Moms Gone Geek
By themoms@momsgonegeek.net
To listen to an audio podcast, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to download and subscribe to podcasts.
Podcast Description
Moms Gone Geek is a multi-media resource on technology from a mom's point of view. Co-hosts and comrades share their views and experiences on the latest consumer business technologies to infiltrate their respective homes and lives.
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
MGG 028 Do You DIY? | We geeks want to know: Do you fix your own stuff when it breaks or do you outsource? Tell us about your favorite DIY tools. Or, tell us where you go to get it fixed. Listen to this episode of Moms Gone Geek to find out about ours DIY methods. | 5/29/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
2 |
MGG 027 Cloudapalooza | Online Music Storage & Streaming Amazon Cloud Player Remote Screen Sharing Join.me Skype version 5 has one-way screen sharing built in Productivity 37Signals Suite Online Photo Management & Storage Canon Rebel EOS SX borrowlenses.com Flickr SmugMug Pick of the Week iPhone App (iTunes Link): Remote Apple Support Article Babbel (Babbel - Purchase) Stubby Pencil Studio | 5/1/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
3 |
MGG 026 Welcome Back | After a long hiatus, Moms Gone Geek is making a come-back. We’ re now armed with new gadgets, new apps and even a new Mom! Listen to Moms Gone Geek catch up and talk about what’s been keeping all of us so busy over the past year. This first, post-maternity break show is packed with tips, reviews and information we hope you’ll find useful. Show Notes for Episode 26: Welcome Back Note: There are 2 versions of this podcast available. One is the enhanced version and the other is the regular MP3 version. Let us know if you really like the enhanced version. They take a bit more work to produce, but if they are well-received, we can keep producing them for you. Click here for the enhanced version of this podcast. It includes images and links. A Look at How Far We’ve Come Melissa & Pat Visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps Melissa took these pictures of tools used by Marines in the past to compare to tools used presently, like her iPhone. iPhone Repair Tips, Tricks & Advice: iPhones are not machine washable – sort of. Ocarina iPhone app by Smule, Inc. Balloonimals app for iPad or iPhone Skype Beta is u-g-l-y (but try it out for yourself) ooVoo GTalk Skype & Bandwidth Troubleshooting Droid 2 finally gets Naomi using an on-screen keyboard Melissa’s new son, Keagan, turns 1 on Skype Pat’s family is growing…again Naomi is knee-deep in college admissions Tech in Health News for Those with Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease How Technology Helps Those with Parkinson’s, Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease Healthful Apps iPads Are Great for the Young and Old Apple iPad IMDB app Did you know about Indigo? Wikipedia app Tablet Talk Reference Article: It’s a Tablet. It’s Gorgeous. It’s Costly. by DAVID POGUE Google TV Gets No Love From Us…yet Apple TV Skype vs iChat ——————- More on Troubleshooting Bandwidth Issues Don’t do WEP! Just. Don’t. Do. It! Router Preferences HDD: Hard Drive Discussion Newer Technology’s Voyager Dock | 11/20/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
4 |
MGG 025 Geek Eats with Kat Curlee | Grab yourself a snack and tune in to this packed episode where we discuss all things geek AND food with Kat and Dave Curlee of the shows “Cooking with Kat” and the new “The Kitchen Gadget Show.” Who knew just how much tech and geek talk could be involved while discussing cooking! Discover your inner geek — on the other side of the screen — in the KITCHEN! Listen to the Curlees share their cooking tips, family stories, production techniques, favorite links and cooking tools — all this week on Moms Gone Geek! Social Networks & Recipe Sharing Cooking with Kat: www.KatCurlee.com The Kitchen Gadget Show Facebook Fan Page www.DaveCurlee.com Kat on Twitter: @KatCurlee Dave on Twitter: @DaveCurleee Meal Planning Kat’s Ten Back-to-School Meal Planning Tips That Can Save You Money Make fewer trips to the grocery store—or fast food restaurants—and cut your fuel costs. Frequent trips to the grocery store waste time, gas and money. So, create your meal plans for the week and make all of your purchases in one trip to the store. Eliminate wasted food that goes uneaten in your refrigerator. When you plan your meals you make better use of the food you purchase and reduce spoilage. For example, soups and stews are a great way to make use of extra vegetables, milk or cheese. Buy fresh produce in season—when it’s cheaper. You’ll pay more for food purchased off-season so choose recipes that use seasonal ingredients. Build meals around sale items featured at your grocery store. Take advantage of what’s on sale by searching our recipe database by ingredient. Clip coupons and check store promotions for foods you buy on a regular basis. This is a money saving habit that can really add up over the long term. Stock your pantry when items you can store in the cupboard or freezer are on sale. In addition to saving money up front, buying more of your kitchen staples when they go on sale will also ensure that you always have healthy food on hand for those nights when you don’t know what to cook. Eat a healthy breakfast from home—decrease spending on expensive convenience foods eaten on the go or purchased from vending machines. Breakfasts do not need to be complicated. Having simple foods on hand, such as yogurt, whole-wheat bread, fruit and cereal, provide important nutrients often lacking in convenience foods. Pack your lunch. Lunch and snacks prepared at home save money. Packing your lunch will keep you from feeling pressured to purchase expensive and often less nutritious meals or snacks from convenience stores, vending machines and restaurants. If you’re already making a lunch for your children, it only takes a few more minutes to make an extra sandwich or snack for yourself. Buy in bulk. Purchase and prepare your favorite and frequently eaten foods in bulk—such as, purchasing two for one gallons of milk. Preparing dinner “in bulk” by doubling a recipe or adding another serving or two will cost very little extra and leave you with leftovers for lunches or another dinner later in the week. Eat at home. Make time for family meals at home. Meals prepared at home are often more nutritious and less expensive than restaurant meals. In addition to providing your family with nutritious meals and cutting food costs, eating at home gives you the invaluable opportunity to talk to and connect with your family. Creating Digital Cookbooks DigitalCookbook.tv PanDigital.com sells a Kitchen HDTV Digital Recipe/Picture Frame using Bon Apetite collection. Can be used as a counter top device or install it under cabinet. Favorite Sites MealsMatter.Org Hershey’s Kraft Food & Family FoodTV GroceryGame.com Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller Favorite Gadgets in the Kitchen Sankotu Knife Egg Slicer Kitchenaid Mixer Great Grandmother’s Cast Iron Skillet Kat’s Favorite Tech Tools from a Mom’s Perspective iPod Touch!!! “I can keep my schedule, pictures, music, check weather, etc. It’s my F[...] | 10/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
