ESRB: Choose the Right Video Game For Your Child

Do your children play video games.  Does a Hawaiian vacay sound perfect right around now?

Although I am the tech tips traveling mom, I am loathe to spend an extra two seconds even talking about video games with my 7 year old son.  Nothing interests me less.

But here's the reality:I have to get interested (very soon!) because there will be a lot more tension in our house if this boy doesn't get some video games.  And I don't want him going to the neighbor's house for video games because I have no idea what they're playing over there.  I'd rather have him play a game we can pick out together.  Yes, it's a dialogue -- even with a 7 year old.

So, I can do all of the research I want to, but when I'm in the store with him, I need a quick education. If I'm on the fence about buying him a game, I need some answers -- fast.  Can't rely on a 7 year old to tell me what's appropriate for him with regard to a video game, right?

The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) has had a mobile app since 2008, but it just got a lot easier to use with photo recognition software.  I just take a photo of the box of the game and it connects me to a ratings summary.  NOT reviews, just whether or not this game will be appropriate for my kid.

Of course the box has a rating already on it, but if I care more about mature content than foul language, I might not care if the rating is high solely because of language.  The ESRB rating explains why each game got its rating.  This is crucial information.

The app is free, easy to use and... just get it while you're reading this and thinking about it.  You'll forget later.  Takes 2 minutes.

Shop Smart: Online Coupons!

 

Whenever you shop online, before you press the "purchase" button, you should really find out if there's a coupon out there, waiting for you.

Say what?

Ninety percent of the time, there is a way to get what you want for less.  Simply google the website name where you're making your purchase and add "online coupon."  Tjoos.com and RetailMeNot are two that I frequent. 

One more thing: you could also check out PriceGrabber which will email you if the item you're wanting to buy goes down in price.  (It's the Yapta of retail.)  And you can compare prices on your item from different websites.

Don't overpay.  Full price is for the lazy.

Tell Your Telecom Company You Want a Better Deal

Do you know how much you are paying for your Internet/Telephone/Television?  Do you know if you're getting the top-of-the-line features?  When was the last time you checked?  I've got news for you: you are probably paying more than you need to.

If I were you, I would:

1. Find out what the best deal is for new customers for your carrier.
2. Find out what the best deal is for new customers for an alternative carrier that you would be happy switching to, if push came to shove.
3. Call your carrier and let them know that you would like to review your account and pay less (or get more features).

I know that sounds ridiculously facile -- but it works.  If you have had your contract for over one year, the telecom companies would really like to stay in business with you and will be willing to negotiate.

You should also know that if you haven't updated your DSL account in a while, you are probably paying way too much for slower broadband.  DSL companies will almost never suggest that you upgrade because that will mean a better deal for you -- and with a faster connection. 

Sure, this takes some of your time.  But you could save hundreds of dollars in 2010.  Getting good value and finding money is always a good thing.

Touch It: The Digital Camera Buyer’s Guide

Unless you're Ansel Adams, most new consumer-grade cameras will provide you with enough pixels and therefore, sharpness for the images you need. So how do you select a camera? First off, you need to touch some actual cameras and think about a few things:

• How does it feel? Might sound silly, but if it's too heavy or large (or small), you might not use it.
• Shutter speed: digital cameras are notorious for shutter lag time, but they are getting faster. When you press the shutter, does your subject move before the shutter clicks? Do you have children? Do you like candid shots? Does this matter to you? Finally: How many blurry photos do you have?
• Rear Panel LCD (that’s the screen on the back of most digital cameras): Most people don't look through the tiny little viewfinder anymore: it's so much easier to frame the image through the LCD. Which camera has the best LCD?
• Zoom/Lens/Image Stabilization: How often do you use the zoom? If often, perhaps image stabilization would be a good feature for you, since the closer in you zoom, the less stable the image. Is the lens decent?
• Check Out The Interface: Does the software on the camera seem intuitive to you? What about all the buttons? Do you have the patience to sit down with the owner's manual? If not, get a super easy-to-use camera. How do you know? Use it in the store!
• Batteries: Are they rechargeable, or will you have to constantly feed your camera new batteries?

When you are clear about the features you want, check out CNET.com. It's like Consumer Reports for electronics. Amazon.com has consumer reviews as well. One more thing to remember: Most cameras don't come with decent-sized memory cards (that's where you store your photos). Make sure to invest in a large capacity memory card – I’m talking 2 gigs, (see Tech Lingo in Chapter 4), especially if you’re shooting video with that camera. That way, you won't have to download your photos/videos after every dozen shots.

Now for the video camera: You want video of your children at this age. You want to remember how they walk, talk and smile. Let's step back for a moment and think about how you are going to use this video, how you are going to store it. I have a video camera that I barely use because downloading the video is a bear and viewing it is difficult (if it's part of a much larger block of video, I have to search). And editing? I mean, really, who has the time?

Most of my video is now shot from my digital still camera. It has great video capabilities and I have a 2 gig memory chip, so space is not an issue. I download the video whenever I download my photos and because each clip of video is separate when shot on a still camera, I can easily find the clip I'm looking for, once I've organized my inventory. Much, much easier.

So you want to know which camera I bought? I have a Canon PowerShot SD880IS. Why? It’s easy to use, it’s got image stabilization (I’ve got fast-moving toddlers), the price was right and the images look great. It’s my 2nd Canon in a row. My sister swears on her Nikon SLR because she can use her 35mm camera lenses with that camera. She turns her nose up to my Canon. To each her own.

Sidenote: What are you doing with your old digital camera? Why not give it to your kids so that they can learn how to shoot a camera? It’s a great project to do with smaller kids – they’ll feel quite accomplished when they see the images that they took all by themselves. You can even make a scrapbook – described later in this chapter.