How to Use your iPod Touch as PDA

If you are a big Apple fan like me, you probably use your computer to keep yourself organized. Apple’s native applications like iCal and AddressBook are excellent organizing and productivity tools for any busy parent. Or, if you prefer, Microsoft Office for Mac works equally well.

This is great if you are at home, but when you are on the go - it doesn’t help that your schedule and your contacts are trapped in the computer on your desk. But getting a handheld device or PDA that plays well with a Mac has always been a bit of a challenge.

iPhone

So, Apple created the iPhone. Everyone has heard of this incredible device. But it is not right for everyone for a myriad of reasons that I won’t go into here. I have my own reasons for not making the jump to iPhone, the biggest one being the 2 year cell phone contract that I am locked into with another carrier.

Enter the iPod Touch

On the surface, it looks like I am out of luck. But what many people don’t realize is that I can use the iPod Touch as PDA right out of the box. For whatever reason, Apple decided to market the iPod Touch as, well, an iPod. A music player. In reality this handy little device does so much more than deliver tunes. So, if you are not a music aficionado, or if you already have an mp3 player, your may never realize that an iPod Touch as PDA can be an important productivity and organizing tool in your life.

iPod Touch Productivity Applications

The iPod Touch ships with several applications including Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Email. When it comes to productivity these three applications are what you need. The Calendar and Contacts applications easily sync to your iCal and AddressBook or Microsoft Office on your computer. And, YES, you can input new events and addresses directly into the iPod Touch. The next time you sync with your computer this new information will sync onto your computer and the data will be in both places. (Not to confuse you, but when this device was first introduced by Apple there was no calendar input on the iPod Touch - but since that time Apple has added the calendar input capability)

At this point the iPod Touch Notes application does not sync with the computer. So whatever notes you make on the iPod Touch stay on the device only. The Notes application is useful to parents for making grocery lists, errand lists, organizing projects and the like. Even though iPod Touch Notes has no Mac counterpart - I still love this application.

I don’t find Email to be as useful as the other iPod Touch as PDA applications. This is because iPod Touch only has internet connectivity through wi-fi. This means that you need to have access to a wi-fi netwok either at home or at a hotspot to use the internet and to download your email. But if you want 24/7 email and internet then you should be looking at the iPhone.

Using the iPod Touch as PDA is a natural choice if you use a Mac at home. Even if your platform is Windows, the iPod Touch is still compatible.

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Hasbro Introduces the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen

You know my affinity for LittlestPetShop.com. And I am not the only one. The adorable Littlest Pet Shop toys are favorites of girls everywhere.

Back in October 2007 I announced on this site the arrival of the Littlest Pet Shop VIPs. At the time these adorable stuffed animals (and their online counterparts) were only available in the New York City Metro area and at certain online retailers. Recently, Hasbro expanded their Littlest Pet Shop.com VIP line to include more interactive pets. And Littlest Pet Shop VIP’s are now available in stores across the country!

To celebrate this milestone - Hasbro has created some new and awesome Littlest Pet Shop toys, including the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen. My daughter and I have been playing with this pen all weekend and have been having a blast!

What exactly is a Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen?

I would describe the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen as a cross between a Tamogatchi, a writing instrument, and a handheld video game.

This toy is an actual pen. In fact, it comes packaged with a cute little writing tablet adorned with a few of the Littlest Pet Shop characters and logo, some little notecards for writing notes to friends, and a set of fun stickers for girls to decorate their notes with.

But far from the standard pens that you find at the office supply store, the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen has, obviously, a digital component. On the front of each pen is a screen that houses a little digital pet. When you first turn the pen on, you must enter the correct time. As the day progresses you need to feed, groom, and clean up after your pet.

• Feeding your Pet - You must feed your digital pet 3 times a day. Breakfast (between 6 am and 12 pm), lunch (between 12 pm and 4 pm) and dinner (between 4 pm and 8 pm). There is fork and spoon icon on the screen that you click to find foods to feed the pet. This keeps your pet happy and healthy enough to play games. At the beginning of each feeding time the pen will play a musical reminder. If you neglect to feed your pet and try to play one of the games on the pen, then the pet will appear on the screen and shake it’s head “no” and point to it’s mouth to indicate that it is hungry. Once your pet is fed then you can play a game.
• Grooming - Before you can play games you must also groom your pet. Click on the brush icon and your pet will be groomed and ready to play.
• Cleaning Up after your pet - Just like a real life pet, what goes into your digital pet will eventually find it’s way out (this gave me a good chuckle!). Click on the shovel and dirt icon to clean up the virtual mess.

Games

Each Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen comes with 6 games. Three are already unlocked and you can play these if you keep your pet groomed, fed, and clean. You can unlock the additional three games by feeding your pet three meals a day at the correct times.

The first three games on the pen I tried are bowling, Fish Toss, and Match the Patterns. These are fun and easy for older kids, but challenging to younger ones. If you score a certain amount of points on each game you will unlock an additional treat for your pet to eat.

Overall the Littlest Pet Shop Digital Pen is a cute novelty toy that is a nice addition to a Littlest Pet Shop collection.
There are 3 varieties to choose from and they are available at Amazon.com and at Hasbro Toy Shop online.

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If your college age child is a fan of writing contests - or just a fan of prizes they may want to check out the Modern Love - College Essay Contest that is being hosted by the New York Times.

In 1,500 to 2,000 words wants to know about the current state of love and relationships from a college student’s perspective. After all, modern day love isn’t what it used to be. The internet and social networking has forever changed the meaning of a “blind date”.

Meg at Fairfield County Child sent this tidbit my way. (Thanks Meg! )While Meg’s site focuses Southern Connecticut, her excellent parenting tips - like this one are universally useful.

What parent wouldn’t beam with pride if their child won one of the New York Times writing contests? And I did mention prizes, didn’t I? The winner of the Modern Love writing contest will receive $1,000 and they will also be featured on mtvU.

Of course, the deadline is quick approaching - March 31, 2008 to be exact. The winning essay will be published in a special Modern Love section of the New York Times on May 4, 2008 and also online. I am looking forward to reading about how this generation of teens perceive the new dating scene.