My son is working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, and we have to keep track of all the nights he camps, and which of those are in a tent, and how far along he is on the Eagle-required merit badges, and how many non-Eagle merit badges he has, and how many hours of service he performs, etc. That should be complicated and overwhelming. But it’s not.

I am getting into the habit of journaling, and I like to journal whenever I think of it, sometimes with photos — like when I’m watching my 3-year-old swing at the park or when I visit my Dad in the hospital, etc. Using the same tool that I’m using to track my kids’ educational accomplishments, awards and extra-curriculars, I can journal from my phone, or from my laptop, or from a computer at the library. I can include pictures and I can then incorporate any or all of those memories and milestones and photos into a newsletter that I can mail to friends or family, or simply print for my own keeping.

What’s all this about? It’s AboutOne! I first wrote about AboutOne here when I started my subscription last fall. At that time, I was simply using it to start documenting my kids’ extracurricular activities and awards. But as the months have passed, I’ve come to use it more and more. Now, I access the site the site everyday.

AboutOne is a family management Web site that enables you to manage just about every aspect of your life in one place, including:

• Education records, awards, grades and test scores, organized by grade level and school. This section lets you document things by typing in entries, attaching files or photos, and/or uploading scanned documents. I’ve scanned letters of commendation and uploaded pdf files and attached them to entries that document my daughter’s extra curricular activities, etc.
• Medical/Health records and information including places to keep track of allergies, procedures, doctor’s appointments, illnesses, medicines, immunizations, and contact information for medical professionals. Like education, items can be uploaded and attached to entries. For example, I can document an immunization and date and any reactions that my child might have, and scan and upload her immunization record, allowing me access this record from any place where there’s a computer and Internet access).
• Vehicle records, including date purchased and maintenance records.
• Emergency contacts.
• Home records, including everything related to a home purchase, maintenance and capital gains.
• Volunteer Hours
• Contacts, and you can upload your contacts from other programs such and your phone or email contacts.
• Memories and milestones (which, as I said, can be typed in on the site or emailed form your phone or computer).

Here’s the amazing thing: Once you have entered information such as educational records and volunteer hours, you can generate reports from the information you’ve entered. So I can choose a time frame for my daughter — like her freshman and sophomore year for the NHS application — and print a report that includes everything she did, was honored for, accomplished, volunteered at, etc, for those two years. That made filling out her NHS application a snap!

I really, really love this site and I keep finding new uses for it. For example, a few weeks ago I stayed with a family member who is having some health issues and who lives out of town. It occurred to me while there to scan some documents related to his health issues and medications, including contact information for his physicians and neighbors who live nearby. Now, I can access from any computer these records in case of an emergency. And if this family member eventually needs my family to be more actively involved in his health care, we will have a place to store records and information that my husband can access from work, or I can access from my Smart phone, etc. It made me think that if siblings caring for aging parents live in different cities or part of the same city and share responsibilities for aging parents, this would be the perfect way for all of the to have access to records regarding medications, doctors, etc.

The memories and milestones part of the site is by far, my favorite. I find myself sending emails to the site from my phone all the time with just a few words or phrases. These emails arrive in my AboutOne Inbox and are waiting for me the next time I sign into the site. They act as writing prompts for me, helping me journal about our lives, and the site allows me to attach photos or documents to those memories. It’s so FUN!

AboutOne costs $5 per month or $30 per year for unlimited storage of your documents, memories, photos, health and education records, and home and vehicle receipts and documents. The site is adding new features all the time. You have GOT to try it, and they will let you try it for free for 17 full days. Check it out here and be sure to watch the videos here.

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Until now – until I found AboutOne.com, a family management Web site.

I am stealing this sentiment from a fellow blogger who introduced me to AboutOne, but I am not exaggerating when I say that I have been looking for this resource for most of my adult life. And let me say the next part in all caps:

IF YOU HAVE KIDS AND IF YOU EVER PLAN TO FILL OUT FORMS FOR THEM TO PLAY A SPORT OR ATTEND A CAMP OR APPLY FOR COLLEGE OR A SCHOLARSHIP OR AN AWARD, YOU WILL WANT TO BEGIN CAPTURING ALL THEIR INFORMATION ON ABOUTONE.

