Heather, On Tech

Forget "Pre-Teens" - What About Younger Kids?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's been awhile since I posted, I know.  Today's going to be a good one though.  It's not really about a gadget, but it's a rant on something that needs to be addressed by the world, like NOW, because wake up people!

I have two boys, ages 6 and 8.  Believe it or not, they can read!  And even worse, they can write!  Oh my God, can you believe it?  Guess what else?  They have their own computers!  I realise that last part may not be completely mainstream yet, but as life and technology have evolved, more and more children - and I mean really young ones - will have their own computers, or at least access to them all the time.  Mine have had their own computers since they were roughly two years old (both my husband and I are software developers, and when you get a new computer every two years, you tend to accumulate them - may as well put them to good use).

Both of their machines are set up in a "public" area of the house - namely the family room.  They have no privacy while surfing the Internet.  But that doesn't mean that I'm sitting right there with them, either.  They are old enough to type in their own searches and look for and view whatever they want to on the Internet at their leisure.

Now, before you misunderstand and think I feel there should be parental controls on everything, please finish reading.  I know there are plenty of parental-type controls to install (remember what I do for a living?  I spend much of my time on the Internet myself).  I also know that a lot of those controls are all-encompassing for your household (if you block a site at your router, you're screwed; using online family tools requires everyone to sign up (sometimes); it's a hassle because frankly, there are plenty of sites that have perfectly suitable content for my children as well as things that are completely unsuitable for the entire world to see).  So, basically, I'm not talking about a children's browser or parental controls.

For instance, my kids adore YouTube.  There are plenty of child-friendly videos on YouTube that I let them enjoy, that's perfectly suitable for them to watch (and gasp! even age appropriate!).  The rub is that while they are searching for Harry Potter, they may stumble upon something that isn't really Harry Potter related, despite being tagged as such (for instance, a teenager home-made movie with lots of blood and gore in it and one of the characters is dressed up like Harry Potter).  I have no problem with those types of videos per se, and I certainly don't think they should be banned.  What I do think is that if you're going to have parental controls on your web site, they need to address the fact that people under the age of 13 are viewing it.

Now, I'm picking on YouTube because they are the flavour of the day (and the current problem in our house).  However, to their credit, they do mention that only people 13 and older are allowed to create an account.  I also have no problem with this; it's their business and they have the right to do that.  I just wish there were a way to convince them that really, just because a six year old has an account, they can still read and write, and they can type their own stuff in - and wouldn't it be nice to treat them as the (somewhat) responsible children they are and flag the material that's appropriate for them, just like the pre-teens?  What a concept!  It's what, one more record in a lookup table, right?  If the content is being flagged by the parents anyway, why not allow younger kids to sign up and be protected?  What about something like Fred?  My kids adore him, and he's perfectly safe for them to watch.  Why not let them?  Because if they type in "Fred" as a search item, they are also likely to get "Fred Kruger" of A Nightmare on Elm Street fame, which I don't want them watching.  If they were 13, I wouldn't care so much, or at least they would be better able to understand that the boogeyman isn't real.

And yes, I know there are plenty of sites out there for kids.  My boys actually spend a lot of their online time on Webkinz.  They've tried Club Penguin but my oldest found it boring.  We've checked out a few of the other online things for kids but they are either too new when we check them out (read: there are no friends to play with there) or it's made for kids five and under.

No, I'm not trying to absolve myself of any responsibility of protecting them.  I'm just saying, if you're going to have a policy for protecting children, it's time to go younger than 13, or even 10.  There are a whole bunch of kids on the Internet that are under that age, and who's to say there's nothing on YouTube for them to watch?  Maybe it's a better policy to opt-in on things like that, rather than opt-out?

I'm not saying I have all the answers, because I really don't.  I'm just sick of "everyone" assuming that "Internet safety" applies to ages 10 and up.  It doesn't - it actually applies to everyone, including the youngsters.

End of rant, thanks and have a great day.

Blood Pressure Tracking - Online!

If you're like me and you have blood pressure issues (mine is very low), you have to keep track of what your readings are.  Maybe not compulsively so, but you know, on a fairly regular basis.  Last year I had to do this four times a day, every day, and I kept a log on a spreadsheet I had saved in Google Docs.  It worked great, since I had access to it wherever I went (more or less).

