Technology | The Angel Forever

Category Archives Technology

Isis Mobile Wallet #VZWBuzz

Posted on November 22, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The other day while the boys were in school, I locked myself out of the house. Thank goodness, I had my smartphone with me. I was able to get in touch with TechyDad to come and let me back into the house while I shivered outside. Shortly after that, I participated in a webinar as part of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers program. We were invited to test out their roll out of the new and improved ISIS Mobile Wallet. For our time, we would be given some shopping compensation to set up and shop with ISIS. During that webinar, they said something that struck me. My phone is always with me. If I forget or misplace my phone I know almost immediately. This is not the case with a lost credit card or wallet. By the time you realize some of those other items are missing, the damage may already be done. As an identity theft victim, I am very sensitive to these issues.

What is Isis Mobile Wallet?

Isis is a collaborative project between Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile. It is a free app that you can use on a growing number of smartphones with a SE SIM card. Using NFC capabilities, Isis allows you to pay with a tap of your phone at many retailers nationwide. Here is a quick video that shares the basics

Isis will allow you to have different payment options with credit cards or American Express Serve. In addition to this, you will be able to link up loyalty cards from certain retailers as well as special promotions. The list of places participating keeps on growing and I am excited at the concept of having offers and rewards all linked together. I know I am often guilty at forgetting my card and it takes forever for the stores to look them up.

Setting it All Up

The first step in setting up an Isis account is to make sure you have a smartphone that can be used, and to have a SE SIM card. My new Droid Mini came with this right from Verizon. At this time, Isis is only available for Android phones. Once you download the app from Google Play, you will be taken through the process of setting everything up. While waiting for it to complete the process, it reminds you about using Isis.

Once my Isis account was set up, I was able to link up my American Express Serve card. It gave me the option and took me to the Serve page where I was able to join the two accounts together. Within a few moments, it showed the balance on my Serve card that I was able to use. Now I just need to explore what local deals are available to get ready for a shopping trip.

Additional information about Isis is also available from Verizon Wireless. There you can read up more on the technology associated with NFC and other details about the app and utilizing it. There is also a link to a FAQ page that has all of the phones that can currently accommodate this new shopping style. I know I am going to be reading up before I head out with my Isis and Serve card to get some Chanukah shopping done. I will report back on that soon.

Have you used Isis yet? I would love to hear about your experience.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a complimentary Serve starter kit with some money loaded onto the card to share my experience using it with the newly revamped ISIS app. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Categories:
shopping Technology

Advocacy on the Go

Posted on October 28, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Last Thursday, I spent five hours at a local middle school for a Common Core Forum with many government officials and Commissioner John King from the New York State Department of Education. It was nerve wracking leading up to the event because the media had made it seem like it would be horrible with crowds, traffic, and police present. These statements may have kept some of the people away. Of course, many may not have been able to make it simply because NYSED made the forum at 4 in the afternoon when many would still be at work, barely getting kids from school, and beyond.

Thanks to my father getting the boys at school, I was able to go early. I met up with a friend who had made some signs in case we wanted to use them for silent protest in our seats. When heading out to the event, I focused on wearing warm enough items to wait outside and taking a smartphone that would keep up with updating and live Tweeting. I finally decided this even would be a great test for my Motorola Droid Mini that I received as a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers.

We were at the school an hour and a half before the event started. When we finally got into the building, we each took a number in case we wanted to talk. In addition to this, we were given the rules for the Common Core Forum. These rules were not out there before the event because so much happened quickly after Commissioner King canceled the Town Hall Meetings with the NYS PTA and scheduled this forum with Assemblyperson Patricia Fahy.

While waiting for the Forum to begin, I was checking into places on my phone. I was able to share these ruled via Instagram, and also post on Facebook groups to let others see what was coming from NYSED. Then, as the crowds were still filling in, I was able to Tweet out to people to please come if they could because it seems to be very calm outside. Finally, it was time to begin.

