These were originally created for them to give out to friends whom they know at school or activities – in person friends. It worked well for a few years but this summer, thanks to grandpa, my kids now have a computer all to themselves. Because they are also older they are beginning to use game sites that require an account be created e.g. Disney, Club Penguin etc.

Creating an account also means you have to enter an email address and they’ve been using mine. It’s not a huge problem but it is a pain when they keep asking me to reset their password. Also, they’ve been begging to have their own accounts.

I’ve been thinking of finally creating a Gmail account for them because it’s easy to use but I’m still hung up on the ads. I just don’t want them clicking on those ads – who knows where they go to?

How do you handle your children’s emails? I could use some ideas.

If you use Windows, you know that Windows Explorer – the file manager that comes with it – is not exactly the best. Actually, you won’t necessarily know much you’re missing until you try a third party file manager. That was exactly the case with me.

After reading glowing recommendations for FreeCommander, I decided to give it a whirl, fully expecting to be disappointed and uninstall it within a day. At first glance, the interface is far from lovely and there seemed to be tons of confusing buttons and options. It wasn’t looking good. I relied on my file manager countless times throughout the day. I really didn’t have time to learn how to use this thing so I could view my files. But I decided to give it a fair trial and stuck with it a little longer.

Screenshot courtesy of FreeCommander

It was actually much easier than I thought. Perhaps I was too used to looking at my files the old way. Stuff I like:

• The two pane interface is great because now I no longer have to line up two windows side-by-side to copy files. It’s a lot easier to locate the folders you want to copy files between using this interface.
• You can also save favorite folders (a must) and there are handy buttons running along the top that go to common folders like My Computer, Control Panel, Desktop and even a button to launch Command Prompt.
• Running along the top of the panels are also quick buttons to go directly to every drive in your computer, CD, DVD drives, removable disks.
• FTP connections. This I really liked. I no longer have to fire up a separate file manager just to copy files. This alone has shaved off minutes every time I need to upload something. My only gripe about it is it seems a little slow to me. Could be just my perception.

Overall, I’m awfully glad I gave this a whirl. I’ve hardly scratched the surface and already hooked. Looking for a good file manager yourself? Give FreeCommander a try. As the name suggests – it is free.

12 years ago maybe I would have said oh yeah! These days I really shudder at that thought. There are way too many emails that come through my multiple in boxes. Even if there weren’t, having email disrupt me each time is really really bad for productivity.

Even on the phone one of the first things I did after activating Android is to make sure all the beeps and vibrate notifications for email is set to OFF.

I try not to make email my first stop after turning on the computer or on the phone for that matter. If I get in there, I’d spend at least 30 – 90 minutes just puttering. So I try not to. Not perfect but is something I absolutely strive to do.

It’s almost like a game. How many tasks can I finish before allowing myself a ‘reward’ for checking email?

However… if there was a way to only get notifications only for emails that you mark which can then be ‘unmarked’ anytime once the need has passed, then that might be something I could use for when you’re waiting on an important reply.

Do you know something that can do that? Do share!

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HighlightsKids - non-downloadable, listen online via the flash player on the site.

Kids Audio Books – can be downloaded in MP3 format. Large list, including some old favorites like Dumbo and The Ugly Duckling.

WiredForBooks Kids Corner – a bunch of Beatrix Potter books.

Kiddie Records – lots of books from the golden age. Very nice and large collection. Available as downloads or to listen online.

Light up your brain

Alvie the little brown burro – unique story about Alvie

Playtime books – MP3 collection

Speakabooks

Stroyline Online – books read by the members of the Screen Actors Guild

Starfall – there’s more than audio books on this site. While there are some books that are read automatically you can also find books that require clicking to listen as the words are being read out. We like this format.

I’d say this is a very timely product. Well, anytime is a good time to teach kids about money. The earlier the better but considering the world financial situation this is very much on the forefront of many people’s thoughts. It’s tough really but the sooner the learn to live lean the more prosperous their lives will be later on.

This is a snapshot of their email to us.

So how you do learn more about this new tool? Well, you first need to be a member of Vocalpoint. Make sure you are receiving their emails and finally, watch out for emails on Tuesday. That easy.

Just so you know, we are not compensated nor obligated to write this post for Vocalpoint, however, we do from time to time receive coupons for other products from them.

According to it’s maker, the BookBook leather case “brings three levels of security to your prized Mac”
… firstly by its hardback cover and spine for impact protection, secondly via disguise as a lookalike old leather-bound (and large!) book. It claims the third level of security is “the stylish case protects you from being like everyone else because BookBook is totally original, just like you.”

Am not too sure I’d agree to the last claim, for it sounds more like marketing-speak more than anything else …

Anyway, it definitely looks cool with such a design. It is closed with hidden twin zippers all-round on the edge of its very authentic-looking “pages”. The leather zipper pulls mimic that of bookmark ends really takes the cake! The Macbook Pro’s LCD screen and lid is secured into the case by way of elastic bands at the top two corners; not too sure about the bottom, though. Photos do not show how that is done – it could be using hook-and-loop strips, or just resting bare on the case without any fastenings. All BookBook cases are handcrafted and its leather hand-distressed, so no two of them are exactly the same … I suppose “one-off” exclusivity is good consolation for anyone that is willing to shell out $79.99 – $99.99 for a notebook case.

