Strollerderby : apple

Apple To Release iPhone For Kids

Brett Singer — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Not satisfied with dominating the cellular phone market for adults, Apple will now try and corner the potentially lucrative child cellular phone space.

The only other major player in the kiddie cell arena is Firefly, a device that allows children to call only a few select people. The KiDPhone, on the other hand, will essentially be an iPhone, able to use all of the apps and games that have made Apple's so-called "Jesus Phone" such a hit with consumers.

"Children are more technologically capable that at any other time in history," Apple's founder Steve Jobs said in a press release. "By releasing the KiDPhone, we are enabling our loyal customers to share their favorite device with the whole family."

The KiDPhone will be slightly smaller to accommodate little hands. The smaller size will also hopefully lead to a lower price. The iPhone sells for as low as $199 with a service plan; presumably the kiddie version will cost less, although Apple hasn't announced pricing yet. No carrier either, but it will likely be AT&T again. (That's OK, since kids don't need reception that badly. Ba-dum-bum.)

No way am I buying this for my kids. Not only don't they need it (or any phone for that matter), they can break electronic equipment at 20 paces. I don't care if this thing comes encased in an unbreakable metal alloy, it would get broken in a week. Who needs the hassle?

Source

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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

Amber Alert Now an iPhone App

JeanneSager — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:33:00 GMT

The newest application approved for the iPhone by its makers at Apple comes free - and could free missing children from their captors.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) got the go-ahead from Apple to distribute an Amber Alert app for the iPhone, that will provide real-time active AMBER alerts including victim and suspect photos and information.

The app will also provide users with direct phone numbers to police precincts and a reporting mechanism allowing them to report a sighting. Using the built-in GPS of the iPhone, the NCMEC will be able to directly interface reports from users to geographical information systems to help police pinpoint the location of a sighting.

In a letter pushing Apple CEO Steve Jobs to speed up approval, the app's creator, Jonathan Zdziarski said the millions of iPhone users will give missing kids "a LOT more exposure," noting it will revolutionize reporting to police.

His letter worked - two days later, the app was approved, and you can download it now, for free.

Image: Jonathan Zdziarski

Morning News: Jobs Out of One

Shannon LC Cate — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:15:00 GMT

Steve Jobs of Apple sent stocks in his company tumbling 7% after announcing that he will take a leave of absence from running Apple until June. Jobs cited health problems more serious than he initially thought as the cause of his break. I wish the best for Jobs. I am a big fan. But why is it that his personal health has such an effect on Apple stock? If he retired tomorrow, it's not like all the ipods would disappear like the works of Sauron.

Thought I'd give you a heads up on this one, because I've been seeing a lot of these in my own in-box lately. Apparently, "foreclosure rescue" scams are starting to multiply--multiplying, in turn, the woes of people already struggling. These companies promise to renegotiate your mortgage, take fees up front to do so, then skip town (or the virtual version of skipping town) after doing nothing for you. If you find yourself in need of emergency mortgage help, experts advise that you go directly to your lender or make sure the company you work with is HUD-approved. Some states have laws against such companies charging fees up front. So if a company demands that, it's best to choose someone else.

Authorities in Washington, DC are trying to rehouse residents of the Mall and other areas within the secured bounds for the inauguration festivities. Backpacks and duffel bags will not be allowed, complicating the lives of those who live on the streets of DC, carrying their possessions with them. To the city's credit, they are handling this "security" issue pretty sensitively, by doing one-on-one work to explain the situation and help folks get to shelters. They are also emphasizing that homeless citizens will be just as welcome at the events as everyone else, but they'll have to follow security protocols like everyone else. But it's too bad the one benefit sleeping on the Metro vent could get you--front row seats to the biggest national party in memory--is being taken away.

Try as he might to hide behind bravado and hair, Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, has been served. The same day he swore in the new state senate, he was told to appear before it for an impeachment trial beginning 26 January. Top that for irony and I'll give you a lifesaver.

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.

Greedy, Nerdy Kids Should Have Taste Too

Matt Wood — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:26:00 GMT

So your little Scrooge McDuck just wants more and more expensive tech gear for Christmakwanzukkah to toss in his money bin? Well you might as well get him *good* stuff.

Michael Rose from The Unofficial Apple Weblog has written a gift guide for kids who love shiny silver and white Apple computers. And don't worry, it's not loaded with crazy expensive laptops and iPhones; the priciest item on the list is the iPod nano at $150.

The rest of the list is filled with excellent graphics and animation software aimed at kids, educational tools, non-brain-rotting games, and even an internet filter because trust me, your kids know where to find the porn whether you know it or not. For further reading, there's also a link to a larger, unfiltered list of kid-oriented Mac software from the mothership itself.

Whether you usually shop online or not, if anything this gives you a reason to visit the wonderland that is known as an Apple Store, if you're lucky enough to have one in your town. A certain blogger may have used this excuse to buy himself an iPhone as an early Christmas gift this year. He's enjoyed teaching his son how to use it, which means, "Sit there and watch while Daddy flips through pictures for you. Don't touch it. No, give it back to me! Give it back to me!"