While I only took a few pictures, I was Tweeting as much as I could. I also shared photos from time to time in various places. Thank goodness my phone was able to keep up with me. With all of the heavy use, it was just down to 30% battery after almost three hours of non-stop social media use.

As you can see from my Tweets, it was a powerful experience. It was wonderful to see that I was among countless other parents and educators that were upset and worried about the future of public education for our children. Thanks to my phone and the battery life, I was able to keep in touch with TechyDad, the boys, and post information about the meeting in real time while hardly worrying during the five hours of constant use. I have no doubt that this will only the be the first of many meetings that Minnie will be heading to with me while I fight to be a voice for fixing the educational reform that has damaged so many children already.

Some previous posts about the educational world:

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received the Motorola Droid Mini to test out and share ways that I use it in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Categories:
Educational PSA school Technology

Smartphone Screen Glare

Posted on October 14, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Part of the reason I finally decided to ditch my dumb phone and get a smartphone, was to be connected. If I was out and about at a park, I could check in for an important email. When traveling, I would not have to worry about bringing my laptop and signing onto Wi-Fi. What I quickly realized with many of my phones was that just because you have your phone with you, it does not mean you will be able to use it. My troubles have had nothing to do with my 4G-LTE connection on Verizon Wireless, it was the screen glare associated with phones that I otherwise adored. There is nothing more annoying than missing a call or message and not being able to see if it was your child’s school calling because the lighting made it impossible. That is the reality that I have had with many different smartphones, including two previous Motorola Droids (Bionic and RAZR HD).

As part of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a new Motorola Droid Mini.

No stranger to the Droids, I quickly had the basics set up and was ready to head out with my family to the Emma Willard Marker Faire this weekend. It was an absolutely gorgeous autumn day. The sun was out and making it hard to see walking from location to location. Without thinking about it, I was able to use my Droid Mini to make a Vine, create a few collages to share on Instagram, and Tweet. When I missed a call, I was able to read the screen perfectly in the middle of a soccer field.

Even with the sun shining that you can clearly see in the photos above (taken on the Droid Mini), I was able to see everything. I did not have to shield my screen, twist my head, or hide under a tree for some shade. I was able to see everything. So while the boys were watching a Flying Pizza Box, I was able to use photos taken earlier in low lighting to share our TARDIS experience.

Yes, our Whovian family wore our Doctor Who shirts just for this occasion and the kids adored seeing the TARDIS created by Tech Valley Center of Gravity. It was a fun filled family day at Emma Willard where I got to know my new Droid Mini, Minnie, a little more. Thanks to this phone, I now know the importance of looking for a phone that can be used outside without the dreaded glare stare issues that so many phone suffer from. Now, while I wait outside of school, I can have confidence that I can check my email in any lighting situation.

Do you have glare issues with your smartphone? I would love to know how you battle this when you are out and about and need to use your phone.

Categories:
local event Technology

Tuesday Tales – Battling Reluctant Readers with Tablets

Posted on September 17, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

I recently wrote about the dangers of Quantity vs. Quality When Reading with children. Over the years, I have watched my oldest son’s interest in reading change. While NHL adores to read, he does not like being forced into specific genres, told how many pages to read, or pushed into a specific time to read outside of school. He will often pick up a book about people, places, science, and math just to read for fun. Yes, you read that right. He will often select items like that over a chapter book about fictional characters. So what does a parent do in this situation? Well, over the summer, I introduced NHL to the audio books on CD at the library. Then, the Samsung Galaxy Tablet that we received as part of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers changed things again.