5 |
MGG 024 Gone Geek with Allison Sheridan | In this episode, we interview über geeky Mom, Allison Sheridan of the NosillaCast podcast. (or the “Nosillycast” as my son, Lucian, likes to call it) We discuss how she’s gone “the way of the geek” and what that means to her from a Mom’s perspective both personally and professionally. Allison shares her stories about life as a geeky mom and how she’s evolved into a popular podcaster with the support of her kids and her Soul Mate/Husband, Steve. You won’t want to miss the sage advice she has to offer — all this week on Moms Gone Geek. Subscribe to the NosillaCast Mac Podcast hosted at http://podfeet.com Follow Allison on Twitter at http://twitter.com/podfeet Go see Allison is speak at the BlogWorld and New Media Expo 2009! “I’ll be doing a talk entitled Podcaster Starter Kit where I’ll walk through all the tools to get started and some advice on why you need the different tools. My talk is Friday October 16th at 11:30am!” http://www.blogworldexpo.com/ Allison is listed as number 224 Other Podcasting Contributions by Allison Sheridan Mac Roundtable at http://macroundtable.com Mac Reviewcast at http://macreviewcast.com Just how geeky do Moms get? Before there was Excel or iCal, there was this thing called a pencil and you could draw a hand-made graph of your basal body temperature. This is helpful information to have when trying to conceive. Here is the graph Allison saved when they were trying to conceive their daughter. (Hi Lindsay, you weren’t just planned, you were plotted!) Allison’s anecdote on the memory attached to this graph, “The best part though is that I flipped it over and on the back was a draft of a love note to my husband after we had become pregnant with “Orsen” telling him how happy I was with our life and how excited I was about the upcoming adventure. Lindsay’s nick name in the womb was Orsen because of a joke by Dave Barry where he said, “Women who are pregnant often mention that they’re eating for two, but they don’t realize the other person is not the size of Orsen Wells.” | 10/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
6 |
MGG 023 PHR Follow Up with Lygeia Ricciardi | In this episode we pay a follow up visit to a previous show topic: Digital Medical Records, also known as your PHR or Personal Health Record. We interview Lygeia Ricciardi from Clear Voice Consulting, LLC in Washington, DC about this increasingly interesting and timely topic. She has some fantastic insight and we encourage you to tune in to this episode and share with us your thoughts, experiences and ideas regarding digital medical records and the products that best serve you and your health as a PHR. Follow Lygeia on Twitter Lygeia also writes for Project Health Design Topics What a PHR is, where and how you can establish a PHR such as health plans, health systems, employers and what functions they might have The relationship between EMRs (or EHRs) and PHRs and how in the future they will be increasingly linked together in ways that benefit patients and doctors alike How to choose a PHR, what to look for Medical Identity Theft – what can you do to protect yourself? Learn about an “audit trail” Potential benefits of PHRs and electronic health information like research, public health, quality improvement, genetic mapping The US Government’s role in implementation and accountability regarding digital medical records The future of remote health care using technology like video conferencing or mobile applications Aggregating medical data and the implications and benefits it can provide The affect of policies, politics and regulations on Health Information Technology Tips Ask your health care provider if or what kind of access you may already have to your information that might be able to be ported into a PHR of your choice If you’re looking for a new doctor, ask ahead of time if they use digital medical records and if you might be able to use any of that information in your own PHR Example: American Academy of Pediatrics Immunization Schedules Be sure to consider portability of the data you input into a PHR; Can you take it with you or move it somewhere else? Some PHRs To Check Out Mayo Clinic Health Manager powered by Microsoft HealthVault My PHR 23andMe - At-Home DNA Testing service Google Health | 9/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
7 |
MGG 022 Baby 2.0 Tech | We’re gettin’ goo-goo geeky-ga-ga talking about technologies surrounding birth and parenting. It’s fascinating thinking about how far technology has advanced in this area of our lives — or hasn’t in some cases. We’ve gone from polaroid pictures to online web albums; from paper journals to websites and blogs. We’re curious to know what it was like when you were having kids? What kinds of tech was available for new moms and moms giving birth 10, 20 or 30 yrs ago? We want to know what was something you thought revolutionary for its time? It’s all about Baby 2.0 Tech and how we’re ga ga for baby gear — all this week on Moms Gone Geek. Can you identify the musical reference to a John Hughes movie at the end of the show? What was the name of the movie, song title and artist? Pay close attention to the lyrics and I bet you can guess the geeky reference it also points to. The answer is at the end of this post for attribution. Don’t cheat now!! Special Guest Pat Fauquet of MacMousecalls.com and Partner of Dr. Mac Consulting with Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus Thanks for the awesome feedback to Freida, Jodi Spangler, and SwitchingGranny just to name a few. Geeky Parenting Meme Share with us something geeky you did or are currently doing as it relates to conception, pregnancy, parenting, grandparenting, etc. For example, TheMacMommy used Apple’s iCal to track her fertility for both pregnancies. (Tip: don’t email your husband calendar invitations from your fertility calendar, it’s just not sexy.) Uber Geeky Mom Allison Sheridan showed Melissa the spreadsheet (pre-Excel days!) she saved of her basal temperature when she was trying to conceive her daughter. What an adorable little memoir! Baby Registries Suggestions for Baby Registries External Hard Drives for backing up all those precious memories and all the data our kids now generate Products Pumpin’ Pal ItsBeen Baby Timer Digi Time Capsule Resources BabyCenter BabyNames.com Babyname Wizard Awesome Geeky Dads at DadLabs.com Reviews TheMacMommy Reviews Diaper Pails TUAW Reviews Parenting Apps for the iPhone iPhone/iPod Touch Apps Baby Monitor Baby Namer My Baby (for saving your favorite baby names) Pregnancy Kick Counter Total Baby Baby Tracker: Nursing Baby Tracker: Diapers Pregnancy Tracker Special Thanks to Aaron Griffith of Baby Activity Logger for the iPhone. TheMacMommy will be reviewing the app to report on later. Thanks for the review code! For Fun Lilypie Tickers Bonus Trivia Sound Clip Answer The Song: “Full of Love” Written by Stephen Duffy and Roger Freeman Performed by Dr. Calculus The Movie: “She’s Having a Baby” directed by John Hughes 1998 Babies Don’t Keep Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth, Empty the dustpan, poison the moth, Hang out the washing, make up the bed, Sew on a button and butter the bread. Where is the mother whose house is so shocking? She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking. Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue, Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo. Dishes are waiting and bills are past due Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue? Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo. The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep! I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep. - Ruth Hulbert Hamilton | 8/10/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
