Thursday, January 8: A WWEmoms Twitter Event

A WWEmoms Twitter Event

#WWEmoms

When: TODAY, Thursday, January 8, 2015
7:00 – 8:00 pm ET
4:00 – 5:00 pm PT

Join @WWEmoms and special guest @StephMcMahon TODAY at 7 pm ET (4 pm PT) as we introduce the WWE Fit Series: Stephanie McMahon DVD!
Wish you had a ripped body like the WWE Divas? Well, now you can with the help of WWE exec and mother of three, Stephanie McMahon. Join us as we discuss with Stephanie why she created the Fit Series DVD and what it takes to build a strong and powerful physique! 
RSVP and attend the Twitter event for a chance to win a Nike+ Fuel Band, a Marmot Women’s Jacket or one of 10 WWE Fit Series: Stephanie McMahon or WWE Power Series: Triple H DVDs!

(Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)

To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: WWEmoms) and include your Twitter ID
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed:  http://ow.ly/G8HBd
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#WWEmoms) today between 7 – 8 pm ET
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!

(The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for WWE.)

5 Reasons Why You Should Video Chat This Holiday Season

Let’s face it – most people over the age of 25 don’t like to video chat. Either they remember those early Skype experiments, where the call kept getting disconnected, or they just don’t like the idea of appearing on camera without a full night’s sleep and a couple of hours with their very own hair and make-up department.

But video chat has changed. It’s become so reliable and convenient that millions of people are seamlessly switching between regular voice chats and video chats without batting an eyelid. In fact, with short-form video apps like Vine, Keek and Snapchat, the lines between “normal” chat and video chat are already blurred for much of the younger generation.

With the Holiday season already upon us, it’s the perfect time for the rest of us to give video chat another try. Here are a few more reasons why:

Video chat is more personal

There is no better feeling than being up close and personal with loved ones the Holidays – and if you can’t be together in person, video chat is the next best thing. Show grandma how tall the kids are, or let your sister see how great that sweater looks. Sure, you can always chat on the phone but video chat is much more personal.

Video chat is free

Video chat apps like Skype, Google Hangouts, Tango and ooVoo are completely free, and some of them allow multiple parties to join a call for group video chats. If you’re using a mobile device, be sure to use your home Wi-Fi instead of your cellular network – that way it’s not eating into your data allowance either.

You can chat from anywhere

The overwhelming majority of video apps are built or customized for mobile devices, so you are not tied to your computer or laptop. Let your kids take grandpa on a tour of the house or show friends how good the Christmas tree looks. The front-facing cameras on most tablets and smartphones are ideal for video chat; as long as you stay within range of your Wi-Fi or cellular network, you can take your chat anywhere!

Video quality has improved dramatically

Those interrupted calls and fuzzy images are now a thing of the past. Smarter apps, super-fast networks and HD screens have all combined to make the video chat experience seamless and crystal clear. With mobile devices, we no longer have to worry about flaky webcams that only work when they feel like it. And if you’re worried about those Amoled screens showing a little too much of your early morning face, then you can always appoint yourself Director of Video Chat and carefully point the camera elsewhere!

Video chat is fun!

And the final reason to video chat? It’s just more fun! Your kids love video because it allows them to be clever, funny, serious and goofy all at the same time. Take a leaf out of their book this Holiday season: pick up your phone, throw caution to the wind, and join the video chat party!

Road Trip Apps to Keep Younger Kids Entertained

By Tracey Dowdy

There seems to come a point in most road trips where half the passengers are bored and the other half have had enough. I think we both know that splits pretty much down the parent/kid divide. To keep that from happening, here are a few suggestions to keep everyone happy and entertained during your Holiday road trip.

Pre-School

Wheels on the Bus

wheels-on-the-busThe Wheels on the Bus app is an interactive version of the classic children’s song. Kids can use the touch screen to make the bus move, open the doors, swish the wipers and other fun movements. The song plays in five languages and you can even record your little one singing along.

Recommended ages: 3+
Price: iOS, Android –  $1.99


Road Trip Bingo

road-trip-bingoSure you can play without an app, but Road Trip Bingo makes it even more fun! Keep an eye out for hundreds of items from license plates to animals and check them off on your bingo card. The HD version allows for two players.

