Category: Tech

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Tech

Best Underwater Cameras

There’s a wealth of underwater cameras on the market, lucky for you we’ve sifted through them and pulled out the best of the bunch.

Canon Powershot D20

The lowdown: Canon’s second underwater camera isn’t all about the gimmicks, it produces great quality, sharp photos too. Its wide-angle lens has a 5X optical zoom, and while it can be used in water up to 10m deep, you can buy a case allowing you to go 40m.

We love: that it allows you to focus on subjects above and below water at the same time. The menu is easy to navigate and the screen clear even in bright light.

Where to buy: Amazon; from £255.50.

 

Fujifilm Finepix XP200

The lowdown: the latest underwater camera from the Fujifilm family can be used in depths of 15m, which makes it one of the best on the market, and has a 5X optical zoom. The quality of pictures is high and it has fun settings, such as pop colour filters and soft focus for a romantic look. It also comes with wireless transfer to upload straight to social networking sites.

We love: the motion panorama, which produces 360-degree images just by panning the camera.

Where to buy: Amazon; from £259.99.

 

Nikon Coolpix AW110

The lowdown: this camera is so hardcore it’s even camouflaged. It can withstand depths of up to 18m, temperatures for up to -10°C, and has a 5X optical zoom.

We love: its barometer, which measures atmospheric pressure and can also be used to forecast the weather, as well as the built-in GPS and world map – so the adventurers among you can not only record the location of your photos, but also track journey routes.

Where to buy: Amazon, from £200.

 

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-2

The lowdown: the Tough TG-2 claims to be virtually indestructible and has some great features that its rivals don’t offer. Among them, the addition of wide-angle or fisheye lenses to the 5X optical zoom, and 11 filters to get creative with.

We love: the Beauty Make-Up Mode, which allows you to choose from 18 different effects such as eyeliner, lipstick, eye brightening and cheek lift. Well who doesn’t love instant beautification?

Where to buy: Amazon; from £200.

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Tech

Top 9 Travel Apps for Kids

The best downloads to keep kids busy – and quiet! – on your family travels.

TOCA TOWN

In this colourful app, kids can help 21 different residents explore six different areas of Toca Town. Children can act out things they might not be allowed to do in real life, such as having a giant pillow fight or flushing the toilet 20 times in a row.

Apple, £1.99

FIRSTCAMERA

If your kids’ pinch your smartphone to take photos, FirstCamera is for you. It saves all their shots onto the app (leaving room on the camera roll for your own pictures). Built-in filters let them decorate their photos with stickers, speech bubbles, moustaches, hats and glasses.

Apple, free

MY FIRST APP – VOL. 3 AIRPORT

This third app in the series (Circus and Vehicles being the first two) allows your kids to have fun around the airport, exploring different areas, watching luggage being loaded and seeing the cabin being cleaned. The app also features four engaging games that are perfect to stimulate spacial awareness and logical-thinking skills.

Apple, £1.49

CRAYOLA COLOUR, DRAW AND SING

This fun app combines art and music as each splash of colour unlocks a new instrument and a song begins to take shape. Features 10 familiar songs, including ‘Frère Jacques’ and ‘Do Your Ears Hang Low?’. There are also more than 50 Crayola colours and 40 images to colour in.

Apple, £2.96

SKIT!

Using your own holiday photos, which you can embellish with outfits and hairpieces, this fun app allows you to create videos to share with friends. You can also narrate your story and share with your online community via Facebook, Twitter, text or email.

Apple and Android, free

HOOPA CITY

With the help of Hoopa the hippo, kids get to construct their own city, using different materials to make houses, roads, schools and even theme parks. If you prefer something quieter, you can build forests, beach resorts and mountains.

Apple, £1.99; Android, free

ITRACK WILDLIFE LITE

A comprehensive digital field guide to animal tracks. Enjoyed by adults and children alike, this wildlife app is suitable for both novice and expert wildlife enthusiasts. Limited to eight species of mammal, the Lite version allows you to try many of the features of the iTrack Wildlife, without the cost.

