Strollerderby : ipod

Liar, Liar - iPod Sets Kid's Pants on Fire

JeanneSager — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:35:00 GMT

Technically, he's not lying - at least not completely. A kid had his pants set on fire when his iPod Touch "popped," melting his nylon/spandex underwear and causing second-degree burns.

But a lawsuit filed against employees at an Apple store that sold the kid the iPod alleges, "He continues to suffer from both physical and mental conditions which will cause him to suffer pain, mental distress, emotional distress, and otherwise for the rest of his life."

Really? For the rest of his life? Because he got a little hot down below? Whatever happened to "kids are resilient" or Gawd, I wish I had the money in this economy to be able to buy my kid an iPod Touch, so he should count his lucky stars he's got a family that's making it work?

According to Ars Technica, the boy's mom is asking for compensatory damages of more than $75,000 plus punitive damages of more than $75,000 and attorney fees. Although I can see asking Apple itself for A. a new iPod B. a full review of the safety concerns of the iPod Touch and C. payment for all medical bills (and maybe the price of a new pair of underwear - cotton preferrably), I am not convinced that ten employees at an Apple store should be forking over $150,000 for one embarrassing moment in a kid's life.

What does this teach a kid, by the way? That everything is fixed with money? Or that he's got a right to never be embarrassed? Right there, in court documents, his mom says he's marked for the rest of his life. Talk about setting your kid up for a life of being a victim.

What would you do? Would you sue?

Image: Amazon

Review: Yo Gabba Gabba! Cuts an Album

JeanneSager — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:33:00 GMT

It's about time. I was out at a girls night (without the kid, rare, but it happens), when someone started talking about this show with Biz Markie and his "Beat of the Day."

"And it's for our kids!" they said. After I finished snorting a cosmo out my nose, I pressed for details. "You mean Biz "Youuuuuuuuu can't carry a tune, but it's OK cause you're just a friend" Markie? And there are no freakish overbearing bunnies? Tell me more."

Oh, admit it, you've got Yo Gabba Gabba! Tivo'd for AFTER the kid goes to bed, and you can pretend you're back in college and eat some munchies. Only now you can carry it on your iPod too. Because DJ Lance Rock, Toodee and their music biz friends have put out an album that's only on iTunes. And we've got the skinny for you.

With Biz's beat, the insta-classic "Party in My Tummy" and the tune guaranteed to leave them breathless from dancing in their footie pajamas, "Get the Sillies Out," the sounds of the Yo Gabba Gabba! (YGG to those in the know - or dorky moms like me) regulars would be worth adding to the iPod alone - if only for those days when you're out of the house and need to keep them absolutely transfixed on something OTHER than you. But with hip hop pioneers The Roots and indie popsters The Ting Tings putting a little hip in their pop, it's the kid music that will sneak into your playlist.

And they love it - in all its retro fabulousness. Literally, all it took was the first few beats of the "ska/rockers who think they're superheros" The Aquabats punk "Pool Party" for my three-year-old to come running from the living room and start bouncing around (OK, so she calls it the "cool party," but she's three people).

The album is available from iTunes or you can buy it song by song.

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Bone Headphones: Safer for Kids?

JeanneSager — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:28:00 GMT

I've always been wary about my daughter grabbing my iPod and jamming the little buds in her ears. It used to be hearing damage that worried me. Then I wrote a post here on the 'Derby about teenagers who are totally oblivious to danger when they've got their headphones turned to top volume.

A wise person once said complain and you will receive (I'm taking artistic license here people). So what did I get for my whinging about boneheaded teenagers? An e-mail telling me there's a better answer.

Bone headphones. Lacking in techy savvy (I leave that to the computer geek I married), I was clueless. But after being assured these were a parent's best answer to balancing kids' demands for their music with the safety of the whole body (ears included), I went looking. Geeks-in-the-know, go ahead. Laugh at me. Because these things are both the weirdest-feeling and coolest things I have found in the wide world of making parenting perfect gizmos (many of which I've learned about via my friends here on Droolicious).