Recommended ages: 4+
Price: iOS, Android – $1.99


Family Travel Games for Kids

fun travel gamesFamily Travel Games for Kids (iOS) and Fun Family Car & Travel Games! (Android) offer loads of family games, including many the driver can play. The apps are a great option for kids who get car sick, as many of the games don’t involve reading or looking at a screen for extended periods of time. Sort by age, type of game like word games or quizzes, and even classics like “Name That Tune”.

Recommended ages: 4+
Price: iOS – $1.49; Android – $0.99

Elementary

Rory’s Story Cubes

rorys-storyRory’s Story Cubes is the app version of a dice game designed to promote imagination and creativity in your kids. Simply shake the device to “roll” nine six-sided dice. Each side of the device has a simple picture like a star, a letter or a bug which the child then uses to create a story. The possibilities are endless and limited only by your child’s imagination.

Recommended ages: 7+
Price: iOS – $1.49, Android – $1.99


Minecraft – Pocket Edition

minecraft-pocketMinecraft – Pocket Edition is the app version of the popular PC based game that places players in an open setting with no structures, objectives or other people. Players must create buildings from what they harvest around them to create their own environment. Play can be with or without monsters, so the focus can be on creativity and not survival.

Recommended ages: 8+
Price: iOS, Android, Kindle Fire – $6.99


Rush Hour

rush-hour-1While dad navigates through traffic upfront, the kids can do some back seat driving with Rush Hour. Players slide cars around a grid with an objective to get the red car out of the parking lot. For the best score complete the maze in the fewest number of moves and each level is successively more difficult. Players who get stuck can opt to get hints or watch the puzzle get solved.

Recommended ages: 8+
Price: iOS –  $2.99

Of course you don’t need an app to make the most of that time together. Play games that cross ages and interests like Would You Rather? or Twenty Questions. Another great option is to download a listening app like Audible and have the whole family listen to a book as you travel. Or you can create a Family Holiday Road Trip 2014 playlist on Spotify. To keep it interesting, let everyone contribute some of the music so you’re not stuck with two hours of the Wiggles or The Best of Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Your road trip doesn’t have to be an endurance test. It can be an opportunity to make some great family memories.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Toronto, ON. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances and researches on subjects from family and education to pop culture and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

Should You Switch Wireless Plans?

Read the fine print before you jump to another network.

By Paul O’Reilly

In a sure sign that the US mobile market is rapidly maturing, it appears that some wireless carriers are less concerned about attracting new customers to the wonderful world of smartphones and tablets and are instead concentrating more on luring existing customers away from the competition. This has led to a jumble of early upgrade offers, termination fee payments, and other incentives, as the emphasis switches to the cost of wireless plans rather than the ever-improving excellence of the devices themselves.

While this may sound like good news for wireless subscribers, it has mostly led to more confusion in a marketplace that wasn’t exactly a model of clarity in the first place. If you thought it was hard to choose the right wireless plan before, try figuring it out when data allowances change every month, extra gigabytes are thrown in on a seemingly random basis, and one carrier is even offering to cut your existing bill in half.

This last promotion comes courtesy of Sprint and, perhaps more than any other offer, it highlights the complexities facing consumers as they try to save a few bucks on their monthly wireless payments. Taking a page out of T-Mobile’s playbook, Sprint specifically targets customers of the two biggest carriers and asks them: “Wanna cut your monthly Verizon or AT&T bill in half?” Of course, like many of these offers, the details are in the fine print – in this case over 550 words of fine print.

Sprint’s offer starts out looking reasonable enough. You have to turn in your old phone (or multiple phones if you are on a family plan) and sign up for a brand new one with a two-year contract, but you would have to do that with your existing carrier eventually anyway. Sprint will even pay up to $350 per line in termination fees, although you might have to wait up to 12 weeks for the money to arrive in the form of a Visa Prepaid Card.

However, there is one thing to note about turning in your old phone under the Sprint deal: you get nothing for it, even if it’s a phone with good second-hand value like an iPhone 5 and you have paid it off in full. But again, this is probably not a deal-breaker. That phone was most likely destined for the kitchen drawer anyway.

However, as you keep going with the fine print things start to get a little murkier. You eventually discover that Sprint is not offering to cut your whole bill in half but only the amount you pay for talk, text and data. As most people pay nothing for talk and text, that’s half off what you now pay for data. Depending on how much data you use, that could be a little or a lot, but again, you’re only saving half of one line of your monthly statement rather than the whole bill.