8 |
MGG 021 Google Juice | We’re drinkin the Google Juice! It’s so yummy and refreshing! Won’t you join us? We discuss GTD with Google IMAP and CalDAV along with the myriad of apps and products that go good with Google. What the heck are we talking about? Listen to this episode to find out more and get your fill of geeky goodness! Everything AND the Sync What is IMAP? This Nuevasync hack predated Google Sync, but you might want to take a look at it for comparisons. BusyMac was another tool that predated Google Sync, but it costs $25.(whatever blows your skirt up, if you think it’s easier!) Getting Started with CalDAV Support for Syncing Google Calendars iCal and iPhone or iPod Touch Syncing Google’s Mail and Calendar Products: Household CTO Tools of the Trade As part of my “Nesting” phase during this pregnancy, I became very determined to find a way to easily sync the communications and scheduling information my husband and I share between several devices. Those devices being: our iPod Touch (a.k.a. “The Practice iPhone” or the “Gateway Drug to the iPhone”), MacBook Pro and my husband’s PC at work. Between the two of us, we manage several work and personal email accounts and calendars. Now with children added to the mix, they’ll also have their own calendars for scheduling information like school activities and doctor appointments. I wanted a solution that would enable us to easily see the same information no matter which device was accessed for emails and calendars. I also wanted the ability to read as well as modify each others’ calendars. click to enlarge image Fig. 1 For example, our first son now has his own Google account with calendar. He’s only 3, so we manage it for him and share that calendar between all of us. Some time after the baby is born, I’ll likely set up an account for him so I can easily manage his doctor appointments. For the time being, a secondary calendar will work fine. We also have another secondary calendar dedicated to our activities and events — things we do together as a family. This calendar is then shared with other family members like my mother-in-law. Either my husband or I have the ability to modify each others’ calendars so that any changes made are synced no matter which computer or device is accessed. When my husband is at work, he can easily log in to his Google account and check all our calendars to see what appointments I’ve scheduled here at home. Since he doesn’t have time to make phone calls during the school day at work, if I schedule a doctor’s appointment for him, I can put it directly onto his calendar for him to see and email him a reminder. He’s already entered his work activities so that makes it much easier for me to book appointments when needed and make sure there are no conflicts. If he has an activity that needs to happen after school like a social or after-school meeting with a parent, he can enter it on his calendar while at work and then I will see it when I log in. Accomplishing Sync Zen click to enlarge Fig. 2 Let’s start with Apple Mail. Here is an example of how I’ve configured my Mail application to manage several accounts at once. (See Fig. 2 and 3) Log in to your Gmail account. Click on Settings in the upper right, then click on Forwarding POP/IMAP and then click the radio button to “Enable IMAP.” You’ll need to do this before you set up accounts in Mail. click to enlarge Fig. 3 Follow the instructions from Google on how to configure your Mail application. Be careful when reading Google’s instructions for Recommended IMAP Client Settings. I got a little confused and frustrated in the beginning when my messages wouldn’t delete when I deleted them by pressing the delete button on the keyboard or by clicking the delete icon in the tool bar. Manually dragging each message to the Trash folder was annoying. Turns out you ju[...] | 8/3/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
9 |
MGG 020 Online Medical Records | Editor’s Note: Google Health is going the way of the Dodo. Google is discontinuing the service. Medical Records. Everyone has them. Have you ever had to go on a hunt for your shot records from decades ago because an employer or school required them? How did that work out for ya? Trying to keep track of and remember all of your family’s medical information can be a daunting task. If you’re like most of us, you’ve got a stack or stacks of papers scattered throughout the house — or in one room if you’re really organized! We’re on the lookout for an easier, more efficient way of keeping this information organized and safely accessible when needed.Whether you’re a single person or managing a family with multiple records, or traveling with the military, is an online medical record-keeping service for you? Fast, easy, secure, reliable and compliant is what we’re aiming to find out about services currently available for medical record-keeping. Anything that will help make managing a family easier and more efficient is what we’re all about, so this is what we’re discussing this week on Moms Gone Geek. Special Note: When Googling information on this topic use the following terms and acronyms: PHR (Personal Health Records) or PHRM (Personal Health Records Management). There are a lot of applications and services out there for managing your personal medical records at home on your computer, up in the cloud for online access or both — so much that it’s overwhelming. We’ve reviewed just a few that we’ll discuss here, but please give us some feedback on services, methods and apps you’ve tried and liked. Melissa reviews and discusses the current state of EMR for public and private sectors and what you should consider before investing the time and effort into the task of electronically documenting your medical records for the family. What You Need to Know About Privacy in Medical Records Understanding HIPAA Privacy for Consumers Articles on Healthcare Reform in Politics and Technology Concerning EMR State Privacy Laws May Undercut Electronic Medical Records (via ars technica) Obama: We need EMRs; NAS Report: Be Careful What You Ask For (via ars technica) NY Times reports: “Our experience here is that it’s just hard,” Dr. Mostashari said. “It’s not impossible.” Personal Consumer Services & Applications for Managing Yours and Family Records Polka iPhone app for Polka Health (called My Health on website) Review Notes Google Health is currently only available in the United States. Polka is available for registration outside U.S., however, all records are stored in the US where US privacy terms apply. (Probably a good thing?) Use Google Health