How Many Godknows, Jupiters, and Hatreds Are in Your Kid’s Class?

Madeline Holler — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:07:00 GMT

In this space, we’ve dealt with the Swedish baby named Metallica, as well as arguments in favor of forming an Office of Nameland Security to bring some order to the unchecked freedom parents have in choosing names and how to spell them.

I think we’ve all just agreed to disagree and keep writing whatever we please on birth certificates: Apple, Pilot Inspektor, Suri, Pax. Anything less isn't even an option.

Now comes this story on names that makes Metallica seem like the next most reasonable thing to calling your son Jack.

How many Godknows, Lovemores, and Honours go to your kid’s preschool?

These names, bestowed on kids in Zimbabwe, are the result of the tradition of choosing a name based on meaning, not current trends (or an obligation to trend-setting). In the past, names given were in the region's various local languages. But with English taking over, the name selections have shifted too.

So it is not terribly shocking to meet an Enough or Oblivious, a Hatred or Jupiter, a Givethanks or Norest. There are stories behind the names, some quite easy to imagine, others not so much (Hatred? That's a little harsh.).

My kids’ names mean “Bringer of Joy” and “A Free Woman” according to this site. And while I was pleased to find this out, actual meaning wasn’t the starting point for my husband and I when deciding on names. Just a bonus. My own first name (which happens to also be the name of a mind-bogglingly large number of today's third-graders) means "Tower of Strength." Doesn't really roll off the tongue.

But the parents of Zimbabwe have certainly raised the bar for the Hollywood name-giving risk-takers. Naming a child Abide, Praise, or Raised-on kind of makes Apple, Kal-el, Neveah and Moxie Crimefighter seem downright bland.

Vasectomy Bargain: Snip Snip For An iPhone

Kelly Mills — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:27:00 GMT

Why do I think Steve Jobs is doing a little happy dance right now? Because he's won built such an army of converts, some folks will even let their baby-making plumbing get operated on in exchange for an iPhone. Or at least one guy did. Spouses, take note: if your man refuses to fence in his little swimmers, perhaps you can entice him with the promise of a gadget. That's totally worth it, right?

Mr. Johnson's (hee hee) wife permitted him to keep the iPhone he bought without permission if he agreed to take his man parts under the knife for some hardcore family planning. But wait, it says he "underwent a vasectomy to get an Apple iPhone, following his wife's orders after a road trip with his kids to Boise, Idaho." You know, I think a road trip to Boise with the kids would have been all the motivation I needed for permanent sterilization. Perhaps he actually parlayed it into an iPhone in a sneaky way. Kudos, Johnson.

Got A Bored Kid on Spring Break? Apple Stores Host Free Youth Workshops

Alisyn — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:49:00 GMT

Got Spring Break coming up? Anticipating an onslaught of "I'm bo-ored!s" and "There's nothing to do-oo!s" in March or April? Your local Apple store may be able to help your 8-15 year old kill some of his/her vacation time.

Apple stores across the country are now hosting free Youth Workshops - hands on, interactive, open-to-the-public events in which your kid/s can learn how to compose a song, produce a movie, or create a photo album. Using GarageBand, Apple's music recording and sequencing software, kids will learn to compose a song with loops, beats, and even their own vocals in the music workshop. The movie workshop will teach kids how to import footage, crop video clips, and add special effects to produce their own movie with iMovie. The photo workshop shows kids how to edit, print, and share photos and how to make photo albums and slideshows.

Visit the link above to register yourself, your kid/s, or the whole family. Happy creating!

Surprise, Surprise: Trix Not Good for Kids

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:50:00 GMT

Some wingnut non-profit in California is up in arms because food companies display fruit on their packages but don't actually include fruit in the product. Granted, that sounds bad. It would seem obvious that a box with a giant apple or cherry or strawberry on its cover would also include said fruit -- despite the fact the box also features a cartoon rabbit or a peg-legged pirate. But whatever.

"Parents are rushing through grocery stores with their kids, and a lot of them are relying on what they see on the front of the package. Most are too harried to read the fine print," said one of the non-profit people, who must believe Count Chocula earned his nutrition degree from somewhere.

I feel for these parents, I do. They want their kids to eat well, so instead of buying, say, fruit, they buy the box with the biggest picture of fruit on it. And it turns out there's no fruit inside at all. Oh the shame! So just which products are part of this deception? Which products are fooling parents? Which products are worthy of a four-month study?

Cap'N Crunch with Crunchberries, Airheads (taffy), Bubble Tape (gum), Fruity Cheerios, wild cherry Lifesavers, Fruity Pebbles, Ring Pops (suckers), Tang, Trix, Starburst, Kool-Aid Jammers. These are the supposed products that tout fruit but don't actually include it, according to the study. Huh?