The basic concept? Instead of discs that slip in the ear, these discs sit on the outside of the ear - on that bone right in front (with a name like that - imagine that). The music playing through the discs vibrates the bone, which transmits to the inner ear, which transmits to the brain (and the knee bone is connected to the . . . ). The delicate ear drum (what I worry about - probably needlessly - with my kid) is never even touched. And since you're not blocking the ear drum, you're not cutting off their connection with the outside world. In other words? They can still hear the cars, buses, trains . . .

To be fair to the company, they're not marketing them to kids. But is this something that could help with all our clueless teens? I know it would save a lot of parents' voices (no more screaming, "did you hear me? I saaaaaaid, did you hear me?"). I just don't know that kids are any more aware of the world when they can hear it!

Image: AudioBone

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5 Ways to Keep the Kids from Growing Fat this Summer

Cole Gamble — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:00:00 GMT

It used to be you could just kick the kids out of the house on a summer day, lock the door and refuse to let them back in until well after dark. But someone had to go have a hissy fit and make that illegal, so now a lot more kids spend their time indoors. Luring your kids away from their PS3’s and IPods and daytime soap “stories” is harder than ever, even when you try to convince them that the outside world is cool ‘cause it’s so totally old school. Here are some gentle ways to nudge them out of the nest and make sure they don’t spend their whole summer eating Hot Pockets.

Water Slides

Going to the water slides may not sound like great exercise--it involves sitting down—but then you’re forgetting the arduous hike to the top of the water slide mountain. Just make sure to slather on the sunscreen like tar.

Check out The Dangerous Book for Boys/Daring Book for Girls

Outside of arcane knowledge about historical events you and your kids don’t care about, these books are full of activities like building soap box racers and how to classify indigenous insects. Sounds corny, but millions of copies sold can’t be wrong.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Give your kids a list of things within the neighborhood, like “the doghouse with the red roof”, and set them loose with a digital camera (preferable a cheap one) to photo gather everything on the list. Promise them a prize if they finish the list.

Buy Some Squirt Guns

Nothing gets your kids out of the house faster than the promise of shooting each other.

Kid Olympics

Set up a course with hula hoops, jump ropes or whatever you have on hand and have the kids race through various events. If you don’t want to get them prizes, you can make ribbons (all say “participant” because we don’t want any losers, right?”)

More by this author: The 26 Most Disturbing Kids Movies Ever

Greenhouse: Harnessing the Awesome Power of Boobs

Amy Kuras — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:02:00 GMT

We know boobs are powerful. In my younger days I never had to wait for a drink while at the bar (my less endowed friends would have me make the drink runs) and now, well, I have two pudgy, well-nourished babies to my credit.

But the idea that boobs can actually generate power? Like, electricity? That never occurred to me, until I saw this article from Slate blogged all over the place today. Writer Adrienne So spoke with a sports bra expert, nanotechnology guy and someone who made a backpack that uses kinetic energy to power itself to see if the bouncy-bouncy of reasonably good sized breasts during vigorous exercise could generate enough power to, say, keep your iPod charged through a workout.

It's possible, just not easy, it turns out. A D-cup in a low support bra can move 35 inches – that’s right, almost THREE FEET – up and down during vigorous excise, and breasts also move side to side and back and forth. There's a lot of, um, jiggle there –but harnessing it with a sports bra, which has to be comfortable and washable, proved a challenge. Plus, you have to hit the right balance of a bra that controls motion enough to be comfortable but allows enough to generate power.

I have no idea how much power a iPod actually takes to charge, so I have no idea if such a device would make much of a dent in sustainability. But if it would make some of these women I see at the gym harness those ladies already (seriously, it's all I can do to not march over and just wordlessly hand them a Title 9 catalogue) it would be all to the good.

Babyproofing Tip: Wind Those Cables

Brett Singer — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Babyproofing is a hot topic on Babble at the moment, with some parents saying they ain't gonna 'proof no more, no more, they ain't gonna 'proof no more. To me, there's baby proofing and there's baby proofing. Which means what exactly?