AboutOne is a place that lets me upload and store all of the following:

• Records of immunizations, school physicals, dates and details of doctor’s and dentist appointments, medications and reactions, allergies, locations of where prescriptions were filled, blood types, heights and weights, emergency contacts. And much of this information automatically flows into printable caregiver sheets that I can create with the touch of a button to give to a sitter or a grandparent who’s staying the weekend, etc.

• Education information on schools attended, dates, GPAs, copies of report cards, standardized test scores, honors and awards, extracurricular activities and volunteer/service hours. Again, all of this information flows into a printable that I can use to fill out award, scholarship, job or college applications.

• My address book, which I can then enhance by adding information to the contacts including birthdays, Web sites, a gift log, labels (to make it more searchable) and attached files. I can also attach photos to contacts and connect contacts to other things on the site. So, if I’m looking at my daughter’s medical record, I can see a picture of her pediatrician, all his contact information, and click on a link to his practice Web site. In other words – my whole life is INTEGRATED.

• Memories. I’ve been trying to get into the regular habit of journaling, but I just can’t seem to get into it. AboutOne changed all that. I can type in memories or daily thoughts or comments on a family event or one of the kids’ activities right on the site, then attach it to a family member and upload a photo and even a file if appropriate. If I want, I can mark it to be included in a monthly newsletter that the site will generate for me. Then, at the end of the month, I can generate the newsletter with the click of a button and email it to friends and family. It’s a great way to stay in touch. And, I can add memories/milestones from my PHONE and even include pictures as attachments. My plan is to get my family  members in the habit of sending milestones and pictures to the site (wish me luck).

Check out this two-minute video on AboutOne:

Other things to LOVE about AboutOne.

• It’s very affordable – you can try it for free for 15 days and when you LOVE it (which you will), you can subscribe for $5/month or $30/year.

• It’s EXTREMELY secure – This was my first concern. After all, I’m uploading photos, medical records, school records, etc. I talked at length with the folks at AboutOne and they reassured me. You can read all the security information that they shared with me at the end of this post.

• You can click on the “live help” link on the site and get live, online help to learn to use the site most efficiently.

Now the fun part. AboutOne is giving five of my readers a free, one-year subscription. Here’s how to enter the contest:

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST leave a comment below on the video. Then you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

1. Follow AboutOne on Twitter
2. Like AboutOne on Facebook
3. Blog about this contest
4. Share your favorite winter road trip or “must have” winter essentials
5. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can do daily tweets, but leave a comment each time you do)
6. Follow @MyMidasGuy or “like” Midas on Facebook
7. Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
8. Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
9. Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time December 3, 2010.  Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If  any winner does not claim the prize by December 6, 2010, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

SECURITY REASSURANCES  FROM ABOUTONE

We are as concerned about data security as you are. After all, everyone at AboutOne uses AboutOne, and we don’t want the hackers, phishers, scammers or anyone else including other members or our own team reading our private information either.

So, what are we doing about security? A lot. We use the same technologies and practices that banks and other financial institutions use to protect customer information. We even scoured the globe looking for the strictest security standards, and used them as the basis for how we store and transmit your information.

Here are just some of the things we do to keep your information safe and still easy to access from anywhere:

Data Center Security

• We use a state-of-the-art data center with firewalls, redundant hardware, redundant power sources, redundant battery backups, redundant cooling and redundant cabling, and video surveillance.
• Entrance is controlled by biometric authentication (things like fingerprint or retina scanning) & key card access and staff must pass these two-factor authentication points no fewer than three times to access data center floors.
• Facilities are nondescript and have no published address.
• They are built with military grade perimeter control beams in addition to other natural boundary protection–think ‘Fort Knox for the Internet.’

Server Security

• We use Verisign 128-bit SSL encryption to make your data impossible to read by anyone but you.
• We hack our own site daily. We scan our ports, test for SQL injection, and protect against cross-site scripting and we also use McAfee SECURE to continuously test AboutOne with the latest hacker tools and techniques to make sure we aren’t vulnerable.
• We apply bank-level data security standards. This includes encryption, auditing, logging, backups, and safe-guarding data.

Data Security

• Your information is backed up every hour. These back-ups are encrypted
• Passwords and account numbers are encrypted at rest so no one is able to every ready your password.
• To top it off, we have taken strict precautions to make sure that even AboutOne employees don’t have access to your information.  We also never share anything you enter with anyone unless you authorize it.
• We take all of this seriously, which is why we have hired TRUSTe to make sure that we honor our commitments to you.

Still not convinced? Fill out the contact form on the site  and AboutOne will  have a security specialist get back to you and answer all of your questions!

