{"id":355,"date":"2009-12-19T00:05:22","date_gmt":"2009-12-19T07:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=355"},"modified":"2009-12-19T00:05:22","modified_gmt":"2009-12-19T07:05:22","slug":"top-8-christmas-gadgets-for-moms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/top-8-christmas-gadgets-for-moms\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 8 Christmas Gadgets for Moms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"The<\/a><\/dt>\n
Image via Wikipedia<\/span><\/span><\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

by Lori Cunningham<\/span><\/p>\n

Moms lead overscheduled<\/span><\/span> lives.\u00a0 There are plenty of gifts to give a mom to help her relax or even glam her up.\u00a0 But what’s a gift that will help her to sa<\/span><\/span>ve valuable time or help her to pursue a hobby?\u00a0Introducing \u00a0WellConnectedMom<\/span><\/span>.com’s<\/span><\/span> Top\u00a08 Christmas\u00a0Gadgets for Moms.\u00a0 This isn’t your typical Christmas gift guide, as all items pertain to technology.\u00a0 But rest assured, you’ll find something on this list that will appeal to any mom.<\/p>\n

Top\u00a0Eight Gadgets for Mom:<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0\"The\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The Nook<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Love to read books?\u00a0 Do you carry around a large bo<\/span><\/span>ok<\/span><\/span> around with you wherever you go?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Now you can buy your books electronically – called eBooks<\/span><\/span> – can store them on a portable eReader<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 The Nook<\/span><\/span> is the newest eReader<\/span><\/span> on the market.\u00a0 The Barnes & Noble’s Nook<\/span><\/span> weighs only 10.2 oz. has a 10 day battery life, and a 6 inch screen including a smaller color touch screen at the bottom.\u00a0 The words of the bo<\/span><\/span>ok<\/span><\/span> are black and white, but below is a touch menu screen which shows the bo<\/span><\/span>ok<\/span><\/span> covers in color.<\/p>\n

The Nook has an internal 2 GB memory and a SD card slot which allows up to 16GB of additional dri<\/span><\/span>ve space.\u00a0 Cool features include being able to download any complete eBook<\/span><\/span> within Barnes & Noble’s network in their stores.\u00a0 Read them at your leisure while in the store.\u00a0 You can also easily download eBooks<\/span><\/span> for free at your local library.\u00a0 eReaders<\/span><\/span> are great for books, magazines, magazines, and .pdf<\/span><\/span> files.\u00a0 Now you can take your entire library with you when on the go.\u00a0 The Nook<\/span><\/span> is the only color touch eReader<\/span><\/span> on the market.\u00a0 However, if you want to give one to a mom for Christmas, you’re going to have to give her an I.O.U.\u00a0 The Nook<\/span><\/span> just debuted in early December and they have already sold out.\u00a0 More will be available in January.\u00a0 The Nook<\/span><\/span> retails for $259.\u00a0 For more info. see The Nook<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

To see The Nook in action, watch this video from Barnes & Noble’s:
\n<\/object><\/p>\n

iPhone or iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"iPhoneThe Apple\u00a0iPhone is a great phone and tool for anyone.\u00a0 There is so much capability packed into both the iPhone and the iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch.\u00a0 With both devices you can synchronize your calendar and contacts, upload your pictures, videos, and music, use the GPS system, check your e-mail, play games, set the alarm clock, use the calculator, phone home (iPhone), with many more activities available for free or purchase.\u00a0 Currently, there are over 100,000 applications available for the iPhone – and nearly as many for the\u00a0iPod Touch.\u00a0\u00a0 Compare that to Google’s 20,000 Android apps and Blackberry’s\u00a02,000 apps.\u00a0 There is virtually every application for any need.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So what’s the difference between the iPhone and the iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch anyway?<\/p>\n

The iPhone and iPod<\/span><\/span> are similar in many ways.\u00a0 The main differences are that the iPhone includes a phone and a camera.\u00a0 Because of the contract you buy with AT&T, you can connect to the Internet through their 3G network.\u00a0 The iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch does not have a phone or camera but it does have the capability to upload your videos and pictures to a TV, whereas the iPhone cannot.\u00a0 Also, the iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch connects to the Internet through WiFi<\/span><\/span>, not the AT&T network.\u00a0 So in order for the GPS to work, you need a WiFi<\/span><\/span> connection — which is hard to get in a car.<\/p>\n

