Reston Mom

sweet little camera phones

So the new iphone is finally here and pretty reasonably priced...alas, I have no need of it.  I love having my slim little phone unencumbered by intelligence - it keeps me from getting too addicted.  And I do have an ipod touch, so I'm not without all the benefits of the iphone anyway.  No....my technology lust is focused elsewhere at the moment.  What I'd really like is one of the new 5 mega-pixel camera phones that are out now.  There are pretty much just two gadgets I want every time I leave the house with my kids - a phone and a camera.  Ahhh...to have them conveniently together with the assurance that my pictures will be of greater quality.  I haven't done enough research to make a decision on my preferred camera phone yet...but enough to have a big crush on the idea anyway.  Check em' out for yourself:

• Sony Ericsson K85oi
• Nokia N82
• LG KE990 Viewty (coming soon)
• Samsung G800 (pictured above)

Vibe by Phil and Ted's

I was never a huge fan of the in-line style of Phil and Ted's e3 strollers...though admittedly, there hasn't been anything else that has really thrilled me either.  However, I was really pleasantly surprised to see that Phil and Ted's has updated it's line to include some great variations on their "classic" e3.  Especially noteworthy is the new Vibe...which has all the characteristics so many people have loved about the classic e3, but it includes features such as being even more lightweight, folds with the double-kit on, zip on storm and sun shields, slide and click addition of the double kit, and a much better platform for the child's feet. 

Tooth Tunes

Hasbro has a new line of toothbrushes that play tunes  - "two minutes of tunes for two minutes of brushing" goes the ad.  The great thing is that there is a large variety of popular tunes to choose from, from Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana - and Highschool Musical...to Smashmouth, Kiss, Black Eyed Peas, the Beach Boys, MC Hammer, Star Wars and the theme song from Transformers...and more. Okay, but here is the strange part that makes me want to try it out to see how it works: "as sound vibrations stream from the bristles through their teeth, they hear the music in their heads.  But, when they take the bristles off their teeth, the music stops playing in their head."  Okay....as far as techno gadgets go - musical toothbrushes, cool! But does anybody else get flashing visions of covert miliary propaganda being streamed into peoples heads? I find this also all just a little bit creepy - well, maybe it's just me :)

smart shopper

Have you seen this gizmo?  The Smart Shopper - is an electronic device that helps you make your grocery list.  It works by voice recognition technology...so all you do is press the button and record what you need.  When you're finished making your list, hit print and it will print a list categorized by grocery department, ie: "produce" or "frozen foods."  You can keep in the kitchen and add items whenever you like, then print just before you head to the store.  Of course, you could just do like I do and just keep a handwritten list...I organize mine by department too before I leave to save me from running back and forth across the store and keep me on budget.  I'm not sure this has anything on my old-fashioned methods...but gadgets are cool, so why not let it do the work for me? But watch out - soon your spouse and kids might be making their own "additions" to the list without you even knowing.  Hope can't write yet, but I'm sure she'd soon learn to press the button to remind me for "popcorn" or "marshmallows" !

Go Go Gadget Mama - hot gadgets of 2008

Here are a few fun things to keep your eye on:

• ZINK digital camera printer - like the polaroid of this generation, allows you to take your digital shot, preview it and then print it on 2” x 3” paper, all in a matter of seconds. ZINK stands for zero ink - no toner, ribbon, or ink required! Capture the moment and hand it to your friend/family member instantly!


• Wii Fit and Wii Balance Board - if you bought your kids the Wii game console for Christmas, now you can put it to your own good use, Step onto the Balance Board and your Wii will input your body weight into its system and then allow you do to everything from aerobics to hula-hooping, while the character onscreen mimics your every movement.


• Photoskins - digital photo frame that's only about the size of a credit card - upload your favorite photos from your computer onto a 2.5" HD-LCD display.


• WildCharger - flat wireless charging pad that will charge up to 5 of any compatible devices at a time without any wires, including cell phones, MP3 players, PDA's....


• Sanyo Xacti E1 - the world's first waterproof camcorder!







• Nike + Ipod sport kit - Stick the allotted sensor in your Nike+ shoes and during your workout you'll be able to track distance, time, pace, and calories burned. Plus, real-time verbal feedback makes your nano your personal coach, telling you milestones in your workout

Go Go Gadget Mama - video chat

It used to be the material for futuristic settings, but the future is happening.....welcome to video chat where you can have a face to face conversation via computer! If you haven't yet taken advantage of this technology, you ought to look into it - especially if the grandparents, aunts and uncles live at a distance.  It's a great way to make a personal connection when you can't be there in person.  My girls frequently love to talk to their Nana before bedtime, and when their Boompa couldn't be at their birthday party because of illness - he still joined in and saw the whole thing! So, I've decided to give you the low down on video chat so that you can make it happen in your own home! It's not as complicated as you think, so keep an eye out for my next post!

ridiculous or useful? - you decide.