For more information check out our Privacy Policy.

DISCLAIMER: This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas.  I received a trial subscription for review purposes; all opinions are 100% mine.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO KRISTI, BROOKE, ALEX & CHRIS!

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Isotoner’s smarTouch gloves allow you use touch screen devices in frigid weather without removing your gloves. You can now operate your phone, mp3 player, GPS device and more without worrying about your fingers freezing!

I also mentioned I have some information on a great giveaway! Isotoner is running the “Give the Gift of Touch” sweepstakes in which you and a friend could win smarTouch gloves and an Apple iPad. All you have to do is send a friend a virtual pair of smarTouch gloves on Facebook. If they click on the gift, both are entered to win.

To enter the giveaway and to see a great video featuring the gloves, visit www.smartouchgloves.com.

Finally, the folks at Isotoner have given me the chance to give away a pair of gloves to two lucky winners!

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST become an email subscriber to Lipstick to Crayons. The subscribe button is in the upper right corner of the site. Once you subscribe (or if you are already a subscriber), leave a comment below telling me you did so, and make sure the email address you provide is the one you used to subscribe. After completing this mandatory first entry method, you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

1. Blog about this contest
2. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can do daily tweets, but leave a comment each time you do)
3. Favorite Lipstick to Crayons on Technorati
4. Stumble this post
5. Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
6. Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
7. Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time November 9, 2010.  Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Winners will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If any winner does not claim the prize by November 12, 2010, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

USA residents only please!

Some content for this post provided by representatives for Isotoner.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO LISA, COMMENT #12 AND KELLY COMMENT #20.

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Not anymore, thanks to the new smarTouch™ gloves by Isotoner. These gloves, with smarTouch technology, let you stay connected while your hands stay warm because they have conductive thread on the index fingers and thumbs which conveys electrical impulse to the touch screen. Plus, a non-slip palm design improves grip, while ISOTONER’s signature stretch materials provide superior fit and flexibility.

Isotoner and Totes are known for fashion and function and they recognize that there needed to be additional functionality for the growing touch-screen device market, which is expected to double to 362.7 million devices in 2010 (Source: Gartner Group). known for fashion and function. They sent me a pair of these gloves to try, and they really work and are extremely comfortable.

The gloves make a great functional gift for yourself and also make a great stocking stuffer for the touch screen mobile phone “geniuses” in your life – you know, that special someone who can’t part with their phone for more than a blink of an eye. They are available at most department stores for around $29.99. And on Nov. 1, you can enter to win a free pair of smarTouch gloves and an Apple iPad by sending a “virtual pair” of smarTouch gloves to a friend via Facebook. More details on this “Give the Gift of Touch” Sweepstakes will come on Nov. 1, but mark your calendars now to check back here, or subscribe to Lipstick to Crayons (upper right corner of this site) so you don’t miss that opportunity.

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I bought a fancy charging station from an organization store, and some cute little cord wraps to keep the cords from spilling all over my counter. It was no use. My $40 charging station and my cord wraps still ended up looking a lot like this:

It drives me crazy.

Then the folks at Powermat asked me if I wanted to try out the Powermat. They said it was a cordless  (CORDLESS — I HEARD THEM SAY IT — CORDLESS!!!) charging system. I had no idea how it would work, IF it would even work. I understand how the wireless network in our house works about as well as I understand the concepts of thermonuclear energy. I just know that somehow my Mac, my daughter’s Compaq, my son’s iTouch and the desktop all manage to get on the Internet and talk to the printer without cords. It’s a wonderful thing.

Still, I was willing to try anything (translation — insist that my husband figure it out and make it work) in order to reduce the cords on my counter.

Guess what?!!! The Powermat is a BEAUTIFUL thing.

Now this gadget –

– which is the Portable Powermat, can charge ALL of our gadgets — three at  a time — without ANY CORDS other than the one that plugs the Powermat into the electrical outlet.

The Portable Powermat comes with Powercube Universal Receiver with 8 tips so that it fits the LG phones, the Nintendo DS, the PSP, an iPod, etc. It also comes with a carrying case and has a universal, international power supply and has its own cord management system (remember — the only cord is the one that plugs the Powermat into the wall, and the itty bitty cord that connects the Powercube with the gadget it is charging.

We also got to try the Powermat Wireless Charging System for the iPhone. Again, VERY cool. It snaps right onto the iPhone, serves as its case and then just charges the phone when you simply set it down on the PowerMat!

