High-Tech Parenting With Kevin & Mike On Geekiest Show Ever Episode 204

!! colorful language advisory !!
Talking tech with Kevin and Mike on
"Geekiest Show Ever 204 – High-Tech Parenting"

Check out original show notes here: https://geekiestshowever.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/geekiest-show-ever-204-high-tech-parenting/
explicit
Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to the show.

Guy Lets Me Vent On MyMac Podcast Episode 584-5

Getting it out of my system with Guy on
"MyMac Podcast 584-5: TheMacMommy is Angry"

Check out original show notes here: http://www.mymac.com/2015/12/mymac-podcast-584-5-themacmommy-is-angry/

Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to the show.

On Geekiest Show Ever 161 with Keven & Mike

!! colorful language advisory !!
I pick Kevin's brain on his new iPhone 6 Plus as I'm still on the fence about which form factor I want in the new iPhone. I tell the story of how I recovered my husband's stolen iPhones. Mike talks gear that collects data and more on
"Geekiest Show Ever 161 – Our Connection to Sanity"

Check out original show notes here: https://geekiestshowever.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/geekiest-show-ever-161-our-connection-to-sanity/
explicit
Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to the show.

My Adventures With The GMen On MyMac Podcast Epsiode 524

What did I get myself into with Guy and Gaz on
"MyMac Podcast 524: Bend it like Beckham"

Check out original show notes here: http://www.mymac.com/2014/09/mymac-podcast-524-bend-it-like-beckham/

Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to the show.

Celebrating With Friends On The Mac Observer's Mac Geek Gab Episode 500

It was such an honor to join the panel for this episode of one of my favorite podcasts with some of my best buds in the Mac and Podcasting Community. Here's to 500 more!

Check out their original show notes here:
"MGG 500: Geeks and Listeners Celebrate The Last Nine Years"

This podcast was hosted by Dave Hamilton and John F. Braun
Panel: Barry Fulk, Brian Monroe, Allison Sheridan and Cory Imdieke

Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to their show and then subscribe in iTunes.

Macworld iWorld 2014 Wrap-Up

Join Michael Portis and I in our Macworld/iWorld 2014 Wrap-Up discussing what and who caught our eye at the Expo this year.


Products Reviewed
Square Jellyfish
PoweRocks
Pocket Tripod
Contact Patch
Studio Neat

and a BIG personal thank you to:
Michael Rose
Jack Hollingsworth

If you would like to join our community, please visit http://smartphone-photographers.com/ 

Interviewed for Chit Chat Across The Pond - Show 462 of NosillaCast Mac Podcast

Have a listen to yours truly interviewed by Allister Jenks discussing the topic of Teaching Technology to The Young and Old on this week's Chit Chat Across The Pond segment for Allison Sheridan's NosillaCast Mac Podcast show "#462 Watershot underwater iPhone case, IcyDock EZ-Dock, AnyFont, teaching technology to the young and old"

Of course you should listen to the whole episode because ya might learn somethin! (Click the link above to see the entire post for the full show content.)

Click on this audio player to listen to NosillaCast Mac Podcast

This is my written contribution to the show:

CCATP — Melissa Davis on Teaching Technology to The Young and Old: Hard or Just Scary?

I love to compare 7 year-olds with 77 year-olds. I happen to be the parent of a 7 year old (and a 4 year old). I’ve worked with people of all different ages helping them or teaching them how to use Apple tech and most of my clients these days are in the 60 to 80 year old age group.

A person’s life experiences work to shape their personality and vice-versa. Most small children, who presumably haven’t had much exposure to computers, who haven’t yet developed much of a fear for anything, will use and embrace technology because they naturally explore things in their environment. Nowadays babies are born to parents who capture their very first moments with their smart phones. They’re accustomed to this thing their parents tote around – in addition to them – that glows and makes noise and constantly gets shoved in their little faces. Of course there are also parents who are careful to keep their babies away from the exposure to backlit displays for their own reasons. There are inconclusive studies out there that suggest backlit screen exposure can be harmful to developing eyes. I can not confirm or deny any of it at this point so I’m working off of experience with a healthy dose of caution and practice of moderation. Of course the nature vs nurture debate will come up here as well.

Let’s think about the type of exposure. This could be a void of technology exposure in the home and limited to school or vice-versa. It could be a third-world country. Think of the documentaries you’ve watched where film crews go to these countries to document the lives of the people there. Watch how some react to having people moving about with these large and small cameras and computers. Some are cautious, others are curious.

Think about a generation of workers in the 80s and 90s who were introduced to computers in the workplace. So many times you’ll hear people say, “I use a computer at work all day, the last thing I want to do is stare at a screen for longer than I have to.” That generation is skeptical of computers. They’ve been taught computers and devices are for work, not play and that work could never be much fun. Work is not something to enjoy. Their exposure to computers has been, “if I press any other buttons besides the ones I’ve been instructed to press, I might blow up the computer and my boss will fire me.” That kind of exposure breeds fear so no wonder some people in their 50s and 60s can be somewhat apprehensive to computers. They’re also the generation that believes Big Brother is out to get them. We’re seeing that again now with NSA. We’re all very cautious about using devices because of how they infringe upon our privacy or how we might get into trouble by using them.

