Viva La Tech! Revolutionary Gadgets for the New Year

Bob Dylan was righter than he knew when he warbled that the times, they are a-changin’ — and this was before the iPad. Nothing changes faster than technology, and as this new year dawns I can’t tell you how excited I am to see what the world comes up with next.  Every year seems to bring more ideas, more innovation, and, let’s be frank, more cool stuff!  Here are some technology trends I see catching fire (though not literally) in 2012.

Baby, I’d Follow You Anywhere

Registering your baby’s name as a website domain, Gmail account, Facebook page, and Twitter handle is a new must in this age of digital identity.  And doing so can make an unexpected and affordable shower gift or first birthday present.  Some parents even tweet their babies’ antics in faux first-person for their friends and family to follow!  #toofrickincute

Instagram-ification​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I don’t know about you, but I am addicted to Instagram, the cell phone app that makes your boring old cell phone photos look like artsy 1970s Polaroids.  My life just looks cooler (and, dare I admit, my baby cuter) through a Nashville filter.  Did you know you can turn all those great photos into awesomely affordable books and even stickers?  *squeal*

Gammy on Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts are my new favorite way to group video chat with the out-of-state fam.  It’s a free web video service offered through Google+ that isn’t getting nearly enough attention, IMHO.  It’s pretty easy to start too.  Everyone agrees to go to Google+ at a certain time.  Someone then starts a Hangout and everyone joins it.  It’s perfect for group video chatting because the program smoothly identifies the person who is currently talking and cuts the video feed to that person.  One-on-one video chatting works well too, very similar to Skype.  My 9-month-old loves waving to her grandma in video chat.  Now if I could just keep her from pounding on the keyboard!

Apple of My Eye

The hottest gifted item in our house this year was the Apple TV — it seemed every male over 20 got one.  This $100, hockey-puck-sized device allows you to turn your iPad or iPhone into a super remote.  Mirror anything on an iPad to your living room TV.  Watch movies and TV shows via iTunes or the Netflix app.  Listening to a song on your commute home?  Walk in the door and with a single tap have it start playing seamlessly on your home stereo system.  Its price point, size, and quintessential Apple ease of use make this one watch in 2012.

Stick a Pin in It

Even though my daughter is still more likely to gnaw on a crayon than draw with it, I find myself compulsively gathering kid craft ideas using Pinterest.  I love this site.  When you set up an account, you drag a simple button onto your browser toolbar.  Then, as you browse sites and see a photo of something you like, you click your “Pin it” button and pick a “board” to pin it to.  Pinterest saves not just the photo, but also the link to the original site you found it on.  The site is also fantastic for comparative shopping for things like kitchen curtains.  Gather all your favorites from different sites and even label them with the prices, run the final choices by the hubby so he feels included, and follow the link back to buy the winner.

~By Katie Hawkey, Geek Whisperer, Astek Web