Twelve South also makes a similar case for the iPad/iPad 2, which doubles up as a landscape-oriented stand when the cover is folded back. The two halves are prevented from flattening out by way of a cord that attaches to both halves.

Am not too sure about protection via disguise as an old book is entirely a good thing, though … What happens if someone decides to use “that old book lying on the desk” to whack a trespassing roach or two? Oh, dear …

Popsicles are easy to make; and kids can have fun doing it for themselves, too. Consider the Jokari Cool Cones – not only can the kids fill up these traditionally-round molds with their favorite juice, but they also function as non-drip ice-cream cones. Push up on its long handle to expose more ice-cream or frozen juice – brilliant! Would definitely save Mommy a lot of clean-up angst from drippy and the inevitable toppling-over of scoops of ice-cream … And if the kids drop the thing running around the lawn, all they have to do is to wash or remove dirt and grass from the exposed bit … and continue lickin’! (Yes; I do think like a kid at times.)

Here is another fun tip on how to use the Jokari Cool Cones: stick them into whole fruits such as a watermelons … and end up having sticks of fruit that everyone in the house can enjoy without worrying and fussing with peels. Works a treat for quick treats at the park!

Tovolo Freezer Jewel Pops, on the other hand (pun intended), seem to be designed for busy-yet-dehydrated Mommies on the move … Although a simple and common way of making popsicles; The Tovolo Freezer Jewel Pops’ molds are unique in the sense that they have a finger loop in place of the usual popsicle stick. That somewhat allows for Mommy to still have relatively-free hands and fingers to attend to other things at home – as long as the other things do not involve a shower …

Tovolo also makes popsicle molds of other shapes; the Blue Rocket Ice Pop would be the boys’ favorite; shaped like a rocket, and lots more popsicle!

Months ago, I came across NetGalley and was totally excited. Why? Because you can request books to review before they are published.

Now I love to read and this sounds like a good proposition. So I signed up but had no intentions of reading on the computer. See, I’m a bed time reader and because I’ve been reading so much with the Kindle app, I thought I could put these books on there too.

Unfortunately, no. NetGalley only supports Kindle the device. Not the app. *Sidebar, companies do need to starting giving more accurate info before people sign up and request books.

But I did figure out how to read these DRM protected eBooks on the Kindle. First, I had to install the Aldiko reader on the Android. The following instructions are the same as on Aldiko’s site.

Download the protected .acsm to your Android and using a file explorer like ASTRO, find the file then tap to open. It will download and be automatically added to Aldiko reader. Well that sounded simple enough so I did just that. But alas nothing happened it just won’t download.

Turns out, it was because I was using ESFileExplorer. That app does’nt recognize acsm files. I had to download and install ASTRO and that did the trick. Seems like Aldiko should update their documentation to say use ASTRO. A definitive instead of like ASTRO. Or maybe provide a list of file explorers that has been known to work.

Oh well, I can read those files now. Not optimal. It is still awkward and doesn’t flow properly but I’ll take that over being stuck on my computer.

Photo by Brian Sawyer

Well, as an Android tablet owner, (I’m blogging from the tablet now). I feel I’ve a need to share some information with you before you put your money down on one of these tablets. $100 or not, you need to know this.

First of all, just because it is Android does not automatically mean you will have access to the Android Market – the app store. This is because Market has to be programmed in by the manufacturers. So if you purchase an unheard of brand tablet that mostly comes directly out of China and you don’t know if they will support it, then you may never get Market.

Why is Market so crucial?
Because it is the main way to get the most popular apps for Android. This is not like your computer where you can go to the app site and download a file to install. You can and I’ll explain it shortly but many – far too many app developers or companies offering apps do not have a download link for the app. They will link to Market. For example the Kindle and Nook, you can only get it via Market.

Now this is not to say it is impossible to get it. You can search the Internet for the app’s APK file. There are some kind souls who upload these apps outside Market so you can download and install it manually to your tablet – this is called sideloading. But these are quite hard to come by. Also, you would be wise to be a little wary of the apps you receive – who knows what they include? And if you can’t find that app outside, you’re out of luck and your experience as well as enjoyment of the tablet is severely limited.

Trust me on that one because originally our tablet didn’t have Market either and I was beginning to seriously doubt my purchase. But once we got Market on there it is like a whole new world opened up and now I TOTALLY love this tablet, quirks and all.

The other thing you want to know is don’t get a tablet if it still says Android 1.6. The latest Android is 2.2 unless you are quite sure the manufacturers will support it.

If you don’t really care about everything I wrote and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can rely on fantastic forums online to guide and perhaps get OS upgrades. The forum I wholly recommend is SlateDroid.com. However, you better put your geek hat on, this is not for the faint hearted because it could mean you have to flash your tablet – which could brick it. Touch wood I’ve flashed mine 3 times and still going well.

Hopefully this helps someone

Here are two home design software we found that would work. Thankfully, they are free too.

Sweet Home 3D – this is a downloadable software that is open source and it runs on Windows, Mac, Solaris and Linux. Pretty interesting. Take a look at their video demo it looks quite easy to use.

Autodesk Homestyle – this is a web based home design software so it works on many operating systems that run flash. It is free at time of writing.