Buster Vacuum Cleaner - a real vacuum cleaner plus a ride on toy for kids all in one. 

Baby Keeper - a 3 in 1 hip carrier that also functions as a portable seat for restroom stalls, fitting rooms, etc.. (that is, you can hang your baby on the wall)

Go Go Gadget Mama - home foot spas

One Christmas, my husband gifted me with a home food spa one of those little foot baths with the vibration and bubbles and massagers and scrubbies...ahhhhh! Oh fellow moms - you totally deserve one of these! So, I decided to do the research and create a list of my faves to help you choose just the right one. However, I really ran into some bumps in the road because of some major discrepancies in opinions.  What works for one, doesn't necessarily cut it for another.  So, I've come up with a "buyer's list" for you instead, to help guide you to finding the one that suits you best (there's still time to drop the hint to your hubby that you want one for Christmas too!) Then sit back to soothe and pamper those tired mama feet!

• to avoid disappointment, plan to spend a little more - you can find some really amazing foot spas for under $100, but almost all of them under $50 end up not doing everything they claim.
• look for one with a heat source like infrared instead of just a "keep warm" feature - the keep warm almost never actually keeps the water warm
• look for one that claims to be quiet - lots of noise is a common complaint about these gadgets.
• things that aren't necessary: bubbles (they just cool off the water and lack soothe appeal, look for vibration or water jets), remote control (another item that has received a lot of complaints, look for a good toe-touch control), no-spill carry feature (you might appreciate it, but it really isn't that difficult if you are careful)
• massage, pedicure, and like features vary from unit to unit, decide what is most important to you and make sure you get it.

Go Go Gadget Mama - hand vacs

If you have kids, you have a need for a cordless hand vac.  You should have seen the look of glee on my face when Matt brought one home as a gift to me a few years back.  Can I really be the only one who gets so excited about this kind of thing??? Every mom deserves a machine that quickly snarfs up cheerios, pet hair, dried pasta, roly-poly peas, and more!  Wouldn't it be great if they could just suck up sticky, wet rice too? While some hand vacs do a masterful job, some truly suck in the other way.  So, ditch that stylin' but poorly performing Dirt Devil Kurv, and get the low-down on getting the job done.  Here's my top three picks, thanks in part to Wired Test Magazine and Consumer Reports:
3. Black and Decker CHV1400 -$35-$50

2. EuroPro Shark 18V - $40-$50 - if you have pets, get this one!

and the winner is:
1. Hoover Wet/Dry S1120 - $20-$50 - for price (I have seen it on Amazon for $19.99) and performance it can't be beat..and....AND..it works on wet messes too! Yee-Haw!

light bright smile

Every once in a while I stumble upon a great toothbrush find that has my girls excited about brushing their teeth.  A while ago it was crayola marker-shaped brushes by GUM, most recently it has been another (yay for the duo-pack!) set of brushes that are inset with some kind of LED light that blinks.  The idea is that you start the light blinking when they start brushing to give them an idea of a proper length of time to encourage better removal of plaque and food particles. Turns out it has been a big helper for me.  The girls love the light action and I love to see them enthusiastically trying to master the skills of brushing.  However, desiring to make sure their teeth really are getting clean, I always insist on "checking" - by which I mean that I brush their teeth for them again when they finish their own brushing.  Thus, the lighted toothbrush has become a system for compromise.  They brush happily while the light is going and as soon as it stops it is time for mommy to "check," no arguments ensuing.  Cute characters are great, but nothing quite trumps flashy lights.  The only problem now is that I kind of stumbled across these and I can't remember where (I have a hunch is was Target) I got them or what brand they were.  Ugh!

go-go gadget mama!

Since marrying my husband, my world of gadgets has been blown wide open.  Since I've been a mother, I've learned that some gadgets are definitely worth the investment.  Since I've become a blogger, I've decided that I'd like to share some posts about gadgets that every mom should check out, that no mom should live without. So, this is the start of "go-go gadget mama!", a new series which will feature posts about the latest technology and how it relates to you as a parent (and of course as a fun and intelligent consumer with an eye for shiny new toys).  Keep an eye out for my first gadget choice soon!

(pictured here Walkstation)