at your own risk understanding that transmission to third parties, for example, a prescription service, is governed by THOSE sites, their technologies and security methods. You’re safe with Google, but you open a hole when you share with third party services, so be sure to thoroughly review their privacy and protection policies as well before sharing information. Section 4 Use of Your Information in the Google Health TOS states: ” Google is not a “covered entity” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (“HIPAA”). As a result, HIPAA does not apply to the transmission of health information by Google to any third party.” Polka discloses the following in their Privacy Statement under Use of Contact Information (emphasis is our editorial): “In addition, we may use your contact information to market to you, and provide you with information about, our products and services, including but not limited to our Service. If you decide at any time that you no longer wish to receive such information or communications from us, please follow the unsubscribe instructions provided in any of the communication[...] | 7/27/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
10 |
MGG 019 Show Them the Money | Two topics tackled on this episode: Social Media fads along with tips and tools for teaching your kids about money and finances. This is what has been on our minds lately and we really want to know what you think about it. | 7/20/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
11 |
MGG 018 One Way Or Another | There isn’t just one way to do something when it comes to technology – the possibilities seem endless. In this episode, we moms put our heads together to think of alternative ways for using common devices and new technologies like: Seesmic Desktop for Twitter AND Facebook, Multimedia Centers using Hulu and/or Boxee, mobile wifi with Mifi or Cradlepoint and ways to use an iPod Touch for more than just an MP3 player. We’re thinking differently and we’d like to know your creative ideas. Leave us a comment here on the blog. Software Seesmic Desktop As of this recording, Preview v0.2.1 is the current release and you have to be a member of Team Seesmic to receive updates. It’s easy to join, just go tohttp://desktop.seesmic.com/and sign up. Followhttp://twitter.com/seesmicfor updates. Tweet3 An Advanced Web Interface for Twitter – a good mobile solution or alternate to a desktop application Home Media Centers Revisted On a previous episode of Moms Gone Geek – Episode 8 Home Media Centers, we discussed preparing for the digital television transition (DTV), alternatives to cable TV and different methods for putting together a media center using a computer and TV. We’ve since elaborated on that concept and have been putting it into practice. Hulu Desktop Application Hulu Website Boxee Front Row Hardware Mifi Amazon.com deal: get the Mifi for a penny vs through Sprint at the subsidized price of $99.00 Cradlepoint Cradlepoint CTR 500 currently on Amazon Cradlepoint CTR 350 currently on Amazon TheMacMommy Reviews Sprint’s Mobile Communications Services At-A-Glance “Can I really get the same benefits of an iPhone without having to switch to AT&T and buy an iPhone?” Mobile Broadband is a separate service plan and you either add it on at $59.99 a month extra or you can bundle it, but only with the Simply Everything Family plan. There are several different devices that can be used with the Mobile Broadband service. Most of them are USB modems (also called “USB sticks” or “EVDO cards”). They are limiting in that you have to plug it into a USB port and keep it connected to a desktop or laptop. The MiFi is a broadband router that you can just keep in your bag or pocket. You can connect up to 5 devices wirelessly at the same time. A USB Modem only supports one device at a time unless you use some kind of internet sharing. The connection speeds of these devices are not as fast as a cable modem but comparable to close to DSL speeds. The Simply Everything Family plan normally costs $189.98 and you can add Mobile Broadband to it for only $50.00 (as opposed to $59.99 – the bundle saves you $9.99) a month bringing that monthly total to $239.98 So, for ~$240.00 monthly you get everything 2 people can do with a phone: unlimited voice, messaging, email, and web browsing plus the ability to connect 5 devices to the internet using wifi – for example 2 laptops and 2 iPod Touches plus share with a friend’s laptop for a family that is traveling together. Question is this: why would you need the wifi then if your phone can do everything the laptop does when it comes to simple needs like web surfing, email and texting? Seems like an extra luxury and would really only come in handy if you’re traveling together a lot or really need to work on a laptop beyond simple browsing and messaging. Then I got to thinking, what if we just got the simplest family plan and the simplest phones without any data or texting capabilities and just use the iPod Touch for all the extra fancy features like web browsing, texting, messaging, email, and apps? Would that get me around not having to switch to AT&T just so I can enjoy the App goodieness, web browsing and messaging capabilities? I mean, I can do all that stuff (except for the smaller footprint and portable apps) with my MacBook Pro already and if I’d switch to AT&T, we’d pay more without p[...] | 6/29/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
12 |
MGG 017 Mobile Mania Part 2 | We’re still manic about mobile services and devices so we’re bringing you Part 2 of our (previous) Mobile Mania discussion about the new iPhone 3Gs, the impact of Apple’s WWDC iPhone announcement on the Palm Pre release and outraged AT&T customers. TheMacMommy talks about her Sprint store experience and demo of the new Palm Pre. DigitalFanGirl talks about how her experience has been with the G1. We even give you a special bonus Twitter Rant at the end. You know you wanna hear it! DigitalFanGirl protects her G1 with a rubberized snap-on cover and a mirror screen protector Rubberized Snap-on Covers Mirror Screen Protector Note: I purchased both the snap-on cover and the mirror screen protector at a mobile accessory kiosk in my neighborhood mall (10 minutes from my home), which was cheaper than ordering these two products online. I suggest you do a cost comparison and see if it’s smarter for you to buy from the mall or order it online. Did you register your Facebook vanity URL? What does this move mean for the future of Facebook? MySpace and other sites have always had vanity URLs so what’s the big deal? Twitter is frustrating with the overflow of annoying celebrities on it. We still use it, but this calls for a rant. Notes and Links June 6th Palm announced it’s newest “iPhone Killer” the Palm Pre but was it bad timing next to Apple’s iPhone 3Gs release? June 8th WWDC Keynote announcement of iPhone 3Gs(watch the video) The Smackdown – Gizmodo-Style Gizmodo’sSmartphone Buyers Guide: The Best of the Best Why are AT&T Customers so peeved about the new iPhone 3Gs price? iPhone 3.0 Update: 10 Hidden Features by Daniel Ionescu | 6/22/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
13 |
