Best Apps for Pet Owners

By Tracey Dowdy

We Americans love our pets. We spent over $56 billion on them in 2013 with $15 billion of that in vet care alone. Recent studies have shown pet owners experience benefits that go far beyond someone to cuddle or play with, they actually make us happier and healthier.

Research by The American Heart Association found that pet owners had better overall heart health and have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Pet owners tend to move more, are often more social, have reduced stress levels, and children exposed to pets at a young age tend to have fewer allergies later in life. Children with pets tend to demonstrate higher levels of compassion, self-confidence and show more responsibility.

It’s no wonder then that over 68% of American households have a furry, hairy, scaly or finned family member. And since over half the population has a smartphone, it’s no wonder there are so many great apps and smartphone paired-gadgets for pet owners.

Tagg Pet Tracker uses your phone’s GPS and Verizon’s nationwide wireless network to help monitor your dog. The device clips to your dog’s collar and once you’ve set up his perimeter, Tagg will let you know by text message if Buttons makes a run for it. Rugged, waterproof, and with a 10 day battery charge, Tagg Pet Tracker also monitors your dog’s health by sending emails and in-app alerts about activity level. (iOS, Android)

Pet First Aid by American Red Cross offers practical and basic medical advice for cat and dog owners. With step by step instructions for 25 common pet emergencies, the app walks you through first aid steps, offers advice on giving your pet medication, and offers behavioral advice. It also allows you to program your vet’s number into the app and locates the nearest veterinary hospital, and even offers advice on euthanasia when it’s time to say goodbye. (iOS, Android – $0.99)

Bring Fido is ideal for pet owners who don’t like to leave their dog behind when they travel. Search worldwide by distance, rating, popularity, or price for a list of hotels, attractions, and restaurants that allow pets. Users can search for local attractions, groomers, vets, pet sitters and pet supply stores as well as share photos of your pet on Facebook or Twitter. Bring Fido is currently offering $5 off your next booking if you use the code FIDOAPP. (iOS, Android – Free)

Aquarimate is a great app for hobbyists or professionals and offers advice for salt and freshwater aquariums. The Dashboard provides a structured timetable and record of tasks so you never lose track of maintenance or feeding schedules. Timelines tracks health and growth of your marine life and allows you to create individual timelines for each tank inhabitant. Create a photo gallery, track expenses, log test results to track parameters or build them into a chart. You can back up your data to the Aquarimate cross-platform cloud accessible anytime you have internet access. (iOS, Android)

Dog Whistler is simply that – a dog whistle. A simple user interface allows users to choose a frequency between 80Hz and 20,000Hz to train your dog. As an added benefit, several users say it’s an effective mosquito repellent. (iOS, Android – $0.99)

Pet First Aid won’t replace your vet but may save you a trip to the clinic for something easily dealt with at home. Videos and detailed step by step instructions can help you tend to simple medical issues like stings or cuts but also provide valuable advice for emergencies like burns, poisoning, drowning or how to give your pet CPR. The iOS version tracks your pet’s medical history and the Android version promises to add this capability soon. (iOS, Android)

PupTox is a comprehensive list of 250 plants, foods, beverages and other items that are toxic for cats and dogs. It has a built in chocolate toxicity calculator so if your cocker spaniel eats an entire bag of Hershey miniature chocolate bars as once happened at my house – I swear that dog had retractable thumbs – you’ll know what to expect and how to best treat the results. The list includes common house and garden plants, household cleaners, and drugs as well as food and beverages. While the app doesn’t offer medical advice, it can tell you whether what your pet has ingested is toxic and offers quick connection to your vet, Pet Poison Helpline, or local ASPCA. (iOS/Android – $0.99)

Exotic Pet Vet is designed for veterinary students but is a great resource for those who’ve opted for a chinchilla instead of a cat or a tortoise instead of a goldfish. “Designed to provide biological data on the commonly presented exotic species”, the app offers a comprehensive list of common illness, answers to simple questions like the gestation period for rabbits. The app is frequently updated so users always have access to current information. (iOS, Android)

