Category: Sponsored

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

 

‘Tis the season for shopping malls, Santa lists and going a little nutso in the process. My goal this year was to have all my Christmas shopping done by December first. Not sure that’s going to happen considering I haven’t even started and the first of December is only four days away.

However, I can still whip through my holiday gift list in less time than it takes to say “All I want for Christmas is a Hippopotamus.”

For passions ranging from fitness to gaming and everything in between, wireless accessories can be a great gift for loved ones looking to simplify and enhance their favorite activities.

Wireless devices play an important role in our daily routines. According to a recent U.S. Cellular survey, 38 percent of smartphone users play games on their phones daily, 49 percent check the latest news, 14 percent use GPS and 34 percent use their phone to help monitor their health.

Here’s a few hot tech accessory gifts this year:

OtterBox Commuter Case ($39.99): With defense against drops, dust and scratches, along with two layers of protection, the OtterBox Commuter case is sleek enough to easily fit in your pocket while also protecting against the elements, perfect for everyday use or for the adventurer in your life.

 

 

 

 

 

Belkin WeMo Insight Switch ($59.99): For the person on your list looking to simplify their life, the Insight Switch connects your home electronics to your Wi-Fi network, allowing you to turn them on and off from anywhere using your phone or tablet. It can also put your home electronics on a schedule as well as monitor your energy usage and send information to your phone or tablet.

 

 

 

Parrot Rolling Spider Drone ($99.99): For the fun-loving adult or child on your list, the Parrot Rolling Spider is an ultra-compact drone controlled by your smartphone. It flies indoors and outdoors with speed and stability, and you can take photos with its vertical camera simply by hitting the ‘photo’ icon in the accompanying app on your smartphone screen. Its detachable wheels make it easy to roll from the floor to the ceiling.

 

Samsung Gear S2 ($349.99): Perfect for the health conscious person on your list who wants to stay connected, the Gear S2 makes it easy to take charge of your health while also staying up-to-date on to what is important to them. The Gear S2 monitors daily activities, counts your steps, and measures your pulse as well as your water vs. caffeine intake. In addition to answering calls and texts, the Gear S2 also makes it easy to read an email, check out a map, listen to music or access your favorite apps right from your wrist.

Powered by U.S. Cellular’s high-speed network with national coverage, mobile devices such as the iPhone 6S can work in tandem with cutting edge accessories to make the perfect gift for the fitness fanatic, gamer or techie, and boom just like that my list is done.

If you’re brave enough to purchase a cellphone for your kiddo this Holiday, make sure you download the Parent Child Agreement.

**

Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

If your child wants a cellphone you need this.

 

 

After months of deliberation, your children have finally found the perfect Halloween costume. Fresh bags of candy are nestled in their holiday-themed bowls ready and waiting for little gouls and goblins. Jack-o-Lanterns carved with the precision of a surgeon line the porch their garish smiles ready to greet trick-or-treaters.

Halloween is upon us, and every step has been taken to make it perfect. Down to the tiniest snack sized Snickers.

However, Halloween is also a time to be safety conscience, especially for those of you with teens and tweens attending Halloween parties or trick-or-treating.

It’s a night where staying connected with kids takes on increased importance. Fortunately, today’s parents can breathe a little easier, thanks to the prevalence of smartphones and some of the top-rated apps that can make Halloween safer and more fun.

According to a recent U.S. Cellular survey, nearly half (47%) of parents have a child with a cellphone, and the average age children receive their first cellphone is 12.

The U.S. Cellular Parent Child Agreement is the perfect way to start the conversation about cell phone rules and etiquette and set expectations for Halloween night.

Most modern smartphones come with several tools useful for Halloween safety. For example, you can:

Set up alarms on your child’s phone for periodic reminders to check in.

Program your phone numbers into their phone as ICE (In Case of Emergency).

Take advantage of the flashlight function for night visibility.

You can also take advantage of these top-rated, free or low cost apps for Halloween safety:

Family Locator: Keep tabs on trick-or-treating family members with the Family Locator app. This free app allows parents to see kids’ locations in real time, get notifications when they reach their destination and receive alerts when they go somewhere unsafe.