Apple, free

MONSTERS ATE MY BIRTHDAY CAKE

It all begins on the magical island of Gogapoe, a place populated by humans and monsters. What starts out as a mission to get back Niko’s birthday cake becomes a quest for the fate of Gogapoe itself. Hordes of evil creatures cause mayhem, but there’s nothing you can’t fix with head butts, stink clouds and rainbow barf.

Apple, £2.99

ONE GLOBE KIDS

Put the world in your child’s hands with this safe, fun and interactive app. Children can meet new friends from around the world, sharing their language, games and food, and there are children’s stories from five different countries. Easy for non-readers to navigate using icons and audio to listen to the story.

Apple, free

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Tech

Gadgets to keep Kids Entertained

One of the greatest fears of taking a toddler on holiday is the journey there, be it a six hour car drive, two hour flight, one hour ferry crossing or the dreaded long-haul flight. Mrs ATWWAH helps us survive the journeys from home with a toddler.

TRAVEL TIME

Try to travel at a time when you think your toddler will be at their best (or asleep). We regularly travel up north by car to see our family and tend to leave after bath time as we can put Master ATWWAH in his pyjamas and he’ll nod off in his car seat for the majority of the journey. And the theory is the motorway should have cleared of rush hour traffic.

 

WHAT TO PACK TO KEEPS TODDLERS ENTERTAINED

Take a good selection of favourite snacks and drinks:

Apparently bananas promote sleep, worth knowing for anyone doing a long haul flight with a toddler, even if you take a bunch to give out to your fellow passengers

Pack a bag full of entertainment:

Including a favourite toy and lots of books. For older toddlers sticker books and a colouring book with crayons can keep them entertained for ages.

Always take a pram:

There’s salways going to be that time when your flight/ferry/train is delayed and your little one will need to sleep. Prams mean when they do nod off they are easy to get around and you don’t have to wake them – and you can take the chance to do some Duty Free shopping safe in the knowledge that they won’t be dropping bottles of perfume on the floor or trying on the MAC testers.

Gadgets:

But my biggest tip is to not leave for a long journey without an ipad (or other tablet device) I have no idea what our parents did without them but they are a gift from the heavens.

Before you leave you can download lots of games and stories as well as favourite shows from channels such as CBeebies by using the iPlayer app.

Favourite apps: Master ATWWAH’s favourites include the Postman Pat app full of games involving all the characters with different difficulty levels, the Cars story app which tells the story of the film and has jigsaws to complete as it goes along, and a Doodle app which is a bit like an Etch-A-Sketch

Even when the volume button is turned up with the noise of other traffic or passengers, they are not disruptive. Unless you’re on public transport such a plane, train or ferry, in which case pack a pair of cool headphones as not to disturb the other passengers.

They are also light so easy to travel with, as well as lasting a good few hours when fully charged.

Old fashion games:

Obviously nothing beats some of the old fashioned games you can play with your toddler on journeys. Master ATWWAH loves looking out of the window of the car and telling us what he can see, although it does get a bit repetitive on a motorway, ‘car, car, truck, car, car…’ and on flights he loves the in-flight safety card and will spend a good amount of time looking at it and talking about the pictures.

Facilities provided:

Lots of operators now provide entertainment for children, whether it’s in-flight TV with lots of cartoons, easyjJet’s snack boxes aimed at children with colouring books included, or activity packs provided by Virgin Trains on all their routes.

 

WHEN A TODDLER TANTRUM ERUPTS…

If a tantrum does erupt my best advice would be to try anything to stop it even if you end up looking like an idiot yourself. On the way back from holiday once, on a four hour flight, Master ATWWAH decided to have a tantrum in the aisle of the plane and sat down screaming as he couldn’t understand why he had to sit in a seat and not wander around.

As I hid in my seat pretending I wasn’t with him Mr ATWWAH picked him up, held him up so he was facing the rest of the plane and its passengers who had stopped to watch the meltdown and made a little announcement about how everyone was now looking at him as he was making so much noise and they were all wondering what was wrong with the little boy who was crying so much.