Lots of people either forget or don’t understand that you can operate software without being connected to the Internet! There are fun things you can do with computerized devices that don’t involve being “online.” This is where I have to teach clients about using the Mail app versus Gmail.

People both young and old may see learning how to use computerized devices as a chore or a task they need to learn and want to get it out of the way so they can go do something else. You could have children in which you’re trying to teach them something specific, say word processing, and you’re getting into the nitty-gritty of how to format a paragraph of text for a report. They may be daydreaming about the video game they want to play while you’re trying to teach them something fundamental.

Older folks have short attention spans also. They get “fried” or “OD” pretty quickly. It’s no secret to us that time practically evaporates when we’re working on something technical whether it’s troubleshooting a problem (that time seems to go the quickest because you’re under stress to work some magic to fix it) or teaching someone how to do something.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I can offer is that everyone learns things a little differently. When you’re working with someone you need to find out how they learn best and adapt your method of teaching them.

Consistency also is key and hard to stick to when your working in a field where everything changes so rapidly. How do you keep consistent? Many people crave consistency. One way I try to achieve this is by drawing parallels across different apps. This is one of many things I love about the Mac OS. I can say things like, "Remember this last lesson we talked about how to search for things within an application and I told you to look for the little magnifying glass? Well, what do you see right here? Notice how the symbol is the same?"

Another way to achieve consistency is by modifying the interface preferences — make everything look the same, enlarge the fonts, and if you customize the toolbar for them, try to put similar tools in the same spots to reinforce muscle memory.

What have you learned by teaching the old and young? 

• Relating analog to digital examples helps.

• Do not take little things for granted. I cringe every time someone says, “Yeah, ya just hit enter.” There are people that don’t understand what it means to “Hit a key” and they don’t even know you meant a key on the keyboard for starters. Do not assume everyone understands all jargon. Look through their eyes and start slow and basic, then drop it down one more level lower because chances are you’re not aiming low enough. Ask them about their experiences first and try to gauge what terminology to use. Explain how you're trying to strike a balance of not insulting their intelligence but also not going way over their head, too.

• When you say “to your left” be prepared to say, “your other left.” People get nervous when they’re being instructed and fumble over basic things and it’s natural. Do not make fun of them for it. You’re no better!

• Don’t do it all for them, put them in the driver’s seat. If you always do it, they won’t learn it. Be gentle at times when you do need to do it first in order to understand it and tell them so. I explain, “In order for me to teach you this, let me do it first and then I’ll break it down for you.” Say things like, “Don’t feel pressured to remember this all at once. We will get there. I’ll go over it as many times as you need.”

• Explain as you go along – verbalize as much as you can while you're whizzing the pointer around the screen.

• Teach people to leave themselves a little breadcrumb along the way.

• Have a boat-load of patience and get used to repeating yourself, hearing the same stories and questions over and over.

Sometimes clients need to stop and tell you a story. It’s how they process information and deal with overload. It’s OK. They know the clock is ticking and you’re charging for it. It took me a while to learn this and I felt very guilty at first, but friendships develop at a deeper level and it’s incredibly important to for trust especially when you’re working with people who are showing you their online banking and other very personal information.

It’s all personal. Very personal. Emotional. This is the most true when teaching people how to work with digital photos or how to make a birthday card or calendar. Be sensitive to this.

Smartphone Photographers Point and Shoot Weekend Edition for 11-23-2013

Check out this lively discussion on sharing your photos online. We discuss apps, services and philosophies along with tips for integrating them with your photo sharing needs.

Guest on 'Not Another Mac Podcast - Episode 117'

I join Mark Greentree on Episode 117 of his Not Another Mac Podcast along with John F. Braun and Kirschen Seah




Click here to listen:

http://www.markgreentree.com/storage/NAMP117.mp3


from Mark's Show Notes:
• Melissa plays with "Woz"
• The film "Jobs"
• Polaroid iS2132 21x optical zoom (25mm - 525 mm) camera.
• Photography and pro Mac applications
• Consumer-based applications and iCloud
• We reminisce about technology changes
• Internet connections and associated access

Other Random Mentions:
Steve Jobs: The Journey Is The Reward
Topaz Labs - Photography Software
John's Dragonfly photograph


Our Picks:

Alfred

HardwareGrowler

Little Snitch 3

iTeleport

iTeleport Developer Site




John F. Braun contributes to: The Mac Observer, Monday's Mac Gadget, Mac Geek Gab Podcast and tweets @johnfbraun

Kirschen Seah can be found at http://www.freerangecoder.com and tweets @kirschen

RSS Feed for Mark's podcast and blog

TUAW Talkcast Mother's Day Edition

Click here to listen to this podcast
My Annual Mother's Day Tradition!