 

 

Red Panic Button: In case of emergency, parents can ensure they’re reachable at a moment’s notice with the Red Panic Button app. A press of the button sends an SMS and email that contains a link to Google Maps and their GPS coordinates to everyone in the panic contact list.

 

 

 

FBI Child ID: This free app provides invaluable tools in case a child goes missing. Convenient electronic storage of photos and vital information about your child enables parents to show pictures and provide physical identifiers to first responders, as well as easily email the information to authorities.

 

 

 

 

Ghost Radar: Have a little fun this Halloween with the Ghost Radar app! This free app takes Halloween safety to a paranormal level by alerting users to any possible paranormal activity in the area. Ghost Radar takes various readings on the device, and includes a voice to announce when interesting words have been detected.

 

 

 

The best way to have fun on Halloween is to be safe, and eat lots of candy of course.

__

Disclosure: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer. 

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

If your child wants a cellphone you need this.

Two years ago when my husband and I began house hunting, we chatted briefly about building a house.

It would be nice to create a home specifically to our tastes, needs and wants. I began daydreaming of a custom kitchen with double ovens, a french door refrigerator and enough room to hold the whole family. My own office, decorated just the way I wanted, and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet large enough to hold my shoe collection.

It was the sound of two boys bickering the backseat that snapped me back to reality.

There was no possible way we could build a house with two small children, two full-time jobs and two people with completely different tastes and poor decision-making skills.

Instead, we opted to buy something.

However, for those of you brave enough to embark on the home-building journey today’s devices provide access to a wide variety of apps and services that can help streamline projects and improve efficiency. And with U.S. Cellular’s high-quality network and national coverage, you can stay on top of your projects in big and small cities and rural communities.

With most construction pros using their devices, such as an iPhone for work on a daily basis, there are now mobile solutions for everything from fleet management to jobsite security monitoring.

U.S. Cellular identified five of the most useful apps construction pros should know of:

 

 

Handyman Calculator (free): This app available for Android phones combines a multitude of construction calculators and converters that are useful to any construction or trade worker. This free app also allows users to track their time while on the go and save directly onto their notepad.

 

 

 

iHandy Carpenter ($1.99): iHandy Carpenter, available for iOS and Android, combines five valuable carpentry tools into one app. Included in the app is a plumb bob level, surface level, bubble level bar, ruler and protractor. From measuring to leveling, iHandy Carpenter has all the tools you’ll need for your next carpentry project.

 

 

PlanGrid (free): PlanGrid for iOS is a powerful collaboration tool for construction managers and contractors that can help you make sure the job gets done on time and under budget. Contractors and architects can collaborate on project plans, specifications and photos in real time. Files that are uploaded to the app are also automatically synced across all devices. These collaboration tools can improve the quality, safety and profitability of projects.

 

 

 

AutoCAD 360 (free): AutoCAD 360 is drawing and drafting app available for iOS and Android that allows you to view, edit and share AutoCAD drawings. You can store your blueprints on your phone and pull them up anywhere, even on the jobsite. It also allows seamless sharing with others across desktop and mobile platforms, speeding up collaboration and in turn, productivity.

 

 

 

Contractor Estimate & Invoice (free): Available for both iOS and Android, Contractor Estimate & Invoice instantly creates invoices on the jobsite. This app streamlines estimating and invoicing saving valuable time and money that usually spent catching up on paperwork. You can also save key customer information, convert estimates directly to invoices and track invoice fulfillment all in one place.

 

 

When using your device on a job site or renovating at home, it’s important to make sure it’s properly protected. Rugged cases such as the OtterBox Defender help protect phones from debris and moisture. Additionally, a large, clear screen and fast, 4G LTE service, are key to conveniently accessing plans and collaborating across job sites.

Mobile apps are a great tool for reducing backlogs and communication gaps, two of the biggest culprits in construction project delays.

So tell me are you brave enough to build a house?

***

Disclosure: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.