It could have backfired horribly but instead Master ATWWAH proceeded to smile and wave at people and calmed down.

Categories
Tech

The Best Waterproof Cameras

Don’t fear ruining your camera in the rain or by the pool, make sure you’re equipped with the best waterproof cameras to make great family holiday photos.

OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-2

The lowdown: The Tough TG-2 claims to be virtually indestructible and has some great features that its rivals don’t offer. Among them, the addition of wide-angle or fisheye lenses to the 5X optical zoom, and 11 filters to get creative with.

We love: The Beauty Make-Up Mode, which allows you to choose from 18 different effects such as eyeliner, lipstick, eye brightening and cheek lift. Well who doesn’t love instant beautification?

Where to buy: Amazon; from £200

 

FUJIFILM FINEPIX XP200

The lowdown: The latest underwater camera from the Fujifilm family can be used in depths of 15m, which makes it one of the best on the market, and has a 5X optical zoom. The quality of pictures is high and it has fun settings, such as pop colour filters and soft focus for a romantic look. It also comes with wireless transfer to upload straight to social networking sites. 

We love: The motion panorama, which produces 360-degree images just by panning the camera. 

Where to buy: Amazon; from £259.99

 

NIKON COOLPIX AW110 

The lowdown: This camera is so hardcore it’s even camouflaged. It can withstand depths of up to 18m, temperatures for up to -10°C, and has a 5X optical zoom.

We love: Its barometer, which measures atmospheric pressure and can also be used to forecast the weather, as well as the built-in GPS and world map – so the adventurers among you can not only record the location of your photos, but also track journey routes.

Where to buy: Amazon, from £200

 

CANON POWERSHOT D20  

The lowdown: Canon’s second underwater camera isn’t all about the gimmicks, it produces great quality, sharp photos too. Its wide-angle lens has a 5X optical zoom, and while it can be used in water up to 10m deep, you can buy a case allowing you to go 40m.

We love: That it allows you to focus on subjects above and below water at the same time. The menu is easy to navigate and the screen clear even in bright light.

Where to buy: Amazon; from £255.50

Categories
Tech

Top Ten Children’s Travel Accessories

These colourful kids’ games and fun travel accessories are sure to delight young travellers – and keep mum and dad happy too.

TINY DINER PLACEMAT

Summer Infant’s roll-up Tiny Diner placemat is designed so that children won’t need a plate. It’s a safe placemat that aims to provide a healthy eating surface for children. It’s easily portable and has features that help contain spills, messes and food mishaps. It’s the easy answer to less food on your floor and less food on your child’s lap. When not needed, the placemat can be easily rolled up and stored for later use.

Price: £9.99, mothercare.com

SNOOZESHADE

You might just get to enjoy that al fresco pina colada, when you use SnoozeShade. The breathable blackout for prams and buggies that blocks out 99 per cent of UV rays. The soft fabric slips over all size buggies, prams, and pushchairs to help your child stay sun safe. Its multiple usages also help protect your child from not just the sun but rain, insects and wind too. The darkness from the cover will aid your child to sleep and not disrupt naptime routines. 

Price: £19.99, snoozeshade.com

FUJIFILM INSTAX CAMERA

Forget Polaroids of old. Play with the settings on the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 to create a vintage feel or pin-sharp brights. The camera comes in multiple colors and there are fun frame options for the film too! With easy-to-use settings, you can capture every memory on film and see the pictures instantly. The automatic settings make it easier for you to determine the brightness and light needed to take the perfect picture. Just point, click, and watch your family memories come to life on the instant film photo. 

Price: £69.95, fujifilm.com

TRUNKI BOOSTAPAK

Save money on booster-seat hire, and get the kids to cart their own clobber, with the Trunki BoostApak, a booster seat and rucksack in one. Avoid pesky booster-seat costs with this two-in-one travel must-have. Its an approved carry-on bag and can easily fit all of your kids toys and travel necessities. It comes in a variety of colours and is the perfect essential for traveling with kids under 12 years.