Now, when we travel, we will take only the Powermat and all the tips. No cords necessary. The Powermat can charge all of our stuff! Without cords! And, no technological savvyness was required of me. You take it out of the box, plug it in and it works. I didn’t even need to read the instructions!

Here’s how the Powermat works: The Powermat Wireless Charging System provides a  fast and efficient way to keep all of your favorite personal electronic devices charged. Enabling your devices with Powermat Receivers allows you to Drop and Charge them on any Powermat Mat to experience wireless charging. A magnetic attraction between every Receiver and each access point on every Mat assures that alignment is precise and the most efficient charging will occur.  Communication between the Mat and the Receiver allows the mat to deliver an exact amount of power for the proper length of time so that the transfer of power is safe and efficient and no energy is ever wasted. A unique sound tells you that a solid connection has been made and your device is charging. A second, similar sound is heard when the device is removed.

If you have a gadget-loving loved one, or if you have a cord-hating loved one, this would make an amazing Christmas present. It’s got those charging stations beat, hands down!

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The new photo scanner requires no PC to convert print photos into digital images. Users simply press a single button to scan photos as small as wallet-sized up to 8 ½ x 11, and the device is not a whole lot bigger than large tube of tooth paste, so I plan to keep it packed in my laptop bag.

This fun gadget was literally “plug and play.” I took it out of the box, inserted the small memory  SD card that came with it into the back, plugged it in, and began scanning photos from my kids’ baby books. Then, I used the USB cord and plugged it into my laptop, and transferred the photos onto my computer. But, if you want, you can insert the SD card loaded with full-color JPEG images into your computer to upload the photos to your favorite photo site like Snapfish, or  take the SD card to a Walgreens or CVS and have your photos printed directly from it — no PC or laptop required. You also can insert the card into a Pandigital digital photo frame to immediately view the images. (I wrote about my Pandigital photo frame here).

The best part about this Pandigital scanner is that it’s so FAST. My printer acts as a scanner, but it’s really slow. First, you scan the photo . . .slowly.  Yawn. Then it’s converted into a JPEG  image on the computer . .  yawn, then I find it . . . yawn. It’s a process. I scanned about 50 photos in about 20 minutes with this dealy. I’m going crazy.  First, I’m scanning all the photos from the childhood of my oldest kids. Then, I’m going to scan my photos from my early marriage, and then move my way backward to college, then high school. Facebook, look out!! I’m armed with an easy to use scanner. Here are some of my scans from this evening:

My oldest (now 15) with Santa

My middle child (now 12) getting the last of the soda.

Pandigital’s award-winning line of scanners have been acclaimed for their ease-of-use and excellent performance. The scanner does not require any expensive or confusing software and employs a new twin-roller feeding system to ensure that the photos are scanned evenly each time.  Further optimizing the quality, images are scanned at up to 600 optical dpi for resulting scans that have a crisp and clear 3800×7200 24-bit color depth resolution.  In addition to being able to scan images onto the included SD memory card, the scanner accepts other popular memory cards (SD, MS, MS Pro, MMS, XD) and can also be connected directly to either a Mac or PC computer via its mini-USB port.

The Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter weighs in at less than a pound at only 13.79 ounces and measures only 10.59(L) x 1.73(H) x 2.32(D) inches. It is available for now for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $149.99 here.

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 If you have about 600 CDs and DVDs that you no longer want, then consider giving them to a company called ipodmeister.com in exchange for an iPad.

iPodMeister will exchange the 600 CDs and DVDs, with original sleeves and covers, for a new iPad with 16GB and Wi-Fi.  A little more than 1,000 CDs and DVDs (1,050 to be exact) will get you an iPad with 32 GB, Wi-Fi, and 3G.

Apparently, you can even opt to get the music and movies from you CDs and DVDs digitized and sent back to you so you can load them onto your new iPad (or iPod or whatever device you choose). And you can work out free shipping. All the details are below:

How many CDs do I need?
 
All iPods, iPads and iPhones are brand new, factory sealed, and come with all packaging and full warranty. They are exactly the same iPods, iPhones and iPads sold by Apple today. They are not last year’s model and they are not factory refurbished. Different models require different numbers of CDs or DVDs for the exchange. DVDs count like CDs. CDs and DVDs can be combined. Boxsets count by the number of discs in the set.