MGG 016 Special Report: Results Are In for TheMacMommy | Is TheMacMommy having a Girl or a Boy? Find out by listening to this Special Report from Moms Gone Geek. Listener Feedback Requested We want to talk Baby Stuff 2.0 so give us your feedback and let us know your ideas and tips for all things baby in the digital age. Leave us a comment here or contact us via email. This podcast has out-takes at the very end. | 6/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
14 |
MGG 015 Online Reputation Management | A Few Tidbits More than 80 percent of executive and corporate recruiters turn to the Web to research job candidates, and 43 percent say they have turned down a job seeker because of information they found, according to a study released August 2008 by ExecuNet, an online social network for business professionals. Hiring managers are increasingly using social networking Web sites to research potential employees. A survey of 3,100 employers released by www.careerbuilder.com showed 21 percent of managers searched for job candidates on sites such as MySpace and Facebook in 2008; only 11 percent did so in 2006. Another 9 percent said they planned to start using social networking sites in the hiring process. The study also revealed that 34 percent of managers screening candidates on social networking sites reported finding information that caused them to not hire the candidate. The top reasons included information posted about alcohol and drug use (41 percent), inappropriate photographs (40 percent) and poor communication skills (29 percent). But some experts in the field of social networking and online job search believe this survey understates the current trend. While the Careerbuilder survey is less than six months old, the exponential growth of Web sites similar to Facebook makes them an attractive destination for managers and Human Resource professionals. “The recent case of Michael Phelps shows that students need to be mindful of what they put or allow to be put on Web sites in their name,” said Jim Brasfield, professor and chairman of the WU Management Department. “A good rule might be don’t put anything on Facebook that you would not want to read on the front page of the local newspaper.” Resources 300+ Online Reputation Management Resources We Live in Public We Live in Public – The Trailer DigitalFanGirl’s PodCampNYC Experience Growing Up Online – PBS Documentary | 6/7/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
15 |
MGG 014 Let’s Go Camping! | Naomi recently went to Word Camp Mid-Atlantic. In this show we discuss our experiences attending un-conferences and what you can do to be prepared when going to a PodCamp, BarCamp or any number of social events. We share tips, tools and networking resources to help you enjoy your camping adventures so you can focus on maximizing the learning and fun. Find out where Naomi will be next! Check out the out-takes at the end for fun. Preparation Tips sign up and register accounts for services well in advance become familiar with the user interface ahead of time Packing List – Bring It a comfortable bag for carrying all of your tech is essential laptop laptop charger spare battery power strip camera extra batteries battery recharger video camera video camera charger USB cables – wrapped neatly pillow to sit on business cards snacks or beverage (check event details to see if food & drink will be provided) Services & Applications Vimeo Viddler YouTube Stickam UStream Seesmic Cover It Live TweetChat TweetDeck Seesmic Desktop Nambu OvernightPrints.com for business cards RetailMeNot.com to save money on online purchases Mingle 360 – Mingle Sticks Devices & Gadgets Huckelberry Xacti Flip Mino Gorillapod Article: Twitter @ Reply Debacle Much Ado About @reply by Michael Calore via monkey_bites | 6/1/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
16 |
MGG 013 Pose Smile Upload | Pose, smile and say, “upload!” In this episode we discuss sharing photos online and give you some resources, tips and tricks for managing all of that data! There are so many choices for sharing your photos with friends and loved ones. We discuss our favorite services, apps and sites as well as what like or don’t like about them. So get your cameras ready for this edition of Moms Gone Geek: Pose Smile Upload. - Think about what you should or shouldn’t share - Which type are you? Do you manage your photo data manually or do you use a photo manager? - Look for and be sure to consider privacy settings - Fun things to do: tag people in facebook or tag areas of photos in facebook and on flickr - Consider adding details now rather than later if you can - Use the comments sections in iPhoto and Picasa or on Flickr Our Favorite Services For Sharing Online Flickr Picasa Web Albums Facebook Twitter photo sharing: TwitPic BlackBerry Uploader Apps Twitxr Tumblr Flickr BlackBerry App Review Last year, Melissa did a lengthy review on different photo sharing & printing services, namely flickr vs picasa. It still contains some useful information you can skim through, some of which we’re re-reviewing in today’s show. I’ll put a link to it in the show notes. Sam’s Club Photo Center Snapfish Picasa Web Albums Haven’t tried getting prints from Picasa using their printing services, but if someone has, please let us know. They offer even more printing services now. On the list is: Photoworks, Shutterfly, Snapfish and Walgreens photo. One thing to remember when using Picasa Web Albums is that when you upload your photos, you have a choice of which resolution to choose. Normally you might use the “faster upload” setting, but if you know you or family members might want to get prints made from your albums, you might want to invest a little longer of an upload time and choose the higher setting. Free Photo Managing Applications iPhoto comes with all Macs as part of their iLife suite Most every Mac user’s favorite is PhotoBooth also included free on the Mac. The new Leopard version also makes movies. All kids love playing with this one. The photo are not good for printing, but for quick sharing online, it’s great and loads of fun. Picasa seems to be the favorite on the PC side - Don’t forget about Preview on the Mac – you can use it to crop, resize and adjust your photos. Check out this fantastic review from Lifehacker.com Free Uploading Tools That Work With iPhoto Picasa Web Albums Uploader plugin for iPhoto Flickr Exporter for iPhoto Facebook uploader for iPhoto | 5/18/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
17 |
MGG 012 Mobile Mania | iPhone, BlackBerry, G1, HTC Magic, Sidekick, T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Verizon; How does one decide on what phone to get and what carrier to choose? Will TheMacMommy stick with Sprint? Find out why DigitalFanGirl is talking about dumping her beloved BlackBerry. We discuss it all in this episode of Moms Gone Geek. You don’t want to miss this! Here are some links we discussed during the show: HTCMagic (the 2nd Android Google phone) Rumor Alert: HTCHero (android phone) Coming to Sprint More Rumor Goodness: HTC’s Entire 2009 Smartphone Lineup Leaked, Revealed | 5/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
18 |
