I heard your complaint about mom bloggers not being represented in the tech community and went straight to a really great company I work with, and they heard your plea.
They invited me to a phone meeting to talk about a Moms Tech Panel this Monday…Ill leave the company I work with as a surprise for you if it works out.
But right now, I want to hear from YOU.
How do you feel that mom bloggers can influence or assist in the tech community? What are your visions on how they need more representation? What do you want me to tell them straight from Mom Bloggers?
How do you see a Mom Blog Panel for tech items fulfilling a need and what kind of ideas do you all have that you want me to stress to them during our meeting? And last, but not least, what items do you feel need to be out there? Laptops, printers, faxes, etc?
If the meeting goes well on Monday, Ill reach to the blog first to find out who would be interested in being the newest panel members.
~Trisha
I totally agree that Mom Bloggers are very techie but are not actually aware of it.
Being such a mutli-tasker, moms need all the help they can get and this is where latest technology and gadgets come in that make our lives simpler. It’s as basic as our microwave and washing machine to as advanced as PDAs, laptops,digicams, multi-function printers etc.
Especially with the trend of SAHMs, WAHMs and blogging, it’s all the more obvious that there are more moms who are more techie than their own husbands.
I think there should be more gadgets that can be easily synchronized with each other and will operate just by scheduling it in your laptop, desktop, PDA or mobile phone.
“”
I think the tech community doesn’t recognize that Mom Bloggers don’t have limitless financial resources, but they do have limitless influence. For example, I LOVE BLOGSPOT, and I will never switch over to WordPress or any of those other tempting “big people” blog hosts. The basics appeal to me, I’m creative with its offerings, and I’m loyal.
Like a typical mom with multiple responsibilities, I’m not going to put “latest tech gadget” at the top of my list. Most parents, I believe, follow in their teenagers’ footsteps, as far as what interests them with technology. Oh great, now you’re all going to run out and throttle the campaign onto a bunch of adolescents. Me and my big mouth!
I don’t have teenagers yet, nor do most of my friends, and I don’t want to wait that long to be at the top of my game. But, BLACKBERRY is not at the top of my Valentine’s gift list, because I can’t justify it. Even if it DOES allow me to play more SCRABBLE than is good for my intellect. And text my husband, and tease my girl friends.
Rebecca Woolf from Girl’s Gone Child has a Blackberry. And suddenly, I DO want one. I’m that gullible. But, the only thing that’s going to get that Blackberry into my hands is if the company finds it in their “Mom Focus” gameplan to loan me one. Just for six months so we can BOTH see if it really does enhance my life, or if it simply annoys my husband.
I’ll never know until I try it myself. And THEY’LL never know I’m the type of influential MommyBlogger who weasels her way into perfect opportunities…the type of mom who will get EVERYONE playing SCRABBLE games on their Blackberries…the mom who will eat blackberries for breakfast if it will help the cause…
until they test my market out.
Also, if I don’t get html converter boxes that are a click a way,…I just might go mad. Because I’ll never force myself to learn “tags”. Ever. Why, oh why, can’t ALL comment boxes allow you to change the font and make the lettering all beautiful and girly. When in the world will the tech community realize that the WEB should be designed FOR and by WOMEN? At least half of it, anyway.
And, web designers and paper scrapbook companies should band together so our blogs can match our homemade memories. And, stationery companies should band with them as well, because we have many parties yet to throw, many causes yet to bring into public awareness, and many, many sponsors yet to suck dry. Our paper must match our blogs, or we’re simply not going!
The stamp and adhesive label companies…I’ll take care of them myself.
Call me!
jeskiley at yahoo dot com
http://growingupartists.blogspot.com
Technology is everywhere in our day to day lives. As moms, we not only use it (and oftentimes know more about it that our hubbies and kids) we also have to deal with the way it looks, functions and CLEANS and care more about that stuff then men do. Who thought to put the on/off switch on the Playstation 2 on the BACK of the machine? C’mon??? Men and kids only care that it turns on, moms pay more attention to the details and in the end the details matter because with the switch on the back, the plug keeps getting pulled out of it and I’m always the one who has to fish it out from behind the TV stand and plug it back in.
We have a different perspective, but it is a powerful one because in our house and many others, husbands and wives make decisions together or often it is left up just to the moms and minor details like that will influence purchase decisions.
Unfortunately, I too believe that Mommy bloggers are over looked in the tech community. This is a shame because we, as mothers, need technology as much, if not more than women with out children. I am constantly tied to my laptop, iPhone, digital camera, camcorder, video monitor etc. I use way more techie gadgets than most other people I know.
I do agree that it seems that the Mommy bloggers have been somewhat overlooked in the technology social media segment. Every purchase in our household is made together and my input is just is valuable as my husband’s. I’m usually the one that spends hours researching tech products online, weeding through the information.
Many moms hold degrees in tech or science related fields (BS-Mechanical Engineering here). They understand the tech world just as well, sometimes better, than males. I’d especially like to see posts on new technology. The latest and greatest in computers and accessories, cell, MP3′s. I’d also like to see posts on affordable tech options. Many moms face trying to balance meger family budgets. As a blogger, I’d also personally love to find a product that allows me to dictate or handwrite some of my posts then upload so I don’t have to be tied to the computer as much.
I wanted to add that oftentimes mom blogs & forums are one stop shopping for information for many moms. We don’t just talk about our babies, we look to each other for advice on technology and using new applications in ways that make sense for us.
One popular series I’m running on my blog (which is connected to my forums) is tutorials on how to do things like set Facebook privacy settings, use RSS, and other social networking sites. I’m constantly on the look out for information on ways technology can help my posters and would welcome the tech industry reaching out to me, both to show me new products and ask for input.
We’re constantly giving each other tips, from grocery list apps to special needs moms sharing how they organize all their kid’s records and appointments to how to diagnose and remove malware. All tech discussion doesn’t happen on tech blogs or forums, they happen where the people are most often.
I think a panel like this would be awesome! I love reviewing toys, and things for the kids and even for the kitchen, but that gets a little old because I do have a genuine interest in all the new tech gadgets out there. Technology isn’t just for the man out there, I can appreciate the cool new ipod, cell phone, computer, photo printers, movie player gizmos too. Let’s face it I am a stay at home mom and well I am doing 85% of the running, doing, computing, and researching for the family. I think a mom blog tech review group would be awesome! Sign me up!
How awesome! I think companies are aware in general that women are tech savvy, but they may miss the mark when it comes to targeting who actually makes the purchasing decisions in the household. We make the purchasing and upgrade decisions, deal with compatibility issues, and work the help desks when there are problems.
What we need is functionality for today’s lifestyle. We run our home like a business and run our businesses from home. We need more solutions that integrate the two and make life sync a little easier. I see so much geared towards the business traveler and virtual office. We are mobile mom, business traveler and home network all in one. I purchase for myself, business and home, and three teens. Wow! The ideas are flowing as I’m typing! I hope this becomes a reality! This would be a great help to moms and families!
I have been surprised and delighted at how many moms on my forums are their family’s tech support and the ones making the decisions about computers and other technologies. Even in families where the parents take an equal role or the husband does most of the decision making on technology purchases, the moms often ask questions, wanting to give input.
It’s foolish to ignore this market.
count me in, typo and all ;->
Count me in.