There are two exchange rates, depending on whether you require digitizing of your music or not. Digitizing is the conversion of a music CD so that it can be played on an iPod. Go here to look at the chart for specific numbers of CDs/DVDs needed to trade for specific Apple products.
 
 
* Digitizing –sometimes also referred to as “ripping”- is the conversion of the tracks on a music CD to mp3 files. We will provide these mp3 files on DVDs. We won’t load any music onto the iPod.
** Because the iPhones require activation and registration at the time of purchase we will send you a check for the price of the iPhone plus applicable sales tax.
8GB iPhone 3G = $107
16 GB iPhone 3G S = $217
32 GB iPhone 3G S = $326

The checks are regular corporate checks made out to the customer, i.e. the checks are not vouchers for the purchase of an iPhone only or Apple gift cards. The checks are regular bank checks that should be cashed by depositing them into a U.S. bank account. Non-US customers in Canada, the U.K. and continental Europe can request an international postal money order.
 
If you have more CDs than required for the iPod, we will buy them from you. We will include a check for these CDs along with your iPod. The check will be a corporate check made out to the customer.  If you have fewer discs than required you can make up for each missing item by paying $1 per item up to a maximum of 50 missing discs. Please include a check or money order made out to “iPodMeister” with your shipment. The turnaround time is very fast if you don’t want your CDs digitized. If you want your CDs digitized the turnaround time is usually 3 to 8 business days from the time we receive your CDs to the day we ship your iPod.
 
How does the FREE shipping work?
 
If you live in the NY Metro area you can drop off your CDs at our loading dock. If you live outside the NY Metro area or don’t want to come to us we will arrange FREE shipping by FedEx Ground. See “What about Non-U.S. customers?” below if you reside in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or anywhere outside of the 48 contiguous states.
Prepare your CDs for shipping:
 
1.      Get the right size cardboard boxes. Each box should hold at least 200 and not more than 300 CDs. A box measuring 20” x 12” x 12” holds approximately 200 CDs. We don’t provide boxes. Sturdy cardboard boxes are available at office supply stores, moving companies, storage facilities, etc.
2.      Package the CDs tightly inside the box. The CDs should not be able to move. Stack them tightly. Only add cushioning material such as newspapers or bubble wrap if needed.
3.      In each package include a completed order form stating your name, address, e-mail, and phone number and the color and iPod/iPhone/iPad model you want. In case you opt for digitizing, indicate that clearly and check the compression format you want. The default are mp3 files at 256 KB. Specify whether you are using a Mac or a PC.
 
E-mail us with the following information to get your prepaid FedEx shipping labels:
 
1.      your first and last name and complete address;
2.      your phone number;
3.      the number of packages and the number of CDs in each box (that way we know the weight);
 
Locate the closest FedEx drop-off location:
 
1.      Tape the labels you have received from iPodMeister to the packages.
2.      If you have a regular FedEx pick-up at work use the labels to ship the packages from your office.
3.      Otherwise bring the packages to any FedEx drop-off location, for example to a Kinko’s copy store, a FedEx office, or to a participating business in your area.
4.      To find the closest FedEx drop-off location click this link:
a.       http://FedEx.com/Dropoff/start?locale=en_US
b.      Enter your Zip code and uncheck “Self-service” (drop boxes) under “Show Me These Types of Locations.” 
 
Which CDs are acceptable?
 
We accept all genres, i.e. Classical music, Opera, Jazz, Classic Rock, Latin, Pop, Indie, Alternative, Trance, books on CD, Spoken Word, etc. . We also accept older CDs from the 1980’s and 1990’s. We do not need a list of titles. We won’t cherry pick your collection. Boxsets containing more than one CD or DVD count depending on the number of items in the boxsetIn general, all CDs without scratches are acceptable, as long as they come with complete cover art, i.e. the booklet in the front and the play list in the back. We do not accept liquidation ware, penny CDs, bootlegs, or CDs in case logic binders. If you have bought your CDs in a record store you usually do not have to worry that we will not accept these CDs.
 