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.By Tracey Dowdy

 

Wednesday, April 29: A Special Gaiam TV Twitter Event

14 Day Clean Eating & Yoga Challenge!

#MyYoga

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2015
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PT

Join hosts @JoyceCherrier @TheOnlineMom and @blogomomma on Wednesday, April 29 TODAY at 8:00 pm ET for a special #MyYoga Twitter chat!
My Yoga on Gaiam TV and The Conscious Cleanse are partnering to revolutionize the way you feel, think and live with the 14 Day Clean Eating & Yoga Challenge. Join us as we show you how to take the first steps to transforming your life! 
 RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win one of three stylish Follow My Line Jackets!

(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: MyYoga) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://ow.ly/M8B9r      
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#MyYoga) on Wednesday, April 29 between 8 – 9 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 GaiamTV.)

Customizing Your Smartphone

By Tracey Dowdy

Smartphones have moved beyond being an accessory to become an extension of ourselves. It’s how we communicate with each other, how we do business, how we capture our memories and keep track of our schedule. Just as you make your home a reflection of your personality and interests, customizing your phone is another way to express yourself. But don’t think of customizing as limited to wallpapers and ringtones; there’s a whole world of customization waiting for you.

Choose Your Case

Considering the cost of the device in your hands, you’re likely going to want to protect your phone with a case. But before you splurge at the dollar store on a case that looks good but offers little protection, or you choose a case that offers industrial strength protection, take the time to consider your needs.

Durability: If you lead an active lifestyle or work in an area that puts your phone at higher risk of damage, you may want to choose a case that provides serious protection such as those made by companies like Otterbox or Griffin. If like most of us the risk isn’t that high and the biggest danger is dropping your phone, the options are endless. You can choose a high-end case from designers like Kate Spade or Marc Jacobs, buy a Star Wars themed case from a kiosk at the mall, or even design your own through sites like SkinIt or DecalGirl.

Design is important not only in the style but the functionality of the case. Before making your choice, consider things like whether you’ll be able to charge with the case on, how easy it will be to clean, how it feels in your hand, and whether it’s waterproof. The material the case is constructed of will give you an idea of its durability and the protection it will offer a dropped phone.

Remember, as in most areas of life, price doesn’t always reflect quality. Cases made of poor quality materials are at both ends of the pricing spectrum and there are a lot of reasonably priced options that fall somewhere in the middle. Look at it this way, a good quality case is definitely cheaper than a new phone.

Choose Your Accessories

Because our phones are so integrated into our lives and lifestyle, there’s a wealth of smartphone accessories available.

Headsets and headphones – Whether you’re listening to your 80’s playlist to keep you calm in traffic or using your Bluetooth to call your mother because it’s been way too long – now you know how I spend my drive time – you’ll want a good headset or headphones. Verizon Wireless offers a huge selection of in-ear, over-the-ear, wireless, and hands-free options.

Camera and Photography – Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, there are a multitude of camera accessories available. With choices like selfie sticks, GoPro cameras, an AudioVox ShutterBall that lets you take selfies from up to 60 ft. away, or a HTC RE Camera that shoots underwater and streams live to your YouTube account, you’ll be able to take your photography game to the next level.

Make Yours a Smart House – Take smartphone integration one step further by pairing your smartphone with products like the Nest Home thermostat that allows you to change the thermostat even when you’re away from home, a Tagg Pet Tracker that lets you know your pet’s location at any time and tracks them if they wander off, or Bose SoundLink Bluetooth speakers that bring theater sound into your home.

Get Organized

From your Home Screen to storage, you can rule your world from your phone. Although the iPhone user interface isn’t customizable to the extent an Android or Windows phone is, you can still make it your own.

Home Screen – Organize your apps by pinning the most used apps to your home screen and organize apps you don’t use as often into folders. Further customize your screen with wallpapers, fonts, and widgets (Android) to make your phone even more a reflection of your personality.