As with all things, there's common sense and then there's insanity. This poll is overwhelmingly in favor of "hiding the bleach and covering the outlets," to which I will add "putting the steak knives in a drawer" and "not building a fire in the middle of the living room."

With that in mind, there are some things that qualify as babyproofing but are also just good things to do in your house. It's worth considering that you are not only protecting your wonderful children from themselves and all of your dangerous stuff. You are also protecting your wonderful stuff from your dangerous children. I'm not talking about cookbooks, which Thing 2 actually requests to have read to him, after he's done pawing at the pages. Or the salad spinner, another favorite Thing 2 toy, which, according to him, is used for making toast. I'm talking about my stereo. Laptops. iPods. The Wii. Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln, don't break the Wii.

Basically, babyproofing was a lot easier before we all had more electronic devices than Radio Shack. All that expensive stuff you own is great fun--until your daughter decides that she absolutely must yank the speaker cable until something happens. You know, like the speaker falling to the floor and breaking.

To tidy up the abundance of wires in our happy home, I use Cable House Cord Organizers from a nifty little online retailer called Cyberguys (get the catalog, the kids will love it.) Until you can redo the house so that all the wires are inside the walls (is that a pig flying overhead?), these brightly colored rubber doohickeys will help you tame even the wildest home theater/home network/evil scientist lair. At $5.95 for four, they're a steal, so get a bunch. Hey, they’re a lot cheaper than new speakers.

See also: LifeHacker's Top 10 Ways to Get Cables Under Control

image: Vibrant.com

iPods Used To Carry Unborn Babies

makeitadouble — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:30:00 GMT

Has the interminable televising of the commercial for the new iPod Nano with Video created such an earworm from that warbling “1-2-3-4 tell me that you love me more” song that once it burrowed into your cerebral cortex you caved and finally bought one? Well now that you’ve dumped $200 on it you’ve got to upload some videos to create that kick-ass play list.

The White Stripes “Conquest” video needs to be included and so does the Foo Fighters “Long Road to Ruin” but the most important addition to any worthwhile playlist is a 4-D moving ultrasound video scan of your fetus in utero.

A London hospital is now offering real time high-tech 4D scans (3D in motion) to expectant mothers and posting the high-definition results on a secure website available for download to CD, DVD, MP3 players and mobile phones. No word yet on making the baby’s heartbeat available as a ring tone.

What’s really exciting about this technology, that’s certain to be more widely available stateside as soon as Apple figures out a way to make the videos available through iTunes at $1.99 per download, is that parents will no longer have to shove grainy black and white 2D ultrasound print outs of their unborn children into the faces of co-workers and friends. Now they/we can shove our hip iPods and iPhones in their faces or at least post the video to YouTube and mass email the link to the entire company directory.

The 4D ultrasound equipment works similarly traditional 2D scanners except the waves are directed from multiple angles thus providing enough information to generate a moving image when the waves are reflected back. However, and you can file this under information Steve Jobs doesn’t want you to know, studies have shown that ultrasounds can produce physical effects to uterine tissue such as vibrations and increased temperature therefore the medical community discourages the use of ultrasounds unless it is medically necessary.

Poor little vibrating Suri Cruise.

I’m just wondering if birth announcements of the future are going to include File Size in MB, Duration, and Album Title.

Apple Gives iPods to Homeless Kids!

Karen Murphy — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:29:00 GMT

When I first read this headline I was all, "aww, Apple cares about us! Apple gives iPods away to poor homeless kids, isn't that wonderful? And oh, didn't a unicorn just float by on that rainbow, all covered in glitter and fairy dust?"

Yes, but then Cynical Karen stepped in and read the rest of the article: only 100 iPods were given away, and they were chintzy little Nanos, and they were to kids left homeless by the recent fires in California. Which begs the question, And what computer will they use to connect those iPods to and download music? Assuming the computers were in the homes that burned, of course.