I'm sure there are a few of these, but I read on MedGadget about a new BP monitoring app on the web called BP-Chart.  You can log and track your blood pressure, make the information public or private, share it on social media outlets, and even roll it up and send it to your doctor.  I haven't tried it out yet, but I'm planning to. 

And no, I'm not going to make mine public; it will make some of you wonder whether I'm actually alive. :)

The Future is Now

I'm really interested in BioTech for a lot of reasons (I once wanted to be a neurosurgeon and it was laziness that kept me from doing it).  Both of my parents were/are in medicine and the human body just fascinates me.  And now that I'm into computers, it just seems like a great marriage of interests.

Today on Read Write Web there is an article about brain sensors and using them to communicate with your computer.  We've all seen things on TV about people with disabilities being able to communicate by thinking, and this is not really a new thing.  But, it's not ever been mainstream and it's quickly becoming so.

I've seen games in a few places where you wear a headset and control different objects (one or two of which are mentioned in the RWW article), but apparently it's becoming hip to hack those and do all kinds of interesting things, although not necessarily medical in nature.

I'm not really into having electrodes implanted anywhere in my body (microchips included).  Hell, I don't even have a real tattoo!  But if it's somehting like slipping on a headset and thinking about things, imagine how much faster I can get my programming done?  I can be thinking about a program while running, saving tons of time.

Say goodbye to the office, right? :)

Social Networks for Small Children

I am no longer a Facebookuser.  I've had "issues" with Facebook since the beginning; not what it was, but how it was done.  Facebook does not respect my privacy, and I got sick of only hearing about what games everyone was playing, and I used it more like Classmates than I care to admit.

For those not in the know, I have two boys, ages 5 and 7.  They are both pretty computer savvy (despite the 5-year-old not yet being in Kindergarten or being able to really read).  They can navigate their way around just about any website, once they've seen it a time or two.  Lil P, the 5-year-old, knows his letters so we can actually call out letters to spell things for him and he can navigate that way as well.  They are YouTube fanatics, although we have to constantly monitor what they're watching on that (their computers are in the family room; there is no private surfing for them until they are 18!).

I've been debating how to get them involved in social networking, but everything just seemed so overwhelming.  And of course none of their friends are on anything yet, so I didn't see how it could be any kind of good thing to sign them up for Facebook (although I think Little E would love the hell out of Twitter - and I'm still thinking about that one).

Today I discovered (via ReadWriteWeb) a new site called Togetherville.  To sum it up, it's "Facebook for Kids" and it even links to the parents' Facebook accounts to allow for certain friends to be grandfathered.  Which I find interesting, because just because I'm friends with someone on Facebook does NOT mean I want them talking to my child online (see my Classmates reference above).  For some reason, that strikes me as a bit creepy.  But, nonetheless, I can't keep them from climbing the social ladder forever, so maybe I'll let them try it out.  It does have a parent-controlled friends list, so that's a plus.  Oh, and the parents have a separate login, which is nice for the child; it gives them some sense of privacy.  The downside is that they have to use their real names and a real photo.  They are touting security here but you never know...

Some things that make it safe:

• no private chat
• all friends approved by parent(s)
• no uploads
• drop-down, pre-set messaging (wow, so they can't say "I got in a fight with my bro and beat him up"?  Frankly, that sucks)

If you don't have a Facebook account (or, like me, you've deactivated it), you are shit out of luck for this one until further notice.  They do have a way to sign up for them to notify you when it's available for non-FB users though.  I dunno, maybe I'll reactivate my FB account and let Lil E sign up.  Sigh, the sacrifices we make for our children!  That doesn't mean I have to post anything though, right?  Right?

The trick will be getting Little E's friends involved.  I don't think many of their parents are very tech savvy, and it won't be any fun to do it without people he knows.  And since the school year is drawing to a close, there's not a lot of time to get the word out.

If we sign up, I'll let you know what I think.

**Update: I reactivated my FB account and I'll sign Lil E up later.  So, now I'm back on FB. They've really wormed their way into life, haven't they?  UGH.

