hazel, A Musical Maid In America 

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It’s not often that you get to see the makings of a Broadway Show. I thought I would share this video of Hazel, a musical maid in America, because it shows the humble beginnings of what could possibly be a Tony award winner. Eliot and I are involved in the musical. The video is an interview with the creators. The show is based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post comic strip, and the 1960’s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. 

Hazel is debuting out-of-town at the The Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook, IL. on April 6, 2016. Next stop Broadway. 

The New York Times mentioned Hazel yesterday in an article that talked about how Chicago is becoming a sophisticated show-going town before Broadway. See it here. 

Our good friends Ron Abel, composer and musical arranger and Chuck Steffan, lyricist, are the original creators of the show. Actress Klea Blackhurst is Hazel. The story was written by Lissa Levin and Joshua Bergasse, well known for his work on NBC’s SMASH, will direct and choreograph. He also was the recipient of a 2015 Tony nomination for Best Choreography for his Broadway debut in ON THE TOWN.

This video could be the start of something big. 

 

 
 

#SOTU Tweets 

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Tweets in no particular order. All were posted during and after State Of The Union
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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My CES Favorite 

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When I walked past the iHealth Lab booth at the CES, I just stopped and stared. I felt like I walked into a candy store for seniors.

    

  
  
The company was offering every product you could ever want in order to maintain good health for years to come. The one that amazed me the most will be ready in just a few months. It’s an ambulatory ECG device. You wear it under your clothes. iHealth is still waiting for FDA clearance. 

iHealth claims this is the “first of its kind wearable, ambulatory ECG that monitors heart activity continuously without cumbersome wires or connections. The electrodes and monitor are ergonomically designed into a single, lightweight device that attaches directly to the users chest.  

“The data can be transferred directly to a user’s mobile device that automatically pushes data to the cloud, allowing for easy access by health care professionals.”

I know a lot of people who would love a device like this because they want to monitor their heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia). Many folks believe a unit like this can save their lives. All they have to see is a small abnormality and they immediately call their doctor who can view it too. iHealth explains what to look for. 

How amazing it that?

The ECG  uses Bluetooth 4.0 BLE to transfer data to an IOS device or can transfer data to a PC using an USB cable. The product uses a rechargeable battery and stores up to 72 hours of data. 

I will let you know when the unit becomes available.