Peaceful 'Ohana
Technology
Got kids? Got iPhone? Got apps?
Jan 27th
Count Caddy app by Tickle Tap Apps
Looking to keep your child entertained and even have them learn something while you get a break? Have you considered how handy some of the iTunes apps for iPhone are? Following up on my previous discussion of “Kid-friendly iPhone and iPod Touch” is a review of another dozen apps for toddlers I’ve written on the Hawaii Mac Apple User Society (HMAUS) website: “More Great iPhone Apps for Toddlers“. With most apps under $2, isn’t it worth getting a couple of minutes of “quiet” time?
And related:
Need to unwind yourself? Check out “Zen Apps for iPhone/iPod Touch“
Zen Apps for iPhone/iPod Touch
Jun 18th
Here are some great iPhone/iPod Touch apps that, while not strictly “Zen”, they do help to calm the mind (or at least remind me of my time in Japan). You’ll find these all in the iTunes App Store:
Koi Pond — beautifully done with sounds accompanying the koi (Japanese carp). Feed them, scare them (my two year old loves that), or just watch them swim around. $.99
iZen Garden — you are your own monk at a famous rock garden. Rake the stones however you desire. Shake to reset. (There are several of these type of apps now, ranging from free to $2.99.)
Bloom — from Brian Eno, this musical and visual app treats you to a break through subtly-changing, repetitive sounds and images. This is great to hook up to speakers as background music while you work. $3.99
Bowls — can’t afford a $300 Tibetan “signing bowl” but love that droning, melodic sound? This app lets you “play” several different bowls as a way to relax your mind. $1.99
iBonsai — grow your own beautiful bonsai plant in seconds, then, move it around, shake it to remove leaves. Snap a picture and email to a friend. Then repeat… $.99
iKoto — the sound of the koto for me is very relaxing. So to have the ability to play a portable koto wherever you go — with some songs already pre-programmed — is a great way to take a mental break. $1.99
Easy Relax — choose where you want to go and let the sounds of your new “environment” relax you. From Hawaii Vacation to Fishing Time, Blossoms from India to Jungle, all within your reach. $.99 (There are many of these ambient sound apps available, ranging from free to $2.99.)
TanZen Lite — OK, this isn’t actually relaxing. It’s a game. And it can be a damn challenging game at that. However, it reminds me of staying in an ryokan in the mountains with my wife and one of these games was there. We sat watching the snow on the mountains in the warmth of our room silently playing this game.
There are apps for Chakra, meditation, Buddhism, you name it and there’s probably an app for it…
Hopefully you could find something that might help you stay in peace…
Kid-friendly iPhone and iPod Touch
Jun 17th
If you’ve been thinking about an iPhone or iPod Touch, or already have one, here’s some pretty cool things you can do that will provide even more value to you as you extend it to your family; I’m talking about making it “kid-friendly”.
I moved from having Palm PDA’s for years to an iPod Touch. The Touch does all the things I needed my T|X to do (wireless, applications, calendar, note taking, etc.) but with a much better web browser, incredibly easy-to-use iTunes integration, and — with using Plaxo — syncing my calendar between work PC and home Mac.
But the apps are what really make this thing kid-friendly. My two and a half year old sees me working on it and says “I play papa game!” He loves to try out the fun of using that touch screen to make things happen. And, as I’ve learned from other parents, having an iPod Touch/iPhone that can hold MOVIES can be PERFECT for long flights, like to Japan! This device has probably helped lower my blood pressure level significantly (no more wandering child, screaming of boredom).
So, here are a couple of great toddler-friendly things for your iPhone or iPod Touch:
More >
Web 2.0 and Sustainability
Apr 12th
Yesterday was the Oceanic Time Warner Business Class Tech Expo at the Blaisdell. It was my first time going to it, so wasn’t sure what to expect. While the exhibitors seemed somewhat limited, and I didn’t win ANYTHING despite entering what seemed like hundreds of contests (!), there were two seminars that stood out for me. 
The first one was by Steve Bretches with IBM on Enterprise 2.0 Bringing Web 2.0 technology into the Enterprise. Steve went through what “Web 2.0″ is — things like blogs, social sites (linkedin, myspace), tagging sites (digg), RSS feeds, wiki’s, AJAX, etc. — where the CONSUMER of the product, the person actually USING it, creates their own experience.
More >
Google Alerts: Let the results come to you
Aug 4th
Most people have something they are interested in, a topic or keyword that they search for quite often. Imagine if instead of you having to search for it, alerts come to your email whenever it appears. Say for example that you want to learn more about “child sign language” or that you own a business named “massagical”. What about getting help with a term paper or school project…? By using http://www.google.com/alerts – Google Alerts, you can enter in ANY keywords and whenever new instances appear in the Google search engine, you get notified.
Handy, right? And free is still a good price!
Check it out…
technorati tags:google, alerts, tips
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