Smart phones - Image via Flickr users Dru Bloomfield
Smart phones - Image via Flickr users Dru Bloomfield

Our topic this week was Gadgets. 

Thing: What gadgets does your family own?  Which one(s) could you not live without?  Use the Comments section below to discuss these questions or any others you have about gadgets.

Thing:  Check out our Gadget Sandbox on Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. in the Children's Library for a chance to play with different tablets and e-readers, including Leapfrog's and Innotab's tablets for kids.

*Don't forget, everyone who completes a Thing is entered into the weekly raffle.  Participants who complete all 21 Things will be entered into a Finale Raffle for a Kindle Fire! 

Comments

New friends

So happy I have new friends joining us in week 3!

Gadgets

Thing: What gadgets does your family own? We have an iPad, iTouch & Nook (older reader). If I had to choose one gadget it would be the iPad as it offers the most functions.

Can't imagine life without my iPhone

We have PC laptops, Mac desktop, two iPads, blackberry (from work), and one iPhone for our family of 5. Our kids sometime use the iPads (about once a week). They would be on it more, but we restrict their use. I am addicted to my iPhone because it allows me to track our schedules, keep in touch with family, and work on my volunteer activities. I find I can use downtime between activities and appointments in a more effective manner. I have to push to get my messages, so I do not get the constant buzzing which would decrease my attention on what I am doing, but I probably check my messages more than I used to.

Gadget week 1

I own all the apple portables iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTouch. I also have a Kindle. If you are new to gadgets and you are looking at a reader I think there are plenty of positives with a reader. I happen to be hooked on Amazon. I can shop for gifts at holidays and shop for books in one easy area. I still use my Kindle even though I have my i devices with a Kindle app. My Kindle is now several years old. It has a hard keyboard and no light. But that works for me reading at the beach or in the car. My i devices with the back light and glare or no visibility through polarized shades just make me find other places to sit and read. As for living without - YIKES! I don't want to do that. I follow social networks for friends and news. I get my emails in my hand no matter where I am. I can schedule a meeting, take notes at the meeting and send them all before I leave the meeting. I have a shopper app to keep track of my grocery list. That is how I manage my life. I need to keep my down time truely down time! These are all great tools that as a wife, mother, volunteer, and friend I can't do without to manage my busy schedule.

Gadgets

My family is more gadget oriented that I am. We have a PC, Mac, Mac Book as well as an iPod, iTouch, iPhone and Blackberry. Even in a family of four, it feels like we could easily make use of another Mac Book and iPhone.

Gadgets

When our family first started getting smart phones, laptops, etc, it seemed there was always a race to see who would be using each device. And everyone always wanted the device they could not have! Has anyone else experienced this grass-is-greener gadget envy in their own family?

Gadgets

We now have 2 blackberrys (adults), an ipad (adult), and an itouch (10 yr old). My 10 year old knows how to operate the idevices better than the adults in my household. I'm seriously considering getting an iphone so that I can keep up with her. I have set up her itouch so that the internet and youtube are off and entered g ratings on apps but I still have a concern about her use of the itouch, because it is practically a phone and in fact, she has found a free texting app (by Pinger and rated 4+) so that she can communicate with her friends. I think the texting app might be gaining information from her usage and I don't like that. I am considering removing the texting app and setting her up on Facetime instead, but video chatting makes me nervous too. I would love anyone's advice as to these security issues.

Gadgets

Data mining is always an issue with apps in general. Often, to make up for their low price (or the fact that they're free) they collect information from the device (GPS locations, contact information, etc.) to sell to 3rd party advertisers. It sounds like you've done a thorough job of keeping your daughter as safe as possibly on her device. This article, from KidsHealth.org, has additional safety tips for parents on the internet: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html but I would love to hear from other members of the group regarding their device security questions and how they handle this issue in their own homes.

Gadgets

We are really slow to become a gadget family. We have a desktop, laptop and blackberry. We just got the kids ITouch's in december. So i am very interested in seeing what the gadget sandbox has to show. Looking forward to it!

Gadgets

An iTouch is a great way to introduce your kids to touch technology. And there are many kid-friendly, educational apps for both the iPad and the iTouch. This is the library's App of the Month: http://www.darienlibrary.org/2012/01/02/app-month-doodlecast-kids We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Gadgets

My family includes 2 adult children. One prefers Mac, the other PC. So we have many gadgets between us. The trick seems to be to find the uses that improve your life, rather than simply take up time. The cnet information was very useful, yet I have found I really have to use a device. An example: While the Kindle Fire was appealing, it doesn't have the power to smoothly download consistently, which can interfere with borrowing library books. Your iPad for early literacy sounds interesting. I look forward to week 2.

Gadgets

It's interesting how we become comfortable with an operating system and then stick to that system - it's been my experience that like the commercial, a person is either a Mac or a PC, but not both. But I'm a PC, and I look nothing like my commercial counterpart! Your suggestion to try out devices is a great one. No matter how many reviews you read, nothing beats actually experimenting with the device in-hand. A great place to test out different devices is at our Gadget Sandbox this weekend!

Week 1Thing-gadgets

We don't own too many gadgets but it seems our inventory is slowly increasing. In addition to a desktop, laptop, and notebook computers, we got an iPhone in April and an iPad in December. Have to say the iPhone is indispensable as it is my link to everything- email, phone, Facebook- and it entertains my kids. Problem is they fight for it all the time! I have been slower to get into the iPad, but it is also a portable television for us so it gets a lot of use that way too. I am interested in learning more about the Leappad for my youngest to help curb the fighting, but at the same time I hate the idea of everyone sitting in front of a screen,

Week 1 Thing-gadgets

Once you get a smartphone, it seems impossible to remember what life was like without one! If you're interested in checking out the Leappad, we are always ready for new test users here in the Children's Library. You can ask any librarian and they will be able to bring it out for your in-house use. You might be interested in this review: http://preschoolers.about.com/od/technologyentertainment/fr/Leapfrog-Lea... Screentime is one of the most common issues that comes up with regards to children and technology. The APA recommends no screentime for children under the age of 2, but that seems highly unrealistic. We'll be talking about this at our Smart Apps, Sound Screentime panel event on Tuesday, March 13th at 9:30 am.