Storage – Smartphones can’t really deliver the storage that’s promised on the box. For example, a 16GB iPhone 5c only has about 12.6GB of storage available once you account for the space the OS takes up. Once you start adding apps, music, photos and video, storage fills up fast. So take stock of what you need and go from there. Move photos and videos off your phone and store them on an external hard drive or choose a cloud option like Amazon Cloud. Review your apps and decide which ones you’re using and which ones are just taking up space. Movies, music and podcasts take up a lot of storage. Be selective of what you’ll need to entertain yourself on-the-go and get rid of the rest.

Choose Your Apps

Since both iTunes and Google Play offer well over one million apps in their store, chances are no matter what you’re looking for, there’s an app for that.

Consider storage – Before downloading, consider how much storage space it will require. Games generally eat up a lot of storage, so consider how often you’ll play before committing.

Consider Price – There are thousands of free apps and just as many if not more available for purchase. Beware many apps – games in particular – offer in-app purchases which could end up costing a lot if not managed.

Consider Battery use – Some apps will drain your battery faster than others. For example, if you’re using Google maps for turn-by-turn directions, your battery will run down more quickly as your phone is constantly pulling in data to give you accurate instructions. Editing your photos won’t impact your battery life in the same way, as you are working with content already downloaded to your phone.

Whatever your device, whatever the operating system and whatever the service provider, customizing your phone is limited only by your own imagination.

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.

Monday, April 27: A BeefLove Twitter Party

A BeefLove TWITTER Party BeefLove2
When: TODAY,Monday, April 27, 2015
8:00 – 9:00 pm ET
5:00 – 6:00 pm PT
Join @SilviaOnlineMom @RobynsWorld and @beefpros  at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) TODAY as we discuss all things beef: nutritional value, safe handling, great Cinco de Mayo recipes and more!
Beef has once again become a staple of balanced diets everywhere. In this chat we share valuable nutritional information about beef and fun ways to celebrate your Cinco de Mayo. Join us to and share beef recipes, discuss the best grill cuts, and learn how to buy the best beef at the best prices!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win:
Steaks valued at $50 (two prizes)
Steaks valued at $75 (three prizes)
and the Grand Prize:
Steaks valued at $150!

(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: BeefLove) and include your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://ow.ly/M2Hin      
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#BeefLove) today between 8 – 9 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 the Beef Checkoff.)

Best Early Learning Apps for Kids

By Tracey Dowdy

Our early years of life should be measured in dog years. The amount of knowledge kids absorb before they even start school is staggering. They’re developing motor skills and language, learning to recognize shapes and letters, mastering basic math skills, and learning self-care and independence.

Building that foundation puts your child on the path to academic success. Before you think I’m suggesting hours of daily flashcard drills for your toddler, understand that not only does each child learn differently, they learn virtually all the time. They’re learning spatial relations while they build a tower with blocks or put together a puzzle. They learn social skills while they play house; physics while they play with their trains or cars; geology and nature while they dig for worms in the backyard.

A child’s love for math, reading and language can start at home and you are your child’s first teacher. These apps can help you plant those seeds, so your little ones will have a solid start to a lifetime of learning.

Doodle Critter Math Shapes

doodle-critterDoodle Critters Math Shapes has six learning activities including tracing, solving puzzles, and matching that teach kids to recognize shapes onscreen and then see examples of them in the real world. Along with simple math skills, the tracing activities in particular will help your child develop their fine motor skills. (iOS – $2.99)


Bugs and Numbers

bugs-numbersBugs and Numbers spans a wide range of math skills and takes kids from preschool through early elementary. Kids explore places like a diner or a circus from a bug’s perspective while they learn about shapes, counting, sequencing, addition, subtraction, fractions, telling time and more. The graphics are beautiful and the bugs are fairly realistic and kids can earn more bugs by completing activities and can even zoom in to see their bugs in action. (iOS – $2.99)


Reading Raven

ravenReading Raven takes kids from pre-reading to reading short sentences through activities like letter tracing and recording their own voice reading words, all self-paced with sticker rewards to celebrate successes. Kids will love having a raven with a backpack guide them through adventures and meeting fly-eating frogs and circus performers, and parents will appreciate the step-by-step lessons. (iOS – Free/$3.99)