Another Wicked Cool Prosthesis

This is some of the coolest technology out there, if you ask me.

I am not a fan of calling someone "disabled" when they aren't.  It's great to see that technology is making its way into making the lives of people who are missing limbs easier to do...everything!

In case you're too lazy to hit the link, MedGadget reports that an Austrian man (Christian Kandlebauer), who lost both arms when he was electrocuted, has two prostheses that allow him to drive, have a job, and I assume pretty much everything else "normal" people do.  They transplanted nerve receptors to do it (this is called targeted muscle reinnervation).

If that's not awesome, I don't know what is.

Feel the Burn with Daily Burn

I have a confession to make: I'm over 40.  Yes, it's true, although I don't often like to admit it.  I'm over 40 and turning gray and wrinkly.  But, I've decided that I'm NOT going to get fat!

Back in December I started getting back into shape.  I have never been "fat" by anyone's standards (except perhaps my own) - I'm 5'8" and with the exception of being pregnant, the most I've weighed is 135.  That's not "skinny", but it's far from "fat."  Anyway, I decided I wanted to rock a bikini this year when taking the boys to the pool, so I started getting back into shape.

I had heard of Daily Burn (aka Gyminee) via Techstars, and so that was the first place I looked to find a good workout.  I didn't need to join Weight Watchers or any other diet community; I'm not so much "dieting" as "getting fit," after all.  I got on the site and found the perfect workout: the bikini workout!  So I made a note of it, but had to join the site (which was free) in order to keep up with the exercises I needed to do.

Then, after a few weeks of exercising, I started entering the food that I eat, because I was curious as to whether I ate as poorly as I thought I did (meaning "unhealthy").  As it turns out, I'm actually a relatively healthy eater, but like most people I'm a bit heavy on the carbs most of the time.  I'm one of those people who never seems to eat enough fat (even the good kind) - but that's partially because my body does NOT process fat and if I eat anything with a lot of fat in it, I'm running to find a bathroom in very short order.  I can't decide whether this is good or bad, since I can pretty much eat whatever I want to and not gain weight - I just have to suffer the consequences of a nasty public restroom to allow for all the food to - ahem - pass through me.  Quickly, and without warning.

Anyway, now I'm completely addicted to this whole Daily Burn thing.  I enter my workouts and runs.  I enter every bite of food I eat.  I update my weight daily.  The last part is the most frustrating because it's not coming down as much as I'd like, but you know, when you're only trying to lose five pounds, you really can't complain. :)  I. Love. Daily Burn!

So, if you're looking for a workout routine, need some diet advice, or wonder whether you just eat garbage, check out Daily Burn. They have free accounts or Pro level accounts (which add many other awesome features), and it really just takes a few minutes a day.  You can sign up with a friend and motivate each other as well - which is always a nice way to challenge yourself and them.

Skudoink!

Yeah, I know you're wondering what the heck I mean by that.  And who could blame you?  The short story is that I am working on a new, exciting "thing" these days called Skudoink.  Essentially it allows people to stop worrying about their grocery list - even when they share the shopping with someone else. 

See, my husband and I share the grocery shopping duties because we both work.  Sometimes I will get him to stop by the store on the way home, and sometimes I will stop by before picking up the children.  At any rate, it's very rare that we only pick up one item, which necessitates a list.

Here's where it gets funky.  I used to make a list using a note on my cell phone.  Why?  Because the phone is always with me, and it was pretty easy to send it to him.  And, the great thing was that as I put items into the cart, I could backspace over the item and remove it from the list.  The problem with that was I often buy the same things (milk, bread, etc) and so I was adding and removing them from the list every time I shopped (major pain).  Not to mention relying on texting to get the list back and forth (and David's phone doesn't always receive texts in his building).

So, I created a web site to share the list.  Basically, you enter everything onto your list.  You don't have to do it all at one time. :)  But, when you come across an item you need, you enter it, along with how often you buy it, and what type of item it is (condiments, produce, etc).  As you place items into your cart, you can check the item off and it magically disappears from the list - however, the date is updated so it "learns" how often you need to buy that particular item...and then it magically appears on your list again when you need it!