If you already recei<\/span><\/span>ve cell service or don’t mind switching to AT&T, the iPhone is the way to go.\u00a0 However, if you don’t want to switch carriers or don’t mind carrying around a phone and an iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch, the iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch is a more economical way to go.\u00a0 The\u00a016 GB iPhone 3GS retails\u00a0 for $199 plus the cost of AT&T’s 2 year contracted service and the 8 GB iPod<\/span><\/span> Touch retails for $199.<\/p>\n

miBook<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0\"MiBook\u00a0 The miBook<\/span><\/span> player\u00a0is a handy LCD screen\u00a0tool that helps moms (and others) to prepare meals, decorate and garden, have a healthy pregnancy, review parenting tips, figure out home projects, and even prepare for trips to NYC, Washington DC, Orlando, and more.\u00a0 MiBook’s<\/span><\/span> packaging states the miBooks<\/span><\/span> are ‘revolutionary<\/span>books that come ali<\/span><\/span>ve with words, videos, and sound.”\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>The miBook<\/span><\/span> gives step by step video\u00a0instructions, pausing after each instruction, so you can follow along.\u00a0 Now when you get distracted by chaos from the kids in the other room, no problem.\u00a0 The video will pause at each step, so resol<\/span><\/span>ve your kids’ conflict, then come back and replay the step you were just at.\u00a0 MiBooks<\/span><\/span> keeps track of where you are, so you don’t have too.\u00a0 MiBook<\/span><\/span> looked like a great product so I contacted miBook<\/span><\/span> to allow me to review it.\u00a0 MiBook<\/span><\/span> responded back right away and sent me a MiBook<\/span><\/span> and several of their cooking series MiBooks<\/span><\/span> to review.\u00a0 The cooking miBooks<\/span><\/span> contained 150 recipes on each miBook<\/span><\/span> and the recipes I tried were very good.\u00a0 I particularly liked the “Healthy Cooking for Kids” miBook<\/span><\/span>, which emphasizes fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables.\u00a0 It’s a great activity to do with your children.\u00a0 I’ll have more to say on he miBook<\/span><\/span> in the new year.\u00a0 The miBook<\/span><\/span> retails for $139.99 at Amazon with the Home Decorating and Gardening Guide included.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Baby Video Monitor<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"SwannA baby video monitor is perfect for keeping an eye on your baby when s\/he is sleeping.\u00a0 Today’s baby video monitors are much more portable and technoligically<\/span><\/span> advanced than those in the past.\u00a0 Many video monitors have advanced signals so they do not recei<\/span><\/span>ve interference from cordless phones, wireless devices, and microwaves<\/span>.\u00a0 In addition, some monitors<\/span> even encrypt<\/span> the signal for added security so the signal cannot be intercepted by outside wirless <\/span><\/span>devices.\u00a0 Today’s video monitors include infrared night vision so you can see your baby even in a darkened room.\u00a0 Some also include a nightlight and lullaby music that plays from your remote control.\u00a0\u00a0 To sa<\/span><\/span>ve battery life, monitors stay in standby until the camera picks up movement.\u00a0 Once movement is detected, your video monitor will turn on so you can see the baby.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Through<\/span><\/span> research, Wellconnectedmom<\/span><\/span> \u00a0found the Swann<\/span><\/span> SW233-BDM ADW330 Digital Wireless FamilyCam<\/span><\/span> Monitor and Camera to be a very good monitor.\u00a0 Swann<\/span><\/span> is a surveillance manufacturer and their cameras\u00a0offer\u00a0vivid pictures and sound.\u00a0 The FamCam<\/span><\/span> offers a 2.36″ color LCD and covers distances up to 165 ft. away.\u00a0 The retail price of the Swan FamCam<\/span><\/span> is $199, but it too is on sale right now at Amazon for $149<\/a>.\u00a0 The Swan monitor can also be found at Home Depot and Radio Shack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Coby-DP702-7-(169)-Digital-Photo-Frame-with-MP3-Player-(Wooden-Frame)-img1Digital Picture Frame<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0Digital picture frames are a great way to keep your pictures “ali<\/span><\/span>ve” throughout the year.\u00a0 No longer are they stored in a drawer, photo album, or filed on your computer.\u00a0\u00a0 Digital picture frames show digital pictures in such a vivid display and\u00a0they are fun to watch just to see what picture will come up next.\u00a0 Today’s digital\u00a0picture frames have come a long way.\u00a0 The frames are now less expensive<\/span>ve, can hold more pictures, and some can even connect wirelessly<\/span><\/span> to your computer anytime\u00a0a new picture is added.\u00a0 Digital picture frames can display family picutres<\/span><\/span>, but they are also great for showing off your child’s scanned in artwork.\u00a0 Down the road, it’s more than likely that digital picture frames will be commonplace and multiple will be used throughout the house in different sizes.<\/p>\n