Thanks to several fantastic apps available for Android devices, we can “shop” for library books from home. As residents of New York, I have a New York Public Library Card. Using that, along with the options from the Upper Hudson Library System, I am able to browse through a lot of books for children. They not only have Harry Potter and countless other books for Kindle, but also MP3 audio versions. While some people may wonder why I would find audio books acceptable, I look at it as listening comprehension and expanding his appreciation for new books and authors. If something clicks, he may switch to an eBook format or possibly a paper book down the road. In addition to this, I know that some children do better when they hear stories. Some individuals on the autism spectrum have a hard time relating and connecting to fiction stories. Listening to them read by others sometimes breaks this and storytelling via audio helps to connect them to the fictional world. This just takes away one more sensory overload that could keep some individuals away from certain books.

The start of school meant that NHL came home with a weekly reading assignment. He has to read 20-30 minutes each night. To assist with this, I installed the OverDrive Media app onto his Galaxy Tab. We are not using this all the time, but it will be there in a pinch. It is something he can listen to on the go in the car, or in his room when he needs some quiet time. I loaded a series of books for him to try, but next time I am going to get NHL more involved in the search for something to read.

Do you allow your children to listen to audio books? I would love to know your thoughts on the subject. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 to test out and share ways that I use this in my life (we purchased a second one on our own). There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Categories:
books Technology Tuesday Tales

Being An App Game Playing Family

Posted on September 12, 2013 11:07 am by TheAngelForever

Did you play video games when you were a child? I know I did. I still remember having a Coleco Vision and Atari systems to start. We eventually bought a Commodore 64 Computer. While I do not recall my mother playing the games with us, my father did. He would help us to figure out new games. One of the favorites on our new computer was Load Runner. This was a puzzle like game with a character that really made you think. We would work together and compete to see who could pass and figure out levels. As my brother and I grew up, this continued with other gaming systems and better computers and games. Of course, these days we have several gaming devices and most recently added the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 into the mix thanks to being a Verizon Lifestyle Blogger. The boys loved the one we received so much, they split the cost of a second one using gift card money they had saved up.

As a teacher, you may think that I am not a fan of gaming. You would be wrong. I think they have a place for children and parents that enjoy them. In fact, many of them are educational and require the use problem solving strategies. They also provide a great way for families to work together, talk, and bond. The case in point this summer would be the My Muppets Show app that is available for Android and Apple devices. All three of the boys fell head over heels in love with this. I was haunted by the Muppets music often coming from two Galaxy Tablets. TechyDad and I boys would chat up what they were accomplishing. The boys would assist each other earning new Muppets. It was not simply TechyDad telling them, they all helped each other. I actually hate to admit it, I felt a bit left out of the conversations because I had not really kept up with using the app on my Android phone.

So why am I writing about this? Well yesterday Monia Vila, The Online Mom, shared a post that she had written on The Huffington Post. Can Playing Video Games Make You a Better Parent? was inspired by the recent TEDTalk by Jane McGonigal. Thanks to Monica’s article, I spent the time and listened to the powerful words from McGonigal. As a parent and educator, I now want to use my extra minutes that she notes to connect more with my boys. We already read together, play board games, and go to places near and far as a family, but I want more. I want to be able to chat with them and understand the gaming apps that they adore. I want to geek out with them. I do not look at gaming as a waste of time. It is something we can do together for years to come. I take this up a notch from what Monica wrote about in her article and suggest that educators, including teachers, get in tune with games and things that their students are playing. Not only can you use these as ways to connect with the kids in your classroom, but you can expand on the apps/games for use in your teaching for a more authentic experience.

Fess up, do you use gaming as a way to connect with your family? If you are a teacher, have you ever made lesson plans that reach out to the gamers in your class? I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Oh and be sure to head over to read Monica’s post where she also has the TEDTalk with Jane McGonigal – it is worth reading and watching. No doubt it will leave your brain racing a mile a minute trying to figure out how to utilize this information in your life.

I know that in our house gaming is not a waste of time, but something that we use to keep everyone problem solving, talking, and focused. Oh and one other item, it’s fun and helps to relieve stress from every day life that does happen.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 to test out and share ways that I use this in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.