For example, we buy bread weekly.  So, I would enter bread for the item, bakery for the category, and weekly for the frequency.  When I shop, I just click on the item (this is a web application as well as a Windows Mobile app) and it gets updated.  Then, next time I use the "smart list" feature, the item displays if it's been more than 5 days (weekly).  As you use the application, it gets smarter and actually averages the amount of time between your purchases, so if it's really every 10 days that you buy something, it will learn this (after three months of using it).

If you have someone you share a list with, or just want to check it out, please do!  You can find more information at www.Skudoink.com.  Once you are signed up, you might want to use www.Skudoink.mobi while you are shopping (it's catered to the small screen and doesn't have a lot of images).  The functionality is the same.

If you're interested in the WM version, let me know - it's in beta and I'll hook you up.

And here is the obligatory disclaimer, in case you haven't figured it out yet: I wrote Skudoink, I own it, came up with the idea, maintain it, and everything else.

New Search Engine MSE360

A friend sent me a link today, with no other text in the message.  Being a trusted friend, I clicked on the link (http://mse360.com/).  What I found was very interesting.

The site isn't much to look at, but you can customise it some.  This search site does things I wish Google would do: display images, results, and other information all at one time.  I realise money has to be made somehow and the ads help Google make their money, but you know, they're very annoying sometimes.

Unlike Cuil, the first time I tried MSE360 all the search results were relevant and correct.  Cuil has since corrected some of their problems but the first time I used it I just laughed and decided I'd never use it again (and I haven't, although while writing this I did try my search again and the first two pages were indeed relevant).

I've been using Google for years, mostly because I never could settle on an engine before that.  I tried Alta Vista, Excite, Yahoo...but I never seemed to be able to find what I was looking for.  Google solved that problem, but I want more from my search.  It looks like MSE360 just might provide that.  The results are displayed in a three-column approach.  The left side is images.  The middle is links to relevant data.  The right is a combination of Wikipedia results, paid results, and blog results.  Yowza.

MSE360 is self-funded, which you might have guessed I like, being a struggling wantrepreneur and all.  They are based in London and are looking for feedback if you're willing to give it.  And in case you're wondering, MSE stands for "Multi Search Engine".  I kept thinking of MST3000 when referencing the name MSE360.  They are nothing alike but the letters and numbers were similar enough to make me giggle. :) 

Emergency Contact Info - on Your License

I've posted before about entering information into your cell phone on how to reach "someone" in case of emergency.  That's a very good idea, you know.

But it seems that the State of Florida, at the persuasion of Christine Olson (after losing her daughter Tiffany), has come up with a way to save your emergency contacts and associate them with your driver's license.  It's an easy-to-use web site where you type in your driver's license number and date of birth, then enter your contacts' information.  What could be simpler?

Oh, and if you have a teenager driving, you definitely need to do this.  Not only in case they are incapacitated, but you know, you never know whether your kid is going to get into something they shouldn't, and you need to come get them.

Save Your Stuff!

I recently did something I never thought I would do - I ran out of space on my hard drive!  With 160GB, I figured that would last me until I got the next machine (little did I know I'd be converting lots of CDs to digital music).  The last time I ran out of space, I had a 500MB hard drive on a Pentium 75.

So, we invested in a Western Digital MyBook drive (1TB).  It was the smartest move I've ever made!  We've been able to back up all our machines so far, and I've got all my iTunes on there so I no longer have to guess which machine I had that music on (downloading over the years means figuring out which machine I was using when I got or ripped a song).

The greatest thing about it is the ease of use.  Plug it into your machine (USB port), plug it into the wall, and you're ready to go.  It's literally a giant USB drive, so it works just like a thumb drive.  There is some auto-backup software on it, which I installed, but I'm too impatient to wait on it and so I ended up just dragging and dropping it all.  So easy, no installation, and no worries.

I highly recommend this to anyone who gets a new machine every few years (hey, when you have two software developers in the house, it's hard NOT to update your machine at least every three years - you have to or the latest dev tools won't work).

The best part?  We got it on Amazon for about $180...although it must have been on sale because now it's listed at $209.