Price: £45, trunki.co.uk 

SUN-SAN SANDALS

Sun-San sandals are great for kids – they’re leather, but suitable for the sea and are machine washable. These sandals have been a staple in American shoe design and have garnered a cult following since the 1940s. The durable leather provides both fashion and comfort and are a hit with adults and children alike. 

Price: £35, sunsansandals.co.uk

SENNHEISER HEADPHONES

Teens will happily follow you anywhere in the world armed with cool Sennheiser Urbanite Headphones. It has all the latest accessories and features for teens to enjoy music, games and videos – including a button remote control cable that hooks into the headphones. It’s fit for all sizes and can be easily adjusted. 

Price: £149.95, johnlewis.com

DELTA BABY BAG & COT

The Delta Baby Nursery Bag & Travel Cot is a well-designed changing bag that converts into a comfy carrycot. You can transport all of your baby’s necessities, change your baby and have the perfect on-the-go napping space with Delta Baby’s nursery bag & travel cot. It’s light and practical and with its storage design, you can easily access all of your baby’s essentials. 

Price: £54.99, baby2k.com

DOONA INTEGRATED BUGGY

The Doona Integrated Travel System is a car seat and buggy-in-one, and suitable for babies up to 13kg. This car seat and buggy combination is the first one with integrated wheels for easy in and out of the car transportation. It has extra seat protection so your infant won’t fuss when going from buggy into the car. With all of the safety features to keep your child safe from any accident, like anti-rebound technology and double walled side impact protection, it is a must have for infants and young tots. 

Price – £299, halfords.com

KNOMAD MINI ORGANISER

The Knomad Mini Portable Organiser‘s fold-out design has compartments for tablet, phone and bank cards, plus an all-important device-charging battery. It’s the perfect organiser for traveling and you can easily access all of your travel necessities with its pocket designs. Charge your devices with its portable battery and never feel flustered when traveling again.

Price: £119, knomo.com

PORTABLE GAME COMPENDIUM

The Let’s Play A Game compendium contains six board games. It fits in a suitcase and will help young ones with maths, coordination and sorting skills. It’s a play on 6 re-imagined board games and includes all the pieces you’ll need to have fun on-the-go.

Price: £14.95, thamesandhudson.com

More of what you love…

Getting ready to take to the skies with your kids? Check our expert tips for flying with kids. To help you keep them occupied all the way to your destination, we’ve selected the 9 best apps for kids – bon voyage! 

Categories
Tech

Top 9 Travel Apps for Adults

Nine must-have apps for travelling grownups. Download them now for a stress-free family holiday.

FLIGHTRADAR24

A flight-tracking service that allows you to access information about thousands of aircraft around the world. Watch planes move in real time, get a pilot’s eye view, identify planes overhead by pointing your phone into the sky and search for individual flights.

Apple and Android, £1.99

VAYABLE

Make your trip more than just a handful of pics with landmarks. Vayable lets you book unique experiences you’ll never find at a tourist office, hosted by vetted locals who share their passions and skills to create activities the whole family can enjoy, from a guided tour of local street art to a visit to a surf school.

Apple, free

ROUTEHAPPY

This handy app allows users to snag deals on flights for your family holiday. Routehappy rates flights by ‘happiness factors’, such as seat comfort, leg room, in-seat entertainment and wi-fi, as well as price, meaning you’re assessing a variety of factors, not just the hit on your wallet.

Apple, free

POSTAGRAM POSTCARDS

Postagram allows you to send customised postcards to friends and family from your phone. You can also create a traditional physical copy of the postcard, for an extra charge, and post it in the conventional way. Watch out that costs don’t mount up too much, though.

Apple and Android, free

VIATOR

Find thousands of activities in 1,500 destinations worldwide, complete with reviews, ratings, photos and videos. Viator pinpoints exactly what’s available where and when you want. With guaranteed low prices and mobile-only deals, you can book instantly, saving time in queues.