Here are the details and a list of exceptions:
 
1.      All CDs have to be in mint condition, i.e. without visible scratches.
2.      All CDs have to come with complete cover art in mint condition, both front and back.
3.      All CDs have to be in their original jewel case. Broken, cracked or dusty jewel cases are not a problem.
4.      Boxsets containing more than one CD count depending on the number of CDs in the boxset: a boxset with four CDs counts as four CDs. We do NOT accept incomplete boxsets.
5.      We don’t take CDs which have your initials written on the CD or the cover art.
6.      We do not take CDs which are stamped “Promotional” on the CD or which have a “promo” or “advance”-sticker or stamp on the jacket.
7.      We do accept CDs that have the bar cut scratched out or punched out. We also accept CDs that have drill holes or promo stickers on the jewel case.
8.      We do accept so-called Club CDs, issued by BMG or Columbia House. They count half. 
9.      We do NOT accept bootleg or blank CDs.
10.  We do NOT accept CD singles or radio edits.
11.  We do NOT accept compilations from stores such as the GAP, Victoria’s Secret, etc. but we do accept CDs released by Starbucks or Time Life.
12.  We do NOT accept foreign language CDs if all of the title is written in a non-Latin alphabet, e.g. Greek, Russian, or Korean because we cannot catalogue them.
13.  We do accept import CDs as long as the title and artist are written in the Latin alphabet, for example in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, etc.
14.  We usually only accept one CD per title, i.e. we do not accept a dozen unsold, shrink wrapped CDs of a local bar band. If you have several CDs of one popular title, e-mail us the title(s) and we will let you know whether we are interested.
15.  We reserve the right to refuse CDs from online merchants, wholesalers, record stores, or record labels who are trying to unload their low priced inventory. We will not be responsible for the shipping costs involved in returning these CDs.
16.  We don’t pay for returning CDs that we reject because of missing cover art, scratches, or because they are liquidation ware or penny CDs (CDs with a resale value below $1.00).
17.  DVDs count like CDs. DVDs and CDs can be combined.
18.  We only accept DVDs with region code 1 (United States, Canada, Bermuda) in the U.S. and region code 2 (Western and Central Europe, Japan) for shipments to our European collection points.
19.  We do not take adult DVD’s.
20.  We do not return unacceptable CDs.
 
 
What is “digitizing” and how do I get my music onto the iPod?
 
Digitizing is the compression and conversion of the data on a music CD into a file format that can be played on the iPod. Digitizing is also known as “ripping.”If you opt for the exchange without digitizing you simply send us your CDs and we will send you an iPod (see exchange rates in center column). If you don’t opt for digitizing you will not get back-up files of your music. 

If you opt for digitizing you will get the iPod plus a set of back-up DVDs (see exchange rates in right column). We do not load the digitized files directly onto the iPod because we don’t want to open the iPod before sending it to you. That way you know that the iPod is new. If you have a set of back-up DVDs in a safe place you won’t lose all your music even if you lose your iPod.

Connect the iPod through the USB-port to your computer and insert the back-up DVDs into the DVD drive. Then use iTunes to move your files. iTunes is pre-installed on most computers and can also be downloaded for free from Apple.com. iTunes will show you album information such as artist name, track titles, playing time, and more. Some smaller iPods might not hold all the albums you have sent us. Use iTunes and the back-up DVDs to decide which tracks you want to play on iPods with limited storage capacity. 
 
 
To reach iPodMeister.com, e-mail the company at promo@ipodmeister.com or call 877-ipod.cds or 877.476.3237.

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But as a Total Type A, I never feel quite organized enough, so I’m always looking for ways to better organize this or that area of my life or the lives of my family members (loud sighs and eye rolls by family members inserted here) or some aspect of our household. Take for example, cords and cables. They drive me nuts and they always look messy and unorganized! We’ve got phone charger cords and iPod chargers and iPod ear phones, and mouse cords and computer speaker cords and USB cords  and on and on!

Enter one of my favorite new companies –Cableorganizer.com. I am enamored with a few of their products (and their prices are something to love, too).

The Yin & Yang Cable Winder ($2.49)

This is a perfect device for taming extra-long mouse cords. It is a creatively designed cable winder that is easy to use: just insert the offending cord into the slot, then twist the top to spool up excess length. Reversing the process to let out some slack is just as simple: grab the cord on both sides and lightly tug to unwind however much you need. 

The Core ($3.99-$7.99)

This is my personal favorite — no more tangled iPod earbuds. The CORE is the simplest portable cord manager around — it can manage your iPod, cell phone, MP3 player and other digital devices cords. The CORE features two channels on both ends where cords are easily inserted. Simply wrap the cable around the CORE’s center, then lock it securely in place using the channels on each end.