MGG 011 Family Tech Support | Tech support for your family and friends – do you love it or dread it? On this episode we try to give you some tips for dealing with the seemingly daunting task of being the resident techie to your friends and family. Listen to the tools and techniques we’ve used that have saved us from the migraine meds. iChat AV by Apple (comes with all Macs) ChickenoftheVNC by GeekSpiff (free download) DimDim LogMeIn Tips for Tech Support Make a list of goals or tasks to be accomplished and stay focused on completing those goals It’s easy to get distracted, keep pen and paper handy for taking notes. Make the person a cheat sheet that covers what you reviewed so they can refer to it when they get stuck Reassure the person that you’ll review it first and then have them try it themselves till they are comfortable with the lesson Exercise patience! Do not condescend but tailor instructions to the individual’s learning style. If you’re not sure what their learning style is, ask them about it Use Google Docs to collaborate Try to draw visual analogies between familiar concepts like commonly used icons on different electronics Our Picks Whrrl Skitch LoseIt iPhone app LoseIt iTunes Store Application Link Listener Homework Assignment: Be A Shining Star and Tell Us How You Get Your Über Geek On Here are some examples of how we get our geek on: TonyWalla uses an X10 Controller and software to help improve his marriage. Allison Sheridan called TheMacMommy out on the geeky way she uses Twitter to “hashtag her kid” to create a baby journal for her son #LD. DigitalFanGirl video blogs the unboxing of her electronics with the same maternal affection as videoing her human kids. | 4/13/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
19 |
MGG 010 Reintroductions | We’re back from a temporary hiatus and we can’t wait to bring you our mix of tips, tricks, how-tos, and reviews on a regular basis. On this show, we re-introduce ourselves to our audience. We also talk about what kinds of tech we have in our lives. We take a trip down memory lane and explain how the three of us came together to record the podcast. Check out our Ning page where you can join the Moms Gone Geek Community! | 3/30/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
20 |
MGG 009 TOS Contracts | Do you read the Terms of Service contracts for each and every service for which you sign up? Do you just click accept and hope for the best? In this episode we discuss the Facebook TOS change debacle and why it’s so important to know your rights and be aware of how your content could be used. We delve deep into the TOS agreements for popular services and try to break it down for you. Melissa does an in-depth review of Plaxo. Naomi discusses Flickr. Tony talks about ISPs. Recently, many in the blogosphere were all a buzz about Facebook changing their terms of service – and then back again. Why such a fuss? How does their terms of service differ from other SocMed services out there? How do you feel about it? What is in store for Facebook and other Social Media services? Better yet, what’s in store for YOU? Facebook’s TOS Here is a Mashable article for review. Naomi picked Flickr’s TOS Melissa picked Plaxo’s TOS and discovered the Privacy Policy is where it’s really at. Tony discusses TOS from an ISP POV | 2/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
21 |
MGG 008 Home Media Centers | Is a Home Media Center right for you? Is your TV ready for the Digital Transition? Are YOU ready? Moms Gone Geek discusses alternatives to cable TV, Mac Mini or desktop PC versus the Apple TV, resolution, hardware required, and other details we ponder when thinking about replacing traditional TV with streaming internet and digital content. This episode has out-takes at the end. Examples of Home Media Centers HP Media Center Apple TV Western Digital Cutting the Cord (instead of coax cable, use free internet TV and content for entertainment) Boxee Front Row iTunes Hulu Desktop DTV Coupon What You Need to Know About the Digital TV Transition (via FCC) Hardware EyeTV250 by El Gato EyeTV Hybrid – USB TV Stick Hopage ATI Vocabulary Terms VGA DVI HDMI Edit Note: at the time of this recording, Boxee was not working with Hulu. That has since changed. Also, Hulu Desktop has been released. | 1/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
22 |
MGG 007 Geeky Season’s Greetings | What is your level of Decoration Tech? Naomi is practical with her Tree-In-A-Box. Melissa decorates the traditional, retro tree complete with bubble lights and disco balls. Tony burns out your retinas with his blue LED tree. The tree is not enough. It’s a Wonderful Life at Tony’s house which is tricked out with an X-10 controller. He uses Thinking Home on his Mac to control timed lighting events. Wish List of All Wish Lists Using Amazon.com and the Universal Wish List service, you can make life easier by adding a Universal Wish List Button to your web browser’s bookmarks bar. Just one click and you can add items from websites that are NOT on Amazon.com to do price comparisons. A bookmark bar just wouldn’t be a bookmark bar without one of these gems! Make it easier for family and friends to view your wish list by adding a button to your blog or website that gives visitors one-click access to your public Wish List. Click the button to the left while viewing your Wish List that says “Tell people about this list.” Just copy and paste the code to your site. Do you have a Drobo on your Wish List? Wii Want It Tony talks about his experience with the Wii and why he needs to see a chiropractor. Will you challenge Tony to Mario Kart? | 12/15/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
23 |
MGG 006 Social Balance | Hear us discuss our concerns, opinions and experiences on how we strive to create balance in our online social lives while staying connected and tuned in to our children and families. Moms Gone Geek chats about favorite social networking services and compare how we use those services; what is worth the time and what is not. Tony’s favorites include: Facebook and Twitter. Naomi’s favorites include: Facebook, Ning, DigitalFanGirl, Flickr and Twitter. Melissa’s favorites include: Twitter, Facebook, and Seesmic. Her complete list can be found here. We all agree we like to use Facebook primarily for family and close friends we know well and that Tumblr is a good integrated aggregator for your blog and twitter updates. How do you create balance in your social life online? There are many benefits to creating and maintaining relationships online. Melissa regales how she met her husband and made some quality friendships online that transferred into “meatspace.” How does social networking affect our kids? It’s next to impossible to know everything your kids are doing every minute, but the key is in establishing guidelines and building trust. Use a common area and set boundaries when it comes to kids’ screen time. Naomi discusses how her teenage daughters use social networking services and how they keep the lines of communication open. | 11/17/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
24 |
