Samantha – Page 5 – Digital Zen

Jazzing Up the Desktop

11/19/2013

What's boring? Default icons. I just jazzed up my Mac desktop with some fun alternatives. It's super easy to change them. Even better, I used this trick to help my son find the Spelling City website that he uses for homework every week. Now he can find it easily by clicking on "his macaw".

Safety & Security

How I Finally Put 243 Passwords in Their Place

11/12/2013

Introducing the tool I've chosen to help me keep all my passwords in line and accessible on the go. 1Password strikes the best balance of convenience and security that you'll find today.

Around the House

Now No One Will Swipe My Adapters and Cables

11/12/2013

I adorned my mobile adapters and cables with decorative duct tape for easy identification. The "mini roll" size at .75 inches wide required little to no trimming. Now no one will walk away with my stuff.

Entertainment & Fun, Parenting & Kids

I Let My Seven Year Old Have Email

11/01/2013

I let my seven year old have email, and it's a lot of fun! The free Maily app for iPad lets Brian send his own special notes to family members, helping foster strong family ties.

Around the House

Tips for Digital Readers: Getting the Hang of e-Books, Reading Apps, and Your Online Library

09/16/2013

I finally tried out my local library’s online catalog, and I’ve also been getting the hang of e-books and reading apps for my iPad. Read on to learn which tech tools I'm using to read more while also enjoying more ease, time, and even money.

Community & Social, Parenting & Kids

Easy & Creative Thank You Notes

07/23/2013

With apologies to Emily Post, I've adopted some social etiquette shortcuts with the help of technology. See how I replaced handwritten thank-you notes with an easy and creative alternative using PicMonkey.

Parenting & Kids, Safety & Security

Faces and Places: Turn Off Geo-Tagging

07/03/2013

Turning off photo geotagging helps protect your faces and places. Here's how.

Around the House

A Digital Day in the Life

06/24/2013

Technology is woven into our daily lives like never before. Here are a few snippets into what this looks like on a typical day in the Sand House.

Community & Social

Build Your Community with Nextdoor

05/28/2013

Nextdoor is free, private website where you connect with your neighbors and share useful local information.

Around the House

12 Simple Ways to Tame Paper Chaos Around the House

04/10/2013

When my son started kindergarten last year, I couldn’t believe how much paper came home from school each day. On top of mail, bills, bank statements, warranties, receipts, and more — managing paper took on a whole new dimension. Read on for 12 simple ways to help tame paper chaos around the house.

Entertainment & Fun

Limit How Much Music Is Synced to Your iPhone with One Little Setting

03/25/2013

Audio files take up lots of space. If you don't need or want a vast portable music library, here's how to change the default setting and limit how much music is synced to your iPhone.

Entertainment & Fun

Wacky Wednesday

03/06/2013

From apps in space to a new database that has parents spooked... what's new, absurd, funny, eyebrow raising, or thought provoking in technology trends this week.