Stay Fit: - Use Technology To Help

 

Technology-related programs can make exercising fun and even help monitor your fitness level. We’re using Wii Fit (www.nintendo.com/wiifit), a program that runs on the Nintendo Wii video game platform--a fun fitness romp incorporating elements of balance, strength training, aerobics and Yoga.

Use Wii Fit structured (requiring discipline on your part), or random, picking the elements you want (we like random).
To start, you’ll need to enter some one-time info: your age and height and then weigh in on the included Balance Board. The program calculates a BMI (body mass index) score, and uses the board for balance tests, and assigns a “Wii Fit Age” for you. Now you’re ready to get moving.

There are balance games, such as the Tilt Table, where you tilt an on-screen table by shifting your weight on the Balance Board, and Ski Jump, where you hold your balance as your on-screen avatar whizzes down the jump. Or choose aerobics, such as Hula Hoop, where you spin a virtual hula hoop by rotating your hips.

 

More serious categories include yoga and strength training. For either one, you match the moves of an on-screen instructor.

Time spent is tracked so you can earn Fit Points to move on to new activities or increasing levels of difficulty. Graphs chart your progress.

Wii Fit is an easy and fun way to exercise and get you moving, all without leaving your home. We’re definitely hooked.

Making Digital Photography Easier and More Fun

Digital photography makes it so easy to take and share photos that we lose sight of ways to make it even easier, exciting and more fun - by using photo editing software to:

Organize Photos: Retrieval later is easier if you place photos in folders or albums sorted by category (Christmas 2008, California trip) and tag each photo as to image (Sis, trolley car).

Remove Red Eye: Some programs remove it one-click easy; others require manual intervention.

Crop Photos: Zero in on important parts (child’s face, a couple) or crop out unwanted backgrounds. Some programs even allow a circular or oval crop.

Change Brightness or Contrast: Changing brightness and/or contrast of a picture can make a dull or dark scene “pop,” brighten dark faces and more. Do it automatically or manually in photo editors and preview to see the changes before accepting them.

Improve Sharpness and Color Balance: Sharpen fuzzy pictures; change color balance, to “warm” or “cool” the overall look; increase or decrease color intensity.

Easier viewing for emailed photos: Optimize size and resolution manually or automatically so photos upload and download faster and are easier to view in emails.

These are a few of the many features you’ll find in photo editing programs such as Kodak EasyShare v8.2 (www.kodak.com, free), Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 (www.adobe.com, $80), or Serif PhotoPlus X4 (www.serif.com, $90). The latter two provide more precise control but require more practice, patience and time on your part. But they all can help improve photos.

 

Wireless WiFi Repeater

We’re using our home wireless network to connect to more and more devices, but we found a weak signal in some areas and even “dead zones” around our home.

We found a solution by using a wireless repeater (also called a range extender), which you place somewhere between your current wireless modem/router and the poor signal areas. The repeater retransmits our home WiFi signal to cover the weak signal areas. The re-transmitted signal quality is commonly slower, but quite usable for most needs.

 
We’re using the High Power Wireless - 150N Smart Repeater from amped|wireless (www.ampedwireless.com). We needed to “teach” it about our home network (configuration, passwords and the like), but a setup wizard stepped us through the rather tedious process of scanning, entering info and such. The repeater sets up as a separate WiFi hotspot that must be logged in to so, as we move around between coverage areas, we need to keep switching between our regular network and the repeater network.

The High Power Wireless - 150N Smart Repeater comes with the option to customize security features such as limiting signal strength, protected setup, and passwords. Included also are five wired ethernet ports that can be used for connecting PCs, Internet TVs and other A/V devices. We think it’s a great addition to our home wireless network.

Pico Cricket Fun

 

The PicoCricket Kit (www.picocricket.com, $299), gives children (and adults too) a way to express artistic creativeness, learn simple computer programing and have a barrel of fun doing it. The kit looks like an arts and crafts set, but electric wires and gizmos give a clue that it’s different.
 
 
A colorful assortment of fuzzy balls, felt pieces, bells, glittery pipe cleaners and more are just waiting to be glued, twisted and strung together along with an assortment of Lego blocks, wheels and pulleys--all used with those electronic parts for interactive creative playthings.
 
The emphasis is play, but you also use the included computer, the PicoCricket, for a fun way to learn programming (really!).


Use Pico Blocks (a graphical representation of programing) on a PC screen and fit them together to form a program stack. The blocks show program flow and allow changes by dragging the blocks around. Voila! You’ve created a computer program to run your creation: turn on lights to a hand-clap, blow out a candle (LED light), make a cake sing Happy Birthday and much more.

The tiny Pico computer has four ports for sensor inputs and action outputs, all directed by your programing. The input sensors are for light, sound, touch and resistance. The output devices include multi-colored lights, a sound box, numeric display and a Lego motor.

PicoCricket Kit is based on years of research at the MIT Media Lab and their Lifelong Kindergarten Lab. We found the Kit sparking lots of trial-and-error learning, a bit of programming and a whole lot of fun.