Apple and Android, free

FIELD TRIP

Recently updated, Field Trip guides you through your destination, educating you on the surrounding area and major landmarks. It will also answer any questions you may have, providing a mobile history lesson. The perfect travel partner.

Apple and Android, free

PACK AND GO DELUXE

An extensive packing checklist and automated tasks reminder system for families. Manage trips by using the ready-made packing lists for every member of your family, or customise and personalise your own travel or shopping lists by adding photos, sounds or background colours.

Apple, £1.49

TRIPIT

Tripit keeps your entire holiday itinerary in one place. Simply forward all of your confirmation emails – for hotels, flights, car hire, etc – to Tripit and, at a glance, you can see and access your travel plans from a master itinerary.

Apple and Android, free

MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE

If you’ve booked – or are dreaming of – a trip to Disney World, this app from the Disney Corporation is a must. It allows you to plan every aspect of your Disney World holiday from dining and FastPass+ reservations to the new Magic Bands and wait times for rides.

Apple and Android, free

Categories
Tech

Turn your Holiday Photos into a Movie

We love Original Travel’s new video offering. Hand over all your photos and films and it will be returned in a lovely short film to keep forever.

MOVIE MAKER

Be honest, how often do you actually do anything with the photos or video footage you take on holiday? Since tour operator Original Travel has gone all family-friendly, teaming up with children’s entertainers Sharky & George, it offers all sorts of weird and wonderful add-ons.

Our favourite is The Art of Original Travel, a service in which you can send the company all your snapshots, iPhone clips and video footage when you return from your holiday, and it’ll turn the best bits into a groovy short film. Alternatively, you can bling it up a notch and have one of its digital gurus actually accompany you on your trip to turn your adventures into an award-worthy movie. 

More information: originaltravel.co.uk

Categories
Lifestyle Tech

Heroes of the City

Heroes of the City is a tv series that aims to teach children the fundamental values of helping, caring and sharing and that with these values in mind, everyone can be a hero.

What is Heroes of the City?

Heroes of the City is a fantastically fun YouTube cartoon series set in a bright and cheerful world, which your kids can travel to with just a few clicks of a mouse.

The episodes tell the tales of two rescue vehicles, Pauli Police Car and Fiona Fire Engine, and the adventures that they and their friends get up to.

There are 52 episodes on YouTube in 18 languages, all totally free to watch.

What’s so great about it?

By working together and helping each other out, the friendly rescue vehicles bust crimes, put out fires, and solve the mysteries that crop up around town.

In this happy little city everyone gets to be a hero. As they watch, kids will learn the importance of friendships, see the value of helping out your pals, and have a giggle at the mishaps of the accident-prone Calamity Crow.

All the films have been optimised to look great on mobile phones and tablets as well as computers, so you can carry the fun around in your pocket when you’re about and about on your travels.

Who will love watching it?

The show is aimed at children aged 1-5.

What’s on offer?

As well as the shows, the channel also has memory training games, creative crafting ideas, and Calamity Crow’s Sketch & Guess game – try guess what’s being drawn before the picture is finished!

Heading off on holiday with the tots? Be sure to download to Heroes of the City Movie app, which includes more than six hours of movies, plus ten entertaining games to keep little fingers busy on the road or in the air.

The Heroes of the City Book app has hours of stories, movies and games – just the thing for keeping busy on a long journey.

There’s also a Baby app for 0-2s with short movies and colourful games, a special Garage app where kids can tinker with the vehicles, and Board Game app with eight family-friendly games to try.

Where can I find it?

• Catch up on episodes on the Heroes of the City YouTube Channel

• Android users can download the apps on Google Play here.

• Apple users will find them on the Appstore here.

Categories
Tech

Car Review: Volkswagen California Campervan

Katie Dodd shows us round the new VW California campervan so we know what to expect from the new model…

Family Traveller’s little reviewer, Katie Dodd, 9, took a trip with her family in the new VW California Campervan. She shows us round the campervan so we know what to expect from the new family-friendly model.

Visit thevwcalifornia.com to find out more about specifications and price…