Starfall Learn to Read

starfallStarfall Learn to Read is the app version of the Starfall Learn to Read website. Kids will develop reading skills through 15 mini books, each focusing on a different vowel sound that teaches by using games, songs, and videos. Each book features its own song to reinforce the vowel sound and each page offers kids the opportunity to read the sentence themselves, get help with pronunciation or have it read to them. (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire – $2.99)


Endless Alphabet

alphabetEndless Alphabet uses clever monsters to teach kids letters and build vocabulary through fun animations. A monster has a mouth full of words in alphabetical order and when kids select a word they hear how it sounds, get to put it back together using phonics and watch an animation of the word’s meaning. Kids work at their own pace and the app is “endless” because new words are constantly added. (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows – Free/$6.99)


Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

monkeyMonkey Preschool Lunchbox is a collection of seven games that teach kids colors, matching, counting, letters, and shapes by helping a cheeky monkey pack his lunch. The app is designed specifically for preschoolers so there are no confusing menus, making it easy for your child to play independently. Kids can earn stickers for winning a game and each game flows easily into the next. (iOS, Android – $1.99)


Drawing Pad

drawing-padDrawing Pad is an art studio in your hands. Kids use photo-realistic crayons, markers, paint brushes, colored pencils and other media to create one of a kind artwork. Kids can save their work and go back to edit or add to it later. The app features one-touch connectivity with Facebook and Twitter, so parents can show the world what their budding Picasso has created. (iOS, Android, Kindle Fire – $1.99)


Toca Lab

toca-labToca Lab introduces kids to science. Kids will love putting on their lab coat and safety goggles to play with the centrifuge, heat elements with a Bunsen Burner, or make them magnetic with the oscilloscope. The app introduces kids to the 118 elements of the periodic table by giving each element its own personality. (iOS, Android – $1.99)

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.

Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence

By Tracey Dowdy

For most of us, our cell phone is how we connect with friends, family and even co-workers. We call, we text, and we post pictures of our lunch, our kids and our pets.  We check our email, we do our online banking, we surf the web for news and entertainment. For victims of domestic violence, a cell phone is far more than a way to stay entertained – it’s a lifeline.

What Does Domestic Violence Look Like?

Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior intended to establish power and control over another individual, either by fear or intimidation which often taking the form of physical aggression. Domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness in America and it crosses every social, ethnic, gender, racial and economic boundary. One in every three female homicide victims is murdered by a current or former partner. From an economic perspective, domestic violence costs upward of $37 billion annually in law enforcement involvement, healthcare costs, lost productivity and wages, and legal costs and court fees.

According to Safe Horizon, America’s largest organization helping victims of crime and domestic violence, 1 out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence at some point in her lifetime. It’s important to note that victims are not always women; men are the victims of 4 million domestic assaults each year.

What is HopeLine®?

Seeing a need, Verizon Wireless established HopeLine® in 2001 as a way to support victims of domestic violence. Since its inception, Verizon has collected over 10.8 million phones nationwide, given over $21 million in cash grants to domestic violence organizations, and donated over 180,000 phones to victims and survivors to help break the cycle of violence.

How Can You Participate?

To participate, you can donate your unused phone and accessories in any condition, from any provider, by dropping it off at a Verizon Wireless store, by mailing it in, or by hosting a HopeLine® phone drive. Complete instructions on preparing and donating your phone can be found here, including a postage paid mailing label, as well as instructions on hosting your own HopeLine® phone drive. It couldn’t be simpler.

I Donated, Now What?

If Verizon receives a reusable phone, they will refurbish the device, which includes removing any existing data. Phones that are too damaged or unable to be repaired are responsibly recycled, keeping them out of landfills. Restored phones are distributed through the HopeLine® program. Survivors receive phones loaded with 3,000 anytime minutes and include Verizon Wireless nationwide coverage, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, basic voice mail, as well as texting capability.

