Modern moms are 38% more likely than the general population to use a smartphone, and they’re 28% more likely to use a tablet, according to a 2012 report from BabyCenter and Nielsen. Mobile moms demand nimble smartphone technology that goes beyond IMs and email with aplomb, and that looks stylish too! In addition, they need devices that adapt to the particulars of being a mom, like juggling toddlers, toys, bottles and smartphones or bluetooth devices.
FINDING THE RIGHT SMARTPHONE
Selecting the right smartphone for a mom-on-the-go means aligning functionality with lifestyle and personal choice. Don’t choose a smartphone based on brand name recognition alone; sit down at the computer, pull up a few carrier websites, and do some window shopping and brainstorming. List the kinds of things you want to be able to do on your phone and what you’d like to handle on the fly. If compatibility with other devices in your household or family is a concern (an iPhone for an all-Apple family, for example) take that into account as well. What’s your price range? Take your list of requirements to the store and get a salesperson to help target a selection that fits the bill.
Then go hands-on with each device. Do the menu systems and displays seem logical to you? Is a smaller or larger screen more comfortable to read or type on? Do you prefer a touchscreen or a physical keyboard?
Whether you can afford to buy what’s hot right now or you just want to know what’s leading the pack, consider the devices featured on this top five list from the Houston Chronicle.
ACCESSORIZE YOUR PHONE
Accessories can make all the difference for mobile moms. All the accessories on the list below represent hardworking technology that gets the job done. A colorful palette that adds whimsy is optional.
Mount Up • Keep your smartphone in sight for easy navigation and calling on the fly with a dashboard or windshield mount that cradles your device while you drive. The iBOLT ProDock Alumina attaches easily in a variety of positions.
On the Case • Brighten your outlook with a colorful protector case for your Galaxy S III, or reflect the season with the springy Sorbet series for your iPhone. If you’re serious about protecting your investment, you want an Otterbox, which claims to be a waterproof, drop proof, dust proof and crush proof mobile phone case.
An Eco-Friendly Case • Tread more lightly on the Earth while protecting your smartphone with a “Flaxstic” case made with flax straw waste. You can go completely compostable with the brown-paper hip Papernomad.
Colorful Car Chargers • Here’s a basic no on-the-go parent should be without. Go beyond basic black with a colorful car charger that looks good in what’s often a mom’s home away from home.
Read Related: Latinos Close the Digital Divide
Charge Up • Don’t run out of juice even when you can’t get to your car or a plug with a compact battery pack. The Primo Battery Cube gives you a hefty chunk of extra uptime at a reasonable price. The Mophie power pack, out later this month, is compatible with all your different mobile devices.
Roll-Up Keyboard • If your work involves hours of writing for design work, consider a cool accessory like a portable keyboard. They fit neatly into most bags and make amazingly durable solutions for sticky-fingered kids. Try one that’s pretty in pink.
Go Hands-Free • You don’t even need to hold your phone to your ear when you’re wearing a lighthearted purple bluetooth headset. If you don’t like the whole robot headset vibe, move the sound to your car visor instead with this Motorola speakerphone.
Portable Mini-Speaker • When your smartphone’s speaker doesn’t provide enough kick, connect a perky red mini-bluetooth speaker. It’s so tiny, it’s a cinch to toss into a bag.
Go Deep • State-of-the-art waterproof protection starts with a submersible Survivor. For all your deep water mobile needs, this is the one. If you’re more of a landlubber, there are other water-resistant phone case alternatives.
Picking up any of the accessories and toys from the list above is a step in the right mobile-connected direction. And remember, there are mobile apps available that provide you with on-the-go access to content you love.
