Mom And Dad Archive

  • Survey says: most teens don’t have a data plan, almost all send texts

    Survey says: most teens don’t have a data plan, almost all send texts

    Posted on May 5, 2010 | No Comments
    Microsoft and Verizon might think all the kids want to do with their new Kin phones is pay absurd data rates for a half-baked Twitter experience, but it turns out Generation Upload is still actually just Generation Text Message. That's at least the word according to a Pew Internet Research survey published on April 20th and neatly summed up by a new Flowlogic infographic published today -- only 23 percent of American teenagers with cellphones use social networks with their phones, while 72 percent of all teens use text messaging. You might argue that Kin seeks to flip that balance, but Pew found that 63 percent of teens with cell phones don't have data plans and the vast majority of teen cellphone plans are part of a larger family plan, so the Kin's $30 / month data rate might be a hard sell to Mom and Dad.

    We also thought voice calling on the Kin seemed like an afterthought to texting and social networking, but it turns out more and more older kids simply turn to the phone: 77 percent of 17 year olds text each other, but 60 percent of them call each other's cell phones -- and only 33 percent of them connect over social networking sites. Perhaps most damningly, Pew says nearly half -- 46% -- of teens play games on their phones, but Kin has no games at all. The report is actually full of other interesting tidbits like this and the infographic is quite nice, so hit the read links to check 'em out -- perhaps Microsoft and Verizon should do the same.

    Survey says: most teens don't have a data plan, almost all send texts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 May 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Fisher-Price iXL: E-book reader, music player, games, and more

    Fisher-Price iXL: E-book reader, music player, games, and more

    Posted on February 17, 2010 | No Comments
    Electronics for kids have always been a fascination of mine. When I first saw the iXL I immediately thought of the first and best piece of kids consumer electronics, the PXL-2000. Sadly, this device, the Fisher-Price iXL, has no camera - there are two little eyes on it that are actually light sensors - but it has a bright, crisp screen and can play games, MP3s, and you can even paint over photos or color things in like a coloring book.

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  • Always being ‘connected’ is ruining our way of life

    Always being ‘connected’ is ruining our way of life

    Posted on August 10, 2009 | No Comments
    It sure is great to live in the developed world. No having to worry about having enough to eat or finding clean drinking water or anything like that. Nope: we freak out when Twitter momentarily goes down, or when we can't use certain software on our phones. Or, conversely, we complain about the undue influence certain technologies have over our lives. We're all over the place.

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  • New NERF shooter this fall features secret gun scope

    New NERF shooter this fall features secret gun scope

    Posted on July 8, 2009 | No Comments
    nerfKids! NERF 2: "N-Strike" Elite is coming out on the Wii this fall. You'll get the above-pictured SWITCH SHOT EX-3 blaster. That little flip-up "red reveal lens" shows in-game secret messages and enemy weak spots right there on the screen. Your mom and dad won't be able to see any of that stuff, but you will!

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