Posts Tagged ‘gadgets’

Twitter Party Wrap Up: Moms and Tech

Posted by ruckusholly on March 2nd, 2012

Did you know that in 2010, 88% of women purchased tech products as compared to 83% percent of men?  Yep, it’s a proven stat.

With this stat in mind, last night we gathered with dozens of amazing women on Twitter to talk about MOMS and TECH.  We were curious about the gadgets they’re using, how they’re using tech and how they’re balancing their usage, as well as their kids.

We also gathered four tech bloggers to moderate and guide us as we talk about two topics close to their hearts and professional lives.  They were:  Beckie Mostello from Tech Talk for Moms, Heidi Leder from Coast 2 Coast Mom, Jacqueline Cromwell from Nerd Family Blogs and Grace Duffy from Formerly Gracie.

What did we find out?  That moms are tech geeks.  They’re using iPads, iPhones, Mac Computers, Androids, Roku, HP Laptops, Apple TV, nooks and more.  When asked what gadgets they’re currently using, they had a lot to say:

Tracyparral: I use my desktop, laptop, iPad, and Samsung tablet, and on occasion my phone.

Graceduffy: I have an obscene number of tablets in my house.

CoziFamily:  I’m such an Apple geek: Macbook, iPad, iPhone are my main gadgets.

These tech savvy moms are online often but they balance their time when the kids are around.

C2C Mom: We’re always connected!

hippie_mom: Phones are to easy for mulit-tasking so always.

nikki2kids: too many hours, but I”m always connected to the internet.

techtalkformoms: most of the day, I try to turn off when kids get home from school.

ophelan83: My kid is a techbaby. I dont ever stop him from using it because its just part of his generation

There are lots of social media moms.  Women use it to connect to other moms, they use it for work, as well as pleasure, but are definitely more careful of their use of venting on social media.  There is also a clear love for Pinterest among women, as most at our party last night expressed their love for the new, extremely popular tool.

lilstylefile: Social Media is a creative outlet for us! We use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram on a daily basis!

IrishRed02: Yes! Its a sounding board for many facets of life: advice, questions, rants.

Women choose gadgets for functionality, not design.  They use apps to manage their busy lives, particularly calling out to Google Calendar, Cozi, Stickie Notes, Drop Box and Evernote.

And moms love educational apps. They had a lot to say about their importance:

secretskri_jail: educational apps are very important. that is what we try and find. educational yet fun

techtalkformoms: ebooks are another mode to help a struggling reader learn to read

CoziFamily:  Agree! Book apps, educational apps. I’ll let my kids spend way more time on that than just games

techtalkformoms: I think book apps r great, what ever it takes to get children reading!

@iPad_storytime: if I focus on the quality of tech use by my kid, it’s easier 2 set limits on quantity.

ophelan83: Super important! Education is our first priority in my home.

We couldn’t have enjoyed our discussion more and thank everyone for coming to our Moms & Tech Twitter Party.  We also send our congratulations to all the prize winners and thanks to our wonderful prize sponsors: Cozi, FashionPlaytes, The Digital Mom Handbook,Blue Sky Planners, Discovery Bay Games and My Little Pony.

It’s a wrap!

Seeking Out the Digital at Toy Fair 2011

Posted by ruckusholly on February 23rd, 2011

by Holly Rosen Fink, Ruckus Media Staff Marketing Consultant

02/23/2011

Last week I spent a day at Toy Fair 2011, checking out the industry’s newest creations and hottest products.  It’s a four-day event, filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of toy manufacturers and vendors from around the world.  It’s such a big show that it’s hard to digest.  One day is not quite enough to see it all.  Designated as a blogger with a press pass, I was able to have private viewings of some of the toy lines (like Zhu Zhu Pets, Lego and Mega Brands) and I also met dozens of marketers.  There was so much to look at, so many new toys to try and oggle at.  It was impossible to cover the 345,000 square feet I needed to cover in one day.

Lightening McQueenAs soon as I walked into the Javits Center last Tuesday and saw a life-sized Lightening McQueen car built out of 325,000 Lego pieces, I knew it was good thing I was on my own.  There is no way kids should be ever allowed to enter Toy Fair, or certainly not my own kids.  My son actually had a melt-down before school as I was leaving for Toy Fair..  He was convinced that I was going to see toys he had only dreamed about.  He was right.  I saw everything.  But since I work for Ruckus, I was paying careful attention to everything digital.

As far as toys go in the digital space, there was evidence that more physical games are inching closer and closer to the world of smart phone and tablet apps.  Angry Birds had an impressive presence, showing off its new merchandise to accompany its app’s increasing fame, as well as a new app, Angry Birds: Knock on Wood.  More and more companies are launching iPads for kids, like Fisher Price, VTech and LeapFrog.  Fisher Price’s iPad stood out, mainly because it’s meant for children 6-months and up. It goes to show you how parents are giving into their children’s growing demands for gadgets, particularly the iPad.

Since Ruckus is so story-orientated, I also paid special attention to the publishing side of the show.  As has been the norm over the past several years, children’s books were prominent at Toy Fair in the form of licensed products.  Board game marketers in particular gave literary properties lots of space and signage this year. There were games tied to Scholastic’s WordGirl, and Clifford and Diary of a Wimpy Kid were well represented.

And as far as digital goes, the fair included a technology expo called Engage!  I was surprised to see that, despite the conference that accompanied the expo with the same name, with a wonderful line-up of sessions and accomplished speakers from all over the industry, there were only about 20 booths to represent the growing digital presence.   While the show did feature innovative products and technologies, very few companies were represented, including our competitors.  I hope that the expo expands next year to better exemplify the world of apps for children.