And, oh, the commenters on that original piece got even more cynical:

Publicity stunt! No iPods for New Orleans inner-city kids after Katrina! The recipients of this latest philanthropic gesture were rich kids anyway! Apple stock is worth what, gazillions, and all they give is maybe $15,000 to these kids, who will each download hundreds of dollars back from iTunes, so in effect Apple MAKES money on the deal! Plus the grateful kids will tell their friends how wonderful/philanthropic Apple is, and they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on...

And me a Mac owner. And there are 3 working iPods in my house.

Tsk, tsk.

So, yeah, that's great, Apple, it was a gesture and you made it and you probably didn't even think of all these cynicisms, you just acted from your Applely little heart. But some things you have to think through. Like, what will help? And, what will people say/think? But maybe that's just the Cult of Mac talking.

What Every Dad Needs: iPod Boxers

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 19:15:00 GMT

I've been banging my head against the wall with this Father's Day gifts article, trying to figure out why any dad needs an iPod pocket for his boxer shorts. Phone, I understand -- because at least a phone will vibrate. But an iPod? Can you imagine adjusting the volume or changing the song in public?

"Don't mind me," says man with hands down pants, "I'm just bringing on the noise." Ummmm, OK?

Of course, I'm sure there are a lot of guys who spend a fair amount of time in little more than their Underoos, so the thought of finally having a place to store an iPod is like a gift from god. I don't know who those guys are, but I will not be asking for song recommendations.

[Photo courtesy of Mike Adamick Self Portraiture and Other Dreams Co.]

Tadpole iPod Protector. You Need This.

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Thu, 10 May 2007 12:03:00 GMT

Well played, iFrogz. *golf clap* Your Tadpole iPod protector is one of the best kid product ideas I've seen since the Boon Frog Pod (hmmm) launch a couple of years ago.

Seriously, bro. I had one on order (with two sets of headphones, please) before I finished reading the product description. We've got several trips planned this summer, and this sucker is going to save my life. (Let's hope.)

Meet iFrogz latest contraption to kiddie proof your iPod, and leave you to breathe easy for the inevitable bumps and drops courtesy of your curious child. Long car rides? He can watch and listen and you need not fret. $25 for cover in Pretty in Pink, Eye Opening Orange, Grape Ape Purple and Slice of Lime Green. With headphones, $39.Y

Fellow tech mamas and papas, we all know that if it cost you more than five bucks, your kids will bust it. Tadpoles will help you hand over your video iPod with confidence. All I need is for it to get me to Hawaii and back. That's all I want, Tadpole. You hear me?

iPhone: 1 in 4 Hipster Teens Would Buy One

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 22:09:00 GMT

The iPhone isn't even available yet, but according to a recent survey, "early adopter" high schoolers are ready to drop 5 Benjis on it as soon as it hits the market.

Researchers at PiperJaffray surveyed about 500 high school students asking each about their interest (and buying habits) in portable digital audio and online music. The iPhone also doubles as an iPod.

Nearly 85 percent said they were already familiar with the multi-function Apple gadget, and of those students, 25 percent said they'd be willing to buy one at the previously announced $500 entry point.

Our advice? Steel yourselves, parents. You're about to be hit up for 500 bucks by kids who don't know that you never buy version 1.0 of a tech product. Can't you just hear the whining now? Tell those kids to get a job. They should be able to make enough folding t-shirts at Abercrombie & Fitch to afford the iPhone by the time it's released in June.

Apple Releases iPod for Babies

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 11:01:00 GMT

I've written previously about how iPods are perfect for preschoolers, and so it was with great excitement that I read about Apple's plans to release an iPod especially for babies. Rumors are that it is set to debut hot on the heels of the much-anticipated iPhone release.

Banking on the the success of products like the First Years Crib CD Player, Apple is releasing a ruggedized version of its video iPods—called iPodBaby—especially for baby use.

The iPodBaby is covered by a soft-yet-strong non-toxic polystyrene coating with a hook-and-loop backing that can stick easily to any cloth from crib bumpers to onesies to the cloth-like coverings of most disposable diapers. It has a 10 gig microdrive from Toshiba which can hold hundreds of lullabyes or your favorite Baby Einstein videos (now exclusively available on iTunes).

