64 PRE-SCHOOL NEWS COMMENT A MUMMY BLOGGER’S VIEW
Parent bloggers are an increasingly influential part of the pre-school landscape. We take a closer look at recent blog posts from a mummy blogger… This month: Geek Mummy
WE’VE JUST reached the end of a lovely week and a half away in the UK. Being a modern, connected and geeky family we travel with our iPhones, iPads and laptops, and have never been far away from a wi-fi signal. I can’t believe how this technology has revolutionised the way we travel. So I thought I would share with you my top five apps for a holiday in the UK:
1: Accuweather – What I like about Accuweather is its hour-by-hour forecast. If the forecast for the day is ‘sunshine and showers’, you can look through the day on an hourly basis and get an idea as to when the showers will hit. This allows you to plan your day more carefully. Like all weather forecasts, it’s not 100 per cent accurate, but I’ve found it pretty good. Accuweather is available on Android, iPhone, iPad and online.
2: My High Street – If you’re anything like me, on a self catering holiday you are neither organised enough to do a grocery shop to take with you, nor is there enough space in the car to fit any shopping. My High Street detects your location and then allows you to search for retailers or brands in a number of different categories. Select the category and the retailer/brand name you are looking for and a map will appear, showing where the nearest are. You can select your chosen destination to get directions to it (using the Maps app). My High Street is available for iPhone only, but will run on the iPad in compatibility mode. It costs 69p.
3: WiFiZone@UK – For a geeky family, second only to knowing where the nearest supermarket can be found is knowing where the nearest wi-fi hotspot is. WiFiZone@UK detects your current location and then lists all nearby BT Openzone, The Cloud, Orange and T-Mobile hotspots. It gives both a list and a map view so you can plan your route to your chosen hotspot. Very sensibly it doesn’t need an internet connection to work. Before you set out on your holiday it is worth finding out if you get complementary use of any of these wi-fi hotspots, either through your mobile phone or home contracts, otherwise there will be a charge to connect to the internet using them. WiFiZone@UK is a free app for the iPhone only.
4: Look Bunny Find – Once you’ve got the basics covered you can start finding out what there is to do in the local area, and this is where Look Bunny Find comes in. Again this app detects your location, and then lists out local attractions and events. This app is squarely aimed at families, so everything listed should be safe to take kids to. The events are listed in order of distance, closest first, and selecting any event shows you a map and directions to help you get there. Where possible it also includes opening times and prices. The attractions can also be filtered by a huge selection of different categories.
5: Right Move – This is my ‘guilty pleasure’. When I’m on holiday in a new part of the UK I can’t help having a look at what kind of properties are for sale, and how much they cost. The Right Move app is the best property window shopping app I know, and I love to browse through the listings and look at photos and floor plans. Right Move is available on Android, iPhone and iPad, or through their website, and is free.
Check out more from Geek Mummy online here,
www.geekmummy.com; on Twitter @geekmummy; and on Facebook,
www.facebook.com/geekmummy.
SEPTEMBER 2012
Strong start for Miffy Cute as a Button
New nursery collection already nominated for Practical Parenting and Pregnancy Award…
by Samantha Loveday
RAINBOW DESIGNS is feeling confident that its new Miffy Cute as a Button nursery gift collection will perform well at retail, following a strong launch to the trade at Harrogate Home & Gift Fair earlier this year. The line features traditional toys and gifts in gentle white tones, aimed at those looking for items for a new arrival, Christening or birthday.
Products include a Sweet Dreams Musical Mobile, Comfort Blanket, My First Miffy (both early favourites with retailers) and Squeakers. As well as a swathe of independent retailers, the collection is also available from Amazon, Baby Basics, Bentalls, Debenhams online, Harrods International and Jojo Maman Bebe. “We are delighted with how well the range has been received by retailers to date and we are extremely confident that sales will follow suit,” Zara Grindrod, director of sales at
Rainbow Designs told ToyNews. “The Miffy brand has such a strong heritage and the neutral colour palette of the Cute as a Button
collection not only complements the Miffy Little Star range, which
features pastel pink and blue, but is completely on trend with baby layette.
“The collection is perfect for a new arrival, first Christmas or Christening gift,” she continued.
In addition, the Sweet Dreams Musical Mobile has also been shortlisted in the Nursery Product £30 and over category in the Practical Parenting and Pregnancy Awards 2012/2013. According to Rainbow Designs, Miffy sailed through the first round, which was judged by mums and based on practicality, ease of use, value for money and quality.
Rainbow Designs: 01329 227300 Asda debuts Baby Zone site
SUPERMARKET GIANT Asda has launched a new microsite which is dedicated to baby toys, furniture, clothes, bath time and travel accessories.
Baby Zone lists some 450 new products and is split into key sections. The well stocked toys and gift category is divided into rockers and ride-ons, swings and bouncers, play mats and gyms, baby walkers, teething and soft toys, light, sound and music, bath toys and wooden toys and puzzles.
There is also a licensed product section with characters including Peppa Pig, Thomas & Friends, Mickey Mouse, Fireman Sam and Postman Pat.
The maternity market is a hot one for the supermarket chains currently. Both Tesco and Sainsbury’s have dedicated baby websites – Tesco Baby & Toddler Club and Sainsbury’s Little Ones – while the Morrisons-owned Kiddicare brand is due to expand its High Street presence this autumn with the launch of ten new stores.
http://direct.asda.com/asda- babyshop/
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