Technology
Stem toys, Steam toys, smart appliances and technology that makes your home work more efficiently. The pace of technology is rapid-fire and ever changing. Here's why it pays to stay on top of what's hot and what's not. This section of Thrifty Mommas Tips is basically the intersection of where technology lives and exists to make your life better. Technology exists everywhere we look right now and it is evolving every second. Apps are always with us and ready to be engaged or downloaded, but which ones are worth the time and real estate on your phone? For that matter, which phone is the one you want to partner with for the next two years? From the computer and camera in your pocket every day to the doorbell, the smart TV and dishwasher that texts you messages when something is wrong, electronics and gadgets can be brilliant tools that enhance our lives. Your home right now has never been more tapped in, or smarter reading your activity and comfort to achieve a better lifestyle for your family. But these same consumer electronics and apps can also be intrusive or frustrating and expensive if they are not what you expect. How is a person to know what to spend time on? I vet things thoroughly here, from cameras to small appliances, smart thermostats, steam dishwashers, and fun toys so that you can buy with confidence. These are my favourite things that exist right now in the technology space.
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Online Safety and Snapchat
Online safety is a big deal, and Snapchat has become one of the more concerning apps for parents of tweens and teens. Because users of SnapChat can specify a time frame that a picture will stay on the server, online safety is a concern with this app. What is SnapChat ? For those of you who don’t know, SnapChat is a video messaging app which allows users to take photos, videos, and add text or drawings and then send them to other users. This media – known as “Snaps” can be set up with a time limit on how long it can be viewed by the recipient. After that time,…
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Do You Need a Twitter Account to Use Periscope?
Periscope makes it easy to broadcast and watch videos, all from your cell phone. It’s a fun way to connect with your friends and even people you’ve never met before. If you’ve recent found out about it, you may have questions. What is this new platform? How is it used? Do you need a Twitter account to use Periscope? Do You Need a Twitter Account to Use Periscope? What is Periscope? Periscope is a cell phone app that lets you easily livestream videos. Since it is in real time, you can interact directly with your friends and viewers, who can leave comments. It is a fun app with…
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50 Pokemon Halloween Items and Gifts
Is there anything hotter than Pokemon GO right now? Maybe Pokemon Halloween! This Halloween there are bound to be dozens of tiny Pikachus and Squirtles walking the streets. I can hardly wait to see who we have at our door. Of course if you are in need of a Pokemon Halloween costume then you might want to start here. 50 Pokemon Halloween Gifts Need a Halloween Pokemon Costume this year? Here are several ideas that will make everyone happy. With one of these costumes you can spot the Pokemon in your neighbourhood all night long. 1. Rubie’s Costume Pokemon Ash Deluxe Child Costume – $31.95 2. Pokemon Child’s Deluxe Pikachu…
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Kid-Friendly Internet with KidsWifi #Giveaway
Creating a Kid-friendly space to use the internet is something most parents are after. The web is a great place full of knowledge, creativity, and new ideas. It can also be a dark place filled with vulgar language, images, and videos. The worst part is that it’s so easy to quickly jump from something benign to something your kids can’t unsee. All it takes is a search for one thing, a click, and suddenly, kid-friendly internet becomes a scary space filling our children’s minds with images and questions that we weren’t prepared to answer just yet. Keeping the Internet Kid-Friendly Of course, safety comes in the form of filtering out unwanted content for…
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New Family Friendly Titles COMING SOON From XBOX One #X16CA
Recently we were invited to the XBOX One Media Showcase in Toronto’s Distillery District. It was the second year I attended and spent some time getting to know which new family friendly XBOX One games are coming soon. There are a few surefire hits on the way to stores soon. You’ll want to put them on your list for the holidays if not before. This year as always there were dozens of exciting new games at the XBOX One Media Showcase. From the Minecraft games set up inside the showcase room to the thrill seeking extreme winter sports game Steep, which is one of my new favourites, XBOX One delivers just…
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Make Back to School Rock with Monster Headphones #BTS
It’s the most musical time of the year. Kidding. Moms and Dads might feel like dancing but tweens and teens, probably not so much. But this year my girls felt like dancing when these Monster headphones arrived for Back to School season here at my house. These beauties landed in my office when the kids were at camp and I was super excited to let them pick which ones they each wanted when they returned. Post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. I receive a small commission via qualifying purchases made. Remarkably they both opted for the opposite ones that I would have chosen for them. My older daughter wanted the…
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Cyber Threats – Protect Yourself and all Your Devices
I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with ESET, and I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions in this blog are my own. Cyber threats are frightening and a reality for anyone who owns a computer, tablet or cell phone. Cyber threats are one of the most worrisome encroachments on our personal lives we face these days. Between ransomware and backdoor key logging malware, cyber threats can and do infiltrate our daily lives. While most of them are only nuisances, there is still possibility of disastrous life changing occurrences like identity theft and financial theft. It’s important to protect yourself from cyber threats,…
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Finding Pokestops – The 5 Best Ways to Stock Up
Finding Pokestops is crucial to your Pokemon GO success. Pokestops have all the supplies you need for your continued quest to catch ’em all, from Pokeballs of varying strength to berries to potions and more. Depending on your level, you can get some excellent supplies to help you on your Pokemon GO journey. But first you have to figure out the best way of finding Pokestops. Finding Pokestops without Losing Your Mind Pokestops are great for stocking up on items, but they can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look. Pokemon GO uses GPS combined with Google Maps to create the virtual Pokemon world we’re all…
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Pokemon Go: Learn To Power Up and Evolve Pokemon Fast
There is no question that the overwhelming positive response to the Pokemon Go app shows that people are ready for this kind of interactive adventure game. Families all over the world are getting outside and enjoying the thrill of the hunt for capturing new and unique Pokemon for their Pokedex. If you’d love to learn how to power up those precious rare Pokemon in your collection, then read on to learn some exciting tips to get them powered up then evolved! Here are a few tips and tricks to help you evolve pokemon fast! Understanding the Value of Candy and Stardust First of all, there is some confusion among new…
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Who’s Your Daddy? Best Father’s Day Tech Gifts for Dad #BestDadBestBuy
Who’s your Daddy? Gadget Dad? Fitness Dad? Gamer Dad? Geek Dad? Fishing Dad? DIY Dad? Golfer Dad? Handy Dad? There are almost as many types of Dads as there are men in the world. Father’s Day is fast approaching, and that’s got me thinking about our Dad, father of our two girls, chauffeur, support person, DIY handyman, globetrotter, and brown belt. I am grateful for my husband, who is also one of my all round favourite people. Regardless of the type of Dad you have, or are shopping for, you need not panic because Best Buy has you covered with the best tech gifts for Father’s Day. This past weekend…