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Even breastfeeding is getting quantified, thanks to Momsense
The health benefits of breastfeeding are well-known, yet for various reasons, many new mothers quit after a few months. Maybe they don't have the time, they find it uncomfortable or they believe that the baby isn't getting enough milk. A new product called Momsense is taking aim at this last problem with a product and app that can keep track of how much a baby is actually drinking, hopefully putting a mom's worries at ease.
Recommended Reading: High-tech sports stadiums of the future
Introducing the Stadium of the Future, Where Technology is King Patrick Sisson, Curbed For sports fans, the experience of attending a game in person is becoming increasingly more high-tech. Levi's Stadium, home of Super Bowl 50 this weekend, touts ticketing, concessions and instant replays from a mobile app. It's also LEED certified and employs solar collection system. High-tech sports venues are becoming the norm and this piece from Curbed offers a glimpse at the near future.
Researchers use creepy robo-baby to figure out why infants smile
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a robotic infant to test a hypothesis that babies can (and regularly do) manipulate their mothers into smiling on command. Turns out that your 4-month-old progeny is a lot craftier than you thought.
Does motherhood sell smartphones?
This might be a late contender for weirdest "mobile usage" news item of the year: A new study, put together by an online resource called BabyCenter, claims that there's a tie between women becoming mothers and women buying smartphones. 53% of moms surveyed by the site reported that they bought smartphones (including the iPhone) as a direct result of becoming a mother. Moms are 18% more likely to have a smartphone than "the general population." Why is that? Mothers apparently change their app habits when they have kids as well: Before having kids, women report that their most-used apps are contacts, text messaging, and email services. After having kids? It's the camera for photos and videos, and apps for storing and tracking information. Definitely include a grain of salt with this one -- 53% is a majority, but it isn't a huge margin, and it's unlikely that an online site called BabyCenter really reaches a representative sample of mothers everywhere. Still, there's something here, I think, even if it's only that smartphones and the iPhone are finding new audiences everywhere, far away from the traditional boardroom and male-oriented golf course. [via TheMarySue]
Nissan Leaf gets the 'family' review treatment, earns high marks
The writers over at Busy Mommy Media have run the Nissan Leaf through a special battery of 'family' tests to produce the kind of review of the EV that we don't see every day around here. Still, the family perspective is an especially interesting one for the electric vehicle, since widespread adoption will largely depend on how it fares in just such lifestyles. So how did the Leaf fare? Exceedingly well, it turns out, getting high marks for performance, cargo space, and interior space. The only problem raised was the fact that the reviewer could not fit all three of her required car seats into the back seat, but was able to change them out for slimmer models which did, in fact, fit. Check out the video after the break for the full mommy (and daddy) treatment.
All the World's a Stage: Reflections on the passing of a roleplayer's mom
All the World's a Stage, and all the orcs and humans merely players. They have their stories and their characters; and one man in his time plays many roles.Long time readers of "All the World's a Stage" may remember that I wrote an earlier series of three articles, called "WoW is a Work of Art," which I viewed as a kind of launch pad for this column about roleplaying. The first article talked about how when my mom came down with a very serious form of brain cancer, I had to put other things in my life on hold in order to come back to the US and take care of her. I was happy to do this, of course -- it was an honor to be able to be there for my mother when she needed me, but I won't pretend it was very much fun. Cancer is a terrible disease that wreaks havoc on one's body and emotions all in one big punch. Roleplaying in WoW was one of the social activities I could do for fun at that time, a little world I could enjoy without actually having to leave my home and the loved one that I was caring for.Last weekend, the life of my mother was very visibly coming to a close. As the deadline for this column approached, I asked for leave (incidentally the first weekend since almost two years ago with no article in this column), and spent every moment with her I could. She died on Monday afternoon, leaving me an inheritance of countless feelings and thoughts which I shall undoubtedly explore for the rest of my life.Among many other realizations and ideas that have come to mind, I realized that my roleplaying career had come full circle. My decision to play WoW and eventually write about it had begun with my mother's cancer, and now that this cancer had finally taken her life, I wondered, how has this roleplaying contributed to my real life? Has it made me a better person? When I eventually lie on my deathbed as my mother did, will I feel thankful to have roleplayed in WoW the same way my mother felt thankful for all of her experiences in life?
Breakfast Topic: Mothers' Day edition
I know you're out there! WoW moms, like me, getting your Azeroth fix in when not making meals, reading stories and otherwise performing all of your maternal duties. Hopefully you are enjoying a nice sleep-in right now, maybe some breakfast in bed. May your day be filled with flowers, candy, jewelry and/or clay-blobs that are supposed to be frogs, hearts or whatever they are making these days instead of ashtrays. Enjoy your day and I know you'll make sure your mom is appreciated today, too.To all you non-maternal Azerothians: after taking care of orphans for a week, or subjecting them to atrocities, whichever... perhaps you have more of an appreciation of what motherhood is about? Or not. But still, today is the day to show your mom that you appreciate her (or remember her fondly if she is no longer with us). Even if she isn't the greatest, she is still responsible for your existence, if not your monthly payment to Blizzard. So, give a call/flowers/chocolates or, if you can afford it, a nice computer with a copy of WoW on it. If you are separated by distance, weekly visits on a nice, quiet PvE server can be a whole lot of fun.Are you a WoW mom? Does your mom play WoW? Are you part of one of the many families who game together? Tell us your stories!
Breakfast Topic: Sunday is Mother's Day
Just a reminder that Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday, May 11. If you're planning on sending a gift, flowers, or a card, it's about time to get them in the mail. For the record, I have never met a Mom that didn't treasure a pretty bracelet given to her by her son. All of these things are positively fantastic for a traditional Mom, but we've got a lot of WoW Moms that might like something a little different. Even as I get older, I've found that my Mom, and other Moms around me still enjoy homemade gifts. Our Thursday column, World of Warcrafts, has given us some excellent ideas on some very special gifts. Last week Shelbi showed us how to make a lovely Basket of Flowers. I'm also fond of her wonderful guide for making Super potions. I'm pretty sure my Mom would like these (even more than the paperclip necklace she treasured for years.) You may also consider World of Warcraft T-shirts, or even paid play time. If you don't have a lot of money to dedicate to Mother's Day Shopping, you can give your WoW Mom the gift of playtime or even something special in-game. For those of you with less fantasy-oriented Mom's, here are some easy links to get gifts online: Flowers 1-800-Flowers FTD Teleflora Food: Ethem M Chocolates Harry and David Godiva Remember, you only get one Mom (ok, so in modern families, you may have 2 or 3), and Mother's Day only comes once a year. Make it count! What's your plan for your mom? (I can't tell you, my mom reads WoW Insider.) * This public service announcement was brought to you by gamers who love their moms.
All Mom wants for Mother's Day is a DS Lite
Chris Kohler's coverage of random stuff he sees while walking around in Japan continues with a note about Nintendo's latest DS advertising campaign. The sign says "Soon, it will be Mother's Day" next to a picture of a DS Lite playing Brain Age. We can't help but think that if this campaign works, it'll lead to a lot of disappointed moms this Sunday. We're not saying moms don't want DS's (some may not, but most people do!) The problem is that it's still pretty much impossible to get a DS in Japan, with the apparent exception of whatever store this was. Why would Nintendo even advertise the DS?
