Tech Trends

Tonji, the Music Ambassador, New iPad App for Kids

Burke mom Karina Garcia Neff introduces her musical app for kids.

Burke mother and entrepreneur Karina Garcia Neff, a native of Peru, has created an iPad application for kids. “I wanted to teach my children to embrace who they are and become connected to their heritage,” Neff wrote on her website, Mommy Americana. The result is Tonji, the Music Ambassador, an app for Apple's iPad, developed in conjunction with Neff's multilingual music album of the same name. Both aim to present culture and language through nursery rhymes. The app is available at the iTunes Store for $2.99.  It currently features three songs, but will eventually include "the vast majority" of the album's 25 songs in nine languages, according to the website. Users will be notified by updates in the app store when additional songs are …

• Photos (1)

Google Gains Patents and More with Motorola Mobility Purchase

Flip Phone to RAZR to Google

Growing up, I knew Motorola for its television sets. From those dark ages, Motorola pursued mobile phones as well as cable modems and video boxes. It developed two iconic mobile phones. First the flip phone in the mid-1990s; then the RAZR. It also treated the public to several memorable commercials on both products. Who could resist the sleek, thin RAZR? Google cleared the final hurdle in its pursuit of a merger with Motorola Mobility. Trading commissions nationally and internationally were required to approve the merger, which began almost a year ago. The last country, the People’s Republic of China, approved it on May 19. By May 22, the $12.5 billion merger’s worldwide regulatory review was complete. The stated plan is for Motorola to …

• Photos (1)

Tech Trends

Publish Your Own eBook

Going digital with your magnum opus.

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on April 4 against Apple, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Shuster, Macmillan, and Penguin Group. The suit concerns pricing, specifically the over pricing, of eBooks. The root of the pricing issue began with Amazon’s $9.99 standard. Some of the defendants have settled; some remain. All this led me to consider the technical side of eBook publishing.  Could someone publish their own writing as an eBook? And the answer is yes. We’ll introduce these three tools to convert your text and images into an eBook: Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite, Apple’s iBooks Author, and Literature & Latte’s Scrivener. Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite is part of Adobe’s InDesign CS5.5. I’d put this one at the high end in …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Knowing Your Gadget Buying Style

What type of gadget fan are you?

Every January Las Vegas is the center of the consumer electronics universe. It's the Consumer Electronics Show, and all the big and little players, with the exception of Apple who hosts their own events, gather to show off their products and concepts for the coming year. The hot technology of the just-passed holiday season become last-year’s models; what was cutting-edge is now old news. So, how do you handle the pace of change? It depends on your own personal style. The Early Adopter These are the folks who need to have the slickest, fastest, smallest and newest technology otherwise they feel out of date. They pay top dollar and are willing to put up with products that may still need a bit of kink straightening. CES and Apple press …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Jean Westcott

2:30 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Ah, but then they wouldn't be a 'gadget fan'? There are a lot of us who hope to some day be a comfy consumer but are more of a 'waiting on the sidelines due to financial reality' group--but that isn't very fun to write about!   more ›

Tech Trends

Is Google+ for You?

New Year, New Social Network

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and now Google+. Let’s be honest. Initially it is fun to find people you’ve lost contact with during the crush of daily life. One of you sends a request. The other accepts. You share “since we last spoke” and they reciprocate. Good memories. Good times. Then what? There is something powerful about social networks and the connectedness they provide. Google+ launched June 28, 2011 and six months later had an estimated user base of 62 million, according to Google+ Users Estimated at 62 Million. Google has assembled the pieces needed to be the major force in content marketing in 2012. It is poised to be a significant competitor to Facebook. Real life happens wherever you are. Google+ is available as a website and …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (1)

Susan Larson

8:25 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012

I believe I know this Bob, and you've made me laugh again! Thanks for commenting.   more ›

Give The Gift Of Personal Computer Training

Taking you to the next level

Microsoft opened its fourteenth location this month in Tysons Corner Center, joining Apple and Sony in providing full service stores offering computer systems, accessories, the Xbox console and Kinect, software, phones and probably most importantly the assistance of specialized staff. What makes these store so valuable is that not only do you get to get some hands-on time with the full product lines, you also get a level of service much higher than that is available from retailers (on-line or in person) that carry products from multiple vendors. Apple has the Genius Bar which provides advice and repair information on all of the products available from Apple. Their stores are an important part of Apple's success as customers can walk into …

• Photos (2)

Apple Founder Steve Jobs Passes Away At 56

Jobs' genius was making technology human-friendly

When Steve Jobs retired as Apple's CEO earlier this year, most knew his health was failing. It is shocking that such an innovative, energetic and accomplished individual died so young. His influence is readily apparent in many online tributes; he was a businessman, pitchman, investor, dreamer and creative leader. Where Jobs excelled, and why he has engendered such a large fanbase, was in his conviction that technology could be not only useful and powerful but also beautiful, intuitive and almost counterintuitively human. Apple's computers and the gadgets that followed brought new people to the forefront of technology. From personal computers, to media players, smartphones to tablet computers, Apple was never first, but they brought each of…

• Videos (1)

Tech News Roundup

It's tough with all of the changes in our digital world. Here are some highlights from this week

Facebook This week Facebook reached a milestone with a half a billion people using the site on one day. It seems with the changes of the homepage that each one of those 500 million people was complaining about the changes. The way that we process information so quickly is reflected in that by the end of the day you were already tired of hearing complaints. After rolling out these changes they announced a bunch of new changes coming to Facebook like Timeline and music sharing with Spotify. All of the changes are described on Facebook's blog. Netflix Complaints about changes to Netflix came in a close second to complaints about the new Facebook newsfeed. The physical DVD subscription is being rebranded as Qwikster to differentiate it from …

• Photos (1)

Apple's Steve Jobs Steps Down As CEO

Iconic Apple leader resigned amid concerns about his health

Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder (along with Steve Wozniak) submitted his resignation letter to its board of directors. He has been battling pancreatic cancer for some time. "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come." Jobs asked to remain as "Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee" if Apple's board of directors sees fit. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and underwent a liver transplant in 2009. The news was met with a sense of sadness by Apple fans and observers on social media. Microsoft's Director of Programming for Xbox Live Larry Hyrb, known as Major Nelson, tweeted: "Steve Jobs…

• Photos (1)
• Videos (1)

Back To School Tech

Tools to help you make the grade

Each year's school supply list seems to grow larger than the previous year's. In our house I have enough sticky notes, notebooks, pens and highlighters carried over from years past. Once you cross off everything on the must-have list, you might want to consider looking at some of these items to help your students start the year off right. Other offers for students:

• Photos (1)