Some moron spent four months on a study to tell me that Fruity Pebbles and Lifesavers aren't a reasonable substitute for real fruit? What sort of crackhead nutjob of a parent do you have to be to not realize that? I'm all for Cap'N Crunch, but I'm not going to replace apples with it, and I don't know any reasonable parents who would. Give me a break.

iPhone Jones: The 5 Reasons Every Parent Needs One

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:02:00 GMT

Steve Jobs gave the world a sneak-peak of the new and much-anticipated iPhone today during the keynote address of this year's MacWorld conference in San Francisco. Mixed reviews aside, I want. I don't even care what it does. It's thin and it's shiny and it must be mine.

An iPhone would make my life as a parent so much easier. You don't believe me? Here are five reasons why (as my toddler would say) I neeeeed it.

It has a 320 x 480 touch screen, built-in wi-fi, Bluetooth compatibility, and a full-touch keyboard. Now while I am waiting to pick up my daughter in school or sitting in the car with a toddler passed out in her carseat, I can (steal wireless and) check email or post to my blog without going blind. Also, when I go to the park, I'll ~~have something to do cuz ain't nothing more boring than having to watch my kids go down the curly slide for the thousandth time~~ look like all the dads.
It has a 2 megapixel camera and the high end model boasts 8GBs of storage. That's plenty of space to store my grainy pictures of soccer dads losing their shit, nannies behaving badly, or cheerleaders acting like strippers...and photos of my kids, of course.
There's no crap specialized mobile phone OS; this baby runs on Mac OS X. Have you tried browsing with the phone you have now? I'm all for anything that removes stress and frustration from my life. And (bonus!) an exclusive partnership with Cingular means I can trade in my shitty Razr (hopefully?) and keep my number.
iTunes integration. Music anytime, anywhere without having to carry an extra gadget. The iPhone will even display album artwork of songs being played. Kids acting up in a restaurant? Chill out to Laurie Berkner or listen to an audio book.
It's a video iPod, too, and you know what that means: "Dick in a Box" anytime, anywhere.*

* Okay, that last one might not make my parenting life easier, but I wouldn't mind being in the middle of a tasty JT-Andy Samberg sandwich...even if they are chanelling Color Me Badd. Hey, if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Can I Get a What-What?: Schools Turn To Hip-Hop to Teach Kids About Music

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:01:00 GMT

When I was a kid, we had band and orchestra class in school. If we wanted to play an instrument, regardless of income or background, we could learn. Nowadays, unless (public) schools raise their own funds to pay for them, music classes are almost non-existent. Low-income schools have been hit particularly hard by budget cuts, and many feel pressure to focus resources on preparing students for standardized tests.

But for a select group of kids, things are about to change. "Lower-income kids across the country will soon be getting a free music education through hip-hop and other pop tunes they can relate to. Boston's Berklee College of Music is reaching out to (several) cities with a 15-year-old program that's made instrumental and vocal music accessible to underprivileged local children."

With technology provided by Apple Computer, Berklee alumni will teach students how to play individual sections of their favorite songs and then to play along with "special computer mixes" of them. If they are learning how create pop songs, I wonder if they'll spend the bulk of their time mastering Ableton Live and learning how pitch-correction software works. (Hi, Asslee Simpson! I'm talkin' about you!)

Thirty-five kids wanting to learn how to play "I Wanna Love You," fighting over who gets to be Akon and who gets to be Snoop. I hope the Berklee alums learn how to channel Suge Knight before setting foot in the classroom. Still, I hope the idea catches on.

[via WIFR]

Strollerderby : apple

Apple To Release iPhone For Kids

Texas School Accused Of Student Cage Fighting

Baby Snuggie

Gloria Allred Sits On A Booster Seat

Surrogate Agency Disappears With Potential Parents Cash

TV Is Neither Good Nor Bad For Babies

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

Amber Alert Now an iPhone App

Big Retailers That Offer Big Sales for Families

Brits Say Michelle Obama Cheaped Out on Gifts

Kid Foodies Annoy Food Writers Everywhere

Amber Alert Now an iPhone App

Mamas Don't Let Your Kids Grow Up to Drink and Party

Texas Wants Women to Listen to Fetal Hearbeat Before Abortion

Oregon School Cuts Back to Four-Day Week

Endangered Species Watch: Parents

Morning News: Jobs Out of One

Apple Gives iPods to Homeless Kids!

Greedy, Nerdy Kids Should Have Taste Too

How Many Godknows, Jupiters, and Hatreds Are in Your Kid’s Class?

Vasectomy Bargain: Snip Snip For An iPhone

Got A Bored Kid on Spring Break? Apple Stores Host Free Youth Workshops

Surprise, Surprise: Trix Not Good for Kids

iPhone Jones: The 5 Reasons Every Parent Needs One

Can I Get a What-What?: Schools Turn To Hip-Hop to Teach Kids About Music