Because of the power adaptor needed, digital picture frames do not need to be running all the time – just turn it on when you feel like seeing your pictures.\u00a0\u00a0Having guests over and using your digital picture frame\u00a0is a great way to show them what you\u2019ve been up to \u2013 as their interest allows.\u00a0 If they\u2019re intrigued, they\u2019ll watch more, if not, that\u2019s ok<\/span><\/span> too.\u00a0 For further information on what features to look<\/span><\/span> for in a good digital picture frame, see the wellconnectedmom’s<\/span><\/span> review on digital picture frames<\/a>.\u00a0 I recommend getting a as big a digital picture frame as you can afford (8 inches minimum) and ensure it’s WiFi<\/span><\/span> capable if you have a wireless<\/span> network at home.\u00a0 Digital picture frames retail from anywhere $$90 up to over $200 for a 8″ frame.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"SanyoHand Camcorder<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0One thing moms always need but never seem to have with them is a camera\/video camera.\u00a0 So many great moments could be captured if only mom had her camera.\u00a0 Smartphones<\/span><\/span> are helping in this area immensely<\/span>, but smart phones<\/span> are limited because they typically only shoot at 1 – 3 megapixels<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 Several years ago the Flip Video Camcorder entered the market and changed the way camcorders are used.\u00a0 Flip Video Cam’s are called “Flip” due to an USB arm that can extend from the camera and connects to your computer.\u00a0 Uploading videos\u00a0is effortless\u00a0and the video can easily be shared with YouTube.<\/p>\n

Now that the Flip has been out for awhile, there are a number of hand cam competitors with prices as low as $40 to past $400.\u00a0 After trying both the Flip Ultra and the Sanyo<\/span><\/span> Xacti<\/span><\/span> CG10 (pictured), Wellconnectedmom<\/span><\/span> recommends the Sanyo<\/span><\/span> Xacti<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 The Sanyo<\/span><\/span> Xacti<\/span><\/span> is more beneficial to moms because it includes a 10 megapixel<\/span><\/span> camera and a camcorder.\u00a0 In addition, it has a 5x digital zoom (Flip has a 2x zoom), a Lithium-ion battery and charger, a flash, a larg<\/span><\/span> rotating LCD screen (making self-portraits easy), a SD\/SDHC slot (for cards up to 32GB), and many more advanced features.\u00a0 The main disadvantage is that the Sanyo\u00a0Xacti<\/span><\/span> cam requires a USB cable to connect.\u00a0 If you’re looking for the easiest way to download videos, the Flip is the best way to go.\u00a0 If you want a camera and camcorder with enhanced features, choose the Sanyo<\/span><\/span> Xacti<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 The Flip Ultra retails for $129 and the Sanyo<\/span><\/span> Xacti<\/span><\/span> retails for $165<\/span> the price just dropped, now it’s $149 at Amazon.com.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"WiiWii<\/span><\/span> Fit<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit has revolutionized the way moms are “squeezing” in time for their workouts.\u00a0 No longer do you need to go to a gym or hire a personal trainer.\u00a0 All you have to do is turn on your Wii<\/span><\/span> and buy Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit and the balance board to\u00a0 get started.\u00a0 OK, perhaps it’s not all you have to do.\u00a0 Regular exercise is still good – in fact it burns 50% more calories than a workout on your Wii<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 Nonetheless, the Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit makes it fun to work out and if it’s fun, you’re more likely to do it.\u00a0 The Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit features lots of games so you don’t even realize you’re working out.\u00a0 Exercises include ski racing and jumping, strength training, yoga, calisthenics, step aerobics, jogging, and hula hooping.\u00a0 The more you play, the more games and levels you “unlock,” so the game stays interesting.<\/p>\n

The Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit will also help you track\u00a0weight to let you know how you’re progressing as you workout with the Fit.\u00a0 A Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit trainer will walk you through the exercises to help you do them right.\u00a0 The balance board can sense whether you’re out of balance or could be standing incorrectly.\u00a0 The personal trainer tries to motivate you by telling you “good job.\u00a0 Besides the Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit, there are many new fitness games available to help you expand your workouts.\u00a0 The new fitness game by Jenny Mc Carthy<\/span><\/span> ($66.99) \u00a0includes a video camera and can detect whether you doing a particular exercise correctly!\u00a0 What will they think of next!\u00a0 The Wii<\/span><\/span> Fit retails for $109.95.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Netbook<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/span>A netbook<\/span><\/span> is a computer that is smaller and less powerful than a laptop.\u00a0 Netbooks<\/span><\/span> weigh under 3 lbs., are very portable (they can even fit in larger purses), come in a variety of colors, and typically have keyboards that are 70-90% the size of a normal laptop keyboard.\u00a0 Moms will love the portability and convenience of\u00a0 being able to check their e-mail, surf the web, upload and edit pictures, and work on documents.\u00a0 A netbook<\/span><\/span> can easily handle the loading of additional programs and games, as long as they are not graphically intense.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 WellConnectedMom<\/span><\/span>.com recommends buying an 11 ” screen netbook <\/span><\/span>with either an Intel N270 or N280 processor.\u00a0 The minimum hard dri<\/span><\/span>ve space should be 160GB and 1 Ram of memory.\u00a0 A netbook<\/span><\/span> retails typically from $269 to $400, dependent upon the model.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, what do you think?\u00a0 What are your suggestions for\u00a0“must have” gadgets for mom?\u00a0 Add a comment below and give your feedback.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introducing WellConnectedMom.com’s Top 8 Christmas Gadgets for Moms. This isn’t your typical Christmas gift guide, but moms will love it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[61,2780],"class_list":["post-355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gadgets","tag-christmas","tag-gadgets","entry","has-post-thumbnail"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}