Hand Made iPad Tip: Label - Case - BubCap

Got a new iPad? Protect it from getting scuffed and maybe even lost. In this Hand-Made iPad Tip, I discuss labeling your iPad using clear labeling tape, securing your home button with a BubCap and making your iPad more functional and protected.

HatTip: +Knight Wise of KnightWise.com for recommending the rooCASE. I love it! 

Product Links:

  A note about BubCap: yes, you can go into Settings and enable Guided Access, but a BubCap is still faster!

The MacJury Has Spoken: Holiday Gift Ideas from The MacJury

I was a MacJuror last week. Watch to see what stocking stuffers my friends and I recommend for the geek in your life this Holiday Season!

View The MacJury post

Review: Generic 5 in 1 Card Reader for iPad

Guest on TeacherCast Podcast #19 “Your Friendly Tech Department'

Listen to my guest spot on this podcast with Jeffrey Bradbury of TeacherCast
source link: http://podcast.teachercast.net/teachercast-podcast-19-your-friendly-tech-department/

Topics Covered:

• What is a school technician and why are they important to our school?
• What is the function of the school IT department?
• How many hats does an IT have to wear during the day?
• How is being an IT in the upper grades different than in the lower grades?
• What are some of the duties an IT does during the day?
• Grant Writing for Technology
• Who does the IT really work for?
• How can the IT department influence education?
• How should we support our IT department?
• Should schools be using Mac or PC?
• How can we go paperless in our schools?
• Why is it so difficult for teachers to work with technology when it is always breaking down?
• What are some general things that teachers can do to help out their local IT guy? (or gal!)

Check out Jeff's site: Teachercast.net for valuable education resources!

Knightwise.com Podcast S3ep2 : Macs and Mommies

It's been so long since I've recorded but something about the summer time just seems to kick things off! (Perhaps it's that the Hubby is soon done with school for the summer - yay!) Here is a rare video version of me podcasting/vlogging with my BIB (Belgian Internet Boyfriend), Knightwise. You must check out his stuff. He and his wife are crazy geeks like us - minus kids, plus dogs. (These are my people!!)

If you know me, fast forward through all the boring parts where I talk about myself and say stuff you've probably already heard. The meaty discussion is actually entertaining to listen to and I hope it gets you thinking about how you incorporate tech into your family and in your daily lives.

Share your thoughts in the comments! I'd love to hear from you!
You can follow us on Twitter if you want to geek out across the globe.
@Knightwise and me, @TheMacMommy

Also check out my Google Plus. I plan on interacting over there more too!

5th Annual TUAW Mother's Day Edition

The Unofficial Apple Weblog hosts a TalkCast every Sunday night. For the past five consecutive years, it's been my privilege to be a guest of honor on the Mother's Day Edition of this podcast.


Click this link to listen to the audio in iTunes.
TUAW Talkcast 2012-05-13: Mother's Day Edition

Click this link to listen to the audio in your browser's audio player.

Podcast Description:

Calling all Mac Mommies out there -- it's our annual Mother's Day show, where we celebrate the Mac, Mom and iOS too. Join Kelly and the crew for the fun!

Knightwise.com Podcast Interview

Brought to you by Knightwise.com featuring Yours Truly for your listening pleasure

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=518705267

Correction, Knightwise is one of **MY** personal Internet Heroes!

Guest on 'Not Another Mac Podcast - Episode 010'

Last week I was a guest on Not Another Mac Podcast with my friends Mark and Kevin. This is the last time I knew I'd be able to talk before my tonsillectomy surgery so I gave Skype a run for its money and even managed to break it temporarily! Had a great time recording with these guys. Looking forward to another show after my voice has healed!

Tap Here to Play Audio
Audio Source: Not Another Mac Podcast - Episode 10

Here is an except from Mark's blog:

"This week sees Dennis back in the hosting chair keeping Mark in line and on topic…Well trying to anyway! Discussing all things Apple and Macintosh!
Melissa Davis and Kevin Allder are our guests this week. 

Melissa can be found at http://www.themacmommy.com or http://momsgonegeek.net/ where she produces a technology based podcast and blog relating to technology in the home and how it effects your daily lifestyle. Melissa can also be found on Twitter with username @TheMacMommy  

Kevin can be found http://biginva.posterous.com/ and can also be found on Twitter with username: http://twitter.com/Big_in_VA  

The topics on this Episode revolved solely around MobileMe and the services which have officially been discontinued. We discuss other options to the MobileMe offerings whilst also discussing the disappointing way in which many useful MobileMe services have just been discontinued without Apple assisting users to move to new services."

MGG 028 Do You DIY?

Listen to my latest podcast for Moms Gone Geek
Click here for show notes

Guest on TUAW Talkcast: Apple's Rough Week

Click here to listen to this podcast
via recordings.talkshoe.com

Even though I drink the Apple Koolaid, I'm just as critical of the brand. And so we discuss Apple in all its glory as well as shortcomings and bad foo on the TUAW Talkcast which happens each Sunday night at 10 pm EST over on TalkShoe. Join us sometime, won't you?

Posted via email from TheMacMommy