Here in the United States, twenty people per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner. Everyone matters and everyone deserves a life free of fear and violence. You can help make that happen. To learn more about the HopeLine® program and how you can get involved, visit the Verizon Wireless HopeLine website.

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.

Pros and Cons of the Apple Watch

By Tracey Dowdy

Apple isn’t the first to offer a smart watch – Samsung’s Galaxy Gear and Pebble watches have been on the market for some time – but once again they’re hoping to change the game with the release of the Apple Watch.

Though the Watch was launched April 10th, buyers won’t be able to walk out with their watch until the 24th. With a price point starting at $349 and topping out at $17,000 – no that’s not a typo, $17,000 – consumers would be wise to consider what the Watch can and can’t do before handing over their debit cards.

To help you decide if the Watch is a toy or a tool, here’s a little of what you should know:

Pros:

Sleek design – Design has always been an important feature of any Apple product and the Watch is no exception. Mimicking the style of the iPhone with its’ rounded corners and offering interchangeable straps, the Watch has either a sporty or more sophisticated look. Retina display is sharper than other smart watches and using the Digital Crown (a small knob on the side) allows users to scroll or zoom without blocking the screen.

Solid construction – The Apple Watch Sport offers scratch resistant Ion-X glass set in aluminum and the Apple Watch (stainless steel) and Apple Watch Edition (18k gold) have sapphire crystal display, which is heavier and more scratch-resistant.

Apps and Features – As wearable software, the Watch is loaded with useful and practical apps and even includes a few games. You can send and receive texts, dictate messages, listen to music with wireless Bluetooth headphones and even send your heartbeat, though why you’d want or need to remains something of a mystery to me.

Ability to send and receive calls – When paired with an iPhone 5 or 6, the Watch offers the capability to send and receive calls, including using the speakerphone, not something that will appeal to all users but certainly will for many.

Cons:

Price – The relatively high price tag for even the least expensive option will be a deal breaker for many consumers. Starting at $349, the Apple Watch Sport is set in aluminum and offers a rubber strap in five color options. The Apple Watch starts at $549, is set in stainless steel, with leather, metal or rubber straps. The Apple Watch Edition is set in 18k gold, starts off at a whopping $10,000 and goes as high as $17,000.

Battery Life and charge time – With an estimated life of 18 hours, the Watch falls short of the Pebble and Galaxy Gear that promise as much as 36 hours of battery life. Remember, as with any tech, battery life depends on usage. A second complaint that’s been raised is the relatively slow charge time, common among some Apple products.

Needs iPhone 5 or later – Ultimately the Watch is an iPhone accessory, and given that it’s compatible only with iPhone 5 or 6, the number of potential users is significantly narrowed. Users need to be within Bluetooth range (approx. 30 ft.) of their phone or connected over Wi-Fi in order for the Watch to work.

Apple hasn’t launched a new product category since the iPad back in 2007 and it remains to be seen if the Watch will have a similar market impact.  One thing is certain, with this being the first generation of the Watch and with Apple’s commitment to staying at the cutting edge, the best is yet to come.

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.

 

Friday, May 22: Getting More from Your Tablet

VERIZON INSIDER TWITTER PARTY

#VZWBuzz

When: TODAY, Friday, May 22, 2015
3:00-4:00 pm ET
12:00-1:00 pm PT

‘Getting More from Your Tablet’

Join @TheOnlineMom @RobynsWorld @geekbabe and @TheTechDad TODAY at 3 pm ET (12 noon PT) as we chat about Getting More from Your Tablet!
Faster processors, smarter apps and cloud storage options are transforming the way we use our tablets. Whether you want to replace a laptop at work or just develop your own personal entertainment hub, we offer suggestions on how to get the most out of these rapidly evolving devices!
RSVP and attend the party for a chance to win a Mophie Powerstation Plus 3x charger or a Moto X by Motorola smartphone!
Join @TheOnlineMom on the Video Recap right after the chat for another chance to win a Moto X 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://ow.ly/Lxtyc      
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#VZWBuzz) today between 3 – 4 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 Verizon Wireless.)