MGG 005 Special Segment: Review of the ABCs of Backup | A is for Archive Archives are what you make them. You don’t have to use any fancy software to archive your files. Your operating system’s file browser is all you really need. (i.e., Explorer in Windows and Finder in Mac OS) When you archive something, you’re either moving or copying an original file and storing it for later in a different place other than your local hard drive. When storing digital archives, it’s best to have more than one copy stored on different devices or media in case one archiving method fails. For example, you might keep one archive set on an external hard drive and another on a series of DVDs or an additional external drive. The organizing method I like to use consists of one parent folder named for the relevant year and then subfolders such as Photos, Movies, Documents and then further subdivided by month or some other description. This nomenclature can be whatever makes sense to you. You have to ask yourself this question: “If I name this file or folder ‘xyz’ am I still going to know what that means five years from now? Or will someone else know what it means without question when they do a search for something?” You also want to consider how long you are going to keep your archives on any one method of storage. CDs and DVDs can degrade over time. External Hard Drives have moveable parts that can break down or malfunction. Devices and their associated technologies advance and become more available to consumers. Yesterday’s tape drives are being replaced by tomorrow’s terrabyte drives. To maximize the logevity of your data, it’s important to interact with your storage methods on a regular basis and “check up” on your files every so often to make sure everything still works as planned. Also consider the type of data you’re storing and the file extensions associated with it. .JPG, .PDF, .DOC, or .HTML files are probably going to be around for a long, long time and most software developed in the future will most likely still support those file types. If you’re using a piece of software that creates a particular file type you’ve never heard of, do your homework on it before comitting to it long term. B is for Backup When you back up your computer, you’re making a copy of the local hard drive’s contents exactly as is for safe keeping. There is automated software you can use that will perform recurring backups either manually or on a set schedule determined by you. When selecting software to do this job for you, you’ll want to consider the recovery method and how long it will take to get your data back when selecting one or more methods such as differential and incremental. Since I’m trying to keep this simple, I’ll post links in the show notes that go into more detail about the different types as well as some software for you to consider. When configuring the software, you can choose whether or not you’d like to include programs or applications along with your documents, music, photos, movies, etc. Backing up can take long amounts of time and needs to be scheduled appropriately. What you need to consider most is the how well the software fits the purpose of your backup strategy which is to protect you from loss of data. Next, you need to decide which of that data, if any, you’re willing to saccrifice and how this saccrifice will impact the time required for recovery. Lastly, you need to consider how you’d like your backup strategy to deal with changed or purged data. C is for Clone A clone is an exact replica of your entire hard drive including the operating system and all of its files. If your internal drive ever fails or your computer is ever stolen and you need to replace it, you could just image the new drive with a clone and be back to where you left off since your last clone was created. Using a clone to recover your drive saves you the time and hassle o[...] | 10/13/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
25 |
MGG 004 Back It Up Baby | On this episode we talk about security and preparedness in several different forms. We discuss tips for keeping your kids safe as well as all the data they generate. We also reveal our wish list picks for gadgets, software, hardware and other geeky goods. Sesame Workshop Develops Resources for Familes Focusing on Emergency Preparedness Melissa reviews and discusses the Sesame Street Emergency Preparing Kit Homeland Security, Sesame Style from the DC Examiner http://www.dcexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/YeasandNays/Homeland_Security_Sesame_Style.html If you take a look at the comments this article has generated, you’ll see a lot of people are up in arms over this saying the government is trying to brainwash our kids or tell us how to do our jobs or that we don’t need the government to intervene in our parenting and that this is all just common sense. We think the materials available are really worth downloading and taking a look at. The phone number key pad page is especially helpful. Print this out and complete it to keep handy for a babysitter. “Archivist Alison” Langmead writes a very straightforward blog that talks about archiving and backing up. She has been featured on Jumping Monkeys talking about the subject so you can listen to her there as well. Time Machine (FREE) comes built in with OS X 10.5x Leopard SmartBackup ($22.00 US) is a great if you’re still using Tiger or would like an additional layer of security across networked drives Carbon Copy Cloner (FREE) (But please consider a donation to Mike for all the great stuff he does.) SuperDuper ($27.95 US) always gets good reviews | 9/5/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
26 |
MGG 003 Traveling While Geeky | On this epsisode of Moms Gone Geek we talk about traveling while geeky. We talk about what kinds of tools and technology we like to use while on the road for ourselves as well as the kiddies to keep them entertained and us from going insane! Check out Lisa Loeb on Twitter Check out her new album – “Camp Lisa” What’s in Your Bag? We all talk about what gear we carry in our bags. Melissa is in Boston at one stop on her summer cross-country road trip. She talks about her gear bags including her laptop backpack as well as her fancy, new diaper bags and how they measure up to carrying tech gear. Never mind about the baby stuff they’re really supposed to be carrying!!! Here are some of the things in Melissa’s bags for an extended road trip: Laptop Phone Headphones iPod Camera Cables (neatly wrapped) Battery Charger & Recharchable Batteries (NIMH for digital devices) with car adaptor Hands-Free Earpiece Power Brick Extra laptop battery (check out battery warehouses for better deals on prices) Surge Protector External Hardrive for Backups USB Card Reader for SD chip in camera Laptop Power Supply Outlet converter Note If you have a video iPod, load it with lots of pictures and some kid-friendly movies for long car rides.) (Be really careful about the volume if you choose to use earphones on a small child. Make sure the volume is very low so you don’t damage their ears. You can change the settings to lock the volume. Even if you think it’s barely audible, remember, their hearing is much more sensitive than ours! Liana recommends some software to consider: TubeSock or HandBreak for getting video content onto the iPod Liana recommends Western Digital and Iomega drives. Naomi recommends the Nickelodeon Video Now. Melissa recommends sitting in the back seat with