A unique option only available on the iPodBaby is the Garmin GPS plug-in module that lets you keep track of your baby. Not only is this feature helpful when your baby hits the crawling stage, it also allows you to keep tabs on what your nanny and baby are doing. Is she really at the park? Now you'll know for sure.

Plush Bose headphones with buds in a variety of cute animal shapes ensure that your baby's ears are comfortable (and cute!) without sacrificing sound quality. There is also an available Nuk ear bud which doubles as a pacifier

The iPodBaby comes in blue, pink, or unisex silver and can be engraved with baby's name and birthdate for no additional change. The iPodBaby will retail for $349 and is appropriate for babies as young as 1 week old.

[photo: gizmodo]

iPods and Preschoolers Do Mix, Here's Why

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:03:00 GMT

When my four-year-old received an iPod Shuffle for Christmas, I rolled my eyes a little. What use does a preschooler have for an iPod, especially since I didn't get no iPod Shuffle for Christmas? Turns out, lots.

After having it sit in its box for a month, I finally loaded it up with some of my child's favorite music, everything from Laurie Berkner to the Cars soundtrack to Missy Elliot. When we go on car rides and I cannot listen to the music from JoJo's Circus one. more. time., I pass the iPod back, and she gets to hear her tunes while I listen to Fuhhh-reeeesh Air! She's even been known to pass one of the headphones to her toddler sister.

Recently, I logged onto iTunes, chose some kids' audiobooks and put those on as well. My daughter enjoys listening to them and after they are through, we work on her reading comprehension skills as I ask her what happened in the story and what her favorite part was.

I've taken to carrying around her iPod in my purse (because it's so small), and when we are out at restaurants waiting for our meal, I can whip it out and it will keep her occupied. We're probably going to ditch our portable DVD player and get a video iPod so that my girls can watch their favorite movies on long car rides or while on an airplane. Living in Silicon Valley does that to you, I guess.

The Transformer iPoD: Goodbye Stretch Armstrong

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:32:00 GMT

Remember the innocent days of goo-filled Stretch Armstrong and bustier clad Wonder Woman? These are different times, my friends. My kids are still pre-gadget and I'm an incurable Luddite, but some of my favorite people are gadget junkies.

Luckily the new "Convoy iPod Docking Bay," by Takara-Tomy has something for people longing for the simpler times of the 70s and 80s and the folks fascinated by everything iPoD. Even though the docking bay is relatively expensive ($145), it's a Transformer, so it's essentially two toys for the price of one.

And if you want to guarantee that you'll be the only kid on the block with a multi-functional docking station, this is the one for you (at least until they invent one that doubles as a vibrator).

Wrap It Up: Make Your Own Paper iPod Cover

Patti — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:00:00 GMT

It's the default gift for nearly every occasion: the iPod. If you aren't buying one for someone for the holiday this year, you probably bought one last year. Or you bought one for Mother's or Father's Day, or someone's graduation, or for your dad on his 60th birthday, since he finally figured out how to rip his Elvis CD's. You can have them engraved, of course, but how else to personalize something that everyone has? That some of us have more than one of, even?

iPapercraft is a free online tool that allows you to upload an image and have it formatted to fit the iPod model of your choice, then have it generated as a .pdf that you can print out. Cut along the lines and fold it around your player, and you have a gift that's just a little more personal.

Playing around with it, I quickly discovered that image is everything--or image choice, in this case. A family photo resulted in a cover that would have decapitated us all had I taken the Exacto knife to it, but more artsy shots (sunsets, ocean waves) proved very adaptable to the form, and a picture of my husband's beloved vintage car was even better. But when you generate a cover using a scan or digital photo of your childrens' artwork, then you've got something worthy of a grandparent. And then you can explain to Mom exactly why it is, again, that she's going to love this iPod so much ("but Ma, we've already loaded it with Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits! And look: a picture of you that the baby drew, with a giant head!").

(via Boing Boing. Photo credit Ryan Stewart)