Moms Guide to Technology

My mom always said, “Cheaters never prosper”.  A new iphone app is certainly trying to make it easier for the cheaters.

It’s called Tigertext and the app was released last week and is fast becoming a hot topic.  Here’s how it works:

The tigertexter downloads the app to their iphone [coming soon to blackberry & droid] and when sending a message, they set a time limit, between one minute and 5 days, on the message.  The person receiving the message has to download the app as well and just like Mission Impossible, that message self-destructs when the time runs out.  There is no trail because it never lives on your phone.  The message is on the servers of Tigertext.  Sneaky!  But not foolproof.

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If you work with kids and are not on Facebook, it’s a mistake.

Teens live in a digital world.  Most adults who have not stepped into that world hold back because:   It’s too hard & I’m too busy OR Professional protection.  It’s not hard, it doesn’t have to be time consuming if you just set aside an hour each day.  And it won’t ruin your career if you do it right.

Learning to work out social norms is a natural part of coming of age.  Those natural social interactions are happening in a digital way now.  It doesn’t change the need for role models to provide guidance, support and encouragement.  I heard a speaker last week who made a compelling case that kids are losing access to caring, supportive and guiding adults.  Despite what you hear on TV, the online world is NOT only molesters and freaks. But it needs more caring adults & role models.

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Since social media came into our lives, it’s easier than ever before to tell the TV people what local news stories they should cover.

Advertisers think everyone is online looking for stuff to buy.  When the TV sales people come around, advertisers say, “I’m giving you less money because I have to get advertising online.”

TV bosses told their people [anchors, reporters, and more importantly producers, who make the decisions] that everyone is online, social media is exploding and they’d better be there, too.  Then TV bosses can sell advertising on TV and online.  It’s not evil, it’s just the way it is.

TV and online!  You’ve seen the segments on the news, “Tell us what you think …”, followed by some inane viewer comments.  You think it’s stupid and wouldn’t be THAT inane viewer.  But that can be the door to get your story covered.

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Thanks for visiting the Moms Guide to Technology blog.

I’m guessing you are a mom, too.  So, I don’t have to tell you that when you’re a mom, there’ s nothing more important than the kids.   Keeping up with their schedules and my work and my husband has more than eaten up 18+ hours a day.  So, I am never surprised when parents confess they can’t  find time to step across the threshold of life to the online, multimedia world.  Even if “too busy” is just a mask for fearful, I understand.  We are a new generation of parents.  Tecnology is emerging at a rate exponentially faster than my parents could have imagined.  My parents never learned to program the VCR.  They just waited until the kids moved out to watch whatever they wanted.  Our generation will not skate by avoiding the interface with technology.

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