a young child to entertain during a long road trip. This way you can use your laptop as a DVD or movie player in a pinch. Unless you have an EVDO card, plan for being off line and download your RSS feeds, podcasts and movies ahead of time. Load up your iTunes so you can play movies on the laptop during meltdown times or during driving in the evenings. Do a search on iTunes for Sesame Street and other kid-friendly titles you’re familiar with. You can find lots of free content in iTunes. Melissa also recommends NetNewsWire to download your RSS feeds ahead of time so you can read blogs off-line. You won’t be able to see photos that have been linked, but you’ll at least be able to read the text. Naomi Reviews Feed Journal Packing Tips When packing your bag, keep it organized and communicate with your traveling partner what goes where. If you take something out, put it back where it came from so you don’t lose things in hotel rooms or in between sofa cusions! Pack together so each person knows where things are located. Pack the night before! If possible, used colored containers to store things.Use Eagle Creek or comparible plastic cases or smaller bags or compartments for itty bitty little items that can get lost easily. Get them in different colors so you can just say “it’s in the blue one!” when traveling with a partner or kids and ask for help with packing. Use colored velcro cable wraps for cables Feed your RSS Reader for offline time Keeping in Touch While On the Go Liana asks how we manage keeping in touch with family and friends while on the go. Melissa can’t live without her blog, Picasa Web Albums, Email, and Social Networking sites like Twitter and FriendFeed. Melissa Reviews Dopplr Links http://www.dopplr.com/ http://www.tripit.com/ http://brightkite.com/ http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/ | 8/4/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
27 |
MGG 002 Technology: Productive or Destructive? | How does technology fit into your home? We discussed this article from SheGeeks.net Naomi uses tech to keep herself and her two busy teenage girls organized and in touch at all times. Naomi’s second brain of choice is a BlackBerry. Texting is their main form of communication when they’re apart. At the time of this recording, Naomi’s girls are in to JamGlue, Millsberry and Meezfor their social networking. Melissa says, [technology] “…it wouldn’t be our home without it.” Melissa and her husband use Apple’s iCal and their iPods to keep their marriage healthy by syncing calendar entries so the bills get paid on time. iPods go beep in the night at their house. Tip Set up an email account for your baby while they are little. You and other family members can write letters to the child and then when s/he is old enough to read, it will be a fun activity for him/her. Use simple language, large formatted text and pictures. (Most email programs now and later will support formatting.) Think about writing for the future. It’s a great way for extended family members to be an active and positive part of your baby’s life now and later. Make digital keep-sakes by emailing them your favorite poem or tell them about a favorite book you read when you were their age. Gmail and Yahoo! are both free email services with customizable landing page interfaces. Melissa reviews AlphaBaby. Liana uses Brightkite to keep in touch with her mom. (She’s such a good girl.) Is there such a thing as Internet addiction? At home and at school, parents and caregivers should strive to keep a healthy balance between screen time and other activities that focus on playing outside or board games with the rest of the family. Choose tech games that promote activity like the Wii. Climb REAL trees! Or make a Wii game that simulates it and let Liana beta test it for you. Are gadgets making us dumber? The Moms agree technology isn’t making us dumber – we’re more resourceful and need to adapt. We discussed this article from Crunchgear.com. Do you remember the Dewey Decimal System? How do you balance old-school with new-school to meet your information needs? Convenience of technology tools enables us to save time so we have more time for other things. Naomi recommends FeedJournal, an app that prints out your favorite RSS feeds (like Moms Gone Geek) to simulate a newspaper. Picks of the Week My Kid’s Registry.com Ecamm’s Huckleberry The Muppet Movie Happy 1st Birthday to the iPhone! Tip Store your gadgets in plastic food storage containers (preferably without food in them) to keep them safe or from getting crushed or lost. Special shout out to all our Moms Gone Geek Beta testers! Thank you for bearing with our technical difficulties while we take our first steps! | 6/28/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
|
28 |
MGG 001 Momma’s Got A Brand New Bag | In this, our very first episode, we talk about who we are, what we do and how we manage to find the time to do it all on top of doing this podcast and all our other projects. (We make it up as we go along!) We talk tech: what kind of hardware we use, what services we like, who we like to hang out with and, most importantly, what kind of bags we carry all our gear in. Members of Moms Gone Geek are: Liana Lehua, the über-geeky auntie, a.k.a. fittorrent Melissa Davis, mom to pint-sized toddler geek, a.k.a TheMacMommy Naomi, (formerly known as GeekCyberMom) mom to two teen gadget girls – now a.k.a DigitalFanGirl Naomi is also host of Tales of a Single Parent.com. Let’s Get a Handle on It Melissa likes her Wenger backpack – a portable “office” on the go for the traveling IT Consultant. She also recommends George diaper bags to tote your precious cargo – oh, and the baby stuff too! Liana loves her some Jill-e bags. Naomi needs more bag recommendations! Gadget Picks Melissa puts the Nikon Cool Pix through its paces. Naomi rocks the Xacti. Get In Touch Delicious is an awesome public bookmark sharing service. If you want to share a link with us, just tag it MGGideas and we’ll see it. We’d love to give you a shout out! Tell us what bag you like to tote your gear around in. Price ranges and links are super helpful not just to us, but other subscribers to the show. It was so awesome to meet Pat Fauquet! What an amazing experience for Naomi and Melissa. We would like to thank all of our “MomsGoneGeek Beta Testers” who hung out with us on the Friday afternoon before our first recording on TheMacMommy’s UStream Channel to test out what a live show might feel like. Thanks for all the live feedback on what was working and what wasn’t and for giving us ideas on what to do to make it better. We really appreciated that. We loved just goofing around together. Here is the pre-recorded video. | 6/23/08 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 28 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Don't let the "geek" keep you away. GREAT PODCAST
I'm loving this podcast. Can't wait to listen to archives. These ladies are excited about technology and online social media. If you are a Mom.. Granny.. or anyone who loves all things tech and family. This is the podcast for you. Various informative topics and guest interviews. LOVE IT
Highly Recommended
High quality content and very organized. Definitely a great podcast.