The CordBone Cable Organizer ($6.99)

This simple, easy to use “bone-like” design allows you to wrap up excess cables.  It keeps cords and cables off of the floor and prevents tripping hazards.  Cables can be easily wound or unwound from either end and it makes cables easily identifiable and untangled. It’s ideal for use on computer cords, power tool cables, and cables from household appliances.

Cable Turtle (Mini and Small Sizes: $4.99 – $5.99)

This is a fun little gadget that we’re using for the iPod chargers and USB cords in our lives. It’s a sleek little Dutch import that features a convenient “flip open, snap shut” design that lets you wind excess cable length around its hidden core to prevent tangled cords and unwanted clutter. It’s simple to use, highly functional, and is so aesthetically pleasing that it’s actually joined the ranks of the Museum of Modern Art’s Design collection. The Cable Turtle is also available in a rainbow of colors, so you’ll never need to sacrifice self-expression for cable management. 

Come backSunday (3/14/10) for a great list of “Clever Spring Cleaning Tips” from Karen Eschebach, Clever Container co-founder. (She offers some “I gotta have it” products for any organization addict!)

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Acme Made, designer of chic carrying solutions for digital gear, has the answer for you.

Available nationwide in boutiques like Fred Segal, Sony Style and online, Acme Made was created in 2002 with the sole purpose of designing, manufacturing and selling well-designed products to protect computer and peripherals. From the chic Bowler camera bag to the sassy Smart Sleeve, Acme Made carrying solutions deliver form and function. 

I am now the proud owner of the Smart Sleeve, and I love the style and function of this laptop case. It’s ultra thin, but has enough padding and protection to protect the valuable assets it is carrying, and it has a removable shoulder strap.  It sports a designer-styled front panel and a highly water-resistant exterior, and while it is sleek and slender on the outside, it’s all business on the inside.  The Smart Laptop Sleeve boasts some heavy-duty protection with its ballistic nylon and premium tricot lining to its closed-cell foam padding. Available in two colors, white and black, and three sizes: 13” sleeve, 15” sleeve and 10” sleeve, it retails for $29.99 to $34.99.

The Kate is another smart and stylish design not only protects a laptop, but carries all the other must-have items as well.  From the contrasting trim and interior fabric, to the slanted front pockets, the Kate is the perfect bag for work, school, or play. For all the times we try and get our wallets, keys, cell phones and other necessities to fit in our laptop bags, the Kate is the solution. It is available in black and white and sells for $99.99.

So, go check out the many styles of laptop bags (and camera bags, cell phone cases, iPod holders, etc.) at Acme Made and if you end up sporting something really cool, send me a picture.

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But do you know about the potential risks? Kids often don’t know how to use audio technology safely and they can harm their hearing as a result.  In fact, hearing loss among young people is reported to be on the rise and there are strong concerns that a generation of young people could end up with prevalent hearing loss. 

“For some time, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has warned that hearing loss in the United States could rise significantly due to the misuse of personal audio technology,” ASHA President Tommie L. Robinson, Jr. explains. “Unfortunately, a report released today by the Kaiser Family Foundationcites some alarming trends about excessive entertainment media consumption among our nation’s children, indirectly supporting ASHA’s concerns. This should be a warning to parents that they must regulate children’s exposure and fully understand the potential health threats associated with misuse and over exposure to such technologies.” 

 According to a 2004 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, children were reported as being exposed to six hours and 21 minutes of media (TV, music, internet, etc) per day. By 2009, this statistic had increased dramatically to seven hours and 38 minutes per day. When media multitasking is taken into account, this leaps to 10 hours and 45 minutes per day. This massive consumption of media has led to decreased grades in school and ASHA contends it puts kids at an increased risk of hearing loss. 

One thing that is clear from the study is that parents can be very positive influencers on how their children use entertainment media.

How You Can Help – Spread the Following Message

Whether your child received an MP3 player, gaming device, cell phone, laptop, or any other device with headphones, don’t overlook the important health threat of hearing loss.

Here are two simple ways to protect your children’s – and your own – hearing.

• Keep the volume down. A good guide is half volume.
• Limit listening time. Give your hearing ‘quiet breaks’.
• Consider upgrading from earbuds (which fit inside the ear) to sound-isolating earphones that go around the ear.

For more information, go the ASHA’s Web site, follow their Twitter feed or fan them on Facebook.

Find more information and statistics at ASHA’s website.  You can also follow their Twitter feed or fan them on Facebook to get real time updates on their work.

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