But if you’re a heavy data user – heavy enough to make a 50 percent saving worthwhile – there’s one big problem with switching to Sprint: according to a recent RootMetrics report, it’s got the worst network of all the top wireless carriers.

Not only is Sprint’s inferior network likely to result in slower download speeds and less reliable performance, it could also have real unforeseen consequences for your new Sprint deal. Again buried in the fine print, there is language suggesting that other plans (i.e. plans that pay the full data rate) might receive “prioritized bandwidth availability.” In other words, in times of heavy data traffic, half-price ex-Verizon and AT&T customers will have to wait.

Even worse, there is also a clause that allows Sprint to terminate your plan if more than 100MB of data usage each month is “off-network,” i.e. data consumed while the user is outside of the Sprint network. Considering that my family gets through 300MB a day and Sprint has the smallest network in the country, this is definitely not a deal for anyone that uses more than a few hundred megabytes of data a month.

And there’s the rub. The “cut your bill in half” promotion from Sprint is really only designed for low data users. But if you are a low data user, you aren’t going to see much in the way of savings anyway. And if you are a Verizon or AT&T customer, you are going to exchange those meager savings for a markedly inferior network.

As it continues to mature, the wireless space is starting to look more like the rental car industry, where Hertz and Avis charge premium prices based on service, reliability and network, while the competition carves out a variety of lower-priced alternatives. Of course, a maturing marketplace also results in more knowledgeable consumers, who are better equipped to make sense of the myriad of choices they now face. If you’re a wireless customer, you might want to remember the old adage that has guided savvy shoppers for countless generations: You get what you pay for.

You can follow Paul on Twitter.

The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for Verizon Wireless.     

Friday, February 20: Digital Wellness

VERIZON INSIDER TWITTER PARTY

#VZWBuzz

When: TODAY, Friday, February 20, 2015
12:00-1:00 pm PT
3:00-4:00 pm ET

‘Digital Wellness’

Join @thetechdad @theonlinemom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and special guest @joycecherrier TODAY at 3 pm (12 noon PT) as we chat about Digital Wellness!
A host of new devices and smartphone apps are encouraging us to become more active. Join health and fitness guru @joycecherrier as we look at some of the available options and suggest ways in which we can all transition to a healthier lifestyle!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a Garmin Vivofit or a Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet!
Plus, join the Video Recap right after the chat for a chance to win a Plantronics BackBeat headset!

(Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)

To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: VZWBuzz) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://bit.ly/1tnbnUN     
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) today between 12 – 1 pm PT
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!

(The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for Verizon Wireless.)

Friday, January 16: How To Be More Productive

VERIZON INSIDER TWITTER PARTY

#VZWBuzz

When: TODAY, Friday, January 16, 2015
12:00-1:00 pm PT
3:00-4:00 pm ET

‘How To Be More Productive’

Join @RobynsWorld @TheOnlineMom @geekbabe and @TheTechDad TODAY at 12 noon PT (3 pm ET) as we chat about How To Be More Productive!
Innovative apps, faster networks, and a range of useful accessories are turning our smartphones and tablets into essential work and planning tools. Whether we are scheduling appointments, organizing the family finances, or editing a presentation, our mobile devices can help us become more organized and productive!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a Mophie Powerstation or a 4G LTE Droid Turbo smartphone!
Join @TheOnlineMom on the Video Recap right after the chat for another chance to win a Droid Turbo smartphone!

(Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)

To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: VZWBuzz) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://bit.ly/1sogMVv     
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) today between 12 – 1 pm PT
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!

(The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for Verizon Wireless.)

Friday, January 9: Simplifying Mobile Tech

VERIZON INSIDER TWITTER PARTY

#VZWBuzz

When: TODAY, Friday, January 9, 2015
12:00-1:00 pm PT
3:00-4:00 pm ET

‘Simplifying Mobile Tech’

Join @thetechdad @theonlinemom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and @VerizonInsider TODAY at 12 noon PT (3 pm ET) as we Simplify Mobile Tech!
You don’t need to be a geek to enjoy your smartphone or tablet, but it still pays to know a little bit about what’s going on ‘under the hood.’ Join us as we de-mystify those tech specs and focus on the information that can really make a difference when choosing your next mobile device!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker or a Sony Xperia Z3v Smartphone!
Join @theonlinemom on the Video Recap right after the chat for another chance to win a Sony Xperia Z3v smartphone!

(Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)

To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: VZWBuzz) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://bit.ly/1BpREmQ     
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) today between 12 noon – 1 pm PT
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!

(The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for Verizon Wireless.)

Friday, January 2: Making New Year Resolutions

VERIZON INSIDER TWITTER PARTY

#VZWBuzz

When: TODAY, Friday, January 2, 2015
12:00-1:00 pm PT
3:00-4:00 pm ET

‘New Year Resolutions’

Join @theonlinemom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and @thetechdad TODAY at 12 noon PT (3 pm ET) as we share our New Year Resolutions!
Making New Year resolutions is the easy part; keeping them is a whole lot harder! Join us as we share our goals for 2015, swap tips on how to stay the course, and discover how wireless technology can offer us a helping hand!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband or a Sony Xperia Z3v smartphone!
Plus, there is another chance to win a Sony Xperia Z3v smartphone on the Video Recap which follows the chat!

(Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)

To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: VZWBuzz) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://bit.ly/1GudRkF     
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) today between 12 – 1 pm PT
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!

(The Online Mom LLC receives a fee for participating in certain promotional programs for Verizon Wireless.)

Apps to Get Your Kids Up and Moving

By Tracey Dowdy

‘Tis the season for comfort food, holiday treats and decreased physical activity for kids and adults alike. Here in the northeast, we’ve already seen snow and the cold temperatures will be a fact of life for the next several months. That makes it challenging to meet the 60 minutes of physical activity recommended by the CDC for kids ages 6-17.

Fortunately, there’s a fitness center in the palm of your hand, so there’s no need to hunker down and go dormant until we hear from Punxsutawney Phil.  Here are some of my top picks for apps to get kids of all ages up off the couch and moving:

Iron Kids

iron-kidsDeveloped by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Iron Kids helps kids “safely build strength, balance, and fitness; prepare to excel in sport; and keep playing by preventing injury.” The app includes videos to help kids develop their upper and lower body and core, as well as tips on strength training. Workouts can be customized to season, sport, and skill level.

Platform: iPhone, iPad
Cost: $3.99


NFL Play 60

nfl-play-60Developed by the NFL and the American Heart Association, this endless runner game challenges kids to run, jump, turn, and move holding their phone or tablet while the onscreen character mimics their actions. Kids collect rewards two ways: coins that can be used toward the purchase of NFL gear, and AHA hearts that make them invincible!

Platform: iOS, Android
Cost: free


I Am Love: Kids’ Yoga Journey

kids-yogaverseThis app (Kids Yogaverse: I Am Love on iTunes) won the U.S. Surgeon General’s Healthy Apps Challenge for Kids Fitness. The app has a quick Yoga Flow of 13 simple positions for kids with clear instructions and beautiful illustrations. Designed to empower kids and help them feel good about their bodies, each pose is modeled by a child and incorporates elements of visual, audio and tactile learning.

Platform: iOS, Android
Cost: $3.99


Move Like Me

move-like-meSuitable for younger kids, Move Like Me incorporates memory and movement skill development in one app. Users choose a character then mirror the characters’ movements such as hopping, clapping, marching, swaying or dancing. For each round, the character adds a movement that the user must remember and repeat in sequence – think “Simon” for your body. You can play in single player mode or pass back and forth to play with your child.

Platform: iOS
Cost: $1.99


Zombies, Run!

zombies-runZombies, Run isn’t for little kids, but teens will enjoy running for supplies – and their lives – with this fun and interactive app. Users upload their own music, map out their route and the app customizes a story about getting supplies and avoiding the undead to accompany your run. At different intervals the app will announce zombies are near and the sound of their heavy breathing becomes part of the fun to keep you motivated and moving. Even if you’re on a treadmill, you can input a route and enjoy the fun of avoiding virtual zombies.

Platform: iOS, Android
Cost: $3.99


The Walk

the-walkIf you’re not a runner but have ever wanted to live out The Proclaimers song I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), have I got an app for you! Based on the premise that a bomb has gone off in London, The Walk challenges you to walk 500 miles – the length of the U.K. – to deliver a package, encountering all sorts of adventures along the way. Designed to be accomplished over a period of 3 months, it may be the most fun you’ve ever had with your pedometer!

Platform: iOS, Android
Cost: $2.99

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Toronto, ON. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances and researches on subjects from family and education to pop culture and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.